Autism Knows No Borders

Discover what’s possible when a team is built on strong values. 

Happy New Year!

I’d like to kick off 2021 with a special episode featuring our Global Autism Project team. I’m joined by our CEO and Founder, Molly Ola Pinney, as well as five other members of our core staff: Cassie Harden Scott, Mandy Childs, Liz Castillo, Trang Tran, and Aja Davis. 

The seven of us have weathered through 2020 together and supported each other from different corners of the world, especially during a time when the organization was on very unstable ground. I think many people will agree that you learn a lot about someone when you go through a pandemic with them, and certain bonds can even be strengthened when put under pressure. 

One thing I love about this team is our ability to communicate effectively and take action when needed. This has allowed us to shift our work and step into new possibilities with confidence. 

I wanted you to get a sense of our true team culture, so we’ve left some parts unedited for you to hear for yourself how we really treat each other like family. 

In this conversation, you’ll have a chance to meet the staff behind the scenes and learn some fun facts about us. We discuss which values of the organization we most connect with, some obstacles we’ve overcome together, and how the company culture came to be what it is today. We also talk about what we’ve learned from 2020 and what we look forward to in the coming year. 

If you’d like to learn more about the Global Autism Project’s history and mission, please listen to episode 2 with Molly. You can also listen to episode 23 to hear more about Cassie’s role as Director of Outreach. 

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Discover what's possible when stories from around the world inspire change. 

We made it to episode 41! I know 41 doesn’t sound like a magical number, but this will be the last episode we’ll be releasing this year, so I thought it would be nice to review some of my favorite moments from our first 40 episodes. 

Since we started working on this podcast almost a year ago, we’ve brought on a wide range of guests, including prominent self-advocates like Temple Grandin and Michael John Carley, autism parents like Eileen Lamb and Jamiel Owens, some of our Global Autism Project partners like Yaser Aljaaidi from Saudi Arabia and Sangeeta Jain from India, and other professionals in the field like Dr. Megan Miller and Robert and Nadine Schramm. 

If you’ve been with us for a while, this 2020 recap will bring you back to the heartfelt stories we’ve been hearing from our guests. And if this is your first time listening to us, welcome! This episode will help you get a good idea of what Autism Knows No Borders is all about. Either way, I hope that you’re left feeling inspired to create some change in your own communities. 

As I was reflecting on these past episodes from 2020, I was overcome with immense gratitude for our community. A huge thank you to our guests for sharing your stories, to our listeners for your continued support, and to our team for putting it all together. Special thanks to Linda, our podcast intern, for joining us at just the right moment when we needed you most, to Tarik Davis for lending us your voice for our intros and outros, to Tremayne Ebanks for video production, and to Marc Aliana for music, audio and text editing, and all-around moral support. Of course, none of this would have been possible if Molly hadn’t believed in my little idea last year. 

From all of us at the Global Autism Project, we wish you a happy and safe holiday season and hope you can spend some quality time with your loved ones in some shape or form, even if it happens to be through a screen. We’ll be back on our regular release schedule on January 7th in 2021! 

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Discover what’s possible when a company is led with care. 

Jenny Llorca is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and the Chief Clinical Director of Early Autism Services. EAS is an international company that provides individualized ABA therapy to children with autism in the US, India, and Australia. 

This year, after significant and impressive growth, EAS was facing challenges that are common with large companies that grow rapidly. They were struggling to cultivate company culture across their local branches, and levels of employee satisfaction were dipping. With a determination to shift their company environment, Jenny and the board of executives at EAS took action and hired the Global Autism Project to step in. 

For close to 20 years, the Global Autism Project has been providing coaching and training to autism service providers and organizations worldwide to help them scale, thrive, and realize their visions. This summer, we worked with the EAS directors to make our Leadership Academy program accessible to over 90 members of their staff. We tailored our training to meet their needs and delivered the program as a 6-week online course that included video lessons, worksheets, downloads, live virtual classrooms, and small group coaching. 

