AUTISTIC LIVED EXPERIENCE
A FREE ONLINE EVENT
WITH 20+ EXPERT SPEAKERS
HOW THE SUMMIT WORKS
The Autism From The Inside Online Summit is a FREE week-long, online event featuring 20+ pre-recorded sessions from expert autistic speakers from across the globe, each sharing their valuable insights and lived experience.
Registration is completely free to access our full line-up—five FULL days of hand-picked speakers. New presentations are released each day for you to watch on-demand at any time. So regardless of your timezone, you can be sure to catch all your favourite speakers. You also get access to an additional opportunity to watch any sessions you missed during our Encore (REPLAY) Weekend (two bonus days where the entire line-up is made available again for 48hrs).
Upgrade Your Experience:
To get even more out of your Summit experience, we are also offering an optional Lifetime Access Bonus Bundle Upgrade, including access to exclusive events and other bonuses. (see below for more details)
Dates
22–28 September. Starting 22nd September 2025, each day's program becomes available at 9am Melbourne time and remains accessible for 24 hours, so you can catch all the speakers at a time that suits you each day! The Encore (REPLAY) Weekend starts on 27th September and provides an additional 48hrs of viewing time.
Free Ticket
A free ticket gets you access to every speaker presentation throughout the event (new presentations are available each day). Plus an additional Encore (REPLAY) Weekend to catch up on any sessions you may have missed during the week.
Watch On Demand—Any Time of the Day or Night!
Forget about timezones! Each day's full schedule will be available to view all day on the scheduled day. That's a total of 24 hours of access for each day's content. Additionally the Encore (REPLAY) Weekend provides another 48hrs bonus access.
The Lifetime Access Bonus Bundle Upgrade
The Lifetime Access Bonus Bundle Upgrade is available for purchase throughout the entire event (at a heavily discounted rate) and will ensure that you'll have lifetime access to all of the speaker presentations PLUS bonus content from every speaker AND access to exclusive community events. Upgrade today to keep these incredible resources at your fingertips forever!
Still unsure about timezones?
This event starts at 9am Melbourne time on Monday 22nd September. This is equivalent to:
Click here to check the start time in your city — [check your start time]
REGISTER NOW FOR
FREE ACCESS
TO INVALUABLE RESOURCES AND EXPERT SPEAKERS
FREE Online Access
5 Days of Informative and Educational Programming
20+ Expert Speakers
The Autism From The Inside Online Summit is a week-long online event, featuring 20+ sessions from highly respected experts from all over the world.
Each day brings the world's best voices sharing lived experience across topics designed to inform and support your own experience.
Our speakers have first-hand knowledge and experience across the autism spectrum. They are sharing their expertise with you so you can improve your relationships, advocate for loved ones, support yourself and create a more inclusive neurodiverse community.
SUMMIT IS LIVE IN...
MEET YOUR
SUMMIT HOST
PAUL MICALLEF
2025 Summit Host
Paul Micallef is an established speaker, trainer, and coach specialising in Neurodiversity and Emotional Intelligence. Paul’s core talent is making complex topics seem simple and intuitive. He uses a structured approach to cut straight to the heart of issues, bridging the empathy gap so people ‘get it’ at an emotional level. [read more...]
SUMMIT PROGRAM & SPEAKERS 2025
Autism and Perimenopause
Featuring Barb Cook, M.Aut., Dip.HSc.
More About Barb
Barb Cook is the founding director of NeurodiversityHub and Spectrum Women Magazine. Formally diagnosed with Autism, ADHD and dyslexia, at the age of 40, Barb is a registered developmental educator, and autism and neurodiversity Consultant. She holds a Masters of Autism in Education, and is a published academic researcher, international speaker, and author.
Neurodivergent Love Languages
Featuring Dr. Amy Marschall, PsyD
More About Dr. Marschall
Dr. Amy Marschall earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Hartford in Connecticut, in 2015. She is currently the Clinical Director of A Change for Better, an organization promoting affordable and accessible mental health care and resources. Author of several books, Dr. Marschall is also a contributing writer on many websites, including Psychology Today. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, making jewelry, and spending time with her cats.
