Aspiritech 2020 Annual Report

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Tested and Trusted Annual Report Fiscal Year 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LETTER FROM LEADERSHIP

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MISSION AND BACKGROUND

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A BRIEF HISTORY

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2020 HIGHLIGHTS: GENERAL UPDATES

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2020 HIGHLIGHTS: SUPPORT SERVICES

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2020 HIGHLIGHTS: STEPPING UP & OUT

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2020 HIGHLIGHTS: ACE FUND

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2020 HIGHLIGHTS: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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OUR CLIENTS

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2020 FINANCIAL STATEMENT

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OUR SUPPORTERS

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MANAGEMENT TEAM, ADVISORY BOARD, & STAFF

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“I was nervous at first; I had never been a manager before. But I felt comfortable moving up as I knew that if I was struggling with something, there would be someone willing to help me figure it out.”

—Samantha Sayre, QA Lead

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LETTER FROM LEADERSHIP Dear Friends, As we write this letter, it’s been one year since the Covid-19 lockdowns began. We had to quickly take action to keep our staff safe. Like so many businesses around the world, Aspiritech shifted to a work-from-home model. Our mission, however, never wavered: to support autistic adults in their quest for meaningful employment and social opportunities. We also made it a priority to continue to meet our clients’ needs as effectively and efficiently as ever.

In 2020, we were Tested and Trusted. We chose this theme because it encapsulates many elements of this past year. It was a test to see if we could pivot to working from home, while maintaining project excellence and supporting employees’ new needs. Some of us took Covid tests, even as we carried on with our important QA testing work. Our personal and collective strength was tested as we faced personal challenges.

But we were also trusted. Our employees trusted us to keep them safe but also gainfully employed (we are proud that we didn't have to let go or furlough any staff in 2020 due to the pandemic). Clients trusted us to meet their project goals, even though the world had turned upside down, and we are pleased to say we delivered on that promise. We trusted that eventually we would find our way through this “new normal” and not only survive but thrive.

We could achieve this thanks to our phenomenal employees, thoughtful leadership, and incredible supporters.

Our 2020 Annual Report reflects a momentous snapshot in time. While we celebrate our successes of the last year, our happiness is tempered by the reality that it was an extremely difficult year for so many, including those in the neurodivergent community. A recent study found that one in five independent adults with autism reported that the Covid-19 pandemic has severely affected their mental health.

That statistic reminds us that our work is never done. We did not give up when the pandemic hit because the work of supporting neurodivergent adults in the workplace is too important. Our employees amaze, delight, and inspire us every day—even when our communication is virtual instead of in-person.

We also continue to be awed by supporters and friends like you. Thank you for your continued belief in our mission, for your time, for your generosity, for your talents and for cheering us on.

None of this would be possible without you. We are so grateful!

What will 2021 bring? No one can say for certain, but we feel hopeful. In 2020, we were tested and trusted. The result? We stayed true to our mission and goals. Read on to learn more about how we did it.

With gratitude,

David Rappaport Chair, 2020 Board of Directors

Brenda Weitzberg Executive Director

Moshe Weitzberg Chief Executive Officer

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“What’s been so different for me about working at Aspiritech is the atmosphere of encouragement.

Whereas at another company, a person might get written up or reprimanded for being different, Aspiritech helps me put my special talents to work.

“As a multi-client senior manager, I have the chance to recognize the talents in my team members and use the affirming management techniques that I learned from my managers. Together we grow the culture of confidence that is Aspiritech. I think nurturing people to use their talents and recognizing the value that each team member contributes doesn’t just help people on the spectrum work better and be happier, but it’s what makes people better people in general.”

—Michael J. Ashburne, QA Multi-Client Manager

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MISSION AND BACKGROUND

MISSION

Aspiritech empowers individuals on the autism spectrum to fulfill their potential through meaningful employment combined with social opportunity.

As the first and largest social enterprise of this kind in North America, we take our leadership role seriously. We strive to be a resource and model for other companies around the world.

About 85 percent of adults on the autism spectrum are unemployed or underemployed.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Many neurodivergent individuals possess unique talents, such as intense focus, attention to detail, strong visual processing abilities, superlative technical expertise, and lack of boredom with repetitive tasks. We’ve found that these are the precise talents that make our employees ideally suited to providing software quality assurance (SQA) services.

Aspiritech is a safe and welcoming space for our employees. Staff members tell us that Aspiritech is unlike any other place they’ve worked; it’s a place where they can be their full selves. We strive to ensure our employees feel supported and valued, not only as staff members, but as people with interests and passions outside of work. It’s inspiring to witness our team members experience independence and self-confidence, day after day.

Companies rely on our neurodiverse team to perform regression testing, data migration, test design, compatibility testing, design consistency, and other SQA services. Our clients trust us with critical work that directly impacts their bottom line.

Aspiritech is proud to produce best-in-class deliverables while helping to fill a critical employment gap. The end result? Extremely satisfied clients and professionally fulfilled staff.

