AASCEND.net is maintained by James Ullrey, who has Asperger Syndrome. His website is
The AASCEND logo was designed by painter-photographer Sharron Loree, who has Asperger Syndrome. Online gallery at www.loree.org
November 2006
Saturday, November 18, 2006
An exchange with the
San Francisco Police Department
Sergeant Mike Sullivan and Officer Kelly Dunn discused interactions between law enforcement and adults on the autism spectrum, and reviewed Autism/Asperger’s awareness trainings provided to all SFPD officers.
October 2006
Saturday, October 21, 2006
AASCEND Conference & 7th Anniversary CelebrationSAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY
Friday, October 20, 2006
Beverage & Hors d’oeuvre Reception for AASCEND Conference & 7th Anniversary Celebration Featuring the premier of “The AASCEND Story” Video
September 2006
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Annual Potluck Picnic – Dolores Park, San Francisco
A good time was had by all!
August 2006
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Presentation and discussion on “Disaster Preparedness for People on the Autism Spectrum” with a panel of representatives from the major private and government disaster response agencies*
June 2006
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Paul Nussbaum, Greg Yates, and others involved in the CONQUERING HEIGHTS EXPEDITION shared tales of their adventures with us and took us through over 30 minutes of dramatic video footage and still photos taken along the way.
April 2006
Saturday, April 29, 2006
9300 Santa Fe Springs Road, Santa Fe Springs, California
The Greater Long Beach/South Bay/Whittier Chapter of the Autism Society of America, in association with Area Board X and AGUA Classic present
“A Day of Brain-Storming Regarding Employment for Persons with Asperger Syndrome and Autism”
With Moderator Vickie Vining, Keynote presentations by Paul Nussbaum, Camilla Bixler, and Jack Fagan of AASCEND, and Sherry Beamer on Micro Enterprises/Starting your own business
Other panelists included representatives from ELARC, the Lanterman Regional Center, Harbor Regional Center, South Central Los Angeles Regional Center, Westside Regional Center, San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center, CAPC, Progressive Resources, TASK, Social Security Administration, and the Department of Rehabilitation
March 2006
3/18/06
Meeting: Interactive Presentation on Alternate Routes to Employment: Micro-Enterprises with guest speaker Robert Manchia from San Mateo County Human Service Agency
3/7-3/9/06
Paul Nussbaum and Greg Yates spend several days skiing and camping near Lake Tahoe, California in preparation for Conquering Heights
February 2006
2/25/06
Meeting: Discussion on Connections Between Art and Autism attended by 27 people.
January 2006
1/21/06
Annual board elections: Camilla Bixler, Ron Bixler, Georgetta Blais,
Jack Fagan, Paul Nussbaum, Adam Pollack, James Ullrey, David Van Etten,
and Gregory Yates were all reinstated for another year. Jacob Wang also
joined as a new board member.
Dr. Herman Lipow, Betty Anne Lipow, and Michelle G. Winner join AASCEND’s
Board of Advisors
Meeting: Presentation by Michelle G. Winner on “The
4 Steps of Social Thinking” attended by 51 people.
1/20/06
AASCEND member Andrew Bixler delivers a presentation on International
Asperger’s Year on a televised meeting of the San Francisco Mayor's
Disability Council.
December 2005
12/10/05
Annual Holiday Pot Luck Party(6:00-10:30 p.m.) attended by 28 people.
12/6/05
Paul Nussbaum featured on “Faces of the Valley” – a
weekly
November 2005
11/19/05
AASCEND members, Adam Pollack, Barbara Redland, Vicki Smith, and Jack
Fagan give a 2-hour presentation to a graduate course on Asperger Syndrome
taught by Dr. Pamela Wolfberg, a member of AASCEND’s Board of Advisors
11/14/05
Meeting: Presentation by Peggy Liao on In-Home Supportive Services
(IHSS) attended by 23 people.
October 2005
10/15/05
Meeting: Roundtable discussion on “How, What, When, and Whom Should
I Tell That I Have Asperger’s?” attended by 44 people.
