Aaron Likens Media Kit

AARON LIKENS AUTHOR AWARD WINNING AUTISM AMBASSADOR

SPEAKER

MEET AARON Aaron Likens—an accomplished public speaker, published author, avid blogger and remarkable individual—was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, at age 20. Now in his 30’s and a recipient of the prestigious Mental Health Champion award given by the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Aaron spends his time educating people of all ages about autism and sharing with the world how the autism mind works through his position as Easter Seals Midwest’s Autism Ambassador.

Having been diagnosed later in life, Aaron is committed to advocating for early-intervention autism services and to helping students, educators, parents, school administrators, community groups first responders and others better understand autism—how it feels, how individuals with autism face unique issues and challenges, and how to interact effectively with someone with autism.

BOOK NOW | 314-394-7078 | friends@esmw.org

SHARING EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION Since 2009, more than 50,000 students, educators, parents, school administrators, community groups, first responders and others have heard Aaron Likens speak about autism. As diagnosis rates continue to rise—now, 1 in 68 children in the United States have autism—it is increasingly important to build awareness and understanding in our communities about autism and what it feels like to have autism.

Because Aaron is able to share his personal experiences from the point of view of an individual with autism, his impactful, touching presentations offer incredible insight.

A captivating speaker, who has given hundreds of talks all over the country, Aaron also was named a Mental Health Champion in 2012 by the Missouri Department of Mental Health, along with receiving numerous other accolades.

Through Aaron's autism-specific community outreach and education efforts, he is increasing autism literacy for individuals and families, and the community care providers who support them. By educating those who are in a position to first notice autism symptoms and make referrals for a diagnosis, he is helping children with autism receive the timely, intensive treatment that is proven to improve their language and behavior development, now and in the future.

SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES Conferences Trainings Workshops Presentations Presentations to Schools Because information about autism is desperately lacking in middle and high schools (especially in the more rural communities), Aaron frequently presents to teachers, administrators and sixth- to-twelfth-grade students.

The cost for Aaron to speak to these groups often is free or moderately priced to accommodate Aaron’s travel expenses.

Easter Seals Midwest also provides educational materials to leave with the schools to ensure that future classes and teachers also benefit from the training.

Trainings for Law Enforcement Officers & First Responders “Aaron has helped train more than 4,000 law enforcement officers in St. Louis City, and St. Louis, St. Charles, Lincoln, Warren, Jefferson and Franklin Counties. Aaron’s commitment to training law enforcement officers has an immeasurable impact on the community. Prior to the Crisis Intervention Team program, law enforcement was not equipped with the proper training to respond to someone in a state of mental health crisis, and this often resulted in negative consequences. With Aaron’s help, we are able to help members of the community that are in a mental health crisis and have a positive impact on their lives.”

– Sergeant Jeremy Romo, Coordinator, Crisis Intervention Team of Greater St. Louis.

Aaron has presented to more than 50,000 people, including: Ameren Missouri

Missouri Department of Conservation

Boys and Girls Club of the Ozarks

Southeast Regional Office

Concordia Theological Seminary

Missouri History Museum

Concordia University, Irvine

Missouri Valley College

Delta Center

Missouri Youth Leadership Forum

Eminence High School

Morgan County Library

Family Court of St. Louis County

Park Hill School District

Fort Leonard Wood

Parkway Middle School

Fox School District

POST Training Academy

Gateway Center for Performing Arts

Regional Arts Commission

Greene County Juvenile Court

Rotary Club of Vancouver Arbutus

Joplin Middle School

St. Louis Community College-Meramec

Kirksville Regional Center

St. Luke’s Hospital

Lebanon-Laclede County Library

Ste. Genevieve Police Department

Lutheran Church-Missouri

Seckman Middle School

Synod International Center

Southwest Behavior Conference Texas

Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri

Pacific Southwest Lutheran

Synod Early Education Conference

Educators Conference

Van Buren High School

Mercy Hospital Mineral Area College

EXERPTS FROM AARON’S BOOK, FINDING KANSAS “Some people who know me and know that I have Asperger’s think that there’s nothing wrong with me.

