Alyssa Hillary is an Autistic graduate student, studying neuroscience. They do work in Augmentative and Alternative Communication, both as relating to brain computer interfaces and as used by autistic adults. Alyssa's masters is in mathematics, and they have undergraduate degrees in math, mechanical engineering, and Chinese.

They've been into writing since high school, writing narrative essays, academic essays, poetry, and short fiction, typically science fiction or fantasy. Disability themes are also common, and even when disability isn't a theme per se, disabled characters have a tendency to show up. Forced homogeneity of the cast is a very poor plot driver, after all.

Supposedly, their disability and/or creative writing is done "on the side." This may or may not be accurate.

Nick Walker is a queer, transgender, flamingly autistic author of both speculative fiction and nonfiction, and co-creator of the urban fantasy webcomic Weird Luck (weirdluck.net). Her nonfiction explores the edges and intersections of queerness, neurodivergence, embodiment, and creative transformation. Dr. Walker is a professor of psychology at California Institute of Integral Studies, an aikido teacher, and a lifelong zen practitioner; for more information on her work, check out her website at neuroqueer.com.

Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, PhD, is a global self-advocate, educator and disabled non-binary woman of color in a neurodiverse, serodifferent family. Diagnosed with autism in adulthood after the diagnoses of their two youngest children, Morénike is a prolific writer, public speaker, social scientist/activist, and survivor whose work focuses on meaningful community involvement, inclusion, digital media, narratology, race, gender, human rights, justice, and intersectionality.

Morénike, a Black (Yoruba, Caboverdiano, American) Xennial and parent of six biological and adopted children with disabilities, is a Humanities Scholar in the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Rice University, a former full-time K-12 and college professor as well as the founder of a grassroots nonprofit, Advocacy Without Borders.

A recipient of numerous awards, Morénike is a widely sought after keynote presenter who has been an invited speaker in the White House and the UN and loves reading, writing, beaches, Steven Universe, and Dragonball Z & Super.

MorenikeGO.com (website)

@MorenikeGO (social media)

You’ll find Michelle online at

hellomichelleswan.com

facebook.com/hellomichelleswan

instagram: hellomichelleswan

therealexpertsbook.com

facebook.com/therealexpertsbook

Michelle Swan (was Sutton) is an internationally known autistic Australian writer, speaker, resource developer, mentor, and neurodiversity rights advocate. She travels regularly, educating teachers, parents, carers, and health professionals. In her local community Michelle works with autistic young people as a mentor and advocate. She also practices and teaches karate. Michelle’s work in all settings focusses on self-understanding and personal development, peer support, community building and meaningful inclusion in all settings. Through centring the voices of neurodivergent people in conversations about neurodiversity, she encourages real understanding of their experiences and appropriate ways to support them.