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Amy Gravino          

Relationship Coach, Autism Sexuality Advocate & President of A.S.C.O.T Consulting, LLC

Amy Gravino, M.A., C.A.S., is an autism sexuality advocate and Relationship Coach in the Center for Adult Autism Services at Rutgers University. She is also the President of A.S.C.O.T Consulting, which offers autism consulting, college coaching, and mentoring services for organizations, schools, individuals on the autism spectrum, and their families. Gravino is an international speaker who has given TED talks, spoken twice at the United Nations for World Autism Awareness Day, and presented worldwide to audiences on a variety of topics related to autism, with a dedicated special focus and research on the subject of autism and sexuality.

Gravino obtained her Masters degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Caldwell University in 2010 and currently serves on the Boards of Directors of Yes She Can, Inc. and the Golden Door International Film Festival of Jersey City, as well as the Scientific Advisory Board of Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research (SPARK).

She is also an award-winning writer who has co- authored a chapter on autism and sexuality in the "Handbook of Quality of Life for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder," is currently authoring a memoir, "The Naughty Autie," and has had her work has featured in Spectrum, the leading online news source for autism research, and other outlets.

Speech Topics

Sexuality and the Spectrum: Lessons on Sex, Dating, and Love, Autism Style

Individuals on the autism spectrum are sexual beings yet are usually not taught the necessary skills to be successful in sexual and romantic relationships. This presentation, which features a woman on the autism spectrum sharing her firsthand perspective, dispels some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding autism and dating.

Potential strategies for helping autistic people learn dating skills and the challenges involved with teaching these skills are discussed, as well as strategies and resources to help parents and clinicians begin conversations about relationships and sexuality with their family members and clients.

Entering Into Adulthood with Autism: What We Know and What We Still Need to Learn

Autism is defined as a lifelong developmental disability that affects communication, social skills, and behavior, yet the image of autism that we see both in the medical community and popular culture tends to be almost entirely of children. By painting autism as something that only happens in childhood, we overlook and ignore a simple yet incredibly important truth: That autistic children grow up and become autistic adults.

This presentation interweaves the limited knowledge that we have of autism in adulthood with one young woman’s personal story, and the journey her parents and she embarked on after she received the diagnosis of autism at age 11. Strategies for fostering interdependence in individuals on the spectrum are discussed, as well as ideas for talking about and planning the future with, rather than for, your autistic children and clients.

Freshman Disorientation: Navigating College on the Autism Spectrum

Individuals on the autism spectrum face unique challenges when transitioning into the world of higher education. This presentation, which features the firsthand perspective of an autistic adult, outlines what some of these challenges are, the differences between high school and college for autistic students, and strategies for coping with and helping students on the spectrum thrive and succeed in higher education.

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