A Letter from the CEO

...on why AIF is more than a "me" thing

It all started with a girl– my girl. It was a Saturday in November and it was your typical trip to the grocery store– cereal, vegetables, coffee. I was forcing my teenage daughter to come along with me against her will in an effort to “connect” more and get her off the phone. As we turned out of our housing track, that’s when it happened, the conversation that changed everything and fueled Autism Insights Foundation. AIF is the product of a very sad moment, a day many parents of kids on the spectrum can relate to. It was the day my teenage daughter with autism told me that she didn’t think she would ever have a job, that she couldn’t picture what it would look like to have autism and be employed, that she would never be hired because she wouldn’t be able to stop stimming and answer the interview questions correctly.

At that moment, the only examples I could think of to support autistic employment were Albert Einstein types. I tried to imagine what it might feel like if that was the expectation I put on myself, if those were my choices– creator of the theory of relativity or unemployment. And that is the moment that I decided that my daughter’s amazing abilities might be lost in this world, along with the millions of people on the spectrum just like her, and the millions on the spectrum not like her.

It may have started with my girl, but Autism Insights Foundation is about you too– it is about our world coming to the realization that we don’t have everything worked out. We still have cancer. Our environmental problems aren’t going away. We still have third world countries struggling. It’s high time we find new ways to think about these things and this will require neurodivergent brains to be included.

I’m not trying to say that everyone on the spectrum can cure cancer. Obviously, the spectrum is just that– a huge place where no two people are the same. But I am saying that it’s time for those of us who aren’t on the spectrum to do more than just get out of the way. We need to welcome a different brain type and make room at the table in all types of jobs.

Join me and let’s change the world,

Jackie Linstead CEO, Autism Insights Foundation

“Autism Insights Foundation is about you too— it is about our world coming to the realization that we don’t have everything worked out”
“And that’s the moment when I decided my daughter’s amazing abilities might be lost in this world.”

Our Team

  • Jackie Linstead: CEO and President

    Jackie has 20 years experience in secondary education teaching English to both neurotypical and neurodiverse students. With a masters degree in Organizational Leadership and a teenager with an Autism diagnosis, Jackie is well versed in the struggles and gifts that come along with this journey.

  • Jennifer Styzens: CFO and Treasurer

    Jennifer Styzens has worked with the neurodiverse population for over 40 years. She specializes in working with adolescence and adults. She has presented in areas of stress management, and socialization and sexuality. Additionally, she has worked to assist neurodiverse adults attain employment.

  • J.H.: Board Secretary

    J. H. is a professor at Chapman University in the Computer Science department. He’s dedicated his life to designing curriculum and helping students to make the transition from college to the professional world. His passions include photography, 3D printing, and history.

  • Shelly Davison: Executive Director

    Shelly Davison has spent 25 years in the corporate world as a procurement manager for major companies such as British Petroleum and Black and Veatch. She has taken countless leadership roles and has volunteered with nonprofits such as Girl Scouts of America, Su Casa, and Stamp Out Hunger.

  • Elia directing a Boston Dynamics Robot Dog

    Elia Eiroa Lledo: Board Member & Fundraising Chair

    Dr. Elia Eiroa Lledo is a Computer Science professor at Chapman University and a dedicated advocate for neurodiverse inclusion, serving on the board of Autism Insights Foundation. Her vision for AIF is to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity, empowering individuals to thrive in inclusive, supportive workplaces. Through her work at AIF, Elia is helping to build a more diverse and accepting professional world.

  • Stephanie Fentzke: Board Member

    Stephanie is the Director of Research for Autism Insights Foundation. She is a writer and an ABA therapist with a passion for helping others. She has a BA in Psychology and BFA in Television Writing and Production from Chapman University. She uses her background to create uplifting stories that give hope to individuals struggling with neurodevelopmental disorders including ADHD and Autism.

  • Student AIF Club President: Social Media Advisory to the Board

    Ana Galvez: Student AIF Club President

    Ana volunteers her time as the president of the high school club: AIF Social Media Club. Her mission is to help spread a positive message about Autism as it relates to the next generation of Autistic employes.