10/15/05
International Asperger’s Year is announced.
September 2005
9/17/05
Annual Potluck Picnic – Elk Grove, Golden Gate Park, attended by
nearly 30 people.
August 2005
8/20/05
Meeting: Presentation by Attorney Steven Dale On Special Needs
Trusts attended by 34 people.
July 2005
7/16/05
Special Planning Meeting attended by 16 people.
June 2005
6/18/05
Meeting: Job Placement Challenges, Strategies, and Services of
Adults With High-Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome – An interactive
panel discussion with Joanne Rolle, The Arc of San Francisco; Patrick
Larkin, Toolworks, Inc.; Robert Campbell, San Francisco Vocational Services;
and Wendy Tobias, California Department of Rehabilitation. Attended by
45 people.
May 2005
5/21/05
Meeting: Roundtable discussion on Future Directions for AASCEND attended
by 23 people.
April 2005
4/30/05
Meeting: Conference Call With Temple Grandin
The meeting was well-attended with 54 people, and Dr. Grandin spent more
than 2 hours with us. As always, she shared many helpful insights on
many different topics, including sensory processing differences in people
on the autism spectrum, environmental modifications, medications for
anxiety, etc., and developing talents and careers for people on the spectrum.
March 2005
3/19/05
Meeting: Roundtable discussion on Dating & Relationships On and Off
the Autism Spectrum attended by 26 people.
February 2005
2/26/05
Meeting: Discussion of Rapid Prompting Method (RPM). This teaching technique
was developed by Soma Mukhopadhay to help her autistic son Tito to communicate.
Tito, who does not speak, has published poetry, as well as a book called
The Mind Tree. A presentation attended by 46 people was lead by Mr. Abhoyjit
Bhown of Fremont, who has a 12-year-old son with autism. Abhoyjit is
a member of the Advisory Board of HALO, Helping Autism through Learning
and Outreach (www.halo-soma.org) He shared DVD recordings of his son,
Kittu, demonstrating dramatic communication progress during RPM training
with Soma Mukhopadhay.
January 2005
1/22/05
Annual board elections: Camilla Bixler, Ron Bixler, Georgetta Blais,
Tom DeMartini, Jack Fagan, Dr. Herman Lipow, Betty Anne Lipow, Paul Nussbaum,
Adam Pollack, David Van Etten, and Gregory Yates were reinstated for
another year. James Ullrey also joined as a new board member. All officers
were re-elected to their posts.
Meeting: Roundtable discussion on Autism and Asperger Syndrome
and Depression attended by 43 people.
December 2004
12/11/04
Annual Holiday Potluck Party – with over 60 people, matching last
year’s attendance.
November 2004
11/23/04
8 members of AASCEND toured the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute, hosted by
Dr. David Amaral, a member of AASCEND’s Board of Advisors. The
tour included a lunch meeting with Executive Director Bob Hendron, and
Drs. Marjorie Solomon and Sally Ozonoff.
11/20/04
Meeting: Presentation and Discussion on Medications & Autism/Asperger
Syndrome – facilitated by Dr. Janet Fletcher, M.D. and Gregory
Yates.
11/15/04
AASCEND members, Adam Pollack, Paul Nussbaum, Georgetta Blais, and Jack
Fagan give a 2-hour presentation to a graduate course on Asperger Syndrome
taught by Dr. Pamela Wolfberg, a member of AASCEND’s Board of Advisors
October 2004 – AASCEND turns five
years old!
10/24/04
AASCEND had an information booth at an Autism Resource Fair in Kezar
Stadium, Golden Gate Park, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
10/16/04
Meeting: Roundtable discussion on Sensory Processing Difficulties for
People on the Autism Spectrum
September 2004
9/18/04
Annual Picnic in Golden Gate Park – attended by over 50 adults
and children.
9/11/04
Dr. Adriana Schuler joins AASCEND’s Board of Advisors.