We recently released a case study that details the challenges EAS faced, our approach and design of Leadership Academy, and the outcomes measured through pre-and post-surveys. The results have been overwhelmingly positive. 100% of participants reported new skill acquisition in one or more of four key areas: time and task management, decision-making, integrity, and effective communication. Zero participants reported that they were in a state of burnout after Leadership Academy, compared to 24% from before. 94% of participants said that they would recommend Leadership Academy to other professionals in the field. 

You can access the full case study here: EAS Case Study. We’re excited to announce that we’re looking for the right company to participate in our next case study. If you think yours would be a good fit, get in touch with us through the link on the page. 

In this conversation, Jenny describes how attending Global Autism Project’s in-person Leadership Academy earlier this year inspired her to invest in her own team. We discuss some of her personal breakthroughs and the gains she’s noticed in her staff. Jenny explains how Leadership Academy has transformed the company culture at EAS and, most importantly, the services they provide families. 

You’ll hear us mention SkillCorps, which is our volunteer program that has been put on hold due to COVID travel restrictions. For more information about the training we provide our international partners, please listen to episode 2 with our CEO, Molly Ola Pinney. 

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Discover what's possible when you uncover your blind spots.

In this bonus episode, I share how attending Global Autism Project's Leadership Academy shifted how I relate to work, relationships, and anything else that happens in my life.

Leadership Academy will empower you to lead with confidence in everything that you do — whether it’s improving staff retention in your business, having hard conversations with supervisees, or empowering others to take ownership of their work. The great news is, Leadership Academy now available for you to access online as a 6-week course! 

Don’t miss out on these opportunities to elevate your leadership to the next level and plan for a successful new year. 

If you’re still not sure if Leadership Academy is for you, take this 2-minute QUIZ to learn where you are in your leadership journey and what steps you need to take next. 

Are you ready to take bold action that will help you improve the way you lead? Are you ready to take charge of your life? 

I hope to see you in our virtual classroom! 

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Discover what’s possible when a global community is built on resilience. 

We have a very special episode today, featuring a few of our Global Autism Project staff and partners. Actually, more than a few... There are a total of 13 people in this episode! This conversation offers a glimpse into the deeply rooted relationships of our Global Autism Community. 

Here’s a little bit of context: 

For over 17 years, the Global Autism Project has partnered with international autism centers to provide sustainable clinical, administrative, and leadership training. Three times a year, we’ve sent SkillCorps volunteer teams to our partner sites around the world to work directly with their local teachers and therapists. 

When COVID-19 hit, we were forced to cancel all international travel and innovate new programs to stay afloat as an organization. Throughout this time, we’ve continued to meet with our partners every month over large Zoom calls. It’s always fun to see a mosaic of faces from across the globe on a single screen. 

We recently thought it would be exciting for our followers on social media to join a call with our partners. So, during our meeting last week, we went live on Facebook and our partners shared the impact that the pandemic has had on their centers, the current situation in their respective countries, and some positive takeaways they’ve gained from this crisis. The audience was able to follow along and contribute questions in real-time. 

Our CEO and Founder, Molly Ola Pinney, led the discussion between some of our staff and eight of our partners, many of which you might recognize from previous episodes. They called in from Kenya, India, China, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Rwanda. 

We had originally scheduled a different episode for this week; however, right after we hung up, we realized that the content of our call was really worth sharing with you as well. As one could expect from a live call with 13 participants from 13 different locations across the world, we had some sound issues, but we have done our best to correct them for this podcast. 

Just a reminder that you can find this conversation and all of our interviews on our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project. 

For more information about our work, please visit globalautismproject.org. 

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Discover what’s possible when communities are built on dignity, fairness, and respect. 

This episode was originally scheduled to be released later in the month; however, in light of recent events, we have decided to move it forward. 

Today’s guest is Joy Johnson, M.Ed, M.S. Joy is a behavior specialist, inclusion specialist, autism self-advocate, and leader in the black autistic community. As the mother of an individual with autism, and as someone on the spectrum herself, she offers an interesting perspective to individuals, families, and organizations who are looking to improve the lives of those impacted by autism. 

Joy advises parents about the benefits of ABA therapy and the importance of teaching social skills, including how to interact with police officers. She empowers parents and children by promoting preparedness rather than fear. 

