Parents, grandparents, and caregivers of individuals with autism are invited to attend a special one-day conference on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
Register Now!
Event Details
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 from 10:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
St. Charles Convention Center
1 Convention Center Plaza
St. Charles, Missouri, 63303
Phone: 636-669-3000
This event is possible thanks to the generous support of the Thompson Foundation for Autism & Neurodevelopment.
We are excited to welcome attendees in person. Virtual attendance is not available for this event.
Cost & Registration
Cost to attend this all day conference is $25. Lunch is provided. If cost prohibits your ability to attend, please contact us at the email below.
For questions, email benignoj@health.missouri.edu or call 573-882-2077.
2026 Schedule and Sessions
| Time | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| 9:45 – 10:15 a.m. | Check-In | |
| 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. | Keynote, Put on Your Mask First: Self-Care for the Caregiver Mary Anne Hammond |
|
| 11:15 – 11:25 a.m. | Break | |
| Strand 1 (Room A/B) | Strand 2 (Room C/D) | |
| 11:25 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Autism and Special Education: What Parents and Caregivers Need to Know Tara DeVore, MEd | Different Needs, Shared Love: Supporting Every Member of the Family Alicia Brewer Curran, ECHO Trainer & Parent Advocate |
| 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. | Lunch (provided) | |
| Strand 1 (Room A/B) | Strand 2 (Room C/D) | |
| 1:30 – 2:35 p.m. | Supporting and Understanding Severe Behavior in Children with Autism: Practical Strategies for Families Alison Ducharme, MEd, BCBA, LBA | Understanding Co-Occurring Conditions in Autism: Anxiety, ADHD, and Beyond Jennifer Sykes, PhD |
| 2:35 – 2:50 p.m. | Break | |
| Strand 1 (Room A/B) | Strand 2 (Room C/D) | |
| 2:50- 4:00 p.m. | Panel: Supporting Healthy Eating, Sleeping and Toileting Emma Keicher, MEd, BCBA, LBA Braden Hayse, MA, MS Kerri Nowell, PhD, Licensed Psychologist Moderated by Jaclyn Benigno, MEd | Supporting Autistic Youth and Teens Toward Independence and Advocacy Michelle Dampf, MA, CCC-SLP |
| 4:30 p.m. | Ask the Experts Join us for this FREE pre-conference event! The Ask the Experts panel provides an opportunity for family members and professionals to ask questions to a panel of autism experts. Our experts represent a variety of fields including medicine, behavior analysis, education, occupational and speech therapy, and psychology as well as an autistic individual and a parent of an individual with autism. Enjoy a drink and appetizers at 4:15 p.m. prior to the event! |
|
Although the Ask the Expert event is free, we do ask that you register. When registering for the parent conference, please select “yes” for attending Ask the Experts. If you have already registered and would like to add on the Ask the Experts event, please click here.
Speaker PowerPoint & Handouts
Handouts will be posted as they become available from presenters.