Autism Included

The Autism Included Story

Autism Included started as Access Speech (now one of our programs) after Dr. Stephanie Izzi and Sarah Hamel's experiences working in Rhode Island schools led to finding that many students, especially autistic individuals, were not receiving the education & intervention services they deserve and that families did not have alternatives. While they achieved many individual successes supporting autistic students in the classroom, the overall trend could not be denied: districts are failing autistic children. Systemic, widespread changes not only to practice but to culture is needed to truly fulfill the promise of fair and equal education; so Autism Included was established in 2022 to broaden the scope of the mission, and achieve these goals.

Our Founders

Stephanie Izzi
Co-Founder & Executive Co-Director

As an autistic adult, Stephanie uses their insight into neurodivergent communication and learning to develop strategies and trainings for autistic education (Autism Included Programs). Stephanie completed their PhD in Genetics at Stony Brook University, and M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Massachusetts General Hospital IHP. In addition to acting as the director of Autism Included, Stephanie works as a speech therapist, autistic inclusion specialist, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) expert. Stephanie’s background as a research scientist provides a unique approach to their work, combining evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence to drive their workshops and practice.

Sarah Hamel
Co-Founder & Executive Co-Director

Sarah spends her time building a coalition of individuals and organizations passionate about inclusion for autistic students, particularly our youngest learners. She is always on the lookout for partnerships to expand the collective capacity for change. In addition, she continues to practice as a Speech Pathologist specializing in autistic learning and development including AAC. In her free time she enjoys making music, writing, and listening to funny podcasts.