Hi Everyone,
Sharing from CAARES: Our CAARES events are open to the community - we hope you can join us and please feel free to help spread the word. Don't miss - Dr. Nachman will be presenting at our February webinar (2/19) - woo!
Cheers,
Lauren, Noor, & Aley
January News from CAARES
Welcome to 2026! We are eager to start the new year, and we’re excited to have you join us. This month, you can look forward to some Neurodivergent self-care, as well as virtual Neurodivergent community building.
In this issue:
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Upcoming Events
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CAARES Presents: Neurodivergent Self-Care, with Megan Anna Neff, PsyD
Thursday, 1/22 | Online -
Show & Tell with CAARES
Wednesday, 1/28 | Online
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Save the Date
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Watch It Again
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Disability Rights Today
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Workplace Inclusivity for Neurodiversity
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And more!
Upcoming Events
CAARES Presents: Neurodivergent Self-Care, with Megan Anna Neff, PsyD
Thu 1/22/2026 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM ET
Join CAARES for a conversation on self-care for neurodivergent people. Empire students, RSVP on Connects for your opportunity to win a neuroinclusive self-care package!
Dr. Megan Anna Neff is a clinical psychologist, author, and founder of Neurodivergent Insights. She is the author of
Self-Care for Autistic People and The Autistic Burnout Workbook. Dr. Neff contributes regularly to
Psychology Today and has been featured in outlets like CNN, PBS, ABC, and
The Los Angeles Times. After discovering her own neurodivergence at age 37, she became passionate about raising awareness of non-stereotypical presentations of autism and ADHD. Through Neurodivergent Insights, she creates educational and wellness resources
for the neurodivergent community, while also co-hosting the Divergent Conversations podcast.
A limited number of hard copies of Self-Care for Autistic People are available for Empire students. Email
aut...@sunyempire.edu to request
your copy.
Show & Tell with CAARES
Wed 1/28/2026 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET
Do you know everything about sea otters? Have you added a new Funko Pop to your collection? Did you map out a better bus system? Do you want to share your passion and learn about others'?
Join CAARES for a virtual Show & Tell, where everyone is the expert in their own strong interest. Share slides about Ancient Egypt, teach us your favorite K-Pop dance moves, bring your bearded dragon on camera — whatever you're excited about, we want to learn
about it!
All communication modes styles are welcome: you can come with your camera on or off, and you can communicate with your voice or AAC device on the mic or type what you want to share in the chat.
Save the Date
CAARES Presents: Autistic Higher Ed Experiences, with Brett Nachman, PhD
Thu 2/19/2026 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET
Join CAARES for a presentation on new research about the experiences of autistic students in higher education.
Dr. Brett Ranon Nachman is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education at the University of Pittsburgh and Director of Research for the College Autism Network. Dr. Nachman's research primarily centers on issues related to autism and disability in higher education.
He is the co-principal investigator of the PEACES autistic college student success study, the largest and most representative national study to date that exclusively focuses on autistic undergraduate college students. Primarily funded by the Spencer Foundation
($500,000) and The FAR Fund ($75,000), this study has generated insights from more than 1,000 college students across surveys, interviews, and photovoice activities. Dr. Nachman has published work in leading journals, including
The Journal of Higher Education, Journal of College Student Development, The Review of Higher Education,
and Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Watch It Again
Missed a webinar or want to watch it again? View it asynchronously:
Wishing you the very best,
Dr. Noor Syed (she/her), Director
Dr. Lauren Lestremau Allen (she/her), Assistant Director
Dr. Aley O'Mara (they/them), Program Associate and Training Coordinator
Center for Autism Advocacy: Research, Education, and Supports (CAARES)
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