Who We Are

• Mission / Vision
• Leadership
• E-Newsletter

Leadership

April Schmidt

Office Manager

April is a passionate advocate, entrepreneur, and graduate student currently pursuing her degree at Kansas State University. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Phoenix and has completed extensive coursework at Johnson County Community College (JCCC), reflecting her lifelong commitment to learning and growth.

With a strong foundation in nonprofit leadership and employment services, April now runs her own business focused on bridging the gap between soft skills, hard skills, life skills, and employment readiness. Her work centers around empowering individuals to succeed in the workplace and in life, particularly those from underserved or neurodiverse communities.

April brings a unique and deeply personal perspective to her advocacy work, especially within the autism community. As a late-diagnosed adult with AuDHD (Autism and ADHD) and the mother of a daughter on the autism spectrum, she understands the challenges from both a personal and parental viewpoint. Her experience fuels her dedication to inclusive support and understanding.

April’s professional journey is diverse and includes roles in nursing management, direct patient care, special education as a long-term substitute and medical para, as well as advocacy and event planning. She also serves as a certified USA Boxing coach, proudly coaching two of her sons alongside another.

Above all, April is a devoted mother to four incredible children who are her greatest motivation. In her free time, she finds joy in supporting others, volunteering, and building meaningful connections in her community.

Board of Directors 2025

Officers

Sam has her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Georgia as well as her Masters in the same subject from the University of Kansas.  She has been working in the non-profit sector as the Executive Director of the Greater KC Dental Society, the local chapter of the American Dental Association, for over fifteen years.  She and her husband, Jason have two sons, Barrett (11) and Brooks (10). Brooks was diagnosed with ASD around 2.5 years old. Sam is inspired by her sons everyday and loves to advocate for and be involved with the autism community to help spread support, awareness, and camaraderie. In her spare time, Sam loves to run, and often does 5 & 10Ks with both boys.

Andrew has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri and a Master of Engineering in Mechanical/Systems Engineering from Colorado State University. He has worked at Parker Hannifin since 2012 and today acts as the Leader of Digital Operations & Products for the Engineered Materials Group specializing in; Embedded Electronics, Factory Automation/Manufacturing, Networking/Cybersecurity, and Cloud Computing. He has lived much if his life in the Kansas City Metro Area and has 2 children: Isabella (9), and Elias (7). He was formally diagnosed with ASD at age 31 in July of 2020 and has since chosen to dedicate his life to helping teenagers and young adults, and their families, better understand their ASD diagnosis and prepare for adult life. In his spare time, he enjoys visiting museums (especially those related to Space Travel) with his children as well as many outdoor activities.

Alex received his undergraduate degree from Saint Louis University in Health Management and Policy. After graduating, he completed his Master's degree in Health Services Administration from The University of Kansas Medical Center and currently works in Healthcare Strategic Planning. Alex's passion for Healthcare comes from watching his older brother with Autism, Michael, receive various forms of care growing up. He previously worked at Wings, a special needs community based in Oklahoma, for four summers after training with occupational therapists in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). Alex enjoys spending his free time with his friends and family, sports, and traveling. 

Wes earned his Horticulture degree from the University of Arkansas. He has been married to his wife, Amanda, for ten years. Their twins, Aiden & Eliana, turned six in December and both have been diagnosed with ASD. Raising two children who are on different parts of the spectrum has been both challenging and rewarding, and he enjoys the opportunity to give back to the Autism community. Wes has owned his insurance agency for about five years. Prior to that, he was a Golf Course Superintendent. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and riding motorcycles. He also enjoys taking part in many local charities, including the Rattlesnake's Ride for Autism for the last four years.

Board Members

Nan Perrin

Nan is a Doctoral level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) and has graduate degrees in Human Development and Special Education from the University of Kansas. She has worked with individuals with autism since 1990. Nan currently works for an insurance company as a director of a program to support members with IDD and Autism to achieve their highest quality of life. Nan’s passion continues to be working with children, families, schools and providers to reach the best outcome for individuals on the spectrum. Her primary areas of focus are autism, positive behavior support for individuals and families, as well as policy and systems change. Nan was also appointed to the Kansas Governor’s Commission on Autism as the BCBA member.

Tammy Scherer

Tammy is the mother of 3 children; the youngest is diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum. She was a Foster Parent from 2000 to 2013. She volunteers as an Education Advocate for the state of Kansas through Families Together, Inc., serving children currently in the State’s custody in Johnson and Wyandotte County. She is an active Member in the PTA and in ABATE. (ABATE is a motorcycle rights organization that brings attention to issues affecting riders. They are also involved in safety training and charity work. The acronym ABATE stands for American Bikers Aimed Toward Education.) Tammy is also instrumental in organizing several fundraisers a year for Autism Society – The Heartland. Her family has two mottos they try to follow. “Be Silly - Be Honest – Be Kind” and “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”.  

Aaron Kirby

 Proud Autism Dad | Community Builder | Commercial Banker

 Aaron Kirby brings a unique blend of professional expertise and personal passion to our board. He earned both his Bachelor of Science and MBA from the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk!). His career began in digital media at Andrews McMeel Universal, before a westward move to California in 2012 launched his banking career with JPMorgan Chase. Now a VP-Commercial Banker, Aaron partners with local businesses to help them achieve their financial goals.

 In 2020, Aaron and his family returned to the Kansas City area—closer to extended family and Midwest roots. He and his wife are the proud (and busy!) parents of two incredible Autistic sons, who continually inspire their advocacy and involvement in the autism community.

 Aaron has a strong track record of service, having mentored two Little Brothers through Big Brothers Big Sisters in both Kansas City and Ventura, CA. He also served on the Board of Directors for BBBS of Ventura County and has volunteered with the Kansas City ALS Chapter.

 Once an avid golfer and outdoorsman, Aaron now channels his energy into supporting his sons’ many interests—whether it’s coding adventures at Code Ninjas, swimming, scaling walls at Urban Air, or exploring any playground they can discover. Life may be busier, but according to Aaron, it’s never been more meaningful or fun.

Mallorey Beckloff

Mallorey Beckloff, LMSW, proudly serves as the Program Coordinator and Provider for the Girls Night Out (GNO) Program, a community-based initiative specifically tailored for autistic, neurodiverse, and neurotypical teenage girls and young women. This program is offered through the Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Mallorey's commitment to her work is rooted in the transformative impact of the GNO community, which has profoundly influenced her professional approach. Her primary objective is to expand opportunities and elevate the quality of life for her clients. Within the GNO framework, she focuses on creating opportunities to build on social conversation skills, fostering connections, and enhancing the overall social-emotional well-being of the individuals she serves. At the heart of her professional purpose lies the mantra that "we ALL have things to work on".

 
Mallorey is dedicated to empowering individuals to feel supported, successful, and safe within their community, while simultaneously enabling the confidence to embrace their authentic selves. Her core values are driving her commitment to understand each client's unique perspective and their family's lived experiences. Mallorey accomplishes this by coordinating natural social opportunities,  facilitating community connections, and encouraging self-advocates to use their confident voice, recognizing the immense value of their perspectives.

Gabe Akalugwu

 A special THANK YOU to all of our past volunteer board members and past paid staff members. We truly thank you for your service to the autism community.