Media and Speaking Events - The Autistic Rambler Podcast

If you are interested in booking me for a presentation, please send me an email at mdever@autisticrambler.com

Publications

Upcoming

Publications

Lunsky Y, Bobbette N, Chiu M, et al. – Evaluating the impact of a national brain health education course for older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and caregivers: Brain Health-IDD Program protocol BMJ Open 2025;15:e108960. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2025-108960 – December 2025

Autism Services for Children Age 0-6 Essential Components – Alberta Early Childhood Community of Practice – February 2025

How to be an Ally to the Autistic Community – Michael Cnudde, Moira Penna, Maddy Dever, AIDE Canada, May 2024

Comment être un allié de la communauté autiste – Michael Cnudde, Moira Penna, Maddy Dever, AIDE Canada, May 2024

From good to great: a redesign of quality improvement strategies for superior outcomes. Poster presentation at International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) 2024, Coury DL, Blackstien-Hirsch P, Fedele A, Anixt JS, Butter EM, Chung P, Hess A, Dever MJ. – Melbourne, Australia, May 15-18, 2024.

Fostering Inclusion Around Housing Transitions, Canadian Journal of Autism Equity, Vol 4 – April 2024

Moving From Autism Awareness to Acceptance – Language of Inclusion – Canadian Journal of Autism Equity, Vol 1 – April 2021

Policy Compendium:
The Development of a National Autism Strategy through Community and Stakeholder Engagement – Autism Alliance of Canada (formerly CASDA) – October 2020

Summer social skills Board Game – Autism Parenting Magazine – Issue 8 – June 2014

Upcoming Presentations

When Good Intentions Are Not Enough: Considerations Toward Neuroaffirming, Culturally Responsive Care – April 29, 2026 – Sick Kids Pediatric Update Conference

Moving Beyond Neurodiversity to a NeuroTapestry – April 2/3 2026 – ICAN Conference 2026, Niagara Falls, ON

Presentations

Neurodivergent and Thriving: Building Spaces Where All Can Shine – January 29-30, 2026 – Autism and Neurodiversity – Building Brighter Futures Conference 2026 , Edmonton, AB

My Aha! Moments for Parenting Autistic Children – January 12 2026 – George Hull Centre Series 2026

Weaving a Neurodiversity Affirming Practice – November 18/19, 2025 – PPAS Learning Days Halifax, NS

Aha! Moments in Parenting Autistics – November 19 2025 – PPAS Learning Days – Halifax NS

THINC-NICE Learning Series: Measuring Engagement of People with Lived Experience in Research – November 10, 2025

Uncomfortable Conversations, Ethical Change: A Journey from Conflict to Collaboration – October 30, 2025 – Surrey Place Ethics Week 2025

Shaping Independent and Resilient Autistic Learners – October 24, 2025 – Trillium Lakelands District School Board

This is Us: How a Former Anti-ABA Autistic Advocate and Bullheaded Behaviour Analyst Learned to Collaborate Presenters: Justine Wiegelmann, MA., BCBA. R.B.A. (Ont.) and Maddy Dever, Autistic Advocate, Interim Chair of the National Autism Network – June 6, 2025 – ABAJam

Neurodiversity Affirming Practices for Early Childhood Educators and Professionals – June 5, 2025 – Autism Alberta

Panel: Bridging Research and Policy: Aligning Canadian Research with National Priorities – April 28, 2025 – Canadian Autism Leadership Summit 2025

EMPOWERING CONVERSATIONS – Helping children embrace their neurodivergent identity – April 5, 2025 Camp Kirk Webinar with Dr. Melanie Penner & Moira Robertson

Collaborative Initiatives: Recipe for Success and Lessons Learned from the Building Integrated Autism and Mental Health Capacity Training Project – Children’s Mental Health Ontario Conference 2024 – November 18, 2024

Supporting Autistic Flourishing: Individual and Contextual Considerations – with Dr. Jonathan Weiss – Geneva Centre for Autism: Autism Symposium 2024 – October 30, 2024

Quality Community-Based Autism Care in Canada: Scaling-up ECHO AuDIO – Children’s Healthcare Canada – September 11, 2024

CDRH Patient Engagement Town Hall: Considering Neurodevelopmental Conditions in Device Development – September 5, 2024

What I Wish I Knew as an Autistic Teen – Take 2! – ECHO Popup Summer 2024 – with Moira Robertson – July 31, 2024

Supporting Housing Transitions with Community Connectors – CALS 2024, Ottawa On – April 17-19 2024