In this conversation, Joy explains what services she received growing up, how she related to peers in high school, and why she struggled after having her first child. 

Having lived in Germany for seven years, Joy talks about the country’s education system and attitudes towards autism. 

We also discuss the functions of self-stimulatory behavior, the consequences of masking, and the frustrating lack of support for adults with autism in the US. 

To learn more about Joy and the work she does, please visit: Autism Support Services.

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Discover what’s possible when we extend a helping hand and truly make a difference. 

The CEO and founder of the Global Autism Project, Molly Ola Pinney, is back on the show. 

The Global Autism Project partners with autism centers around the world. Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, our partners have been adapting their services to support some of the most vulnerable children and their families. These dedicated changemakers continue to inspire us with their perseverance and flexibility. 

In previous episodes, we’ve featured our partners from China, Ecuador, Kenya, and Tanzania, among other guests. We’ll continue to bring you community leaders from all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Czech Republic, and Indonesia, to name a few. 

All of our partners are doing the best they can, yet their schools are in danger of permanent closure. In this episode, Molly shares an important announcement in response to these unprecedented circumstances. Watch Molly's video message to see our partners at their schools. 

You can take bold action right now by making a donation here: COVID-19 Relief Fund. 

If you’d like to learn more about the history of the Global Autism Project and the mission that drives our work, please listen to my conversation with Molly in episode 2. 

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Discover what’s possible when the answer to how is YES. 

Molly Ola Pinney is the CEO and founder of the Global Autism Project. She is also the #1 supporter of this podcast. 

In this episode, you’ll hear Molly give a history of our organization, highlighting important turning points over the last 17 years. As an employee, it’s always fun for me to hear about how the organization has evolved — from the heart of a 23-year-old with a mission to change the world, to a global movement involving almost 20 countries. 

Molly tells us of her early years in Ghana and also reflects on how the understanding of autism in Africa has changed since then. Although the stigma is still real, there has been an increase in the awareness that autism is not caused by evil spirits.

Molly explains how our SkillCorps® volunteer program works and why it differs from voluntourism. Watch Molly's TEDx Talk to learn why doing things for others doesn't help. 

We describe the relationships we have with our partners and share stories from our first Global Summit held in August of 2019. Check out our Global Summit video to see our partners in action. 

Molly illustrates how decisive action in leadership helped her to respond appropriately to the coronavirus crisis back in January. We discuss the impact this has had on the work we do as an organization, and why she sees this pause as an opportunity. 

We also talk about how traveling internationally with SkillCorps® has actually prepared some of our volunteers to better cope with the current climate of uncertainty. 

For more information about our work, please visit: globalautismproject.org. 

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Discover what's possible for the Global Autism Community. 

In this brief introduction, I want to give you an idea of what the Global Autism Project is, who I am, and what this podcast is about. For more information about our movement, please visit globalautismproject.org. 

I recorded this episode on April 18th, 2020. Of the first five episodes released for the launch, this one just happened to be recorded last. It was done on a Saturday night, at around 8:15 pm. We had just come back from clapping alongside our neighbors on our balcony. Every night at 8:00 pm, all of Spain cheers for the healthcare practitioners working on the frontlines during this coronavirus pandemic. The homage also serves as a daily reminder that we are all in this together. 

I waited for silence in the streets to record one last take. By this point, I was exhausted from a long day of editing. I gathered some energy and powered through, knowing that this introduction would be important. It would set the tone for the whole podcast, and our message needed to be delivered clearly. 

As I was recording the last couple of minutes, I couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional. All of the months of preparation were soon coming to fruition. I was suddenly very aware of the impact this show may have on our community. I thought of my colleagues, our partners, our SkillCorps® family. I was inspired by the fact that, even though we have all been affected in different ways by the current global crisis, we still remain united to encourage compassion for the autistic population. This podcast is our platform in the world at this crucial moment in history. 

You may hear me choke up at some point. I was torn about giving it another try, to present a cleaner ending without my voice quivering, but I decided to leave this take as is. This is me, raw and exposed. As you listen, I invite you to sense what I was feeling in those last couple of minutes. I hope you find inspiration through my story and understand why this mission means so much to me. 

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