Enthusiastic response from clinicians attending the 2025 meeting oftheMedical Academy of Pediatrics and Special Needs (MAPS) to participate in the AKG pilot program

TLI continues advancing the Autism Knowledge Gateway (AKG) mission to improve healthcare for autistic individuals by bridging medical research and clinical practice. We commend the MAPS team for their overwhelming support of AKG and reaffirmed our commitment to collaboration at the MAPS 2025 Spring Conference. Represented by Casandra Oldham, Director of Autism Programs, and Keri Schoenbrun, Director of Development, TLI engaged with over 400 dedicated practitioners—the largest gathering in MAPS history—alongside an impressive array of exhibitors, strengthening our shared goal of enhancing care for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and related conditions.

This conference not only deepened our understanding of the challenges at hand but also highlighted a wave of enthusiasm among medical professionals striving to improve the lives of autistic individuals.

The New York Times recently published an opinion piece, “The Robot Doctor Will See You Now,” with a compelling perspective on how the combined “abilities of doctors and A.I. would be the best of both worlds, leading to more accurate diagnoses and more efficient care.” The article’s authors, Pranav Rajpurkar and Eric J. Topol, then share a series of studies that begin to paint a picture of what an effective AI-physician partnership could look like -- with AI doing the heavy lifting on reviewing, assessing and prioritizing information relative to a patient’s case, and physicians leveraging AI’s output to do what they do best – interacting with patients, making decisions and treating.

For those of us dedicated to improving the healthcare outcomes for autistic patients, it is hard to imagine a better use case for the power of AI to improve health outcomes than the complex and often chaotic world of treating the many comorbidities that autistic patients live with. TLI launched The Autism Knowledge Gateway (AKG) as a first step towards addressing these complex needs, but the vision set out by Rajpurkar and Topol is a reminder of AI’s ever-changing promise and what we need to do on the way to achieving its real benefits.

We’re thrilled to share that the Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI) was recently featured in Forbes. The Role of Telehealth and Technology in Providing Autism Care. This full-length feature article highlights groundbreaking advancements in autism care, including the thoughtful perspectives of Keri Schoenbrun, Development Director, TLI who has a leadership position in the TLI Autism Program. Keri is quoted throughout, offering valuable insights into the critical role TLI plays in harnessing data and technology to bridge gaps in access and improve patient outcomes.

This year, the Autism Knowledge Gateway (AKG) team had the privilege of attending and exhibiting at the Documenting Hope Conference in Orlando. It was an exciting and inspiring experience, filled with meaningful conversations, enlightening presentations and valuable networking opportunities. As an organization dedicated to advancing integrative healthcare for children, the 3-day conference and expo gave us the chance to engage directly with parents, caregivers and practitioners—all of whom share our mission of improving care and treatment for autistic individuals.

Casandra Oldham, Director, Autism Programs, Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI), shares her experiences as a mother of two children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Gareth currently age 20 and Korlan currently age 18.

On November 8, we hosted 50 attendees for the Autism Knowledge Gateway’s (AKG) first formal event, An Evening to Advance Autism Care. The evening was in many ways historic and felt much larger than the intimate group of 50 people who gathered to address gaps in quality healthcare for autistic patients.

No human being can reach their potential without basic health and wellness.

"If you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism."

– Dr. Stephen Shore, autistic professor of special education, Adelphi University

The wisdom of this quote has become a popular way to describe the unique and varied characteristics of those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This principle also underscores the complex and highly individualized medical profiles of autistic individuals—95% of whom experience at least one comorbid medical condition. Inspired by this understanding, the Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI) created the Autism Knowledge Gateway (AKG), an AI-powered platform designed to connect families, clinicians and researchers with vital insights to advance autism care.

Navigating the world of autism resources can feel like an endless journey through conflicting information and overwhelming ads. Thankfully, a new initiative from the Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI) is set to change that. In a recent Autism Digest interview, Shawn Murphy, vice president, TLI shared details about the Autism Knowledge Gateway, a groundbreaking platform that will offer easy access to reliable, research-backed autism information for everyone in the autism community.

Drawing over 1,100 attendees, this year’s National TACA Autism Conference, October 17-20, 2024, in Costa Mesa, CA  provided the Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI) team with extensive opportunities to further our commitment: advancing knowledge and empowering families affected by autism. Throughout the event, we interacted with parents, caregivers, physicians and service providers, exchanging new ideas and gathering perspectives that continue to fuel our spirit of collaboration, community and progress.

In a recent commentary for Medical Economics, Keri Schoenbrun, Development Director at Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI), highlights a critical issue within the healthcare landscape—how primary care physicians (PCPs) can better serve the growing population of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As more patients transition from pediatric to adult care, PCPs face the challenge of navigating the complexities of ASD without adequate resources or up-to-date research to guide them.

We are delighted to announce Casandra Oldham as the new Director of Autism Programs. With a remarkable 30-year career in the fitness and health industries as a trained kinesiologist and over 15 years of dedicated autism advocacy, Casandra is well-equipped to lead TLI’s efforts in supporting families affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

With over 20 years of experience at renowned organizations such as American Express, Accenture and Gartner/CEB, as well as boutique consultancies like RAISE Communications and the Alexander Group, Inc., Keri Schoenbrun brings a wealth of knowledge and a creative approach to strategic organizational and business development to both Oldham Global and the Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI). This dual appointment marks a new era for collaboration and a step forward for both organizations.