Upcoming events

Friday December 4th 2025 4:30-6:30 - Happy Hour at Institution Ale in Camarillo

Tuesday January 13th 2026 4:30-5:15 -Virtual Board meeting. Email venturaCASP@gmail.com to request a link to the board meeting.

Friday January 23rd 2026 9:00-12:00 - Virtual

Members: $25 | Nonmembers: $60 | Students: $10

Autism in Females: Bridging Research and Lived Experience for School-Based Support

This presentation will examine the unique ways autism manifests in females, with particular attention to implications for school-based identification and support. We will provide an overview of current empirical findings related to the female autism presentation, prevalence, and challenges in recognition. Complementing this perspective, three autistic women will share their lived experiences, offering critical insights into the realities that may be overlooked in school. By integrating scientific evidence with first-person accounts, this session aims to enhance practitioners’ ability to identify, understand, and support autistic girls and young women within educational contexts.

Michelle Dean, PhD

Michelle Dean is a professor of special education at CSUCI. Her research interests include school-based social skills intervention services for autistic children, gender differences in the social behaviors of autistic children, and film and television portrayals of autism. She has published work examining gender differences in the social behaviors of autistic boys and girls, contributing to the understanding of how autism may present differently across genders. Michelle is also a former special education teacher at the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Victoria Gersowsky

With over 28 years of experience leading a continuing healthcare team, Victoria Gersowsky specializes in implementing neuro affirmative support strategies to personalize care for minimally verbal neurodivergent adults in community settings. Their work emphasizes empowerment, dignity, and equity, with a commitment to decarcerating and reforming disability care models for marginalized populations. They have contributed to national and international initiatives, including the Stanford Neurodiversity Project’s DIVERSE curriculum, the University of Kent’s research on trauma in late-diagnosed autistic women, and the Royal Maudsley Hospital/NHS UK review of the Core Competencies Framework.

Annie Kroll

Annie Kroll is a disability advocate, blogger, and speaker. She will share experiences with autism and a physical disability called hereditary spastic paraplegia in education, public spaces, traveling, and more. Outside of my professional life, She enjoys finding new ramen spots, collecting rocks, and writing poetry.

Layla Weiner

Layla Weiner is an actress best known for playing the role of Amber in the Netflix series Atypical (Netflix).  In addition to acting, Layla is a public speaker and an artist.

Friday February 27th 2026 9:00-10:30 - Virtual

Advanced Dispute Resolution (ADR) From Tension to Teamwork: Communicating with Parents for Less Stress and More Success with Peter Aguirre and Stacy Alvey

Although conflict is a natural part of life, it can certainly be challenging and at times unpleasant and uncomfortable. This 90 minute presentation highlights simple, effective strategies to prevent conflict and effectively address conflict when it does occur, in a manner that preserves relationships.

Registration coming soon.

Friday May 15th 2026 9:00-12:00 - In Person (location TBD)

F3 Legal update

Registration coming soon