ANNUAL REPORT 2023
1
2
6
7
8
STEPPINGUP& OUT EMPLOYEE
ASPIRITECH
MISSION
Meaningful employment and social opportunities for autistic adults
VISION
Working together for a world that embraces neurodiversity by valuing talents, supporting challenges, and welcoming differences
LETTERFROM THECEO
To the Aspiritech Community,
It's hard to believe another year has passed! Time tends to move fast when you are doing something you love, and I have never had a more fulfilling role in my professional career than the opportunity to lead this wonderful organization
I decided to swap out my usual professional headshot for a picture that shows you something much more personal This joyful picture is of my youngest son, Sjouke, on the day of his official autism diagnosis eight years ago.
TARAMAY
CEO
Sjouke was my introduction to neurodiversity, and he opened up a beautiful, magical world to me The day I joined Aspiritech, I unknowingly gave something back to him the representation of thriving, successful autistic adults something often sorely missing in our representation of what’s possible
Every day, Aspiritech works to provide a supportive environment for autistic adults, and the team in return shares their talents with each other Seeing how our team members support, guide, and mentor each other is inspiring As our team members grow and evolve as individuals, so does our organization. In 2023, this evolution was marked in myriad ways.
We greatly expanded our sales and marketing efforts, adding a Chief Growth Officer We also hired two autistic adults to implement our sales and marketing efforts Through this team, we laid the foundation for growth and success in 2024 They have done an incredible job finding new clients and strengthening Aspiritech
Among 2023's highlights was our hosting of the Neurowrx International Conference We were thrilled to host advocates for neurodiversity in the workplace from around the world in our Evanston office We shared insights, strategies, success stories, and ideas to promote a more inclusive workplace environment during the three-day event Our SUO activities continue to provide our team members with wonderful social opportunities. Our Aspiritech Remote Employment Academy saw its third year and has been expanded into a yearlong program, allowing us to expand our education and training opportunities.
None of this, however, would be possible without your support Donations from individuals and organizations continue to help define Aspiritech Your generosity allows us to fund our support team, a critical element of Aspiritech's mission It also allows our ACE fund to continue to provide grants to team members in need The value of these aspects of Aspiritech cannot be overstated
I am so excited for Aspiritech's future and for a world that will, hopefully, fully embrace neurodiversity in the workplace. Thank you again for your support and for believing in Aspiritech's crucial mission.
Tara May CEO
LETTERFROM THECHAIR
Dear Aspiritech Community,
As I embark on my second year as board chair, I am thrilled to present our annual report It has been an honor to serve this organization in a leadership capacity and to see firsthand the amazing work Aspiritech performs daily
Our team members, 93% of whom are on the autism spectrum, define Aspiritech. Their dedication, hard work, and unique perspectives make Aspiritech the extraordinary organization it is. The last year has been one to celebrate, as Aspiritech continues its mission to not only provide a safe, supportive environment for autistic adults but also promote inclusive workplaces globally
MICHAELDUFF BOARDCHAIR
None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of generous donors, foundations, and partners It is your belief in our mission and work that fuels Aspiritech For that, we are eternally grateful You should be proud of the work Aspiritech is doing because your support is crucial to making it happen
I would like to express my deep appreciation for our management team, led by our exceptional CEO, Tara May. Under Tara's leadership, Aspiritech has expanded its sales and marketing team, adding a Chief Growth officer, which has positioned Aspiritech to grow and expand The future for Aspiritech looks bright, thanks to a leadership team that is fully dedicated to this organization's mission
I would also like to extend my deepest gratitude to our outstanding Board of Directors Each board member brings a unique perspective and skillset This allows our board to deliver resources and assistance to our leadership team and help Aspiritech fulfill its mission I have been honored to work with this incredible and dedicated board of volunteers
The Aspiritech community is wonderful to be a part of, and your continued support helps make it possible. We are confident that we can continue to serve the autistic community and fulfill Aspiritech's mission with friends and supporters like you Thank you for being an integral part of what we do Together, we will continue to break down barriers and unlock the incredible potential of autistic individuals
With gratitude,
Michael Duff Aspiritech Board of Directors Chair
WORKINGFOR GROWTH
KAYLEYBOGDAN
CHIEF GROWTH OFFICER
SARAHCLARK
DIRECTOR OF GROWTH MARKETING
Kayley Bogdan joined Aspiritech in November 2023 as Chief Growth Officer With a deep background in digital strategy and product development in both the B2B and nonprofit spaces, she is uniquely poised to grow Aspiritech’s mission through revenue operations, business development, marketing, and advocacy efforts
Kayley is a mother of two and a passionate advocate for making the world and work environments more inclusive She comes to Aspiritech from Do Big Things, where she led digital strategy for large nonprofits and advocacy organizations, including the American Heart Association, SEIU, Common Sense Media, and The DeBruce Foundation
Sarah Clark joined Aspiritech in July 2023 She plays a dual role in leading Neurowrx as executive director as well as pushing forward Aspiritech’s digital marketing strategies.