Aspiritech’s business model excels because we match the unique strengths and interests of autistic adults with jobs in the SQA field, while also providing support for individual needs in the areas of organization/executive functioning, social skills, and emotional regulation.

Through programs such as Stepping Up & Out, the Women’s Empowerment Group, and the ACE FUND, Aspiritech provides social, emotional, and professional scaffolding to ensure our neurodivergent employees succeed inside and outside the workplace (see page 12).

CORE PROGRAMS AND ACTiViTiES • Vocational training in software quality assurance and data analysis • Ongoing staff training and certification opportunities • Job coaching and support • Well-paid employment with benefits • Social opportunities and community get-togethers through Stepping Up & Out • Grants to neurodivergent staff in need through the ACE FUND • Information and referral services

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A BRIEF HISTORY

Brenda and Moshe Weitzberg founded Aspiritech in 2008 with the goal of providing gainful employment for adults with autism. They were inspired by their son, a college graduate with Asperger’s syndrome, who struggled to find job opportunities commensurate with his skills and education.

After learning about a Danish company that successfully employed autistic adults in the software QA testing field, Brenda and Moshe decided to create something similar in the U.S. From a kitchen table startup, Aspiritech has grown to become a leading voice in the neurodiversity advocacy space.

In 2020, Aspiritech employed more than 130 neurodiverse adults and worked with numerous corporate clients. Aspiritech is a global leader, showing by example the personal, societal, and business benefits of employing this talented and capable population.

2013 Aspiritech continues to thrive.

2011 New services offered; autism specialist hired.

2009 The company launches its pilot program, a hands-on software testing training program.

2014 2012

2010 2008 Aspiritech is incorporated.

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First test engineers hired.

Business development director hired; Stepping Up & Out launches.

Client revenue doubles over prior year.

2019 First full year offering the ACE FUND, an emergency fund for staff in need; 115 neurodivergent staff; client revenue reaches $5.5 million

2017 Three-year strategic plan launches; client revenue reaches $2.2 million.

2015 New office and service offerings; client revenue exceeds $500,000.

2018 2016 Number of neurodivergent staff grows to 50; client revenue exceeds $1.2 million.

Downtown Chicago office opens; neurodivergent staff numbers nearly 100; client revenue exceeds $3.8 million.

Eleven professionals join the Board of Directors in late 2019 and 2020, bringing unique expertise and nearly doubling the total number of board members. They help guide Aspiritech as we confront the Covid-19 pandemic with updated support systems for employees and new business practices that ensure client needs are met. Client revenue exceeds $6.2 million. Read on to learn how we did it.

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2020 HIGHLIGHTS: GENERAL UPDATES Last year was a tough year for everyone. But despite the hardships and uncertainty, Aspiritech stayed strong. We are proud to share these highlights from 2020, which are a testament to Aspiritech’s unshakable foundation. In 2020, we learned that we can grow, improve, and lead, even during a pandemic!

STAFF UPDATES • Aspiritech employs more than 133 staff, 115 of whom are neurodivergent.

• Approximately 57 percent of our staff work full time.

• Nearly 82 percent of our leads and job coaches are on the autism spectrum, and most rose up through the ranks.

• Two out of three QA managers are on the autism spectrum.

• No employees were laid off or furloughed during the pandemic in 2020.

• At least 20% of our team are now certified as Section 508 Trusted Testers (for accessibility compliance and conformity testing) through DHS's Office of Accessible Systems & Technology–OAST

“The environment is so unbelievably supportive, that if you are having a rough day, they try to make it better, and not just tell you to shake it off and get back to work.”

—Doug Norton, Bose QA Lead

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ASPiRiTECH DURiNG COViD To help employees feel safe, connected, valued, and productive during 2020, Aspiritech adapted infrastructure, launched new staff trainings, increased social services, and more.

Employees starting working from home in March.

• Aspiritech’s team of Employment Support Specialists provided crisis intervention and home health check-ins, including a daily survey where employees could report stress levels and request assistance.

This provided a global picture of companywide stress levels, allowing the team to ramp up support during high-stress periods.

• Virtual support included Slack check-ins, phone calls, and Google meetings. Additionally, employees joined virtual lunch group discussions, a Covid/Current Events group, a Women’s Empowerment Group, and Happy Hours.

• Aspiritech helped ensure employees’ physical comfort by providing reimbursement for ergonomic workspaces (such as lumbar pillows) and sending pop-up reminders about stretching, self-care, and taking time off.

• We also created a food pantry for employees in need.

Later in the year, Aspiritech transitioned to a hybrid remote/office model, depending on each employee’s needs and comfort level with being in the office. A health and safety committee was formed to ensure the office would be kept as safe and clean as possible.

DOING WHAT’S RIGHT In early June, Aspiritech sent out an important message regarding racism in the U.S. The email read, in part, “We’re rendered speechless … by the overt shows of racism that are just the most recent in a long history of pointed violence and discrimination towards Black lives in America.”

