March 17 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Women often face unique experiences as Autistic and neurodivergent individuals, including differences in socialization, expectations, and how autism is understood and expressed.
You’re invited to attend our new Women’s Group for Autistic adults (18+) who identify with experiences of womanhood. The content and resources shared in this group are informed by both lived Autistic experience and research as they intersect with gendered experiences in society.
In this first session, we’ll discuss:
- Understanding autism and gender differences
- Understanding how this effects presentation, diagnosis, and the link to stereotypes
- Breaking down barriers and stereotypes
This group is intended for those who personally identify with the above. This boundary ensures that participants can share openly without explanation or justification.
Please note: This is not a therapy group. Its purpose is to provide a supportive, non-clinical space to discuss and exchange learning, share strategies, and connect meaningfully with others.
Tuesday, March 17
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
In-person at The Ability Hub (300, 3820 24 Ave NW)
There is no cost to attend.
Registration is appreciated, but not required. If you sign up in advance, our facilitators are able to contact you in the event of a last-minute change in plans. Drop-ins are also welcome.
To register, log in to Sinneave Connects. If you don’t have a Sinneave Connects account yet, it’s easy! Click the button that says, Sinneave Connects to access the learning hub and follow these steps:
- Pick a username
- Pick a password
- Select “Register”
- Choose the Women’s Group: Peer Support for 18+ workshop and click on the enroll button
About the presenters:
Kristen Coglon is a Life Skills Coach at The Sinneave Family Foundation. She has been working with Sinneave for more than 4 years and in the Human Services field for more than 10 years. Her experiences have been working with individuals across the lifespan, and she has gained valuable skills and knowledge that contribute to her daily work. Kristen is a passionate and empathetic person who is happy to be a listening ear, supportive coach, and an advocate for Autistic and neurodivergent adults.
Alexandra (Ali) Skeet is a Learning and Connection Associate at The Sinneave Family Foundation. She delivers the Information and Navigation service where they have the pleasure to meet with Autistic and neurodivergent individuals one-on-one to provide consistent, person-centred information and navigation to Sinneave programs and services, and/or community-based resources. Ali has both professional and lived experience navigating identity, and the intersectional impact of societal expectations/beliefs on neurodivergent individuals. They bring over a decade of experience in the field of mental health, and a passion for person-centered care and intersectional inclusivity.
If you have questions, reach out to info@sinneavefoundation.org or call (403) 210-5000. We’re here to help.
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April 2 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Save the Date!
Together with Autism Aspergers Friends Society (AAFS) we are hosting World Autism Awareness and Acceptance Day celebrations!
Thursday, April 2, 2026
11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sam Centre (632 13 Avenue SE)
Please visit our social media platforms for updates on event planning soon!
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March 19 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Join Autism Edmonton’s Autistic Journeys: Voices & Perspectives series, where individuals share their story of how they have become self-advocates. In this case, Heather will discuss how, as an aging adult, they have created a space for themselves. A specific focus will be on AISH and resources.
This learning session introduces you to a self-advocate who is creating space for everyone through the advocacy they are doing. Join to learn more and be inspired!
This session is brought to you by Autism Edmonton and The Sinneave Family Foundation.
Thursday, March 19, 2026
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Online via Autism Edmonton
Registration for this event is via Autism Edmonton’s website. You can register by clicking the button that says, “Register”.
About the Presenter:
Heather Hanninen Fairbairn is a disabled, nonbinary person working at the intersections of poverty, disability, housing, and women’s and gender-diverse people’s issues. Heather has multiple disabilities, and she is neurodivergent, which she considers an asset and not a disability.
Heather began to organize AISH recipients about 10 years ago by creating the first Facebook group for AISH-specific concerns and still plays an active role in her own group, The AISH Page, and associated AISH groups. AISH is Alberta’s provincial disability benefit.
Heather is part of the Pan-Canadian Voice for Women’s Housing’s (PCVWH) National Advisory Council and is grateful to have worked along with the amazing women and gender-diverse humans that make up that group.