As an autistic adult herself, Sarah brings a credible voice from a place of lived experience to our content, our social media, and our brand
LOOKINGFORWARD
This year was transformational for Aspiritech as we operationalized and sophisticated our sales and marketing processes to position the organization for growth and expansion in 2024
In addition to bringing on a Chief Growth Officer to lead our revenue strategy, Aspiritech also invested in sales and marketing team members and resources to support our ambitious goals. We continue to focus on scaling within our core capabilities software QA testing, digital accessibility, and data services as well as explore strategic expansions into related areas including cybersecurity, AI, automation, and development
From expanding work within our current clients, to doubling the number of new clients we’re engaged with, to winning our first federal government contract, it’s exciting to see the next chapter of the organization unfold.
ASPIRITECHACADEMY
Thanks to generous grants from Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, HAAPE (Helping Adults with Autism Perform and Excel), and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, since 2022 we've conducted 6 Aspiritech Academy sessions and seen over 40 neurodivergent students graduate to exciting careers.
Aspiritech Academy not only provides invaluable knowledge about quality assurance and other technical work - it interfaces with Aspiritech team members and experts in the field, incorporates soft skills training, and allows participants access to all of Aspiritech's virtual and in-person activities, Employee Resource Groups, and support services.
Working with groups of 8-10 students at a time, our Academy Team, headed by Director Brian Sundh, guides participants through a tried-and-true sequence of trainings to teach fundamentals of Quality Assurance and on-the-job skills We are now able to offer three Academy trainings a year and launched a partnership with HAAPE to involve many more students in the future
If you are interested or know a candidate who might want to apply for a future training class, please contact our Academy Team at academy@aspiritechorg
ACEGRANTSFOR AUTISTICADULTS
ASSIST•CHANGE•EMPOWER
The ACE FUND is an emergency fund for staff in need. ACE FUND grants are often pivotal to a recipient’s ability to maintain meaningful and gainful employment at Aspiritech, and thereby lead a healthy, independent life. All grant applications are filled out by Aspiritech team members and reviewed anonymously by an independent committee, and all interactions are mitigated by trained staff.
In 2023, the ACE FUND distributed more than $18,000 in grants. This resource was a lifeline for many employees facing unexpected hardships, including medical bills, legal fees for life transitions, COVID-related trauma and challenges, and assistance with auto repairs. In some cases, the ACE FUND kept employees housed. Since its inception, the ACE FUND has awarded 76 grants totaling more than $140,000 to autistic adults.
Funded by the generous contributions of community members and foundation partners, the goal of the ACE FUND is to assist, change, and empower staff.
ASSIST with transportation, housing, or short-term unexpected medical, family, and other emergency expenses.
