Premiere of Respecting Autism - Evidence and Artifacts: Facing Autism

Host Dr Gil Tippy  Christopher M. Gauthiér's  photography can be found in the permanent collections of the Mississippi Museum of Art; Webster University, The Netherlands; Koltsovo Airport, Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation and in private collections nationally and internationally. Christopher has presented his project, Evidence and Artifacts at conferences, symposiums and workshops on art, the environment, and disability; including at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities 2012 Conference in Washington D.C., the 2013 Mountain West Arts Conference, and three consecutive years at the US Autism and Asperger Association World Conference.  In 2013, Christopher was awarded a Utah Visual Arts Fellowship and the Autism Council of Utah’s Individual of the Year Award.  His focus on autism evolved out of the struggle to access the necessary interventions and treatments for his children on the spectrum, and from his own life experience as an individual affected by Aspergers Syndrome. It is his goal to stimulate the national dialogue on the impact of environmental insults on human health and development. Christopher currently sits on the advisory board of the US Autism and Asperger Association, and Madison House Foundation, a non-profit advocacy organization whose mission is to improve the lives of adults facing the challenges of autism spectrum disorder. Jacqueline F. Gauthiér is currently the Director for Morningside School, a private preschool and kindergarten in Logan, UT.  Jacqueline has been a life-long advocate for women and children, with a background in crisis intervention, including medical and legal advocacy for survivors of sexual violence and case management services for abused children.