Shows
OCALI’s Inspiring ChangeThis Music Will Continue to Play: A Conversation with Autism Center Program Director Amy Bixler CoffinMegan and Simon are joined by Amy Bixler Coffin, program director of the Autism Center at OCALI and program manager of the Multi-System Navigation Center at OCALI. It’s a big and bittersweet moment as Amy retires after a 20-year career at OCALI and 35-year career in education. We share a lot of laughs, a few tears, but mostly we commemorate and celebrate all that her two centers have accomplished over the years while we look forward to the next chapter of their work, services, and offerings.Resources:Autism Center at OCALIMulti-System Navigation Center at OCALIAutism In...
2025-04-2727 min
OCALI’s Inspiring ChangeWe Know What Works: Jim Taylor on Learning Styles, Community, Football, and 45+ Years in the Field of AutismIn this episode of Connecting the Dots from the Autism Center at OCALI, hosts Megan Trowbridge and Simon Buehrer sit down with long-time friend and autism expert Jim Taylor from Stirling, Scotland. With over 45 years of experience in the field of autism, Jim shares his insights on learning, reflection, and fostering community. A regular attendee of OCALICON since 2007, Jim explains how Columbus, Ohio, has become his second home—highlighting the importance of place in cultivating his professional growth and personal connections. Jim leaves listeners with the inspiring message that change happens when we reflect, engage, and rethink....
2025-02-1119 min
OCALI’s Inspiring ChangeIt’s Not a Celebration of Ohio if All Ohioans Can’t Come: Building a More Inclusive Fair ExperienceJoin us for the debut of Connecting the Dots, a new podcast series from the Autism Center at OCALI, aimed at raising awareness about autism and empowering communities. In our first episode, we explore how the 2024 Ohio State Fair is advancing inclusivity through its Sensory-Friendly Morning. Now in its fifth year, this special event lowers noise and lights to create a more accessible environment for individuals with sensory sensitivities. Through conversations with families attending the fair and insights from key partners like the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and the Autism Society of Central Ohio, we highlight how these...
2024-08-2324 min
OCALI’s Inspiring ChangeMaking Change In The World. And Out of It. Dr. Sheri Wells-Jensen on Disability in SpaceIntuitive Machine’s Odysseus recently completed the U.S.’s first moon landing in 50 years. As we continue to explore the “final frontier,” how can we leverage disability’s practical, creative, and ingenuous problem-solving skills – and contingency plans – to better prepare for bold new adventures? And how do these noble pursuits help us build better communities here on Earth? Dr. Sheri Wells-Jenson, associate professor of linguistics at BGSU and the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology, Exploration, and Scientific Innovation commands this mission.
2024-03-0728 min
OCALI’s Inspiring ChangeGrace and Grit: A Conversation with Judy Heumann, Temple Grandin, and Haben GirmaThe OCALICON Rewind series continues featuring a conversation with three leaders, legends, and luminaries. Judy, Temple, and Haben come together for the first time to reflect on their work, contributions, and advocacy efforts over the years, and discuss how different ways of thinking, collaborating, and innovating are necessary to building a more inclusive world for everyone.
2023-08-1149 min
OCALI’s Inspiring ChangeSmall Gestures and True Wins: The A + B = C EquationOCALI’s Executive Director, Shawn Henry, discusses the necessary components of access and belonging when building community in closing remarks delivered at OCALICON.
2023-03-0612 min
OCALI’s Inspiring ChangeThere Is Strength In Every Community: A Conversation about Special Education in Rural and Urban SettingsOCALI's "Rewind" series continues with a dialogue about the current state of disability education in both rural and urban settings. The conversations features leaders from ACRES, an organization focused on rural disability education and members of the Urban Collaborative, an organization focused on urban disability education.
2022-11-0630 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangeIt’s Really About Living Your Moments Well With Other PeopleHow can we build and foster better and more significant relationships? Using a framework grounded in research, Tim Vogt and Danyetta Najoli from Starfire in Cincinnati, and Jill Mays from PSU in Lebanon, OH, shared some thoughts, laughs, experiences, and recommendations for creating and supporting meaningful engagements, intentional connections, and stronger and more inclusive communities. This conversation was originally recorded as part of the 2022 Innovation Series, developed by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and OCALI.
2022-06-2946 min
OCALI’s Inspiring Change“We Get Stuff Done": A Conversation about Women and AutismThe Rewind series resumes with a candid conversation with two autistic women and the parent of a young woman with autism as they share their personal stories of the journey to receiving a diagnosis, as well as the challenges that they faced in obtaining appropriate resources and services. Kelli Yeagley is a consultant, educator, and advocate specializing in autism, disability, and accessibility. Siena Castellon is author of The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide: How To Grow Up Awesome and Autistic and creator of the Quantum Leap Mentoring website. Susan Rothschild is the mother to a young woman on the autism...