CHANGE the quality of life by funding programs or services incorporating fitness, health and wellness, and independent living
EMPOWER through funding continuing education opportunities, advocacy programs, and navigation of resources and benefits.
To learn more about the ACE FUND or to make a contribution to help our team members most in need, please contact Tara May, CEO, at taramay@aspiritechorg or (517) 862-2893.
POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS
STATE&LOCAL
We believe advocacy starts where you are We’ve worked hard to establish firm relationships right here where our roots are in Chicagoland In 2024 we worked with the Center for Independent Futures to host a roundtable on housing issues for autistic adults.
Katie Levin, Aspiritech’s digital producer, represented Aspiritech at the Evanston Workforce Development Symposium We’ve hosted tours and mentorship opportunities for many school districts in the area, including The Cove School in Northbrook
We’re delighted to have joined The Economic Club of Chicago and work with business leaders throughout the area to make a powerful difference. We joined Oakton Community College’s neurodiversity event. We’re so grateful to all our partners at the local and state level for representing the neurodiversity movement
REACHINGAROUND THEGLOBE
NATIONAL&INTERNATIONAL
Aspiritech’s model acts not only as an incredible organization itself but also as one that is studied and respected nationwide and around the world.
Our partnership with the Consumer Technology Association Foundation gave us a presence advocating for accessibility and neurodiversity at the CES show in Las Vegas We also hosted visitors from Lima, Peru, as well as Singapore, Australia, and many other countries
Aspiritech was also host to the international conference for Neurowrx in 2023, with a dozen autistic employment advocates gathered together to discuss advancing the space around the table of our Evanston office Our neurodiversity movement podcast, On The Verge, put us in touch with self-advocates all over the country
We consider ourselves humbled to be in conversations with the neurodiversity movement around the nation and the globe.
OURMINDS&BODIES
HEALTHINNOVATION
We want to thank Endeavor Health (formerly North Shore University Health) for bringing their Simbulance to our Evanston offices. They showed Aspiritech staff how be comfortable in medical situations in an ambulance or hospital, and even how to potentially save lives using chest compressions and an AED machine We also discussed advocating for yourself when autism may complicate other medical situations.
STEPPINGUP&OUT
Since 2012, and thanks to the generosity of The Grandy Foundation, Aspiritech established, has implemented, and has continually fine-tuned its Stepping Up and Out (SUO) program. We are happy to report that we have successfully transitioned to a permanent hybrid program (a mix of virtual programming and in-person programming) that is serving our many participants (both employees and community members) who live in the Chicagoland area and sometimes even further!
Thanks to your support, SUO has provided hundreds of diverse social enrichment and wellness activities to our staff members with autism, as well as to others from the general autism community. This has allowed for many participants to form friendships even outside of Aspiritech’s programming, which achieves one of Aspiritech’s goals of helping individuals form organic social relationships.
Also importantly, continued use of tried-andtrue classics, such as social programming and supportive empowerment groups; and new innovations, such as the Hey Taco rewards program and Employees of the Quarter recognition, promote affirmation of each individual's unique strengths, talents, and contributions, not only to the success of Aspiritech as a business, but also to promote continuous improvement in confidence and self-esteem, that can be generalized to all aspects of the employee’s life
Aspiritech’s CEO, Tara May, has continued to be a strong advocate for SUO programming, and she frequently attends in-person events. She also encourages staff to participate, and always enjoys getting to see them, along with community participants, having a good time
SUO leadership and activity planning has shifted to our staff on the autism spectrum with assistance from our support team (ESS) members and much input from participants. Alex Dudasik, Aspiritech’s Community Engagement and Happiness Coordinator, continues to grow in terms of professionalism and program leadership. He now coordinates and oversees several other autistic staff members who assist with programming
STEPPINGUP&OUT
OURSUPPORTTEAM
OURWORK
Working hand in hand with Aspiritech Operations, our Employee Support Specialist (ESS) team is an integral element of this organization These professionals incorporate diverse backgrounds and methodologies into their daily interactions with Aspiritech team members, and are dedicated first and foremost to elevating the mind and body wellness of all employees
They are trained in First Aid, Mental Health Awareness, and the QPR (or Question, Persuade, Refer) method, the leading Suicide recognition and prevention program available today. They facilitate Employee Resource Groups, run the Aspiritech Academy, mediate interactions, and most importantly, take into account the entire individual team member and their wishes while navigating, and moving through, conflict and blockers.