Autism doesn’t discriminate. People of all races, ethnicities, genders, and religions are affected by autism. We need to do more to support and

represent the whole autistic community. To move forward, the Board of Directors established a Diversity and Inclusion Committee. This committee created an actionable plan for our company to reach out to and be a resource for minority and underserved populations. Along the way, we vow to interrogate our biases; listen to our Black neighbors, friends, and colleagues; truly hear their critiques and suggestions; and further diversify our Aspiritech community.

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PREPARiNG FOR OUR FUTURE: PROGRAMS AND SERViCES The Board of Directors launched a new committee, the Business Diversification Committee, to prepare Aspiritech to meet new needs in the IT industry (such as accessibility testing and data annotation) and expand our capabilities and services.

We recently hired an experienced CTO, Winston Tsao, to further enhance our security policies and processes and increase our ability to meet future needs in the following areas: • Automation • Web and mobile app development • Load and performance testing Thanks to a generous two-year grant from Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, we will be creating AREA (Aspiritech Remote Employment Academy): a more formal virtual training academy for neurodivergent individuals, with a focus on youth. We look forward to sharing more information about this program soon.

PREPARiNG FOR OUR FUTURE: CAPiTAL CAMPAiGN We are excited about our capital campaign, “A Home of Our Own.” Our new corporate headquarters will be specifically designed to meet the needs of our neurodivergent staff. As we continue to grow, a new building will allow us to hire even more autistic adults, broaden our client base, expand our social services, and connect with a wider community of neurodivergent adults, organizations, and companies.

In 2020, we received a generous lead gift from The Coleman Foundation, which will help us turn our dream into reality (hopefully this year!). We are proud to call The Coleman Foundation our partners as we plan our capital campaign goals. Their longtime support has been foundational to our success.

We also want to thank the Goldman Sachs Social Impact Advisory, who assisted Aspiritech with financial analysis and real estate advisory on a pro bono basis. A team of six Goldman Sachs employees guided Aspiritech and their efforts were much appreciated. A big thank you as well to JLL for their continued real estate guidance.

You can help us reach our Capital Campaign goals this year! To learn more or make a gift, please contact Brenda Weitzberg, Executive Director, at brenda@aspiritech.org or (847) 528-8470.

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“Ever wonder who ensures Aspiritech’s autistic employees are successful?

“Our team of Employment Support Specialists assists our employees in developing life skills and independence. This team includes staff with diverse expertise in the fields of counseling, autism, behavioral therapy, and psychology.

“We feel our success is in part due to understanding that supporting all aspects of our employees’ strengths and needs leads to focused, supported, and enthusiastic team members.”

—Bonny Goldin, LCSW, Employment Support Specialist

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2020 HIGHLIGHTS: SUPPORT SERVICES An important aspect of Aspiritech’s mission is our support services. Social outings, clubs, leadership training, job coaching, and an emergency fund help our employees (and, in some cases, neurodiverse members of the general public) to thrive.

Our support staff includes a social worker, autism specialists, counselors, and five job coaches. In 2020, support staff took on additional responsibilities as they assisted employees with the transition to working from home, implemented virtual job coaching and online social activities, and provided enhanced support for employees feeling heightened anxiety.

More than 50% of the costs of funding our support services, including technical job

coaches and the emergency-grant ACE FUND, come 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, Sweeney Family Foundation.

We are also deeply grateful to the many other donors who have contributed to the success of our support services. Thank you!

SUPPORT OUTREACH • Developing Developing and and implementing implementing accommodations accommodations for for staff. staff.

• Holding regular “check in” meetings with analysts.

• Yoga and life fitness sessions at both office locations and now virtually.

• Lunch sessions on focused topics, such as work-life balance and how to engage in small talk.

• A weekly Women’s Empowerment Group.

• Leadership training opportunities for the QA Leads, led by an autism consultant, to provide insight into best practices on managing a neurodiverse team.

• Technical job coaching for staff.

• Daily stretch/exercise breaks to recharge, midday meditation breaks, and team building activities.

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“IF YOU’VE MET ONE PERSON WiTH AUTiSM, YOU’VE MET ONE PERSON WiTH AUTiSM.” – DR. STEPHEN SHORE

“I want to address the stereotype of people on the spectrum not wanting to deal with social interactions. If the stay-at-home orders ended tomorrow, I would be excited to return to the office because even though there are distractions, I miss the community.”

—Matt, QA Lead

“Covid is a pandemic that was designed for my personality. I have no problem abiding by the social distancing. I’m good!”

—Unnamed QA Analyst

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2020 HIGHLIGHTS: STEPPiNG UP & OUT The Stepping Up & Out (SUO) program, which was launched in 2012 and continues to be made possible thanks to the generous support of the Grandy Foundation, brings together autistic adults from Aspiritech and the larger community. Through workshops, team building, and fun activities (such as game nights, arts and crafts, and group meals), SUO helps reduce social isolation and improve participants’ social skills.

Alex Dudasik joined Aspiritech as a Software Tester (now called QA Analyst) in 2014. Today, he serves as Aspiritech's Happiness Coordinator and as SUO Coordinator, helping to plan events and activities for neurodivergent employees and community members. Learn more about Alex and SUO in 2020 in the interview below, which was conducted by fellow staff member Katie Levin.

