For me, one of the most important reasons for starting InfiniTeach is to repay my gratitude to the autism community I have worked with for the past 17 years. The opportunity to start InfiniTeach and put helpful tools in the hands of thousands of parents, teachers, and students is one way for me to show my appreciation.
I have had a long and fulfilling 17 year career in the autism field. I have worked in so many different roles and have honestly loved what I do every day. Here are just some of the many reasons I owe so much to this wonderful profession.
First off, the people I have met in this field working with organizations like Have Dreams are a source of inspiration and friendship. I strive to live up to the courage and strength of the families and students, and am inspired by the passion and energy of the educators I meet.
Through my work in the autism community, I have been able to overcome some of my greatest fears. Like many, public speaking was a source of tremendous anxiety for me. The passion I have for students with autism turned out to be far greater than my nervousness. To date, I have trained over 10,000 teachers and parents and look forward to sharing more information and resources (even though the pre-workshop jitters have never completely disappeared!).
My other biggest fear is flying. The thought of getting on an airplane used to literally cause extreme panic. Starting the nonprofit AACTION Autism and being able to lead teams to Southeast Asia and Africa has allowed me to confront my fear of air travel – and though not completely conquered – I am now a more confident flyer.
By working in the autism field, I had the great fortune of meeting my cofounder and friend, Katie Hench. Nothing that has been or will be accomplished with InfiniTeach would have been possible without her. Our shared passion and commitment has put us on a path to do some wonderful work together.
Most importantly, my gratefulness to the disability community comes from bringing my wife and I together. We met when we were both working as educators at a special needs school. Her constant support and patience are legendary. We have been married for four years and have an amazing son, Eliot Roscoe.
As InfiniTeach gets off the ground and we prepare to launch our first product, I look forward to sharing the journey with autism community. It is a pleasure and honor to work in this field.