OURGRATITUDE
*More than 50% of the costs of funding our support services, including technical coaches and the emergency grant ACE FUND, comes from our generous philanthropic partners
The following foundations have supported our wraparound services over the years: Barnsley Fund, Modestus Bauer Foundation, Alvin H Baum Family Fund, Helen Brach Foundation, Fred J Brunner Foundation, Debicki Foundation, Finnegan Family Foundation, Julian Grace Foundation, Grandy Foundation, Christopher L and M Susan Gust Foundation, Health Care Foundation of Highland Park, Takiff Family Foundation, and Sweeney Family Foundation
We are also deeply grateful to the many other donors who have contributed to the success of our ESS services. Thank you!
BOARDOFDIRECTORS
Aspiritech’s dedicated Board of Directors plays a critical role in our success. The Board volunteers their time tirelessly to ensure that our goal of providing meaningful employment for individuals on the autism spectrum is met. Our Board includes leaders in technology, law, healthcare, communications, and social services.
OFFICERS
Michael P. Duff, Jr., Executive Director, Technology Engineering and Execution, CME Group; Chair
Janice Block Chaddock, Retired Global Education Executive; Vice-Chair
Sharon Bielski RN, BSN, MS; Secretary
Alan Berkowitz, Retired; Treasurer
BOARDMEMBERS
Vivek Chopra, Executive Chairman; Strategic Advisor; Board Member; Mentor
Kyle Cramer, Diverse Partner Development at Microsoft
Maureen Dunne, Ph.D., Co-Founder, Managing Partner, Autism Angels Group
Roman Eisenberg, Head of Digital Banking Technology, JP Morgan Chase Consumer and Community Banking
Matt Epstein, Staff Accountant, Misericordia Home
Mitch Greenwald, Business Technology Executive (semi-retired)
Steve Henkels, Retired Senior Technology Executive
Kelly Killian, PR & Media Executive
Rachel Loftin, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Benjamin Prozinski, Digital Transformation Architect
Emily Raclaw, MS, LPC, CRC Director, On Your Marq, Marquette University
David Rappaport, Rappaport Reiches Capital Management
Nikhil Sonpal, Chief Executive Officer, Mobility Quotient
Marcus Williams, Accounting System Manager
Brad Zelinger, Founder and CEO, Stride Autism Centers
ASPIRITECH2023DONORS
$130,000 Anonymous
$85,000-$112,500
The Coleman Foundation
The Grandy Foundation
Christopher L. and M. Susan Gust Foundation
$50,000
Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation
Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
$20,000-$49,999
Alvin H. Baum Family Fund
Fred. J. Brunner Foundation
HAAPE Foundation
Julian Grace Foundation
Phyllis and Perry Schwartz Foundation
$10,000-$19,999
Fidelity Charitable
Helen Brach Foundation
Modestus Bauer Foundation
$5,000-$9,999
Yung Bong and Peggy Lim Fund
Eric and Laurie Chern
Debicki Foundation