How has Covid affected the SUO program? How have you evolved along with those changes necessitated by the pandemic?

COVID has affected the SUO program in that we had to switch to all virtual events (although we do hope to get back to in-person events as early as later this year). I have evolved with the changes, adding more programming, adapting existing programming to a virtual environment, and even finding places that offer virtual experiences, such as a film fest, an escape room, and a museum tour. I have also teamed up with a few employees with specific skill sets, to help facilitate certain events.

What special skills do you bring to your role?

A special skill I bring to the role is that I’ve interacted with people on the spectrum for a long time, and that, combined with being on the spectrum myself, makes me pretty attuned to the wants and needs of the community and its members. For a long time, I’ve felt that it was important for people on the spectrum to have access to social, educational, and vocational programming targeted to them, so I have a commitment to providing these opportunities. I also like to think I’m pretty good at planning fun events and activities that participants find value in and enjoy.

What accomplishments are you most proud of with SUO and what are your future goals for the program?

One accomplishment I’m most proud of is how much I was able to grow and evolve both myself and the SUO programming at Aspiritech. It’s been great to go from having programming once a week to being able to offer programming nearly seven days a week.

Some future goals for the SUO program would be to continue to grow the program, add even more events and activities, and increase participation among staff and the larger community.

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Alex Dudasik working from home.

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2020 HIGHLIGHTS: ACE FUND 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 reviewed anonymously by an independent committee.

In 2020, the ACE FUND distributed more than $20,000 in emergency grants. This resource was a lifeline for many employees facing unexpected hardships due to the pandemic. Sample grants included*: · Rent relief for an employee whose newly unemployed partner and disabled father were facing homelessness. · Emergency funds to provide food for the family of an employee who was sick with Covid. · A grant to help an employee purchase a scooter since he was told by his doctor not to take public transportation.

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, please contact Brenda Weitzberg, Executive Director, at brenda@aspiritech.org or 312-945-8378 ext. 1. *Identifying details have been changed.

ASSIST,

CHANGE & EMPOWER 16

2020 HIGHLIGHTS: BOARD OF DiRECTORS 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. In 2019-2020, we greatly expanded our Board to include leaders in technology, law, healthcare, communications, and social services.

Get to know our 2020 Board members below (new members in 2019 and 2020 are marked with an asterisk): Officers David Rappaport, Rappaport Reiches Capital Management; Board Chair Ester Stein, Director of Corporate Reimbursement, Abbott; Board Vice Chair, Secretary Alan Berkowitz, Retired; Treasurer Board Members *Vladimir Anastasov, Division Leader, PuraShield at Filtration Group Ron Brix, Retired from Wrigley *Janice Block Chaddock, Former Chief Legal, Compliance and HR Officer at Kaplan, Inc. *Vivek Chopra, Executive Chair, Knolskape; Board Member; Strategic Advisor; Mentor at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation *Daniel Contreras, Director, Technology Strategy at Microsoft *Kyle Cramer, Diverse Partner Development at Microsoft *Michael Duff, Executive Director, Technology Engineering and Execution, CME Group *Maureen Dunne, PhD, Co-Founder, Managing Partner, Autism Angels Group *Roman Eisenberg, Head of Digital Channels Technology, JP Morgan Chase Consumer and Community Banking Jay Farrell, Retired Marketing Executive Bud Glick *Steven Henkels, Retired Senior Technology Executive Rachelle Jervis Chopra, President and CEO, Executive Service Corps *Jerry Kane, Retired Business Owner *Rachel Loftin, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist Ben Prozinski, Business Transformation Architect, Salesforce Delivery Leader *Katie Rosholt, Senior Strategic Brand Marketing Leader *Veronica Scotto, Digital Innovation and Transformation Leader at Accenture Beverly Shapiro, LCSW, Retired from JCFS Moshe Weitzberg PhD, CEO, Aspiritech *Brad Zelinger, Founder and CEO, Stride Autism Centers Brenda Weitzberg, Executive Director *Joined the Board of Directors in 2019 or 2020

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“I’ve learned that the Aspiritech team has a great ability to look at things from a different angle. If I ask them to test a page in a certain way and define certain things that I need to know, they may well come back and tell me about other things that are broken on the page—things I didn’t know to ask about. They bring a very creative approach to these tasks.

“Our work with Aspiritech is about making it possible for more people on the autism spectrum to find meaningful work. But it’s also about giving our organization access to talented individuals who can perform our testing tasks with a level of attention and creativity that we would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.”

—Bruce Horner, VP, Digital UX Engineering, Transaction Banking, Goldman Sachs

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OUR CLiENTS

Aspiritech takes great pride in providing tremendous service for our clients. In 2020, earned revenue reached an all-time high, exceeding $6.2 million. This revenue helped cover 50 percent of our mission-related expenses, providing our staff with the support they need to succeed. Client revenue supports the wages and benefit packages of our QA analysts and technical managers (wages alone for staff on the spectrum exceeded $3.5 million last year), as well as our significant overhead, including rent and technical equipment/systems.

