Heidi Stieglitz Ham

Dr. Stieglitz Ham is a social entrepreneur, researcher, published author and international speaker. She completed her undergraduate and graduate studies in Human Communication Disorders and graduated with her Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Edinburgh in 2010 specializing in autism. Dr. Stieglitz Ham is a dual-certified speech pathologist and has listened to the needs of families and adults with autism across continents. After completing her Ph.D., she taught and conducted research at the University of Queensland before moving to Western Australia. After years of hearing the concerns of parents sharing their fears regarding the outcomes of their now-adult children, she developed a vision of belonging and community for adults on the autism spectrum to help these adults find their purpose, and shared this idea at TEDxPerth. Dr. Stieglitz Ham founded Spectrum Fusion in 2014 in Australia, and in 2016 brought her concept of a community-based approach to working with adults on the autism spectrum to the US.

She most recently launched The Reactor Room: ‘A Think Tank for Adults with Autism’ designed to create new opportunities for these individuals. The Reactor Room is the first of its kind and is leveraging connections and opportunities in Houston, Texas through collaborations with Rice University, the University of Houston, and the greater community. Each Reactor Room focuses on the individual needs of participants and brings together psychologists, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and community connectors who come prepared with their ideas and networks specifically tailored for the participants.

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]