Awe and Wonder Podcast Series 9
S9 E1: Neurodiversity in Education and Life with Sara Ayars
In episode S9E1 of the Awe and Wonder Podcast, we sit down with fellow Speech-Language Pathologist Sara Ayars. Sara brings a beautifully unique perspective to the conversation, blending her professional clinical expertise with her personal journey as a parent to a neurodiverse child. She shares actionable, neurodiversity-affirming strategies—like the power of co-regulation and the shift toward declarative language—that are designed to support and empower both the child and the parent. Whether you are a therapist, educator, or parent, this episode is packed with deeply relatable and practical insights.
S9 E2: Lauren Enders Gonzales
What does the future of neurodiversity look like? In this episode, Brenda and Sarah sit down with Lauren Enders Gonzales to explore this idea and tackle the hard questions about how we support neurodivergent AAC users. Lauren unpacks how educators and therapists often project their own agendas onto device customization and implementation and shares how we can reintroduce authentic curiosity into our sessions. Featuring real-world examples from her own therapy practice, Lauren also breaks down how to write measurable goals that reflect what matters most to the student—leaving compliance-based metrics behind.
Resources
Learn about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA): Home
Declarative Language Handbook, by Linda Murphy:
Declarative Language Handbook — DECLARATIVE LANGUAGE HANDBOOK
YouTube:
S9E2: Neurodiversity in Education and Life with Lauren Enders Gonzales
Does this AAC goal matter?: design/DAFQozTAFE8/Ns2RqfEtovR5Dz_oSYPLdQ/view
S9 E3: Mateo Moreno
Mateo Moreno has used AAC since the age of 4 and currently uses a Saltillo NovaChat 8 with Wordpower 108 as his primary AAC. Today, he’s confident and eager to talk with new people and spread awareness about AAC, disability and inclusion. He enjoys talking with families and professionals about his experiences. He recently presented internationally at the Communication Matters conference in Leeds, England. He presents nationally at conferences, school districts and universities to share his AAC journey, recommendations for communication partners, his pet peeves and what it’s like being the only AAC user in the room. He’s visited classrooms to present to nearly 3,200 students ranging from kindergarten to 6th grade to talk openly about AAC, disability, inclusion and just plain kindness! In addition to presenting, Mateo enjoys mentoring learners to promote communication and help build the confidence of children, adolescents and young adults. He worked as an AAC mentor at Talking with Technology Camp and Camp ALEC, both in Empire, CO. Mateo is a member of the U.S. Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. He serves on the AAC Awareness Committee and is an active participant in the organization’s Speaker Connection. He’s a PRC-Saltillo Ambassador and Mentor. He meets with other AAC users virtually and in person. He is the 2026 recipient of the Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture Award. Check him out on Disney+ in a short documentary entitled Camp ALEC as part of the People and Places series.
S9 E4: Emily Kircher Morris
Emily Kircher-Morris, M.A., M.Ed., LPC, is dedicated to destigmatizing neurodiversity and supporting neurodivergent people of all ages. She started her career in education and is now in private practice near St. Louis, Missouri as a licensed professional counselor, where she specializes in supporting neurodivergent kids and adults (and their families).
Emily hosts The Neurodiversity Podcast, which explores the psychological, educational, and social needs of neurodivergent people. She is the author of several books related to parenting and educating neurodivergent children and teens. Her most recent book, “Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools: Transforming Practices So All Students Feel Accepted and Supported” was released in January 2025.
She speaks at statewide, national, and international conferences and frequently provides virtual and in-person professional development to educators, mental health clinicians, and parents worldwide. Many of her presentations and workshops can also be found at the Neurodiversity University online learning platform.
S9 E5: Elizabeth Freund
Elizabeth “Biz” Freund (she/her) is a late-identified neurodivergent SLP who has been working with neurodivergent children and young adults for over 10 years. She is passionate about providing identity-affirming care for all communicators, and reshaping professional attitudes toward and understanding of neurodivergent identities. Biz has worked in outpatient clinics and home settings as an SLP and AAC specialist. She currently owns her own practice, The Art of Communication, where she supports clients in the home and community setting, as well as providing professional and community education regarding neuro-affirming care. Centering her care and education on curiosity, creativity and collaboration, she believes that we can all build more affirming support into our practice to center and promote neurodivergent well-being.
S9 E6: Ivanova Smith
Lauren Enders Gonzales, M.A., CCC-SLP, is an internationally recognized Speech-Language Pathologist, Assistive Technology Consultant, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Specialist. With decades of experience, including 29 years as a school-based consultant, she currently serves as the President of Engaging AAC Solutions, LLC, and as an Adjunct Professor at Delaware Valley University. A passionate advocate for the global AAC community, Lauren is celebrated for her creative, “outside-the-box” thinking and commitment to neurodiversity-affirming, client-led practices. She is a highly influential public speaker, an engaging social media presence with tens of thousands of followers, and the proud recipient of the 2023 ATIA Joy Zabala Spirit Award.
S9 E7: Lexi Ayars & Timothy Leslie
Lexi is a 12-year-old sixth-grade student with a wide range of interests and talents, including singing, caring for dogs, multimedia art, crochet, coding, film, and reading. She is actively involved in school, helping to found the Franklin Force Helping Hands leadership club and participating in multiple choirs. Known for her intelligence, creativity, and empathy, Lexi is a thoughtful leader and a strong advocate for others.
lesliegtimothy3000@gmail.com Timothy is a Mental Health Case Manager and a graduate student studying Clinical Mental Health Counselling. His work centres on supporting individuals navigating mental health challenges, with a focus on connection and practical strategies for growth.
As the older brother of a neurodiverse sibling, Timothy experienced firsthand the complexities of family dynamics, including taking on the pressure of being a “third parent” at times. Over time, as both he and his sibling developed, so did his perspective shift toward greater understanding and patience. These experiences continue to shape his belief in individualised, relationship-centred approaches to support.
S9 E8: Staci Neustadt
Staci is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with over 20 years of experience providing individual and group therapy, training, mentorship, and leadership. She discovered her life’s purpose at a young age while volunteering at The Arc in her home state of Wisconsin, supporting people with disabilities. Staci is an entrepreneur with creative, innovative solutions for supporting individuals by understanding and connecting with them.
In 2019, Staci joined Susan in developing the Neuro Strengths-Based Support for Autism framework. The NSBSA framework helps bridge the gap in how non-autistics view autism and how autistics view themselves, as well as understand the non-autistic way of thinking. Staci is passionate about NSBSA and believes this framework provides not only a positive experience for the person receiving therapy or support but also a sense of connectedness for the person providing support.