2024 Visions of Community Virtual Conference

Videos, Sponsors, Exhibitors & Community – Still Accessible Online!

Thank you to the nearly one thousand people who joined us for this year’s Visions of Community main event on March 9. Workshop videos will remain available for three months on our Whova event page. You can also still connect with exhibitors, sponsors, and other event participants on the conference platform. Check it out!

Upcoming Visions of Community In-Person Events

March 16 in Boston

Youth VOC: Where YOU Matter. Transportation: Getting from Here to There

April 6 in Bourne, MA

April 27 in Amherst, MA

Western Massachusetts Edition

Virtual Conference Highlights

Keynote Speakers

Dan Bergmann

Young white man looking into the camera with many books in the backgroundDan Bergmann is an autism advocate who uses augmentive communication and drew national attention when he won a Commencement Address speaker prize from Harvard Extension School in 2021. In his address, he describes his post-school goals as, “tackling some of the mysteries of my kind of autism, work that will contribute to normalizing the communication of millions like me. And also, I hope to shed some light on neurotypical brain functioning in areas like memory, initiative, and the interplay of interdependence and independence.” Addressing his fellow graduates, he sayid, “the idea that you can help others has always been obvious and your studies enable you to be better at it. But for me, the belief that I could have a profession and really be of use came gradually.” Hear more from and about Dan from Harvard University Extension School, CBS Sunday Morning and Met Stories.

Tiffany  Hammond

Smiling African American woman with her head in her hand, looking friendlyTiffany Hammond (she/her) is a New York Times bestselling author and the voice behind the Fidgets and Fries platform. She is an Autistic mother, advocate, and storyteller who uses her personal experiences with Autism and parenting two Autistic boys to guide others on their journey. Tiffany has a Masters in Developmental Psychology and spends her time teaching, coaching, and mentoring others in Disability Justice issues. Her activism is rooted in challenging the current perception of Autism as a lifelong burden, cultivating a community that explores the concept of Intersectionality and inspiring thought leaders through storytelling, education, and critical discourse. Tiffany was born and raised in Texas and grew up on deep dish pie and stories from her grandmother. She is a dreamer by day and a cereal killer at night. You can usually find Tiffany writing in the light of the moon or thinking about what to write in the light of the day. When she isn’t writing, she is building epic pillow forts with her two sons or going on long road trips with her family.

Conference Highlights

Session Topics Include:

Caregiver Support and Respite

Impact of Racial Trauma

Early Intervention

Family-School Partnerships

Financial and Insurance Programs

Mental Health 

Special Education Law

Life After High School

Pre-Conference Sessions:

Networking and Conference Navigation

The New IEP Form

Meet the Commissioners

Mental Health & Trauma Concerns of Immigrant Families

Intro to Genetics for Parents and School Personnel