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February 27 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Join Kyle Lobb for a unique exploration of Autistic Journeys, offering diverse voices and perspectives. This learning session is part of Autism Edmonton’s “Autistic Journeys: Voices and Perspectives” series, where Kyle will share his experiences and insights as a neurodivergent individual navigating life, independence, and community involvement.
This session is well suited for educators, parents, professionals, and anyone interested in hearing authentic Autistic voices and learning about neurodiversity, self-advocacy, and inclusive practices.
This session is brought to you by Autism Edmonton and The Sinneave Family Foundation.
Friday, February 27
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Online via Autism Edmonton
Registration for this event is via Autism Edmonton’s website. You can register by clicking the button that says, “Register”.
About the Presenter:
Kyle Lobb is a 37-year-old neurodivergent individual diagnosed with Autism, Tourette’s syndrome, OCD, ADHD, and Bipolar disorder. Growing up, Kyle often felt different from others and faced challenges navigating school, friendships, employment, and neurotypical society. Despite these obstacles, he has developed strategies to manage daily life and recently moved into his first independent home with support from his community.
Kyle is also a personal trainer and an active member of Toastmasters, which has helped him build confidence and strengthen his communication skills. He credits much of his personal growth to the support of his loving family and Edmonton’s Autistic community, inspiring him to give back through active involvement in initiatives that empower neurodivergent individuals.
Kyle currently serves as Vice-President of the Alberta Independent Living Association (AiLA), using his lived experience and expertise to advance independence, advocacy, and inclusion for people with disabilities.
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February 11 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Join Terri Pasieckza for a deep dive into the unique connections between Ehlers-Danlos and Autism – a powerful journey awaits! This session is part of the “Strong Yet Flexible: Ehlers-Danlos and Autism” learning series, brought to you by Autism Edmonton and The Sinneave Family Foundation. A series focusing on Autistic women who also have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Explore the critical intersection of Autism and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and why understanding it matters. Many Autistic individuals also live with hEDS, which can affect everything from sensory experiences to daily functioning and mental health. This session will highlight how overlapping challenges—like chronic pain, fatigue, and heightened sensory sensitivity—impact quality of life, self-advocacy, and access to appropriate care.
Join us to learn why recognizing this overlap is essential for families, educators, healthcare providers, and anyone supporting neurodivergent and disabled communities. Gain insights into practical strategies, advocacy tips, and ways to create inclusive spaces that truly meet diverse needs.
Wednesday, February 11
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Online via Autism Edmonton
Registration for this event is via Autism Edmonton’s website. You can register by clicking the button that says, “Register”.
About the Facilatator:
Terri Pasieckza is a dedicated and resilient homeschooling mother of two teenagers, all navigating life with neurodivergence and Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). After a 15-year teaching career was cut short due to her health, she has devoted herself to supporting her family while advocating for understanding and accessibility in both medical and societal spaces.
Having lived with the symptoms of EDS and its comorbidities for her entire life, she brings firsthand experience and deep knowledge of navigating complex medical systems. She is skilled at researching, asking critical questions, and advocating for herself and her loved ones, ensuring that their needs are met with dignity and respect.
Passionate about education, health advocacy, and challenging societal and medical misconceptions, she strives to raise awareness about the realities of living with hEDS and neurodivergence. Her work emphasizes empowerment, self-advocacy, and creating space for voices often overlooked in mainstream conversations.
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January 28 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Join us for an open discussion on navigating grief and loss as a caregiver, sharing stories, and finding support. Caregivers often experience ongoing grief and loss—not just through death, but through life-altering changes that reshape their expectations and roles.
We have discovered that with the aging adults in the Autism Edmonton community, many are caretakers for a loved one in their lives. This shouldn’t be a surprise as approx. 42% of people in Canada are caretakers. Over half of women (52%) provide care for children or adults, paid or unpaid, significantly more than men.
This session will explore how one navigates grief’s emotional terrain while discovering tools and insights to move forward with resilience and care.
This session is brought to you by Caregivers Alberta, The Sinneave Family Foundation, and Autism Edmonton.
Monday, January 26
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Online via Autism Edmonton
Registration for this event is via Autism Edmonton’s website. You can register by clicking the button that says, “Register”.
