During this two-day symposium, experience the supportive community of Greater Phoenix, dubbed "the most autism-friendly city in the world," by PBS NewsHour. Pioneering organizations and families are gathering to learn about next steps for their communities and neighborhoods as workshops focus on building an asset inventory, marketing/communications, fundraising and more. Learn from members of the First Place AZ team and advisors, promoting models for public/private/philanthropic/nonprofit collaboration. Click here for more information about the First Place Global Leadership Institute.
After 3:00 PM - Hotel Check-In
4:30 PM -Â Transportation to Dinner
Travel via light rail.
Transportation navigators will be on hand to direct you to the light rail stop.
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5:30 PM - Reception & Dinner
Sponsored by First Place AZ & Arizona State University
Security Building
234 N. Central, 8th Floor, Phoenix, AZ
Jonathan G. S. Koppell, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Public Service & Community Solutions, Arizona State University; and Denise D. Resnik, Founder & President/CEO, First Place AZ; Co-founder, Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC); Founder & CEO, DRA Collective.
8:00 AM - Bus Pickup from FOUND:RE Hotel
1100 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003
8:30 AM - First Place Transition Academy Tour
Experience a day in the life of our participants and learn about the Academy with Paige Raetz, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Residential Transition Academy Director, SARRC.
10:00 AM -  Experience Our Supportive CommunityÂ
Tour multiple locations led by First Place team.
11:30 AM - Workshop #1: Health & WellnessÂ
Steptoe & Johnson, LLP
201 E. Washington St. Ste. 1600
Creating a medical home and model. Led by Javier Cardenas, M.D., Adult Autism & Developmental Disability Multi-Specialty Clinic, Barrow Neurological Institute.
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12:30 PM - Working Lunch
Workshop #2: Leveraging Your Community Assets
Workshop led by Denise D. Resnik and George Braddock, Faculty & Advisor, First Place Global Leadership Institute; President, Creative Housing Solutions, LLC. Â
1:30 PM - Workshop #2 (cont'd): Strategies for Mapping Your Supportive Community
Workshop led by Denise D. Resnik and George Braddock.
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2:30 PM - Break
2:45 PM - Workshop #3: Capacity Building & Replication - Public, Private, Philanthropic & Nonprofit Collaboration
Learn about the First Place Global Leadership Institute & Transition Academy programming & curriculum. Cultivating relationships & raising funds. Led by Denise D. Resnik & Paige Raetz.
4:30 PM - Return to FOUND:RE Hotel
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6:00 PMÂ -Â Â Casual Dinner
Taco Guild
546 East Osborn Road, Phoenix, AZ 85012
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8:30 AM - Bus Pickup from FOUND:RE Hotel
9:00 AM - Tour SARRC's Campus for Exceptional Children
 300 N. 18th St., Phoenix, AZ 85004
Meet with Danny Openden, Ph.D., BCBA-D., SARRC President & CEO.
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10:00 AM - Tour SARRC's Vocational Life Skills Academy & Sanders Center for Autism Studies
2225 N. 16th St., Phoenix, AZ 85006
Meet with SARRC leaders Raun Melmed, M.D., Co-founder & Medical Director; Christopher Smith, Ph.D., Vice President and Research Director; and Kate Thoene, Social Enterprise Director.
11:45 AM - Working Lunch/Workshop #4: Safety & Security - Our Shared Responsibility Â
GateWay Community College
108 N. 40th St., Phoenix, AZ 85034
Lessons learned from police, adults with autism and families. Moderated by John Donvan and Caren Zucker, award-winning journalists and authors of Pulitzer Prize finalist, In A Different Key - The Story of Autism; Emily Iland, M.A., Educational Consultant, Writer and Producer, BE SAFE The Movie; Buckeye Police Chief Larry Hall; and students from the First Place Transition Academy.
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1:00 PM - Workshop #5: Shaping Your Story
Marketing/communications workshop led by Denise D. Resnik and Michelle McGinty, President, DRA Collective. Tips and strategies for creating authentic, inclusive communities and building content for stories that inspire and engage. Â
2:00 PM - Program ConcludesÂ
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is 5 minutes away from GateWay Community College.