Creating a Meaningful Life: Pre-employment and Employment Supports for Neurodivergent Individuals – Profectum Conference April 14, 2024

Life and Advocacy with an Autistic – Family ECHO Autism – January 17, 2024

Chasing the Unicorn – Affordable and Accessible Housing in Ontario – December 4, 2023

After the Diagnosis – Autism Speaks US – November 30 2023

What I Wish I Knew as an Autistic Teen – ECHO Popup Summer 2023 – with Moira Robertson – August 2, 2023

Housing Through an Autism Lens: Moving Forward Together – ECOH: Expert Community on Housing (CMHC) – June 27, 2023

Housing Panel – Public Health Agency of Canada – Autism Summit – November 2022

Living with Autism as an Adult: Personal Narratives from Parents and Caregivers – Thought Leadership Summit on Autism and Aging – June 2022

Basic Income NOW – The Importance of Doubling ODSP NOW! – Basic Income Now Rally Toronto, on – May 14 2022

Housing Through An Autism Lens – CASDA Leadership Summit 2022 – April 2022

“End the Wait: Addressing the Shortfall in Disability Supports and Services in Canada” – Disability Work Canada 2021 Conference – December 6, 2021

“The Language of Acceptance – Changing the Language of Autism and Disability” – AEBC International Day for Persons with Disabilities Conference 2021 – December 4, 2021

It takes a village: Stakeholder engagement as a critical lens for the National Strategy Development and Implementation KBHN Conference 2021 – November 2021

Navigating Engagement and Advocacy on the International Stage – OCALICONLINE 2021 – November 23, 2021

Housing through an Autism Lens – OCALICONLINE 2021 – November 22, 2021

Partnering with Individuals with Autism and their Families in Research – TAAC – April 12th, 2021

AIDE Canada Webinar on Housing, February 2021

Shifting Perspectives in Autism: Gaining an Understanding of Neurodiversity, Identity-First Language and Autism Acceptance, November 2020

An Autistic reflection on CASDA Ignite Networks Session – CASDA Summit 2020, October 2020

ECHO Ontario Autism Summer 2020 Popup – Autism Acceptance, August 2020

Guest Lecturer

University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario, Sir Wilfred Laurier University, OISE, Children’s Treatment Network, Kids Inclusive, University of Victoria, Norquest College

Profiles

We Are One – Maddy Dever – AMI TV

Autism Speaks US – Meet Maddy Dever

Autism Speaks Canada – Life On the Spectrum – Meet Maddy

In The Media

How a lengthy autism diagnosis wait impacts families in Ottawa Valley and beyond, Inside Ottawa Valley, February 10, 2026

A new Autistic Barbie – CBC Ottawa This Morning with Rebecca Zandbergen – CBC Radio Ottawa – January 21, 2026

Study shows ECHO Ontario Autism program helping families access better care, Holland Bloorview Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital Website, October 30, 2025

We analyzed 200 cancer and autism videos on TikTok and found the majority contain misinformation, CBC Marketplace, October 24, 2025, Season 53, Episode 5

Smiths Falls advocate proud to contribute to meaningful autism representation on ‘Hudson & Rex’, Inside Ottawa Valley, October 23, 2025

These autistic Canadians say U.S. rhetoric has been unhelpful, focus should be on early diagnoses, Canadian Press, October 17, 2025

‘Hudson & Rex’ aims to get autistic representation right, BLOOM Magazine, September 24, 2025

L’extension de mon cerveau, La Presse, August 17, 2025

Increasing access to autism assessments nationwide in partnership with families and Autistic advocates, Hospital News, August 2025

Autism advocacy group hoping to highlight concerns on national level, CTV News, April 2, 2025

‘Significant progress’: Reconstruction of Bridge Street in Carleton Place makes a more accessible downtown, Insideottawavalleycom, December 1, 2024

Supporting autistic children and teens to live their best lives, Holland Bloorview Hospital, April 30, 2024

Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice, Sylvia Ramorasata, Look Who’s Talking

The Outdated Language of Autism ‘Awareness’ Month, Meg Hartley, The Progressive Magazine, April 28, 2023

Tech Company Working With Police Across Canada to Justify Higher Police Budgets Lobbied City of Toronto, Press Progress, December 7, 2022

“Plan to Build” Fails Those Most Vulnerable – Ontario Disability Coalition, November 15 2022

‘It breaks my heart’: Ontarians on social assistance are struggling even more amid inflation, Kat Escher, tvo.org, September 19, 2022

‘I feel landlocked’: Accessible transit users call for more options in Ottawa, CTVNews Ottawa, July 11, 2022