9/11/04
Mrs. Betty Anne Lipow and Dr. Herm Lipow organize and host an Indian
dinner fundraiser that brought in $1900 to support the operational costs
and activities of AASCEND.
August 2004
8/21/04
Meeting: Overcoming Social Obstacles – Presentation by Helmut Relinger,
Ph.D.
July 2004
7/25/04
Feature article in the Sunday San Francisco Chronicle about AASCEND member,
Stan Litmanovich, and his mother, Inga.
The article is archived here.
7/17/04
Meeting: Reports from AUTREAT and the 35th Annual National Conference
of the Autism Society of America
7/7-7/10/04
8 members of AASCEND and 2 additional members of AUTASTICS attend the
35th Annual National Conference of the Autism Society of America, in
Seattle, WA. Greg Yates discusses AASCEND on a panel of adults on the
autism spectrum to an audience of over 200; and Paul Nussbaum, Camilla
Bixler, and Jack Fagan are joined by Greg to deliver a presentation entitled: “AASCEND – A
Support and Action Community for AS/HFA and Neurotypical Adults.”
June 2004
6/28-7/1/04
Adam Pollack, Stan Litmanovich, and two more members of AUTASTICS attend
AUTREAT.
6/19/04
Georgetta Blais is elected to the Board of Directors as the 11th member
6/19/04
Meeting: Law Enforcement and People With Autism and Asperger
Syndrome – Presentation
by and discussion with Sergeant Michael Sullivan, Americans With Disabilities
Act Coordinator for the San Francisco Police Department.
May 2004
5/19/04
Roger Meyer accepts invitation to join Board of Advisors.
5/15/04
Monthly Meeting.
April 2004
4/24/04
Fourth Annual AASCEND Conference: “Works in Progress - Creating
Jobs, Housing, & Social Opportunities for Adults With Autism & Asperger
Syndrome in the San Francisco Bay Area” – Keynote speakers:
Roger N. Meyer, author of the Asperger Syndrome Employment Workbook;
John Clay, co-founder and Executive Director of the California Autism
Foundation (CAF); and Kari Dunn Buron, author and lecturer on autism,
and director of Camp Discovery in Lake George, MN, which she founded
in 1995 for youth between ages 10 and 21 with Asperger Syndrome. AASCEND member, Gregory Yates, reported on an article in the Journal of Vocational
Rehabilitation (Vol. 18, No. 3): “Vocational Supports for Individuals
With Asperger Syndrome” in which he and several other members participated,
including James Ullrey and Paul Nussbaum, who joined Greg in discussing
employment challenges they’ve experienced. Breakout groups included: “Dating & Relationships
for Adults on the Autism Spectrum” and “Employment Challenges & Resources
for Adults on the Autism Spectrum”.
March 2004
3/19/04
Members of AASCEND presented information on autism and Asperger Syndrome
at the San Francisco Mayor’s Disability Council in City Hall. Speakers:
Matthew Lichy, Gregory Yates, Ron Bixler, Andrew Bixler, and Camilla
Bixler. AASCEND President Jack Fagan is a member of the Mayor's Disability
Council and was elected Co-Chair of the Council at the start of the meeting,
which was broadcast live in San Francisco on cable access channel 26
and re-broadcast several times through the end of March. VHS videotapes
or DVDs of the meeting can be purchased for $10 by calling (415) 554-4188,
or online at http://sunset.ci.sf.ca.us/sfgtv.nsf
February 2004
2/21/04
Monthly Meeting; Tom Purvis is elected to the Board of Directors as the
10th member.
2/16/04
Launched 2nd website: www.aascend.net.
2/8/04
AASCEND board members Adam Pollack and Greg Yates address an audience
about Asperger Syndrome after The Last Schwartz, a play in which one
of the principal characters has high-functioning autism.
January 2004
1/24/04
Monthly meeting; annual board elections: Camilla Bixler, Jack Fagan,
Dr. Herman Lipow, Betty Anne Lipow, Paul Nussbaum, Adam Pollack, and
David Van Etten were reinstated for another year. Tom DeMartini and
Greg Yates also joined as new board members. All officers were re-elected
to their posts.
