IEC Welcomes New Board Member Dena Gassner, MSW; Ph.D. Candidate

Dena Gassner is a new member of the IEC Board of Directors. She brings a lot of knowledge and experience from her own life. Her son is autistic, so she has spent many years learning how to navigate different systems to get him the support he needs.
Dena is an autistic scholar herself. This means she does research and works to better understand autism. She is involved in several important projects:
--She is on the Review Board for a research group called the Autism Intervention Research Network in Physical Health. They study ways to improve the physical health of people with autism. 
--She is part of the Gender, Sexuality, and Healthcare Node at UCLA. This group focuses on understanding and addressing issues related to gender, sexuality, and healthcare for people with autism. 
--She is working on her third project with researchers Dr. Teal Benevides and Dr. Brenna Maddox. They are comparing two different approaches (mindfulness and adapted cognitive behavioral therapy) for preventing suicide in people with autism. 
--She is a member of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), a government group that coordinates efforts to understand and support people with autism.
In addition to her research work, Dena is an Adjunct Professor at Towson University. In 1999, the Autism Society of America gave her an award for being an outstanding professional.
Dena's goal is to live a life of service. She believes in being open and honest about her own experiences as an autistic person. She wants to use her knowledge to help others and make a positive difference.

IEC is proud that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) make up one-quarter of our Board, bringing invaluable lived experience and insight to our governance and every aspect of our work. Read Dena Gassner’s full bio here.