About the Facilatator:
Karen Cuthbertson is the Manager, Support Services for Caregivers Alberta, based in Calgary. Her role is to support people in navigating the challenging role of being a caregiver for a family member or friend. Karen is a “sandwich generation” caregiver herself, caring for both young adults and aging parents. She has extensive experience working in youth mental health, dementia, and cancer care. She has a Master of Science in Psychology and 20+ years of experience working in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
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January 26 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Get ready to embrace the next chapter of life with tips and tricks at Transitioning to 60+ as an Autistic! Aging presents challenges for everyone, but for Autistic individuals, this stage of life can bring additional and often overlooked complexities.
This presentation is designed to equip families, caregivers, and service providers with practical guidance to help older Autistic adults navigate aging with dignity, autonomy, and confidence. You will learn about the unique experiences and challenges faced by older adults, as well as strategies to better support their health, well-being, and quality of life.
This session is brought to you by Autism Edmonton, Autism Society Alberta, and The Sinneave Family Foundation.
Monday, January 26, 2026
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Online via Autism Edmonton
Registration for this event is via Autism Edmonton’s website. You can register by clicking the button that says, “Register”.
About the Facilatator:
Kitty Parlby is the mother of an Autistic adult son and has spent decades supporting families of individuals with disabilities. She worked for years as a one-on-one special needs Educational Assistant and, in her spare time, wrote numerous articles on autism. Kitty later founded her own business, Autism Inspirations, through which she delivered workshops across the province and provided consultation in schools.
A long-time volunteer board member with Autism Society Alberta (ASA), she stepped down from the board in June 2020 to join the organization as an employee. She now serves as ASA’s Communications & Community Strategist.
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January 22 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Join us for the kickoff of Autism Edmonton’s “Autistic Journeys: Voices & Perspectives” series with Millie Schulz, a non-binary, Autistic, and ADHD self-advocate. Millie will share their inspiring journey of self-advocacy, creativity, and activism, offering insights into the lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals.
This session is well suited for educators, parents, professionals, and anyone interested in hearing authentic Autistic voices and learning about neurodiversity, self-advocacy, and inclusive practices.
This session is brought to you by Autism Edmonton and The Sinneave Family Foundation.
Thursday, January 22, 2026
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Online via Autism Edmonton
Registration for this event is via Autism Edmonton’s website. You can register by clicking the button that says, “Register”.
About the Presenter:
Millie Schulz is an accomplished artist specializing in watercolor and photography, a passionate music lover and DJ, and a dedicated harm reduction worker and peer support volunteer. They were recently selected as one of the Autistic Interviewers on CBC TV’s The Assembly and have shared their perspective on Autistic culture through their YouTube channel (@cherrymintrose) and podcast appearances, including The Other Autism.
In addition to their advocacy work, Millie has successfully navigated a human rights case at the BC Human Rights Tribunal related to accessibility for disabled people. They bring decades of experience supporting individuals with substance use challenges, including work at Victoria’s first federal Supervised Consumption Site and Safer Supply Clinic.
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January 29 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
AIDE Canada, together with Autism Edmonton, is hosting a free, virtual lunch and learn exploring the intersection of race, autism, and systemic inequities, with a focus on the experiences of black Autistic individuals in Canada. The session will explore lived experiences and examine barriers to diagnosis, access to care, and educational support.
Participants will discuss how systemic issues such as limited race-based data and a lack of culturally informed practices contribute to misdiagnoses, mistreatment, and disparities in education.
The conversation will also highlight how regional, cultural, and family differences shape experiences within healthcare and education systems.
Thursday, January 29
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Online via AIDE Canada
By drawing on diverse perspectives and emerging research, the session aims to deepen understanding of these complex intersections. The session will emphasize actionable strategies for addressing systemic barriers and improving outcomes for black Autistic Canadians. Participants will leave with tools to advocate for equity, data transparency, and culturally responsive supports.
Registration for this event is via AIDE Canada’s website. You can register by clicking the button that says, “Register”.
About the Presenters:
Jerome Allridge
Jerome Allridge is a Black Autistic self-advocate dedicated to advancing equity in health care and education for Black neurodivergent individuals. He emphasizes the importance of clear communication and honouring each person’s unique needs. Although he can speak, he prefers to connect through written communication, where he can most authentically express his ideas and experiences. Through this panel, Jerome will encourage professionals and communities to build understanding and foster truly inclusive environments for all.
