Debra Muzikar, President
Debra Muzikar is co-founder of the Art of Autism nonprofit. Debra is author of two books – The Art of Autism: Shattering Myths and The Art of Autism: Shifting Perceptions. For many years, Debra wrote a regular column “The Mind’s Eye” for the Autism File magazine which focused on the creativity of those on the autism spectrum. Debra has been a member of many boards which focus on disabilities and autism in the past including the Coalition for Housing Accessibility, Needs, and Equality (CHANCE Inc.), The Rhythmic Arts Project, ASA Santa Barbara, and Angels Bearing Gifts. She was a founding member of the California Autism Coalition. For the last few years Debra has been working as support group liaison and publicist for the nonprofit Jeremiah’s Ranch in Fallbrook, CA and curating art exhibits for the Art of Autism. Debra was a former IT professional and has a degree in accounting. Debra is the parent of 3 children. Her youngest Kevin is an artist on the autism spectrum.
See blog posts on the Art of Autism by Debra Muzikar here.
Greg Jones, Secretary
Greg Jones is the grateful husband of his wife of 33 years, Karen, and the proud father of two sons, Matthew and Austin. Austin, identified in pre-K as on the autism spectrum, and later classified as Asperger’s, is a 28-year old graduate of ArtCenter College for Design, Pasadena, and a professional art teacher, painter, and graphic designer, as well as a passionate, competitive gamer. Greg, a former college English and writer instructor, is a professional writer with publications in fiction writing, play writing, sports writing, and technical writing (computer software documentation and website design and build for Microsoft and Intuit). His short stories have appeared in magazines and his story, “The Man on the Moon,” is included in the literary anthology, The Conscious Reader (Prentice-Hall/Simon & Schuster). Greg earned a BA in English & Communications from UC San Diego and an MFA in Fiction Writing from UC Irvine.
Nancy Laturno
Nancy LaTurno is the CEO of the Mainly Mozart nonprofit. Nancy co-founded Mainly Mozart in 1988. Under Laturno’s leadership, Mainly Mozart has grown from a two week festival into a year-round producer of world-class orchestral and chamber music concerts, youth orchestra, outreach for students and adults, and innovative programs such as Mozart & the Mind. She is responsible for all aspects of the organization’s strategic, artistic and operational planning and implementation.
Visit Mainly Mozart here.
Angela Weddle
Angela N. Weddle is a professional visual artist who is autistic , has cerebral palsy, and congenital right hemisphere brain damage. She is originally from New Orleans, LA and has lived in San Antonio, Texas for a decade. She is 36 years old.
Weddle is a neurological anomaly and savant, who is not supposed to have any artistic ability but always has. She has mentored students about poetry and art and participated as a mentor for Summer on the Hill, a program for autistic and intellectually disabled young adults. She has also read and performed slam poetry at PuroSlam and with the San Antonio Jazz Poets. She has taught students ranging from young children to adults art privately in San Antonio, TX. She is also a published poet in the journal Barking Sycamores Year One; Edited by V. Solomon Maday & N.I. Nicholson. Weddle has blogged and is a contributing blogger for the international blog The Art of Autism. Weddle also lectures about autism awareness and advocacy to local organizations and corporations such as H.E.B. Weddle is known for her sketchbooks, in particular, and has been mentioned in the San Antonio Current, as well as, interviewed by the local arts magazine, Arts United San Antonio, major online magazine PopSugar for her digital art along with partnering with Apple, and has contributed animation to exciting upcoming projects.
See blog posts on the Art of Autism by Angela Weddle here.
Dr. Angel Durr
Dr. Angel Durr obtained her Ph.D. in Information Systems from the University of North Texas in 2018 at the age of 31 years old. Angel is a mother of one and a non-profit founder. Dr. Durr currently serves as a Lecturer in the University of Nevada Analytics Online MBA Program. Dr. Durr is a first-generation college student and an Afro-Latina Autism speaker focused on DEI, Data, and Entrepreneurship.
Michelle Reichartz
Michelle Reichartz is a Global Financial Crimes professional in the banking industry. With over ten years of financial experience, she graduated with her MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2015 and received her Six Sigma Lean Black Belt Professional certification in 2020. Diagnosed at the age of 30 as Autistic with Sensory Processing and Generalized Anxiety Disorders, she has a passion for growing acceptance of the Neurodivergent community and helping others pursue diagnosis in their own Neurodiversity journey. When she’s not working or spending time with her dog, Ollie, she is likely cross stitching until the late hours of the day.
Angelina Hanson
Angelina Hanson is an autistic self-advocate on a mission to empower people of all abilities and backgrounds to be their most successful. A former English literature teacher and concert soloist, she chose the obvious path of studying improv at Second City in Chicago and becoming a Six Sigma Green Belt. By day, she dreams up and leads strategic improvement initiatives for a global financial services company as well as advocates for neurodiversity and the LGBTQ community. By night, she produces and stars in her own live improv show focused on geek culture. Angelina has been featured as a guest speaker and performer in such exciting spaces as SXSW, Dreamhack, and corporate board rooms. Her hobbies include attempting to read the entire internet when she should be sleeping and has nearly succeeded. Twice.