2022-01-0445 min
OCALI’s Inspiring Change”May the Power Be With You”: The Margaret Burley Family Impact AwardSince 2016, OCALI has awarded the Margaret Burley Family Impact Award to a parent or professional who has made a significant impact on the lives of families of those with disabilities. But who is Margaret Burley? And why is her work, impact, and legacy important enough to memorialize and honor through this annual award? We discuss with Donna Owens, OCALI’s former director of the Family and Community Outreach Center and unofficial resident historian. Links: Ohio Coalition for the Education of Students with Disabilities | Margaret Burley Family Impact Award
2021-09-1729 min
OCALI’s Inspiring Change“Those Children Are Going to Be Very Different”: The Ongoing Work of Building A Diverse and Inclusive SocietySheila Graschinsky is the president and CEO of Fundación Ian, an organization in Buenos Aires focused on promoting a diverse and inclusive society. She collaborated with Mundoloco CGI to produce the short animated film Ian, which is based on a real-life experience involving Sheila and her son, Ian. It’s a powerful piece that addresses discrimination and bullying and helps all of us understand why inclusion and diversity are so critically important to our society.
2021-06-1621 min
OCALI’s Inspiring ChangeThe Smell of the Room is a Fire in My Nose: A Conversation on Autism and TraumaKim Clairy, OTR/L, and Kelly Mahler, OTD, OTR/L, challenge us to step beyond traditional thinking and understanding of trauma and reflect on how trauma is defined and experienced differently by people on the autism spectrum – including complications that can occur involving sensory challenges, social isolation, communication difficulties, and more. Kim further illustrates her own experiences with different forms of trauma in her life by sharing some of her candid and deeply personal poetry and writing. Learn more at kimclairy.com and kelly-mahler.com
2021-04-1537 min
OCALI’s Inspiring ChangeBaked Into the Process: Advancing Equitable Outcomes Through the Lens of Social JusticeNew! The Rewind podcast series features speakers, sessions, and stories from OCALICON – the premier autism and disabilities conference. Dr. Charles Barrett is a nationally-certified school psychologist, as well as a writer, musician, and teacher from Northern Virginia. His work is anchored by a focus on justice and equity, which represents his unwavering commitment to advocating for populations that have been marginalized by systemic oppression. Follow him at charlesbarrett.org. Twitter: @_charlesbarrett Instagram: @charlesabarrett
2021-02-1622 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangeInclusion is the Future: A Conversation with Dani BowmanDani Bowman is an animator, filmmaker, author, teacher, student, and entrepreneur from Southern California. We first met in the summer of 2012 while she was teaching an animation camp to kids and young adults at our offices in Columbus. Dani was still in high school at the time. Fast forward eight years, and we wanted to check in and see how things are going – with her animation company, her continued studies, her animation camps, and her ongoing mission to change the world’s perception of autism. Learn more about Dani’s projects and her online animation courses at her website.
2021-01-0531 minOCALI’s Inspiring Change“We Are All Able”: A Conversation with LeDerick Horne on Vision, Inclusion, and BelongingOCALI’s Jen Bavry and Shawn Henry chat with poet, speaker, and advocate LeDerick Horne about his experiences as a young man with disabilities, his work towards helping give young people a vision for what is possible, and the fresh world of opportunities that opens up when you’re freed from the tyranny of spelling.
2020-10-0825 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangeAn Inspiring Conversation with Kevin MillerWe catch up with director Kevin Miller from Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities at the ODNR park at the Ohio State Fair.
2020-10-0811 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangeGabby’s Team: A Multiagency Approach to TransitionA conversation with Gabby Kozinski, a recent high school graduate from Bucyrus, OH, and the multi-agency group of professionals who have been her support team as she gets ready for the next phase in her journey.
2020-10-0827 minOCALI’s Inspiring Change“It Gives You Teeth”: Reflections on the 30-Year Anniversary of the ADAJuly 2020 marks the 30-year anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law by the first President Bush in 1990.We talk to D’Arcee Neal, Diana Mairose, and Mark Seifarth – three people from three different generations – about what the ADA means to them, what it does for them, where it misses the mark, and their recommendations going forward as the journey continues.
2020-08-0526 minOCALI’s Inspiring Change"We Are in This Together, and We Need to Stay Connected" – How Ohio’s Daily COVID-19 Update has Elevated Awareness About the Importance of AccessWe chat with Marla Berkowitz, Lena Smith, and Christy Horne – the superstar team of ASL interpreters for Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s daily COVID-19 press conferences. John Moore of DSC is the discussion moderator. Closing music from Sean Forbes.
2020-08-051h 03OCALI’s Inspiring ChangeAn Inspiring Conversation with Kim Clairy and William MillerKim Clairy is an occupational therapist, consultant, poet, and self-advocate. Her husband, William Miller, is a writer and novelist. The two of them sat down with us during a short open mic interview at OCALICON 2019 to share the story of how they met, and give a glimpse into how their marriage works.