These people, however, only see me in certain situations and have no idea how paralyzed I can be in some situations. This can be very aggravating because I know something isn’t perfect with me; but when I hear such remarks as, ‘Oh, you’re fine,’ or ‘I can’t see how you have [Asperger syndrome] at all, it really bothers me.”

“To make a good example, let’s say a person is paralyzed. However,for reasons unknown, this person is perfectly fine any time they are in the state of Kansas. If you saw this person while in Kansas, you’d flat-out tell them, ‘Hey, you’re not paralyzed!’ At the time, this comment would be true; but to the person, they know that the second they leave the state, they are paralyzed again.

“Now this person, knowing the magic of Kansas, would probably sell his home in whatever state he’s in and move to Kansas, so he would not be paralyzed."

To purchase Finding Kansas or for more information, visit

findingkansas.com

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT AARON “Aaron Likens may be the most courageous, intelligent and tenacious young man I have met in my long tenure in the mental health field. He is fiercely determined to better understand himself and the world around him, and he does us the great favor of sharing his journey of self-discovery, so profoundly touched by Asperger syndrome. It is a condition that, before Aaron, has led us to assume that emotional insight and personal self-disclosure may not be possible. We have much to learn from Aaron, and as he teaches us, our admiration, understanding and respect for this brave young man, and all others affected by [autism], will grow.”

— Keith Schafer, Ed.D. Director, Missouri Department of Mental Health “I learned more in an hour from Aaron’s presentation than I’ve ever learned from any class or textbook on the topic of autism.” — College Student “Aaron’s open self-examination and raw emotion really struck a chord with me.

I’ve only recently begun to learn about Asperger syndrome and notice its effect on my life and those around me, and his story has helped me be more aware, understanding and adaptive to others whose social behaviors, anxiety and priorities differ from my own.” — Teacher “Aaron was great! He is an intelligent presenter who speaks from his heart. I have been involved in CIT [Crisis Intervention Team] for several years and have listened to many speakers talking about developmental disabilities and mental illness. Aaron is the best. After the class, I really felt I had a better grasp on understanding autism.

He is entertaining and gets his point across. I have been to a lot of trainings in my 37-year career, and Aaron is one of the best speakers I have heard. Thank you for allowing us to use Aaron for this training.” — Sergeant Barry Armfield, St. Louis-Area Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator, St. Louis County Police Department “I gained a good understanding and appreciation for why a person with Asperger syndrome follows the rules and why social interaction can be so challenging with all the changing rules. Very enjoyable presentation! Outstanding!” — Parent “I cannot express enough our gratitude to Aaron for speaking at our symposium. The feedback that I have received supports his incredible gift to the audience with his personal reflection. He is truly a gift to the field, and we would love to be able to call on him to assist us in the future. His generosity in doing this lecture without cost is another reflection of what a fine young man Aaron is.”

Dr. Terrie Inder, Director of Washington University Neonatal Development Research

Check out Aaron’s Blog lifeontheothersideofthewall.blogspot.com Find Aaron on Social Media

Schedule Aaron to Speak to Your Group—It’s Easy!

Call Easter Seals Midwest at 314-394-7078 with your requested presentation date, time and location in Missouri, Illinois or Kansas.

Please allow as much advance notice as possible to increase your chances of getting the date you want. Typically, two to three weeks’ notice is enough lead time.

Aaron’s presentation costs are $85 per hour, plus travel time and mileage. He typically speaks for 90 minutes— accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation—and then offers a Q&A session; however, he can tailor the timing a bit as needed. When speaking to students, he shortens the presentation to about 30 minutes and does not use PowerPoint.

We do not charge schools when Aaron is presenting to students regarding autism awareness, nor do we charge law enforcement officers.