The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted every industry in 2020, but Aspiritech employees went above and beyond to keep things smooth and efficient for our clients. We maintained our extremely high dedication to quality, and our clients noticed and appreciated this top-line service. One client told us, “We’ve stopped work with all our vendors—except you!”

Thank you to all of our clients for continuing to trust Aspiritech to manage your SQA needs, even throughout the uncertainty of last year.

2020 CLiENT SNAPSHOT Top Industries Served • Banking and financial services • Consumer electronics and professional equipment • Pharmaceuticals

Top Three SQA Services Provided • Functional, E2E, and UI/UX testing—mobile and web-based • Hardware/software integration and regression testing • Comprehensive 508 and WCAG accessibility testing

New Clients in 2020

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We partner with our clients to deliver best-in-class service, and 2020 was no exception. The client success stories below are just a few examples of how Aspiritech employees provide value and expertise, even under tight deadlines.

SOURCE AMERiCA Aspiritech was selected to provide accessibility testing for Source America as it migrated to a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Of particular concern was the ability for its vision-impaired users to be able to effectively navigate the new system using their preferred screen readers. Aspiritech leveraged its knowledge of accessibility standards to provide comprehensive feedback to both Source America and its outside development.

Aspiritech exceeded all expectations and the contract was extended more than once as Aspiritech provided such insightful feedback that the scope of the project grew.

AMERiCAN MEDiCAL ASSOCiATiON Aspiritech partnered with the American Medical Association as it digitized its guide for practitioners. Aspiritech ensured that the content for the digital guides matched the book word-for-word to ensure an equivalent experience. Originally designed as a small one-time project, Aspiritech has now engaged with AMA three times to support migration to cloud or digital environments.

OUTVOTE (NOW IMPACTiVE) Outvote, a cloud-based mobile phone texting application, was on a very short deadline to build out capacity and usability before the 2020 election. The organization turned to Aspiritech for UX and UAT testing on multiple mobile phone devices. Aspiritech provided the capacity and scalability to roll out new capabilities and functions on an extremely short timeline.

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2020 FiNANCiAL STATEMENT

2020 REVENUE

$7,825,077

Individuals $101,529 Foundations $465,823 Businesses $4,615 Released from Restricted $48,926 Software Testing Revenue $6,250,205 Interest Income $1,229 Other–PPP Loan Forgiveness $952,750 Program

2020 EXPENSES

$6,417,135

$5,622,437 Program Costs* $5,460 Fundraising $789,238 Management/General Costs

* Aspiritech is in the process of its annual audit; no significant changes are anticipated.

2020 SURPLUS

$1,407,942

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“My husband and I give to Aspiritech because we love and cherish a person who lives with Asperger’s.

We know that people with neurological differences are just like anyone, seeking to find happiness and purpose. People living with ASD can be the most compassionate, hard-working, capable employees, even if these attributes are not readily apparent.

“Aspiritech provides a path for many people on the spectrum to find purpose and be productive. We are all better, as a society, if we can find the value and potential in each individual person. We feel that in supporting Aspiritech, we are making a small difference for people with neurological differences who should not just be accepted but celebrated.”

—Kelly Hart, MINDS monthly donor

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OUR SUPPORTERS Our supporters make a major impact with each and every gift. While revenue earned from Aspiritech’s software testing and other SQA services covers the costs of running the business, philanthropy supports our socio-emotional programs, initiatives, and staff.

The generosity of Aspiritech’s donors funds our team of social workers, counselors, autism specialists, trainers, and job coaches; creates social opportunities through the Stepping Up & Out program, which is open to staff and other community members with autism; and provides grants to employees in need through the ACE FUND. Aspiritech extends its heartfelt thanks to the following donors who graciously supported us in 2020. $500,000 - Capital Grant The Coleman Foundation $100,000 Anonymous $50,000-$85,000 Grandy Foundation $20,000-$49,999 Alvin H. Baum Family Fund Fred. J. Brunner Foundation The Coleman Foundation Health Care Foundation of Highland Park Julian Grace Foundation $10,000-$19,999 Barnsley Fund Helen Brach Foundation Michele and Don Cronin Christopher L. and M. Susan Gust Foundation William McIntosh, in honor of Condre Koepfgen Modestus Bauer Foundation Anonymous Takiff Family Foundation $5,000-$9,999 Eric and Laurie Chern Debicki Foundation Finnegan Family Foundation Christopher and Cynthia Galvin

Arthur O. Kane Charitable Fund Phyllis and Perry Schwartz Foundation Sweeney Family Foundation Brenda and Moshe Weitzberg Drs. Hong Zhang & Xian-He Sun $1,000-$4,999 Alan Berkowitz and Andrea Mann Mrs. Sharon and Dr. Robert Bielski Robert and Linda Braun Carolyn and Ray Burton Rachelle Jervis Chopra CME Group Community Foundation Brad and Jakee Cohen John and Laleen Doerrer Michael Duff and Chantal Forster Roman Eisenberg Nora Epstein Jay and Alicia Farrell Mike Farrell Andrew Feldman, AJ Feldman Financial Julie and Brian Finerty Jill and Brad Gordon Family Foundation James and Kelly Hansen HBK Engineering, LLC Steve and Elise Henkels Cathy Kahn

MB Real Estate Marc Mar-Yohana Rae Jean and Wolfgang McKeown David and Stephanie Mortimer Veronica Norton Elizabeth Pross Maria Race David and Karen Rappaport The Roslyn and Joseph Perlman Foundation, in honor of Brenda and Moshe Weitzberg Joyce and Jonathan Sapir Patricia Sayre Beverly and Myron Shapiro Ester Stein and Bruce Belrose Gerald Taglia Fernando Torre Trillium Foundation Walter S. Mander Foundation WebIT Dr. Gene and Mrs. Sharon Weiss James and Minerva Weiss Foundation Zhang Yun and Ping He $500-$999 Abbott AbbVie

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Action Electric Sales Jennifer Amdur-Spitz Aon Foundation Vlad Anastasov Karen Beres-Haring Leon and Marcia Bernstein Janice Block Chaddock Vivek and Bernadette Chopra George Collias Linda and Bob Cutler Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Cyzner Joann Dinneen Richard and Sarita Dyrda Tim Farrell Lisa A. Foreman Yuji and Rika Fukunaga Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Leo S. Guthman Fund Craig Hallenstein Mr. and Mrs. Merrill Hoyt, in honor of Beverly Shapiro Lindy Hudson Ida Kersz, in honor of Daniel Belrose Erin Lehmann Michael and Karyn Lutz Family Foundation Annette and Bill McClellan Michael McCutcheon Andy and Nancy Mills Todd and Lori Newberger Brian Pacejka Alap Patel Patricia Sayre, in memory of Anna and Ferdinand Golenko Drs. Debbie and Larry Segil Mitchell and Barbara Serota, in honor of Brenda and Moshe Weitzberg Donald and Carmella Tozzo Doug Walker Gary Wood $200-$499 Anonymous Shikha Aggarwal Mel and Donna Alexander James Almas Clara Anne MJ Crabbe-Barberis and Mark Barberis, in honor of Nicholas Barberis

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Mary J. Bauling Gray Benoist Anurag Bhatia Ben Bielski Bindy Bitterman Michael and Nina Blechman Mary Jo Bollero, in honor of Rachelle Jervis Chopra and Sid Chopra Ron Brix Jim Budish Dr. Duke and Mrs. Claudia Cameron Suzan Caspell CDW Joan S. Chase Sunil and Maria Chopra Richard Clark and Laura Whiting Clark Julie Colbrese Kyle and Chandra Cramer Leslie Davis Claudia Deia Jeffrey Diemand Dr. Ira and Mrs. Amy Dolnick Alex Dudasik Teri and Dennis Dudasik Donald Duffy Maureen Dunne, PhD Joseph Farrell Ryan Farrell Don and Lisa Foster Janet Freed Irwin and Adrienne Friedman Harvey and Bonny Gaffen Thomas and Carol Gilbert Debbie Glienke Bonny and Rick Goldin Gail and Donald Goldstein Teresa Goubeaud Louis and Suzanne Greenwald Sanjay Gupta Vikas Gurugunti Mark Hess Scott, Sarah and Harry Hirsch Charitable Fund Brenda Jansen Peter and Margaret Jung Joe Karam Dale Kehr Jill and Bob Klein Vered and Israel Klinghofer

Bessie Kodros Arieh Konigl, PhD Marcia and Tom Korman Larry Kramer Samir Kumar Harriette Kurtz Lake County Alpha Phi Alumni Association, in honor of Rachelle Jervis Chopra and Sid Chopra Jerry Leugers Barbara Levine Toby and Moshe Liebowitz Rhita Lippitz Marcel Lisi Joan Martin Jim and Marie McCallister Kevin McCarthy Microsoft Ronald and Patricia Miller Lynn Mohr Joy Murawski David Nehmadi Maria Niedos and John Edinger Sreemanth Pagadala, Continental Engineering Corporation Ganesh Pai Karen Parker Linda Parker John and Val Paro Tory Peña James Perkins John Piegore Linda Piegore, in honor of Patrick & Colin Piegore Jan Pilarski and Jay Tidmarsh Deborah Quinn Maria Race, in honor of Brenda and Moshe Weitzberg Barbara Raiden Steve Rasof Sean Reardon Ashwini Reddi Sashi Reddi Manu Rekhi, in honor of Maya Rekhi Matt Riebel Terry Rose Stuart Sadick, in honor of Bernadette and Vivek Chopra Gail Sehler

Mitchell and Barbara Serota, in honor of Sheila Serota Elizabeth Shanahan Beverly and Myron Shapiro, in honor of Rachelle Jervis and Sid Chopra Don and Peggy Shearn Val and Raymond Sherer, in honor of Condre Koepfgen Kanwar Singh, in honor of Raybur Singh Julie Solomon Byron (Buzz) and Jean States Stacy Stone Casey and Dennis Sulit Julie Tracy Akhil Verma Scott and Betsey Wills So Za Donald Zabelin and Barbara Sered-Zabelin Dr. Moshe and Yonatan Zamir Tracy and David Zirin Under $100 Lore Baker Richard Basofin Margie Behrends Ruth Bittner Janice Block Chaddock, in honor of Rachelle Jervis Chopra and Sid Chopra Maryjane Bunzol Chicago Bread LLC Wendy Cole Theresa Collins Diane Corbett Leslie Corn Lisa Courts Dorothy Cronin Kelly Cullison Betty Dayron Aybars and Tracy Emsun Elena Engel Therese and Moses Eshkenazi Erin Farrell-Moroni Jeanette Fermin Sabina Filipovic Mary Flanagan Shayna Bailey Foley Erik and Margaret Ford Elaine Shafer

John Garcia Janice Gilligan Barbara and Charles Gitkin Melanie Cole Goldberg Susan Goldman and Jim Pellegrino Amy Greenebaum Paul Guggenheim Lauren Hagan Holly Hansen Dawn Hembd Jim and Kelly Hickey Ellen Hoffberg Ellen Holtzblatt John Hughes Anne Johnson Gwen Jordan Dr. Douglas and Mrs. Sheryl Kalvin Terry Katzman-Rosenblum Dariusz Koryzna Arlene and David Koenigs Diane Kramasz Lauren Krieg Annalise Kristine Jonah Lefholtz Christian LesStrang Amy Levin Brittney Lynn Gail Lovinger Bob Luedtke Brittney Lynn Alba Makely Carol Malzahn Emily Marlow and Rob Brooks Margaret McDonald Joy Mix Kathy Mommsen Caroline Morrell Susan Murphy Carolyn C. Nelson Rodney and Joy Onusaitis Sioux Oshee George Osika Cheryl Perry Sonu Philipose Danielle Pontarelli Elliot and Rachael Gray Raff Gary Ristow Stephen Rose Lorra Rudman Stephen F. Salinger, DDS

Ruth Sang David Schafer Elaine Schafer Edward Severini Shireen Seif and Gary Moore Alexandria Simms Thomas Sinsky Ronnie Sokol Karen Sochacki Carole and Richard Spreitzer Teri Steinberg Brenda Strege Roberta Thomas Carole Tobin Kim Tobin Victoria Tobin Andrew Topus Edye Whitefield-Schwarz In-Kind Donors Aberdeen Tap Joey Africa Babydreams Barnaby's of Northbrook Liz and Michael Bearwald Somer Benson Bent Fork Bakery Boka Restaurant Group Ron Brix Carol's Cookies Jim Carroll Chicago Cubs Chicago Dogs Chicago Bears Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Botanic Garden Chicago White Sox Chicago Wolves Mitch Conti CorePower Yoga Country Kitchen Peter Monk Craig Jessica Deans Christy DePue Ray DeThorne Jill DiLara Julia and Matt Doherty Jim Doroba Enaz Jay and Alicia Farrell Field Museum Four Corners Restaurant

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Dave Flanbaum Gena Page Designs Goodies Chef Dillion Graham Chris Hain Heaven’s Door Whiskey Hidden Creek Aqua Park HP Tops Kevin Hughes Jill Alberts Jewelry Joffrey Ballet Keisha Jordan Sara Katz KitchenAid Koval Distillery Le Bouchon Le Sardine Lotus Nails Lou Malnati's Pizza Renee Mahoney Maze Home Store Michael McCutcheon Wolfgang McKeown Chris Mitchel

New Balance North Shore Norton's Paper Source, Highland Park John and Val Paro Cas Perez Perfect Blend Kenn Peterson Pinstripes Piven Theatre Workshop Old Irving Brewing Company Oliver Poilevey Danielle Pontarelli Danny Romano, Power Distributing RocknRags Trevor Rose-Hamblin Sagamore Distilleries Pat Shanley Glenn and Susan Snyder Piccolo Sogno Jeff and Karen Stelmach Steppenwolf Theatre Casey and Dennis Sulit Sunflower

Grace Sweeney Mark Swislow Sweet Ali's Gluten Free Bakery Tamales Mexican Restaurant Teddie Kossof Salon The Barbers The Claim Company The Pet Impressionist The Spice House The Stationary Station Tamales Taco Vida Terra & Vine Dallas Ann Tomlin Trattoria D.O.C. Donald and Carmella Tozzo Sonny Veneracion Viaggio Moshe Weitzberg Yogaview Chicago Yummy Bowl Turan Yon

We apologize for any errors or omissions that we may have inadvertently made.

Please notify us of any errors or omissions at info@aspiritech.org.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MANAGEMENT TEAM, ADVISORY BOARD, & STAFF 2021 Board of Directors Ester Stein, Board Chair Michael P. Duff, Board Vice Chair Alan Berkowitz, Treasurer Veronica Scotto, Secretary Vladimir Anastasov Ron Brix Janice Block Chaddock Vivek Chopra Kyle Cramer Maureen Dunne, PhD Roman Eisenberg Bud Glick Steven J. Henkels Rachelle Jervis Chopra Jerry Kane Rachel Loftin, PhD Ben Prozinski David Rappaport Katie Rosholt Beverly Shapiro, LCSW Moshe Weitzberg, PhD Brad Zelinger

2020 Board of Directors David Rappaport, Board Chair Ester Stein, Board Vice Chair, Secretary Alan Berkowitz, Treasurer Vlad Anastasov Ron Brix Janice Block Chaddock Vivek Chopra Daniel Contreras Kyle Cramer Michael P. Duff Maureen Dunne, PhD Roman Eisenberg Jay Farrell Bud Glick Steven J. Henkels Rachelle Jervis Chopra Jerry Kane Rachel Loftin, PhD Ben Prozinski Katie Rosholt Veronica Scotto Beverly Shapiro, LCSW Moshe Weitzberg, PhD Brad Zelinger

2020 Advisory Board Ed Asner Brian King, LCSW Bennett Leventhal, M.D. Dan Mayo Danielle Moushon Marc Noland Louise Pearson Keita Suzuki Hong Zhang, PhD ACE Fund Committee Alan Berkowitz, Co-Chair Beverly Shapiro, Co-Chair Teri Dudasik Michael P. Duff Joel Hurvitz Barbara Levine Lynette Newman Louise Pearson Perry Simms

STAFF (AS OF DECEMBER 2020) Management/Administration

Employment Support

Brenda Weitzberg, Executive Director Moshe Weitzberg, PhD, CEO Winston Tsao, CTO (2021) Ann B. Brownell, PhD, CTO (2020) Brad Cohen, CMO Joan Costello, Human Resources Director Michael Ashburne, QA Manager Donna Dungca, QA Manager Maxwell Huffman, QA Manager Tory Peña, QA Manager Julie Finerty, Finance Manager Reanin Stone, Manager of Employment Support Specialists Nancy Trudell, Board Liaison and Fundraising Coordinator

Christian Dorantes, Employment Support Specialist Bonny Goldin, LCSW, Employment Support Specialist Jennifer Goubeaud, Employment Support Specialist Robin Kacyn, Employment Support Specialist

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QA Leads Harvy Ackermans Faiza Alam Lauren Birnhak Stephen Braun Rachael Brusic Dariusz Koryzna Jason Lehmann Neah Nieto Doug Norton

Job Coaches

Nora Rose Samantha Sayre Eric States Ian Strahan Vincent Tonelli Brian Tozzo Kyle Verbeke Joe Vidal

Nick Barberis Alexander Bowers Nathan Dieck Robert (Bobby) Dowling Chris Horning Justin Jungst Brian Sundh

QA Analysts and Staff Sean Anderson Daniel Auerbach Brent Austin Mitchell Bandes Irojemi Banks Andrew Beckerman Daniel Belrose Aaron Berkowitz Jacob Bielski Michael Bjornson Jamari Briggs Annie Brinkman Joshua Buchhop Jared Bunzol Bradley Burton Paul Chancey Dustin Chiasson Christopher Coe John Colao John Collins Tim Collins John Cooley Zach Davidson Sam Diamond David Domeier Alexander Dudasik Robert Educate Richard Excell Aaron Fernando Jacob Foley Michael Frederick Patrick Gallehugh Isaac Gibson

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David Glass Joseph Goldberg Sebastian Haake Rider Hallenstein Matthew Hemauer Gail Henjum William Hickey Brent Hornig Brandon Johnson Tim Kim Jacob Klein Condre Koepfgen Nicholas Kurek Eric Lawson Jonah Lefholtz Katina Levin Alex Lopez Theodore Mazola Wolfgang McKeown Sarah Meehan Alicia Moore Tye Mortimer Ryan Murawski Jason Nelken Andrew Nelson Sam Newman Christopher Newton Jeremy Nixon Gage O'Laughlin Kyle O'Shields Julia Opalinski Jack Opiela

Nicholas Papageorge Casey Parker Anthony Pease Colin Piegore Patrick Piegore Aaron Pizarek Jason Polakoff Titus Quarles Paul Raasch Ian Race Matan Raff Colin Raiden-McRae Leah Rappaport Alaine Ross Jake Sapir Brandt Schafer Donald Schickel Nathan Schram Sheila Serota Troy Slager Alan Stahl Anna Suiter Alan Sun Grace Sweeney Jeffrey Therens Fernando Torre Matthew Turner Alec Van Der Karr Austin Van Der Karr Oran Weitzberg Maria Yunovich Eri Zamudio

Designer: Laurie Wurster Writer/Editor: Kelsey Schagemann

Aspiritech Corporate Headquarters 1893 Sheridan Road, Suite 103 Highland Park, IL 60035 Aspiritech Chicago Office 550 W. Van Buren St., Suite 330 Chicago, IL 60607 312-945-TEST (8378) info@aspiritech.org aspiritech.org