Anita Gardner is a committee member of the APS Psychology of Intellectual Disability and Autism (PIDA) interest group, and is the lead co-ordinator of this innovative and interactive event. She is a psychologist who has supported autistic children, adolescents and adults for over 20 years. She currently works both in private practice, as well as part time as a Research Psychologist in the Westmead Feelings Program Team at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. The latter role combines her research skills with her interest in promoting mental health and wellbeing in neurodivergent adolescents. Anita’s clinical background provides a strong foundation to her current research into understanding and improving emotional development. Anita has conducted many workshops and presented at domestic and international autism, allied health and special education conferences.

Dr Martina Waring is a UK-trained Clinical Psychologist with more than 30 years of experience working with children and young people who live with neurodiversity. She currently runs her own Psychology practice in SE Melbourne and is also a registered Behaviour Support Practitioner within the NDIS. Dr Waring specialises in working with children with behaviours of concern and their families, in the context of neurodevelopment challenges including Autism, ADHD and Intellectual Disabilities.

Dr Fiona Martin is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist and Founder of Psychological Solutions (Australia). She has completed several degrees in psychology and behavioural science from The University of Sydney, including a PhD. She has more than 20 years of clinical and research experience. Between 2006-2019 she owned and operated a large psychology practice and led a team of psychologists. She sold that practice in 2019 after being elected to the Federal Parliament of Australia where she advocated for a better mental health system and chaired the first Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Committee. Between 2019-2022 she was an active member of the Health, NDIS and Family Law committees. Dr Martin advocated for protective behaviours and consent education to be compulsory in the school curriculum and in 2023 she was appointed to The Federal Department of Education’s National Respectful Relationships and Consent Education Expert Working Group. Since leaving parliament Dr Martin has (among other roles) worked as a consultant on the Westmead Feelings Program at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Westmead , and at Family in Mind, psychiatry clinic. Dr Martin currently consults at Psychological Solutions, a private practice in Sydney, where she works with children, teens, adults and families. She treats a variety of mental health conditions and problems including assessing and treating anxiety, depression and mood disorders, early onset eating disorders, trauma, self-harm, personality disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders - intellectual disabilities, learning disorders, ASD and ADHD. Dr Martin has a special interest in helping individuals who have experienced relationship breakdown, separation and divorce. She provides psychological assessment and court reports in family law matters. Registration and Professional Memberships: • Registered Psychologist with endorsement in Educational and Developmental psychology with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). • Member, Australian Psychological Society (MAPS). • Fellow, APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychology (FCEDP). • Member, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) International Chapter. • Member, Pacifica Congress, previously the Australian Chapter of Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC). • Associate Member, EMDR Association of Australia • Member, Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD) • Member, Sydney North Health Network (SNPHN) Dr Martin is an Ambassador of Australians for Mental Health.

Rebecca is a Clinical Psychologist with over 10 years experience in private and education settings focusing on assessment and intervention, particularly with those who think differently. She works collaboratively with her clients from a neuro-affirming perspective, and enjoys supervising and training to support other clinicians in working in this space.

Sarah Milsome is a clinical psychologist with a passion for working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She currently works in a public mental health service supporting adults who have intellectual disability and co-occurring mental health needs. She also works in the private sector supporting individuals in the community. Sarah completed her doctoral research on depressive disorders in adolescents with intellectual disability. She also has experience working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities on other research projects and in community-based settings.

Dr Samuel Arnold is a psychologist and research and teaching lecturer with the School of Psychology, Western Sydney University. He formerly worked as a research fellow with 3DN, the Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry at UNSW Sydney, where he led the Australian Longitudinal Study of Autism in Adulthood. Prior to UNSW he worked as a research fellow at the Centre for Disability Studies, University of Sydney. He leads the Valued Contribution Project, which aims to conceptualise and measure valued contribution as an outcome for people with and people without disability. Contribution is valuable for all of us.

Dr Aspasia Stacey Rabba is an educational and developmental psychologist and lecturer at Monash University and Monash Health. As a scientist-practitioner, she is passionate about translating research into practice and believes strongly in bridging this gap. Stacey's interests centre on neurodevelopmental differences (i.e., autism, ADHD) and the intersectionality with mental health; school engagement; family and parent wellbeing; and factors that lead to resilience and belonging. Stacey combines her academic interests and knowledge as a practitioner with continued clinical practice, education, and collaboration with a firm belief that we never stop learning.