December 2003
12/6/03
Annual Holiday Potluck Party – attended by nearly 60 people – almost
three times as many as attended in 2002!
November 2003
11/11/03
8 members toured facilities of the California Autism Foundation (CAF)
in Richmond, and Hooper’s Chocolates in Oakland, with CAF Founder
and Executive Director, John Clay.
11/8/03
Meeting: “If You’ve Been Unsuccessful Obtaining Regional
Center Services” – Presentation by Mary Ortega, Associate
Executive Director, The Arc of San Francisco.
October 2003
10/26/03
AASCEND and AUTASTICS had a tent at an Autism Resource Fair in Kezar
Stadium, which resulted in spreading the word about our two organizations
as well as the Teen Group, and establishing our names as a presence in
the Bay Area autism community.
10/16/03
Board President Jack Fagan gave a presentation on Asperger Syndrome and
AASCEND to the Concord office of the California Department of Rehabilitation.
10/11/03
Monthly Meeting.
September 2003
9/17/04
An Board of Advisors to AASCEND is created with the acceptance of invitations
by Pamela Wolfberg, Ph.D., founder of the Autism Institute On Peer Relations
and Play, and co-moderator for the last few AASCEND conferences; Dr.
David Amaral of the M.I.N.D. Institute; and Dr. Janet Fletcher, M.D.,
of Medford, Oregon, who has Asperger Syndrome herself.
9/13/03
Picnic in Golden Gate Park – attended by over 50 people.
9/6/03
AASCEND board members Camilla Bixler, Adam Pollack, and Paul Nussbaum
addressed “Open Gate”, speaking about AUTASTICS and AASCEND,
and the outlook for adults on the Autism spectrum in the Bay Area.
August 2003
8/9/03
Monthly meeting.
July 2003
7/25/03
AASCEND board President Jack Fagan sworn in by San Francisco Mayor Willie
Brown to the Mayor’s Disability Council. AASCEND Vice President
David Van Etten attended the ceremony.
7/12/03
Meeting: Roundtable discussion on The Experience & Importance
of Spirituality for People On the Autism Spectrum
June 2003
6/29-7/2/03
Adam Pollack, Andrew Bixler, and two more members of AUTASTICS attend
AUTREAT.
6/14/03
Meeting: Roundtable discussion on “Where Do We Go From Here?” One
outcome was a return to meeting every month as we had done before March
2002.
May 2003
5/17/03
Board meeting at the home of Dr. Herman Lipow and Mrs. Betty Anne Lipow.
April 2003
4/26/03
Third Annual AASCEND Conference: “Our Paths Converging: Bringing
Together the Autism/Asperger Syndrome Community” with keynote speaker
Val Paradiz, author of “Elijah’s Cup: A Family’s Journey
into the Community and Culture of High-Functioning Autism and Asperger
Syndrome”. One of the highlights this year was the afternoon breakout
sessions and plenary discussion that followed. Held at Seven Hills Conference
Center at San Francisco State University. Attendance was just over 100.
4/6/03
Stuart Anthony resigned from the Board of Directors and his post as treasurer.
March 2003
3/4/03
Conference planning meeting.
February 2003
2/8/03
Monthly Meeting: Housing Challenges and Opportunities for People
On the Autism Spectrum – An interactive panel discussion with Jamie Blackson
Baker, Housing Consortium of the East Bay, Oakland; Nancy Brunn, The
Arc of San Francisco; Sarah Burgett, Toolworks, Inc., San Francisco;
Mary Eble, North Bay Housing Coalition, Napa; Lisa Merlin, Housing Choices
Coalition, Santa Clara; and Jerry Martin, PARCA, Burlingame. Over 40
people attended.
January 2003
From this point forward, all meetings unless otherwise noted are held
at 1500 Howard Street, San Francisco.