Goldman Sachs Giving
Finnegan Family Foundation
William McIntosh, in honor of Condre Koepfgen and her parents, Bruce and Kristin
$1,000-$4,999
Abbott
Action Electric Sales
Gray Benoist
Mrs Sharon and Dr Robert Bielski*
Michael and Nina Blechman
Linda and Robert Braun
Carolyn and Ray Burton
Byline Bank
Rachelle Jervis Chopra
Vivek and Bernadette Chopra
CME Group Community Foundation
Michael Duff and Chantal Forster
Roman and Julia Eisenberg
Matthew Epstein Trust
Julie and Brian Finerty*
Jill and Brad Gordon Family Foundation, in honor of Alan Berkowitz
Mitch and Amy Greenwald
$500-$999
AbbVie Employee Engagement
Aon Foundation
Reva Auerbach*
Emily Carroll
Janice Block Chaddock
William Chiasson
Chicago Running and Social Events
Teri and Dennis Dudasik*
Yuji and Rika Fukunaga
Grainger
Richard Meehan
Andy and Nancy Mills
Steven and Elise Henkels
JP Morgan Chase
Kenton Klaus Charitable Fund
Tara May and Brian Slupski*
Maria Race*, in honor of the Weitzberg family
David and Karen Rappaport*
Patricia Sayre, in memory of Anna and Ferdinand Golenko
Mitchell and Barbara Serota
Glenn and Susan Snyder
Jim and Joanne Steinback
Trillium Foundation
UK Online Giving Foundation
Walter S. Mander Foundation
James and Minerva Weiss Foundation
Linda Murakishi Whitted*
Bradley Zelinger
Todd and Lori Newberger
Sashi Reddi
Manu Rekhi
Ridgewood High School
Michelle and Larry Rivkin
Drs Deborah and Laurence
Segil*
Beverly and Myron Shapiro
Drs. Hong Zhang & Xian-He Sun
Donald and Carmella Tozzo
Susan Wagner*
Benjamin and Nicole Wineman
Cynthia Wolfson
$250-$499
Jean and Dr. John H. Beckerman, in honor of Andrew Beckerman*
Ben Bielski
Linda Bowers
Joan Costello
Joann Dinneen
Victor and Annette Feldman
$100-$249
Shikha Aggarwal
James Almas
Jennifer Amdur-Spitz
Andrea Arndt
Kenneth Ashman
Natalie and Bruce Belrose
Alan Berkowitz and Andrea
Mann
Ravi Bhagavan
Anurag Bhatia
Bindy Bitterman
Lawrence Buchanan
Suzan Caspell
Hiral Chandrana
Sunil and Maria Chopra
Daniel Contreras
Kyle and Chandra Cramer
Leslie Davis
Laleen and John Doerrer
Dr. Ira and Mrs. Amy Dolnick
Kurt A. and Marguerite
Feichtmeir
Janet Freed
Steven and Brianne
Froehlich*
Vicki Jenkins*
Dale Kehr
Edward Koznarek
Pete Manautou
Alap Patel
Elaine Schafer*
Akhil Verma
Jessica and Michael Young
Harvey and Bonny Gaffen, in honor of Brenda and Moshe
Richard Gardner
Jeremy and Irene Gibson
Thomas and Carol Gilbert
Richard and Bonny Goldin
Gail and Donald Goldstein
Amy Greenebaum
Louis and Suzanne
Greenwald
Sue and Dick Greenwald
Vikas Gurugunti
Craig Hallenstein
James and Kelly Hart
Hirsch Charitable Fund
Maria Jensen
Ida Kersz
Sameer Kishore
Arlene and David Koenigs
Arieh Konigl, PhD
Toby and Moshe Liebowitz
Rhita Lippitz, in honor of Robin Kacyn for her dedication
Rachel Loftin
Kevin McCarthy
Lynn Mohr
Joy Murawski
Rakesh Nangia
