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Frist Center for Autism and Innovation

Recording Available for FCAI June Webinar

Posted by on Tuesday, July 4, 2023 in FCAI News.

On June 29, 2023, the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation monthly webinar series partnered with virtual reality company Floreo to discuss Workforce Skill Development and Virtual Reality.

The panel was moderated by FCAI project coordinator Jessica Schonhut-Stasik and included four panelists (see bios below). We hope you enjoy this engaging conversation from these enthusiastic experts in the fields of virtual reality, education, and neurodiversity.

Watch the webinar below or at our YouTube, where you can also find all our previous FCAI webinars.

Panelists Bios: 

  • Vijay Ravindran is the founder and CEO of Floreo, which is a Virtual Reality company specializing in virtual therapy and skills training. Vijay started his career as an engineer at Amazon when it was still purely a retail market. He then chose to move into impact-oriented leadership opportunities and has worked on such projects as building voter technology. He was inspired to start Floreo after his experience as the father of an autistic son.
  • Jade Pridgeon, Self-Directed Supervisor and Lead Family Consultant at Changing the Lives of Children with Autism, a Maryland-based service provider offering children and young adults personalized family counseling, intensive individual support services, respite care, adult life planning, self-directed services, and therapeutic integrations. Jade has a duel undergraduate degree in elementary/special education from Washington Adventist University and a master’s in curriculum and instruction from Walden University. Her previous work includes being a para educator and special education classroom teacher. She has been honored with the Outstanding Educator Award by the Montgomery County Council and serves as a liaison for Floreo.
  • Harold Sloves, an Innovation Consultant for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Systems and Networks. His expertise include bringing innovation to people and the market, marketing and new business development, management and leadership of complex human services organizations, developmental and intellectual disabilities and adult and adolescent mental health. Keivan Stassun is the founder and director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation.
  • Keivan Stassun is a professor of astronomy at Vanderbilt University, and holds many other titles and honors, this year alone being elected to the National Science Board by President Biden, and being elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Like Vijay, he entered the world of neurodiversity through his son.