1/7/03
Monthly Meeting: Annual board elections – Stuart Anthony, Camilla
Bixler, Jack Fagan, Dr. Herman Lipow, Betty Anne Lipow, Adam Pollack,
and David Van Etten were reinstated for another year, joined by new board
member Paul Nussbaum. Jack was elected President; David Van Etten was
re-elected Vice President; Dr. Herman Lipow was elected Corresponding
Secretary, and Betty Anne Lipow elected Recording Secretary. The treasurer
position is vacant, with AASCEND member Ron Bixler agreeing to continue
to maintain the bank account and check book until the position is filled.
December 2002
12/14/02
Annual Potluck Holiday Party (1500 Howard Street, San Francisco) – Attendance
is 22.
November 2002
11/16/02
Board & General Meetings (Cesar Chavez Student Union Building, SFSU):
Viewed “Refrigerator Mothers”. Dr. Herman Lipow and Betty
Anne Lipow are elected to the Board of Directors. Jack Fagan elected
Acting President until Board Elections in January 2003.
11/15/02
Deborah Karres resigns Presidency in phone calls to Vice President David
Van Etten and new board member, Jack Fagan.
October 2002
10/19/02
Board Meeting in the home of Ron and Camilla Bixler. Adopted By-Laws
drafted by Jack Fagan and Deborah Karres; Jack Fagan is elected to the
Board of Directors.
August-September 2002
No meetings;
Core members consider dissolving AASCEND.
July 2002
7/13/02
General Meeting (1500 Howard Street, San Francisco)
Presentation On Special Needs Trusts by Attorney Lisa Hooter of Belmont,
CA.
7/2/02
Board Meeting (1500 Howard Street, San Francisco).
May 2002
5/4/02
General Meeting (Cesar Chavez Student Union Building, SFSU).
March 2002
3/9/02
General Meeting (Cesar Chavez Student Union Building, SFSU); Meetings
become bi-monthly; Adam Pollack received Temple Grandin Award for founding
AUTASTICS.
February 2002
2/9/02
Second Annual AASCEND Conference: “Sharing the Journey: A Lifelong
Passage” with keynote speakers: Jerry Newport, founder of AGUA,
and mother and son team, Julie Donnelly, Ph.D. & Jean-Paul Bovee,
M.A., on “Old Roles/New Roles”. The conference concluded
with a panel presentation “Awesome Twosomes” moderated by
Adam Pollack. The panel consisted of AUTASTICS members James Ullrey,
Greg Yates, Vicky Smith, and Paul Nussbaum, who were each joined by their
neurotypical Significant Others. Held at Seven Hills Conference Center
at San Francisco State University.
November 2001
11/17/01
Meeting (Cesar Chavez Student Union Building, SFSU).
October 2001
10/13/01
Meeting (Cesar Chavez Student Union Building, SFSU).
Autumn 2001
www.aascend.org website becomes inactive.
September 2001
9/22/01
Monthly Meeting (1500 Howard Street, San Francisco)
Employment Issues for Asperger’s and Autistic Adults – An
interactive panel discussion with Terry Almy, Department of Rehabilitation;
Steve Crabiel, Toolworks, Inc.; Kerry Evensong, Poplar/ReCare (now Community
GatePath), San Mateo; Tara Holt and Alan Brickman, Jewish Vocational
Services; Christa Raymond, The Arc of San Francisco; moderated by Jack
Fagan, a member of AASCEND and Director of Vocational Training Programs
at The Arc of San Francisco.
August 2001
8/18/01
Meeting (Seton Medical Center, Daly City).
July 2001
7/14/01
Meeting (Seton Medical Center, Daly City).
June 2001
6/16/01
Meeting (Seton Medical Center, Daly City).
May 2001
5/19/01
Meeting (Cesar Chavez Student Union Building, SFSU).
April 2001
4/14/01
Meeting (Cesar Chavez Student Union Building, SFSU).
March 2001
3/17/01
Meeting (Cesar Chavez Student Union Building, SFSU).