David Nehmadi
Lynette Nichols Newman
Paul Opiela
Michael O’Shields
Linda Parker
James Pellegrino and Susan
Goldman
Cheryl Perry
Ted and Joan Podeszwa
Debbie and Scott Rudin
Don Shearn
Deborah Silver
Ronnie Sokol
Nikhil Sonpal
Yana and Gene Sosonkin
US Cellular Associate
Matching
Linda Wagner
Dr. Moshe and Yonatan
Zamir
Beth Zanon
UNDER $100
Anonymous
Mel and Donna Alexander,
in honor of Rick Alexander
Kateri Atkins
Mary Bauling
NS Balasubramian
Ruth Bittner
Eileen Blondin
Ron Brix
Marsha Brody
Barbara and David Campbell
Leslie Corn
Betty Dayron
Shayna Bailey Foley
Skip Frost
Lorraine Geyer
Paul Guggenheim
Marcia Haier
Mark Hess
Rajiv Jayaraman
Jeffrey Kadison
Jeff Kaufman
Kelly Smith Killian
IN-KIND DONORS
Julio Berlin
Julie Finerty
Amanda Herbert Hughes
Tabitha Lyon
Tara May
Louise Pearson
Travis Kroot
Vanessa Puchalaska Linke
Barbette and Arthur Loevy
Gail Lovinger
Oranda May
Kourtney McGrew
Donna Mirro
Sally Mydill
Ganesh Pai
Paypal Giving Fund
Annette Sacks
Stuart Sadick
Rahul Shah
Sharon Slupski
Maria Talarico
Mitch and Nancy Trudell
Jeanni Watson
Moshe and Brenda Weitzberg
Ben Prozinski
Nixon Peabody LLP
Mobility Quotient
Tech Soup
Upmetrics
Marcus Williams
2023TEAMMEMBERS
AaronBerkowitz
AaronPizarek
AlanStahl
AlexanderDudasik
AlexanderBowers
AliciaMoore
AndrewBeckerman
AndrewNelson
AnnaSuiter
AnnieBrinkman-Muller
AnthonyPease
AustinVanDerKarr
BonnyGoldin
BradleyBurton
BradleyCohen
BrandonJohnson
BrandtSchafer
BrentAustin
BrentHornig
BrianSundh
BrianTozzo
CaraCusack
CaseyParker
ChristianDorantes
ChristopherCoe
ChristopherHorning
ChristopherNewton
ColinRaiden-McRae
CuiyingLin
DanielAuerbach
DanielBelrose
DavidDomeier
DominickBruno
DonaldSchickel
DouglasNorton
DustinChiasson
EitanSacks
ElaineLarsen
EmmaStraznickas
EricLawson
EricStates
GailHenjum
HanCheng
HollyHoltz
IanRace
IanStrahan
IsaacGibson
JackOpiela
JacobBielski
JacobFoley
JacobFox
JacobKlein
JakeSapir
JamariBriggs
JamesBox
JaredBunzol
JasonPolakoff
JeffreyTherens
JosephGoodmann
JosephVidal
JoshuaBuchhop
JoshuaHaworth
JuliaOpalinski
JulieFinerty
JustinJungst
KatinaLevin
KayleyBogdan
KyleO'Shields
KyleVerbeke
LaurenBirnhak
LeahRappaport
LewisConcklin
MacartanSummerville
MaryKateNaughton
MatanRaff
MatthewHemauer
MaxwellHuffman
MichaelBjornson
MichaelFrederick
MishaYunovich
MitchellBandes
MitziVanDerKarr
NathanSchram
NicholasPapageorge
OliviaLarsen
JenniferGoubeaud
JohnBruder
JohnColao
JohnCooley
OranWeitzberg
OwenTravis
PaulChancey
RachaelBrusic
ReaninStone
RiderHallenstein
RobertDowling
RobinKacyn
RyanBennett
RyanMurawski
SamuelNewman
SamanthaSayre
SarahClark
SarahMeehan
ScottWeiss
SebastianHaake
SheaBrisben
SheilaSerota
StephenBraun
TaraMayTesimu
ThanhHangPham
TimothyAckermans
TimothyCollins
TimothyKim
TitusQuarles
TrevorSayre
TroySlager
WilliamHickey
WinstonTsao
WolfgangMcKeown
ZacharyDavidson
ZacharyWyman