Thousands of Ontarians find social assistance system slow, frustrating: survey, QP Briefing, May 27, 2022

ODSP RECIPIENT, ADVOCATES CRITICIZE LOW DISABILITY SUPPORT RATE PROMISES FROM MAJOR PARTIES, QP Briefing, May 9, 2022

What’s Wrong with ODSP? CBC Radio – Ontario Today, May 2, 2022

ODSP Rally – Ontario Disability Coalition Media Conference, CHCH, April 28,2022
Recognizing the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, AMI The Pulse, November 27, 2021

Autistic adults help develop pathway to independent living, CMHC, October 8, 2021. – Version francais

People with disabilities demand accessible housing. Feds must act on this housing crisis, Accessible Housing Now, August 2021

CBC Ottawa about the Housing through an Autism Lens project in early April 2021., CBC Ottawa, April 2021

Concerns grow over staffing crisis in Ontario home care system, Globe and Mail, February 27, 2021

‘Autism isn’t a thing. It’s how we go about things’ – Bloom, October 9, 2020

Some families still waiting for COVID-19 government funding – Bancroft This Week – May 19, 2020

Want to fix autism services in Ontario? Province must communicate better: parent, CBC Hamilton, June 25, 2019

Ontario Announces Autism Advisory Panel

AMI Radio Interview – June 24, 2019

Citations

Janse van Rensburg, Margaret Gower (2025) Professional Perspectives on the Barriers to Autistic Adult Mental Health in Ottawa, Canada , (Doctoral thesis, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada) https://doi.org/10.22215/etd/2025-16694

Russell, A., Rainbow, E., Cremen, C. et al. Suicide Prevention Interventions and Supports for the Autistic Community: A Scoping Review. Rev J Autism Dev Disord (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-025-00535-9

Gray, S. M. (2025). Understanding acceptance through the lens of adults with autism spectrum conditions (ASC): using the enhanced critical incident technique (ECIT) to explore elements of acceptance (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.

Torraville, B. (2025). Exploring the camouflaging experiences of early-diagnosed autistic females (Master’s thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.

CLARKE, ELEANOR ROSE (2025). Autistic Women, Work, and the Work of Identity. Monash University. Thesis. https://doi.org/10.26180/28908821.v1

The human spectrum: a position paper, GT Hopkins – Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education,Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 6-22, 2025. – emerald.com

Poverty in the Midst of COVID-19: A report card on child and family poverty in Ontario in 2020, Ricardo Tranjan and Randy Robinson – Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives | Ontario, February 2023

Housing Affordability, My Mother Named Me Sunshine, June 28, 2023

The Outdated Language of Autism ‘Awareness’ Month – Meg Hartley, Medium, April 28, 2023

The Outdated Language of Autism ‘Awareness’ Month , Meg Hartley, The Progressive Magazine, April 28, 2023

‘Let Them Be Who They Are’: Discovering Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Oppressive Normativity and Their Practice of Celebrating Neurodiversity – C Sweetapple – Molloy University ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2022. 30241385.

Recommended Citation
“Autism in Canada“, Jones, Errin, (2020).
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 1084.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/1084

Changing conversations around autism: A critical, action implicative discourse analysis of U.S. neurodiversity advocacy online (dissertation, 2015) – Jessica M F Hughes, quoted a tweet from April 2 2015

Contributor

Bosyj, C., Kanigsberg, L., Patel, A. et al. Characterizing Project ECHO Autism Case Recommendations and Implementation. J Autism Dev Disord (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07018-0

Mackenzie Salt, Marina Schor, Simone Daniels, Jonathan Lai, Stelios Georgiades, Deepa Singal. Fostering Inclusion: Exploring the Needs of Autistic Adults in Canada. An Autistic-led Survey. Autism Alliance of Canada. April 2024

Summative content analysis of the recommendations from Project ECHO Ontario Autism, Jane, Kanigsberg, Patel, Eldon, Anagnostou, Brian and Penner – Frontiers in Rehabilitative Science – March 2023

Stephen Gentles, Janet McLaughlin, Margaret Schneider (Primary Co-Authors), Alisha Stubbs, Philip Lerner, Lauren Tristani, Margaret Spoelstra, Jonathan Weiss, Vivian Lee, Stelios Georgiades, and James LeClair. Families in flux: Findings from the 2021 Ontario Autism Caregiver Survey on education, service access and well-being in the context of COVID-19 [Report]. Ontario, Canada: Laurier Autism Research Consortium and Autism Ontario; April, 2022.