Rosemarie Jordan – Parent & Care Navigator for Autistic Teen
Born in Edmonton, Rosemarie’s world was a blend of many cultures as was her, being biracial—Black and White—her close family friends also came from a variety of backgrounds. In contrast, despite the growing national focus on multiculturalism in the 1970s, Alberta’s provincial make-up remained predominantly homogeneous and white, making it a less welcoming environment for diverse cultures.
Having grown up on the margins, she saw and experienced the world from a different perspective, and this journey of overcoming adversity shaped her ability to be resilient in an often-unforgiving world. These life experiences gave her a unique understanding of the difficulties faced by her son, who also doesn’t fit the standard mold. As such, Rosemarie fell naturally into the role of “Care Navigator”.
Having learned to navigate her own challenges, the expertise and flexibility in her skill development empowered her to navigate through the complex health-care system to overcome barriers in accessing quality care and treatment (e.g., arranging financial support, coordinating among providers and settings) in home, community and education settings. On a micro level, she translates her son’s wishes & needs for support to identify the right services and providers. On a meso level, she collaborates with other care, education and social service providers to provide direction and goal setting. And on a macro level, she has acted to remove barriers to effective care in various types of health services, social care, education and community services laying the groundwork for strategic direction and creating pathways for care and access to resources.
Zalika Scott-Ugwuegbula, BSc (Hons), M.Ed. (she/her)
Zalika Scott-Ugwuegbula, BSc (Hons), M.Ed. (she/her), is an Autistic second-year doctoral student in Psychological Studies of Education – Research at the University of Alberta. Her research examines how the interlocking forces of race, racism, and ableism shape the educational experiences of Black Autistic students. Zalika’s research interests include the intersection of race and disability, Black studies in education, anti-Black racism, and autism and Black identity in education within the Canadian context.
Zalika seeks to understand how colonialism, racial capitalism, ableism, and white supremacy operate in conjunction and are implicated in the systemic inequities that influence the schooling experiences of Black autistic youth. Grounded in intersectionality, her work not only interrogates the systems of power that subjugate and marginalize Black disabled learners but also aims to inform inclusive and culturally responsive educational practices and policy reforms.
Dr. Nonsikelelo Mathe
Dr. Nonsi Mathe is a mum, scientist, and social purpose entrepreneur deeply committed to creating healthcare that truly works for everyone. She is the Scientific Director of Health Equity & Systems Transformation at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, and a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity. Her work spans chronic disease epidemiology, neurodiversity, and systems change—with over ten years of experience blending rigorous research with real-world advocacy and community voices.
Nonsi is also the founder of Gateway Holistic Care, a respite and supported living agency. where her vision comes alive through inclusive, person – centered programs for people with developmental disabilities and autism.
In this panel, Dr. Mathe will discuss her research that explores health care utilization among autistic individuals in Alberta.
Moderator:
Douglas Parsons – Training and Resource Manager, Autism Edmonton
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January 21 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
AIDE Canada, together with Autism Edmonton, are hosting a free, virtual lunch and learn exploring the connection between Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and autism through the perspectives of individuals who live with both conditions.
The discussion will highlight:
- Helping participants understand the lived overlap of EDS and autism
- Recognizing the shared experiences such as chronic pain, fatigue and sensory sensitivities
- Navigating healthcare and daily life
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Online via AIDE Canada
Dr. Emily Casanova, Thea Brain and Grace Calhoun will also share insights into self-advocacy, research, support strategies, and community inclusion. By centering lived experience, this session aims to foster greater understanding, empathy, and practical awareness of what it means to live at the intersection of EDS and autism.
Registration for this event is via AIDE Canada’s website. You can register by clicking the button that says, “Register”.
About the Presenters:
- Dr. Emily Casanova – Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine
- Thea Brain – Clinical Director of Empowering. All. People. Consulting Inc
- Grace Calhoun – Self-Advocate
Moderator:
- Douglas Parsons – Training and Resource Manager, Autism Edmonton