Families, educators and health care professionals will meet on campus in the Cohen Center ballroom for the 10th annual Promising Pathways Conference on Saturday, April 8.
The conference will focus on addressing autism spectrum disorder, a neurodevelopmental disorder that includes limited social interaction, non-verbal communication and repetitive behavior and bringing information on the disorder to the community in Southwest Florida.
The conference will include six keynote speakers from previous conferences. Richard Grinker, Mohammad Ghaziuddin, Robert Hendren, Peter Mundy, Beth Sulzer-Azaroff and Diane Treadwell-Deering will present 90-minute sessions throughout the day.
According to the conference program, the keynote speakers have met with families, educators and healthcare professionals, addressing critical issues facing individuals on the autism spectrum, specifically access to services.
The conference will begin at 9 a.m. FGCU President Wilson Bradshaw and College of Education Dean Eunny Hyun will be in attendance to welcome attendees.
John Miller will serve as the featured speaker during the conference.
Each year more than 400 parents, educators, healthcare workers and members of the community attend the conference, according to the program.
The conference is planned and executed by FGCU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities Consultant Leigh Anna Nowak and assistant professor of special education in the College of Education Carolynne Gischel.
The 2017 Promising Pathways Conference is free for attendees due to community and business sponsors.