November 4, 2025 Autism Conference on Zoom
Teaching to Successful Outcomes: Supporting Children with Autism in the Home, School and Community
Join us on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov 4th for our free autism conference on Zoom. Open to all families, educators, administrators, paraprofessionals, related service providers, caregivers, students, and individuals with autism.
Certificates of Attendance:
A certificate of attendance will be issued to all attendees. Attendance is usually verified within 72 hours of the event and surveys are sent to all attendees. A certificate of attendance is generated automatically upon completion of the surveys.
Continuing Education Information:
We are offering CEUs (for BACBs only) and Continuing Teacher & Leader Education hours (CTLEs) for this conference. Eligibility is verified after review of system generated attendance reports and data.
Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLEs):
SUNY Old Westbury is recognized by the New York State Education Department's Office of Teaching Initiatives as an approved provider of CTLE for Professional Classroom Teachers, School Leaders and Level III Teaching Assistants. A total of up to 5.25 CTLE hours are available for this conference. The total fee for CTLEs is $2.50 per session and is payable at time of registration.
Behavior Analyst Certification Board:
SUNY Old Westbury is recognized as an approved provider of BACB CEUs. The cost is $10 per credit payable at the time of registration. Up to 3 credits are available for this conference. BACB CEUs are offered for the following sessions:
Session 3: Building Connections: Teaching Social Skills to Adolescents with Autism ($15, 1.5 credits).
Session 4: Intensive Toilet Training for Children with Autism: Practical Strategies for all Settings ($15, 1.5 credits)
NO OTHER CEUs being offered at this conference.
Registration Reminders:
Select the sessions you would like to attend from the drop-down menus when registering.
Confirmation emails are sent automatically after registration. Please allow 24 hours to receive your confirmation. If you do not see the email in your inbox, please check your spam folder. Contact us at autism@oldwestbury.edu with any questions.
Use the same first and last name and email address when logging onto Zoom for attendance purposes.
This is a live-only event with NO access to recordings after the conference ends. Please, only register if you plan to attend.
Session Descriptions:
Session 1. 9:00am-10:30am EST
STRIVE to Make a Difference: Fostering Learning and Belonging for Autistic Students
Paraprofessionals play a vital role in helping autistic students feel included, supported, and successful in school. This keynote presentation introduces STRIVE, a framework that highlights six key areas: Social supports, Teaching practices, Rewards and motivation, Independence, Visual supports, and Engagement. Through authentic examples and practical strategies, participants will learn about ways to: · Build connections and nurture belonging through social supports · Apply effective teaching practices that strengthen learning · Use rewards and motivation in student-centered ways · Implement practices that promote and sustain independence · Integrate visual supports that make learning accessible · Foster engagement through environments that cultivate participation and growth. Together, we can STRIVE to support every student’s success.
Session 2. 10:45am-12:00pm EST
Supporting Individuals with Autism: Practical Strategies to Prevent, Respond and Replace Challenging Behaviors
This workshop will explain that the challenging behaviors often displayed by autistic youth (such as aggression, tantrums, self-injury, disruptive behavior) happen for a reason – meaning they serve some function or purpose for the person. As such, this presentation will cover WHY challenging behavior occurs (i.e., the “functions” of challenging behavior) and how to prevent it, respond to it, and replace it with alternative behaviors that can help the person get their needs met in a better way.
Session 3. 12:30pm-1:45pm EST
Building Connections: Teaching Social Skills to Adolescents with Autism
Social skills can be especially challenging for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This training will equip professionals and parents with practical, evidence-based strategies to help children with ASD develop social connections and lasting friendships.
Session 4. 2:00pm-3:15pm EST
Intensive Toilet Training for Children with Autism: Practical Strategies for all Settings
This training will guide caregivers and service providers through implementing an empirically validated toilet training program designed for children with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Participants will explore why toilet training is an essential life skill that promotes independence and participation, when to begin, and how to implement a step-by-step intensive toilet training package. The session will also highlight the importance of data collection to inform decision-making and monitor progress across settings. Practical examples and resources will be shared to support successful implementation at home, in classrooms, and in community environments.
Meet Our Speakers:
Jamie Owen-DeSchryver, Ph.D. is Professor of Psychology at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI where she teaches undergraduate courses in Clinical Psychology and graduate courses in the School Psychology graduate program. She earned a doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and a Master’s degree in Special Education from Johns Hopkins University. Her research interests are focused on autism and school-based supports for students. She is Project Faculty on the Statewide Autism Resources and Training (START) project in Michigan where she develops resources to help school professionals working with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Lauren J. Moskowitz, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at St. John's University. Her research focuses on behavioral intervention to improve quality of life for youth with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) as well as integrating family-based Positive Behavior Support (PBS) with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to treat anxiety in this population. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on autism and IDD, Applied Behavior Analysis, and PBS; serves on the leadership team of the Home and Community Positive Behavior Support Network (HCPBS); is Associate Editor of the journal Behavior Modification; and serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. She is a Co-Principal Investigator on a NYS Office of Mental Health grant to deliver training and consultation to NYS mental health care providers serving youth with autism/IDD and mental health challenges: Scalable Psychopathology InteRvention Intensive Training for ID & Autism (SPIRIT-ID-Autism).
Katherine Saint, Ph.D., LPC, BCBA-D has her doctorate in Behavior Analysis and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. Katherine presents locally and internationally on topics related to autism, mental health and behavior analysis. She owns a mental health clinic focusing on mental health counseling and providing behavioral/mental health treatment for adults with autism. Katherine has designed college courses as well as published books and articles related to mental health.
Carlos Torres, B.S. is a published author, coach and Program Director for a treatment program that provides behavioral and mental health support to adults with autism. He creates curriculum and designs groups to improve mental health, develop social skills, vocation skills, leisure skills, and relationship skills. Additionally, he coaches special needs sports teams for the Miracle League of Wisconsin.
Rachel R. Cagliani, Ph.D., BCBA-D, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education within the Mary Frances Early College of Education at the University of Georgia. She previously worked as a special education teacher, providing instruction across the full continuum of services. Her research focuses on developing practical, empirically validated strategies for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and toilet training instruction. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) and serves as the Associate Editor of Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities.