To Whom it May Concern:

As an individual living with autism, I have dedicated my work and my life to educating and supporting families and individuals with disabilities. I am greatly interested in continuing my works and finding new opportunities to support and educate not only families, professionals and individuals affected with autism but also the community at large.
I have had a wide range of experience working firsthand with children and adults with autism and other special needs. At a young age, I began volunteering in special education classrooms, such as, classrooms for children with autism and those for medically fragile children. At the age of 18, I was hired on as an instructional assistant at the Riverside County Office of Education. It was here that I gained invaluable experience not only as a one-on-one aide, but also working with techniques such as TEACCH, social stories, ABA and PECS.
By the time I was 18, I had attended and spoken at many national conferences on autism, and had been appointed as a state representative for Unlocking Autism. I spend a great deal of time speaking to parents of newly diagnosed children and providing them with the information, support and tools they require. Additionally, I speak to local parent and professional groups such as, Inland Regional Center, Riverside County Office of Education, Autism Society Inland empire, Applied Behavior Consultants, Chapman University, University of California Riverside, California State University Fullerton, parent support groups as well as, school districts where I have trained school administrators, occupational therapists, speech therapists and bus drivers.
In my spare time, I run a social group for teens and adults with ASD, coordinate events for families with disabilities, facilitate support through social media and provide alternative communication training for the Autism Society Inland Empire. I have served on the board of directors for the Autism Society Inland Empire since 2007.
In 2006, the documentary "The Autistic ABA Therapist" was released. This documentary was an interview-based movie depicting my life. I also helped to develop and was featured in a video for Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training for Autism Spectrum Disorders in California. This video will be shown to the peace officers in California to help them know how to identify and handle individuals with ASD. Additionally, I was the subject of the front page article in the Press Enterprise on Easter Sunday, 2008. I was also honored to receive the Milo P. Johnson Award of Distinction in 2010 from the Riverside County Office of Education. In 2012, I was once again privileged to receive the National Volunteer of the Year Award from Autism Society of America.
Currently, I am going to school to become an occupational therapy assistant to help others overcome whatever challenges they may face. My father died several years ago after years of suffering with dementia and my mom died recently after being diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, leaving me on my own. This year has been challenging as I have had to learn to live by myself with the support of many loving people around me. It was never thought that I would be able to live on my own. My mom's dying wish was that I would move up north to live with my sister. However, I had just enrolled in the COTA program right before her death and supportive co-workers and friends have helped make it possible for me to live independently while I get through school. After I graduate I want to continue on to become an occupational therapist where I hope to help other individuals with disabilities reach their highest potential. It would be a privilege to help others just as others have helped me.
Thank you so much for your consideration.

Kelly Londenberg

Essay: Sensory Integration Therapy

I believe that sensory integration therapy makes the biggest difference for individuals with autism. While adults with autism emphasize that sensory and movement differences are among the hardest challenges they face, some professionals still overlook the importance of helping this population overcome their struggles. Instead, behavior programs are implemented to teach the individual not to overreact to the environment or engage in “autistic behaviors.” However, with proper assessment and implementation a therapist can actually help individuals become better able to cope with the environment around them.
I personally have suffered with many sensory motor challenges throughout my life. I was taught to mask my uncomfortable state of being and emotion and learn to handle to environment without protesting. While I was able to do this, I was still very unhappy and uncomfortable in many situations. Once I worked with an occupational therapist that was well trained in sensory integration strategies and techniques, I became much happier and more comfortable with the world around me. I then became engaged with the world. Rather being anxious about what was going to happen I became relaxed and available to learn how to communicate and socialize with others. Many professionals believe that individuals do not want to interact. I believe that they in fact most do want to interact but are so impacted by their sensory systems that they do not have the energy to engage with others. This leads to a delay in social and communication skills.
Sensory Integration Therapies help the individual to rewire their brain and integrate their senses. It is only then an individual can reach their highest attainable skills in all areas of development. It should be the first treatment a child receives and emphasized as a critical therapy throughout the lifespan.