2020-07-2111 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangeWe Are in This Together, and We Need to Stay ConnectedHow Ohio’s Daily COVID-19 Update has Elevated Awareness About the Importance of AccessWe chat with Marla Berkowitz, Lena Smith, and Christy Horne – the superstar team of ASL interpreters for Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s daily COVID-19 press conferences. John Moore of DSC is the discussion moderator. Music from Sean Forbes.
2020-07-201h 03OCALI’s Inspiring ChangeWords Matter: How Do You Deliver Special Education Services During a Worldwide Pandemic?We chat with a multiple disabilities teacher and parent of a first grader and learn about their tag-team efforts to continue education during the school shut down.
2020-05-2223 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangePull Out the Christmas Lights and Create a Dance Studio: Direct Care and Residential Programs During a Global PandemicREM Ohio provides an array of supports and services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, most of which involve direct, face-to-face, hands-on, and physical proximity. So how do these services continue in the era of social distancing? We discuss with Buffie LaBelle, regional director for the East region of the state, and Heather Reynolds, a program supervisor.
2020-05-2235 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangeI Feel Like I’m in School All Over Again: More Tales from Home Schooling During A Global PandemicWe chat with an intervention specialist and two parents from Lancaster, OH, about what it’s like to try and educate and engage students while schools are closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rachael Mills teaches first through third-grade students at Medill Elementary. Bridget Kelly is the mother of third-grade student, Damian. Ben Berger is the father of first-grade student Evelyn. Hint: Patience and flexibility are key. It also helps when you can tag out and take a short break. And know that it’s going to be okay.
2020-05-2256 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangeWords Matter: How Do You Deliver Special Education Services During a Worldwide Pandemic?We chat with a multiple disabilities teacher and parent of a first grader and learn about their tag-team efforts to continue education during the school shut down.
2020-04-3023 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangeThe Crow MasterOur new series – “Voices, Visions, and Victories” – continues with a conversation with Katie Robinson, accessible educational materials production specialist in the AT&AEM Center at OCALI. We talk about the challenges of working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, friendly encounters with strangers, paying attention to purple wildflowers, and her murder of crows.
2020-04-1328 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangePlaying Pictionary with Ketchup: A Conversation on Trauma, Connections, and Healing with Sarah Buffie, Soul Bird ConsultingIn the first episode in "Voices, Visions, and Victories" – our new series produced during the COVID-19 pandemic – we chat with Sarah Buffie about trauma's impact on the brain and body, cultivating intentional social practices during a period of isolation, getting curious together, and incorporating more engagement in our physical surroundings – which might include singing, dancing, or even playing with expired condiments during times of quarantine. Learn more and connect with Sarah at soulbirdconsulting.info
2020-04-0147 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangeIt’s Different for Girls: A Conversation with Four Women on the SpectrumA panel discussion with four autistic women about their diagnosis, their work, their personal and professional relationships, and their communities. Moderated by Dr. Ruth Aspy and Dr. Barry Grossman, licensed psychologists specializing in assessment and intervention for people with ASD. Recorded live at OCALICON 2019. You can find Kim Clairy’s poetry at http://www.kimclairy.com/poetry.
2020-03-291h 21OCALI’s Inspiring ChangeAn Inspiring Conversation with Alicia Shoults and Angela Krile of the Ohio State FairHow do you “dial back the fair” and create a sensory-friendly experience in an environment that can often trigger sensory overload? Listen to our full interview with Alicia Shoults, marketing and public relations director for the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair, and Angela Krile, vice chair of the Ohio Expositions Commission.
2020-02-2416 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangeShifting Expectations: Reflections on Ohio’s Continued Transition Towards Community Employment and Individual Choice“How do we build a better community together?” Many people with disabilities have historically found work in what are commonly referred to as sheltered workshops. These are typically spaces where they perform repetitive tasks such as stuffing envelopes or shredding documents. Since 2012 – if not before – Ohio has been shifting away from this type of employment model towards one where community employment and individual choice are the preferred outcomes for people with disabilities. How is that move going? We catch up with some of the professionals behind the scenes and on the front lines during their annual gathering in Columbus.
2019-11-0723 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangeA Day at the Fair: The First Sensory Friendly Morning at the Ohio State Fair“It’s her first time out in a big outing like this. She’s non-verbal, and she’s just loving it.” Let’s spend a day at the Fair! We profile the first ever Sensory Friendly Morning at the 166th Ohio State Fair. Find out what happens when you lower the lights and sounds of the midway and take additional steps towards accommodating the needs of those with sensory challenges.
2019-11-0728 minOCALI’s Inspiring ChangeInspiring Change Podcast TeaserIn the podcast teaser, we get a brief taste of the first ever Sensory Friendly Morning at the Ohio State Fair. After gorging ourselves on deep fried corn-on-the-cob and pickle-flavored popsicles, we catch up with some of the attendees and find out what it’s like to attend a quieter and calmer state fair.
2019-10-1806 min