Understanding Echolalia
(It's More Than You Think)
Featuring Kai Pretto, M.A., CCC-SLP
More About Kai
Kai Pretto is a nonbinary, Autistic/ADHD school-based speech-language pathologist, researcher, and poet. They work in a rural elementary school in the United States, where they also co-facilitate an adolescent LGBTQIA+ support and social group. Kai is also a member of a recently-formed research organization called “Community-Led Autism Research, Engagement, and Service” (C.A.R.E.S.), a cohort of Autistic investigators and community organizers currently focused on participatory research related to the arts and lived experiences of stimming.
Feeling Seen By A Machine
(Autism and AI)
Featuring Donna Bedford
More About Donna
Donna Bedford is a global SEO Strategy and Operations Lead with over two decades of experience in digital marketing, AI adoption, and international content strategy. A recognized thought leader in the intersection of SEO, technology, and accessibility, she is the author of Feeling Seen by a Machine a pioneering book that explores how machine learning intersects with human identity particularly for neurodivergent individuals.
Living in Two Worlds
Featuring Nadia Faragaab (represented by Labbo Tarré)
More About Nadia and Tarré
Nadia Faragaab creates art that lives between worlds, Through mixed media, installations, and performance, she explores the threads that link past and present, weaving stories of identity, resilience, and transformation. Inspired by a sense of belonging to a heritage from which she was once uprooted, Nadia's work invites others to reflect on their own connections to place, culture, and change. A DJ and theatre maker, Nadia believes art should be accessible to all, and her projects often bring creative expression into everyday life. She collaborates with schools, community groups, and women's organisations in Melbourne (Naarm) to ensure that young people and women, especially those on the fringes, can explore art, culture, and the joy of creative self-expression.
Labbo Tarré is a man on a mission to help heal the world from the damages of patriarchynow that he's finally clued in to how devastating it is. Today, he's standing in for full-time Somali women like Nadia Faragaab, who juggle full-time jobs, at least three side hustles, and a shitload of kids they single-handedly (and lovingly) raise into hopefully decent humans. By stepping up, Tarré is giving these incredible womein a tiny bit of relief—one less thing on their overflowing plates.
Autism in Polyvagal Terms
Featuring Dr. Sean Inderbitzen, DSW, LCSW, MINT
More About Dr. Inderbitzen
Dr. Sean Inderbitzen is an autistic psychotherapist and researcher through Mayo Clinic Health System, author of Autism in Polyvagal Terms: New Possibilities and Interventions, and regularly trains healthcare professionals to be more confident when working with people on the spectrum. As a psychotherapist, researcher, and author, Dr. Inderbitzen is dedicated to advancing autism therapy through innovative, evidence-based approaches. His work focuses on integrating Polyvagal Theory and trauma-informed care to help individuals on the autism spectrum achieve emotional regulation and build meaningful connections.
Autistic Pride: Unapologetically Autistic
Featuring Kyriakos Gold, JD GAICD
More About Kyriakos
Kyriakos Gold is a polymath dedicated to driving positive social change through real-world research and shared value ecosystems. They are the founder of Just Gold, a leading Australian social enterprise behind the global Autistic Pride Day campaign. Their work spans multicultural communications for the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, major public events, and a longstanding international media career. Kyriakos currently serves on the boards of Inclusive Rainbow Voices and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. They have been formally commended by the New South Wales Parliament and inducted into the Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll.
Power Relations in Therapy
Featuring Chenai Mupotsa-Russell
More About Chenai
Chenai Mupotsa-Russell is an art therapist, advocate, and PhD candidate in Community Psychology. Founder of Rainbow Muse Collective, her practice centres neurodivergent joy, intersectionality, and radical belonging. With lived and professional experience, Chenai supports autistic children, families, and communities through creativity, relational safety, and sensory attunement. Her research challenges pathologisation and reframes mental health through decolonial, community-driven practice. A passionate speaker, Chenai explores how systems can either fracture or nurture us—and how love, difference, and cultural humility can reimagine care.