February 2001
2/10/01
First AASCEND Conference: “Share the Journey” with David
Amaral, Director of Research, University of California MIND Institute;
Professor Adriana Schuler, Ph.D., San Francisco State University; Pamela
Wolfberg, Ph.D., Founder/Director, Autism Institute for Peer Relations
and Play; and Gregory Yates. A highlight of the conference was a panel
presentation on “Living with Asperger Syndrome” by members
of AUTASTICS: Faith Lichy, Vicky Smith, James Ullrey, Stuart Anthony,
Paul Nussbaum, and Greg Yates, moderated by AUTASTICS founder, Adam Pollack.
Held at Seven Hills Conference Center at San Francisco State University.
September 2000
9/28/00
Meeting.
9/19/00
Meeting.
July 2000
7/29/00
Meeting
7/27/00
First website launched (www.aascend.org)
June 2000
SFSU doctoral candidate Eve Muller interviews AUTASTICS for Ph.D. thesis
eventually published in the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation (Vol.
18, No. 3) under the title “Vocational Supports for Individuals
With Asperger’s Syndrome”
May 2000
5/6/00
Board Meeting; Changed name to AASCEND, an acronym for “Autism-Asperger‘s
Syndrome Coalition for Education, Networking, and Development”.
Board elections were held; Deborah Karres and David Van Etten elected
Co-Presidents; Camilla Bixler, Recording Secretary; Stuart Anthony, Treasurer;
Adam Pollack, AUTASTICS Liaison; Malcolm McAfee, Action Research Facilitator;
and Marcella DeCray, Membership Chairperson.
February 2000
2/23/00
Registered Articles of Incorporation under the name Asperger’s
Associates, signed by founding members Stuart Anthony, Camilla Bixler,
Deborah Karres, Malcolm McAfee, Adam Pollack, and David Van Etten.
December 1999
12/11/99
Second meeting. Professional group facilitator Geoffrey Ball facilitates
an all-day meeting with the fledgling group to identify aims and strategies.
November 1999
11/13/99
The FIRST MEETING of AASCEND – though we didn’t have a name
yet!
October 1999
10/23/99
We count this date as the anniversary of our founding. SFSU & AUTASTICS hold conference; planners include Adriana Schuler, Eve Muller, Deborah
Karres, and Pamela Wolfberg of San Francisco State, Adam Pollack, Gregory
Yates, and Stuart Anthony of AUTASTICS, and parents, Malcolm McAfee,
David Van Etten, and Ron and Camilla Bixler; several participants decide
to form group of AS/HFA and neurotypical adults collaborating as peers
and focused on issues for adults on the autism spectrum.
1998
The group started by Adam Pollack adopts the name AUTASTICS, an acronym
for “Autistics United Together And Showing They Indeed Can Succeed”.
The Teen and Young Adult
Group starts meeting at the home of Camilla,
Ron, and Andrew Bixler.
March 1997
The first official meeting of the group that would later be known as
AUTASTICS; 7 people attended, including Adam Pollack, Greg Yates, and
invited guest, Jerry Newport, founder of AGUA, a similar group in Los
Angeles.
1994-1996
After receiving a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome, Adam Pollack begins
holding meetings at his San Francisco home with the intent of starting
a support and social group for adults on the autism spectrum. The
beginnings of this group were very informal and slow to get off the
ground, with
only a handful of people meeting occasionally in each other’s
homes.
1994
“Asperger Disorder” is officially recognized and classified as such for the first time in the DSM-IV (the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).
1991
Hans Asperger’s complete original paper is translated into English
for the first time by German-born British psychologist and autism expert,
Uta Frith.
1981
British psychiatrist Lorna Wing, a parent of a child with autism, “discovers” Hans Asperger’s original paper and starts applying his name to describe “milder” manifestations of autism.
1943-1944
In 1943, American psychiatrist Leo Kanner applied the term “autism" to
children he observed in a psychiatric hospital in Baltimore. Within a
year, and independently of Kanner, Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger
also employed the term “autism” in his doctoral thesis on
children in a Vienna clinic, but because he wrote in German, Asperger's
work was largely unknown outside central Europe following World War II.