Northwest Now (KBTC) - Program on "Autism"

Diana Stadden is Treasurer for the Autism Society of Tacoma, she is also the past executive director for the Autism Society of Washington and was a member of the Caring for Individuals with Autism in Washington Task Force and is currently on the Combating Autism Advisory Council. She was asked to be a guest on the TV program "Northwest Now" to talk about autism. Watch the show at http://www.kbtc.org/page.php?id=325KBTC

Northwest Now Guests

Dr. Glenn Tripp – Medical Director of Developmental Services, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital

Dr. Tripp has had over 30 years of practicing within the area of pediatrics, with the majority of his practice focusing upon developmental behavioral pediatrics. In the span of his career he has seen the prevalence of autism increase from almost negligible to now well over half of all children in his practice. Dr. Tripp has participated on the AW Autism Task Force and is currently a member of the WA State Combating Autism Advisory Council.

Steve Altabet, Ph.D. - Clinical Director, UW Tacoma Autism Center

Dr. Altabet received his Ph.D. in clinical/school psychology from Hofstra University in Long Island, New York. In addition to clinical supervision and administrative activities, he provides diagnostic assessment, behavioral consultation, and psychotherapy services. He began working in the field of developmental disabilities in 1987 as a special education teacher before becoming a school psychologist, and he eventually became a clinical psychologist in 1994. He has focused specifically on autism since 2002, including the design and administration of clinical services in an autism clinic in Tennessee prior to his relocation to UW. Dr. Altabet is a licensed psychologist and specializes in teaching emotional regulation and coping skills.

Diana Stadden – Board Member, Autism Society of Tacoma

Along with being a board member for the Autism Society of Tacoma, Diana is a past Executive Director of the Autism Society of Washington (ASW) and is currently on the Professional Advisory Board for the ASW. Diana currently works as the Policy and Advocacy Coordinator for the Arc of Washington and where she advocates for people with autism and other developmental disorders. She has a 16-year-old son who is autistic. Over the years, Diana has worked as the Parent Coordinator for the Pierce County Coalition for Developmental Disabilities, and previously ran a camp for autistic children.