Advocacy Within Organisations
Featuring Sofie Day
More About Sofie
Sofie works for Turning Point, a social enterprise in the fields of substance use, mental health, learning disability, and sexual health. Her mission is to help those who are 'untypical' find professional belonging. Through dialogue and collaboration, and drawing on her personal experience battling eating disorders, as well as 25+ years as an autistic professional, she educates those in positions of power, about the importance of inclusion and the value of colleagues with divergent perspectives. Sofie volunteers extensively including as an EMCC accredited coach offering free coaching to neurodivergent colleagues and their managers.
Home Education: When School Doesn't Work
Featuring Melissa Crockett-Joyoue
More About Melissa
Melissa Crockett-Joyoue is a community creator and connector, founder of Weave ND (an online membership community supporting neurodivergent unschooling families), and the co-founder of The Unschooling Summit & Sunday Sessions. As a late-diagnosed AuDHD Māori and Pākehā māmā, Melissa and her wife unschool two AuDHD children in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Her work is fueled by autistic hyperfocus, ADHD passion, and a deep drive for neurodivergent wellness and liberation. She is committed to valuing indigenous knowledge and fostering community connectedness.
Peer Support and School Refusal
Featuring Silke Ena Svare Arbo
More About Silke
Silke Ena is a 25 year-old Danish autistic woman who works as a peer support worker at the Center for School Refusal Behavior, a specialised unit for kids with complex school refusal difficulties in Denmark, many of whom are autistic. Her personal experience with school refusal in her youth allows her to help students in a unique way compared to other professionals in the center. Silke spends a lot of her free time writing about autism on her website and on social media. She’s also engaged in Danish political discussions about autism and fights for better rights for autistic people in Denmark.
Improving Intimacy in Neurodivergent Relationships
Featuring Annelil Desille
More About Annelil
Annelil is a neuroqueer clinical psychologist and sexologist, and board approved supervisor. Annelil uses her lived personal experiences, along with neuro-affirming practice to work with Autistic and ADHD individuals, couples, polycules, and partnerships of all orientations. They are passionate about advocating for and understanding neurodivergence, sexual health, relationships, and intimacy, and enjoys spending time with her cats Subu and Eos.
Masking Mental Health Concerns
Featuring James Loveday
More About James
James spent all of his primary school years in special needs units, only learning to read and write at the age of 13, and further exploring his own neurodivergence later in life. This personal lived experience led him to become a passionate advocate and educator in person-centred support delivery. He is now a leader in the disability field with twenty year's experience working in both direct support roles and Business Development.
Autism and Energy Accounting
Featuring Sandhya Menon
More About Sandhya
Sandhya Menon is an AuDHD Developmental Psychologist and Author of beloved books, The Brain Forest, The Rainbow Brain and her new upcoming book, My Body's Power Pack. Her work centers in guiding children and families into early positive self-identity and a deep appreciation of their neurotype through assessment and educational services. Her work is characterized by a blend of clinical knowledge and lived experience, making complex information accessible and engaging.
Neurodivergent Women in Business
Featuring Annie Lachance, B.T.S., ACC
More About Annie
Annie is a former social worker specializing in mental health and body connection. After becoming a late diagnosed neurodivergent woman in 2022, Annie re-imagined her business to reflect her true rhythm, energy, and way of being—no longer trying to mold herself to systems that didn’t feel right. She is now an ICF accredited (neurodiversity) coach and certified Human Design professional working mostly with autistic/ADHD women in business, solo-entrepreneurs, and anyone who questions themselves and wants to navigate their journey more embodied.
Say It Your Way: The Power of Communicating Differently
Featuring Christina Schmidt, MSPA-CPSP
More About Christina
Christina Schmidt is a Black African-American-Australian, multicultural and multidialectal AuDHD woman who proudly embraces her identity across all facets of her work and advocacy. As the founder of Free to Be Me Speech Therapy, she provides neuro-affirming support to paediatric and adult clients in ways that honour each person’s unique communication needs, strengths and ways of being. Whether she’s guiding fellow speech pathologists, connecting meaningfully in client sessions, or presenting to captivated audiences around the world, she weaves together her personal and professional experience to create a resonant, lasting impact.
