Introducing Autism

Ruth Blennerhassett Eren, EdD, is a retired professor with emeritus status at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Connecticut. At the university, Dr. Eren was the co-founder and director of the Center of Excellence on Autism Spectrum Disorder and was appointed to the Dorothy W. Goodwin Endowed Chair in Special Education. She was a full professor and former chair of the Department of Special Education/Reading in the College of Education. Dr. Eren led the development of the SCSU master's degree program in Special Education with a concentration in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Developmental Disabilities. She has presented to both state and national audiences on topics related to professional development and program design for students with ASD. Among her numerous publications, Dr. Eren was a key author of the CT State Guidelines for Serving Children and Youth With ASD. Early in her career, Dr. Eren was a special education teacher and school administrator. She has consulted with both public and private schools for more than 20 years regarding program development and services for individuals with ASD. In retirement, Dr. Eren continues to serve on a number of advisory boards related to services for individuals with ASD.

The career of Anne S. Holmes, MS, CCC, BCBA, in the field of ASD spans more than 40 years. She has continuously worked with individuals with ASD, their families, and the professionals who support them with the lifelong goal of promoting each individual's potential. Ms. Holmes has a master's degree and certificate of clinical competence in speech pathology, as well as being a credentialed behavior analyst. A significant part of Ms. Holmes's career was spent at Eden Autism Services in Princeton, New Jersey, beginning at a time when little was known about autism. Through this experience, Ms. Holmes developed her talent as a clinician, consultant, parent coach, and trainer of professionals. Since 2012, Ms. Holmes has held the position of vice president of KDH Enterprises in Hightstown, New Jersey, with the responsibility of consulting with individuals with ASD, their families, and both public and private entities serving this population. In that same year, Ms. Holmes joined the faculty of Rider University as an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology. Ms. Holmes served as the vice chair of the Board of Directors and the chair of the Panel of Professional Advisors of the Autism Society of America (ASA) from 2011 to 2016, and she continues to support ASA through various committees.