Dena Gassner, PhD Candidate; Adjunct Faculty Towson University. Dena is the winner of the 2019 Cathy Pratt Professional of the Year Award for her national and international work on behalf of autistic persons. She has co-authored three book chapters including the most on mental wellness in “Spectrum Women” and is a national board member for The Arc US. Her research focuses on healthcare and system accessibility disparities for autistic persons.