The Invisible Load of Neurodivergent Parenting
Featuring Laetitia Andrac
More About Laetitia
Laetitia Andrac is an autistic parent and the Sydney-based co-founder of Understanding Zoe, a certified social enterprise using AI to support families raising neurodivergent children. A former GM at Telstra and strategy consultant, she now advocates for neuroinclusion through tech, storytelling and policy reform.
Identity, Diversity, and Belonging
Featuring Axelle Ahanhanzo
More About Axelle
Axelle Ahanhanzo is an award-winning social impact entrepreneur and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) changemaker, celebrated for blending lived experience with deep subject-matter expertise. Since launching LAUDACE in May 2023, she has partnered with global organizations like Google, WeTransfer, Coalition PLUS, and The Lancet to drive DEI transformation across STEM sectors. Having lived in eight countries and speaking six languages, Axelle brings a unique cross-cultural perspective to creating more inclusive workplaces
Autism in Indonesia
(Breaking Through the Stigma)
Featuring Tarassa Qinthara
More About Tarassa
Tarassa Qinthara is a speech therapist from Indonesia who works at Rainbow Castle in Jakarta. Since becoming a speech therapist in 2017, the majority of her clients have been Autistic children (both speaking and non-speaking). In 2024, she received her own Autism diagnosis and now, Autism has become her special interest. In her work, Tara enjoys using the child-led approach by Hanen to interact with children and helps their parents by coaching them. Earlier this year, she had her first child and is now a new mother herself.
STAY TUNED!
More Speakers and Program Announcements Coming Soon.
We will be announcing more speakers and the full program in the weeks leading up to the Summit.
Register for the Summit for FREE so you don't miss any announcements!
DATES
22–28 SEPTEMBER 2025
Starting 22nd September 2025, each day's program becomes available at 9am Melbourne time and remains accessible for 24 hours, so you can catch all the speakers at a time that suits you each day! The Encore (REPLAY) Weekend starts on 27th September and provides an additional 48hrs of viewing time.
Watch ON Demand
Any time of the day or night!
Forget about timezones! Each day's full schedule will be available to view all day on the scheduled day. That's a total of 24 hours of access for each day's content. Additionally the Encore (REPLAY) Weekend provides another 48hrs bonus access
FREE Ticket
A free ticket gets you access to every speaker presentation throughout the event (new presentations are available each day). Plus an additional Encore (REPLAY) Weekend to catch up on any sessions you may have missed during the week
UPGRADE to Lifetime Access
The Lifetime Access Bonus Bundle Upgrade is available for purchase throughout the entire event (at a heavily discounted rate) and will ensure that you'll have lifetime access to all of the speaker interviews PLUS bonus content from every speaker AND access to exclusive community events. Upgrade today to keep these incredible resources at your fingertips forever!
UPGRADE YOUR EXPERIENCE
WITH A LIFETIME ACCESS BONUS BUNDLE
Upgrade TODAY for:
Lifetime Access, all the BONUSES
and to LOCK-IN Early Bird Pricing!
Price: $249AUD
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$125 AUD
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LIFETIME ACCESS
To all AFTI 2025 Summit speaker sessions
AUDIO PODCAST OPTION
Listen anywhere with downloadable MP3s
SESSION TRANSCRIPTS
Access downloadable transcripts for all AFTI 2025 Summit speaker sessions
BONUS CONTENT
Access to bonus content from Summit speakers
EXCLUSIVE SUMMIT WORKBOOK
Access workbooks, dot-point summaries, and reflection exercises in a downloadable PDF
EXCLUSIVE POST-SUMMIT EVENT
Join us for a special post-summit online event
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Download a PDF Certificate of Completion upon completion of your viewing of the entire Summit
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