Think Autism Sydney Conference & Community Workshops

Think Autism – Sydney Conference 2025

Saturday 31 May 2025
10:00am – 5:30pm
Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, UTS Business School
University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

Unapologetically Autistic – Empowerment | Visibility | Justice

The Think Autism – Sydney Conference is a one-day, in-person event created by and for Autistic people. This national gathering brings together Autistic leaders, professionals, creators, researchers, and advocates to centre unapologetic identity, economic self-determination, Autistic entrepreneurship, neuroaffirming design, and community-led change.

This flagship event forms part of the Think Autism program, with all panels filmed and photographed for digital release on Autistic Pride Day – 18 June 2025.

What to Expect

• High-impact keynote panels and expert-led discussions

• Practical workshops designed with Autistic participants in mind

• Authentic conversations grounded in lived and professional experience

• Low-pressure networking and community connection

• A fully accessible, sensory-considerate venue

Conference Program

10:00 AM – OPENING KEYNOTE PANEL

Unapologetically Autistic: Leadership, Visibility and Voice
Hosted by: Kyriakos Gold (Just Gold)
Speakers: Dr Sharon Zivkovic (Community Capacity Builders), Rebecca McCash (FutureTech), Christina Chun

• Autistic leaders speak candidly about visibility and representation

• Showing up without apology in spaces not built for us

• What will the National Autism Strategy change?

• How will Autistic people hold it to account?

10:45 AM – BREAK (15 mins)

11:00 AM – FEATURE PANEL

Autistic Entrepreneurship: Disrupting the System
Hosted by: Kyriakos Gold
Speakers: Dr Sharon Zivkovic, Rebecca McCash, Christina Chun, Zoe Aimee-May Atterbury (Bloom Cycle)

• How Autistic-led businesses are redefining leadership and accessibility

• Disrupting traditional ways of working across sectors

11:45 AM – FEATURE PANEL

Neurodivergent Health Practitioners: Rethinking Care, Reclaiming Practice
Hosted by: Dr Naomi Malone
Speakers: Georgia Zentrich (The ADHD Educator), Mishma Kumar-Jonson (The Iceberg Foundation) and more

• Neurodivergent health professionals share how they’re designing care differently

• Lived experience at the centre of health and wellbeing models

12:30 PM – COMMUNITY LUNCH + QUIET ROOM ACTIVATION

• Choose to connect, recharge or explore creative activations

• Structured, low-pressure spaces

• Sensory-friendly environment

WORKSHOPS (run at the same time as Panels – choose your session)

1:15 PM – WORKSHOP A

Thriving Without Apology
Presented by:  Rebecca McCash

• Peer-led mental health session

• Boundaries, burnout and building a life without masking

2:15 PM – WORKSHOP B

Intentional Sharing of Lived and Living Experience
Presented by: Natasha Siryj

• Professional development for sharing your story

• Safe and intentional approaches to lived experience storytelling

3:15 PM – WORKSHOP C

Uniting parents and teachers for neurodivergent youth
Presented by: Dr Siobhan Lamb

• Bridging the gap between home and school

  Aligning parents, teachers & health providers

  Supporting young people to succeed on their own terms

  Ensuring consistency of care across systems
  

1:30 PM – PANEL (run at the same time as Workshops – choose your session)

Neuroaffirming Systems: Designed by Us, for Us
Hosted by: Anita Aherne (Living on the Spectrum)
Speakers: Holly Fowler (Wable), Natasha Siryj (Practice Inclusion), Kate Lambridis (Human Health) and Laura Simmons (Theratrak).

• Autistic professionals showcase innovation in:

  • Education

  • Tech

  • Service design

2:15 PM – BREAK (15 mins)

2:30 PM – PANEL

Telling Our Stories: Autism in the Media
Hosted by: Kyriakos Gold
Speakers: Michael Theo , Heather Ridge and more

• Who controls Autistic narratives?

• Media power, storytelling ethics and Autistic creators

3:15 PM – BREAK (15 mins)

3:30 PM – PANEL

Community Is the Cure: Belonging Beyond the System
Hosted by: Anita Aherne 
Speakers: Dwayne Fernandes (Minds at Play), Georgia Zentrich, Quinn Jones, Andrea Comastri (Hotel Etico) and Téa Rundback 

• Peer support, grassroots organising, and community care

• How Autistic people support one another when formal systems fail

4:15 PM – FILMED Q&A

Think Autism: The Future We Choose
Hosted by: Kyriakos Gold
Open to all speakers and participants

• Live and interactive

• You can ask questions, share reflections or simply observe

• Camera-optional seating available

5:00 PM – CLOSING REMARKS

6:00 PM – COMMUNITY DRINKS (VENUE TBA)

• Wind down with music, mocktails and informal connection

• A soft landing to end the day

Access and Inclusion

We are committed to making this Conference as accessible and comfortable as possible.

• Quiet rooms and sensory maps throughout the venue

• Camera-optional seating in all sessions

• Low-scent policy and physically accessible venue

• Neuroaffirming facilitators and program design

Presented by

Just Gold
The Aurum Foundation

In Partnership With

City of Sydney
University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

In Collaboration With

• Australian Institute of Diversity in Mental Health

• Centre for Autistic Entrepreneurship

• Community Capacity Builders

• Invictus Health

• FutureTech

• Living on the Spectrum

• Myriad Global

Digital Release

All sessions will be filmed and professionally photographed. Edited recordings will be distributed online for Autistic Pride Day – 18 June 2025, extending the reach of the Conference nationwide and globally.

Attending via NDIS - What You Need to Know

Participants with NDIS plans may be able to attend the Think Autism – Sydney Conference using funding from the following categories:

• Capacity Building – Daily Living (e.g. self-advocacy, emotional regulation, peer-led support)

• Increased Social and Community Participation (e.g. attending inclusive events, skill-building through workshops)

• Improved Relationships (e.g. safe networking, building peer and professional connections)

• Finding and Keeping a Job (e.g. professional development, entrepreneurship, neurodivergent leadership)

Please note, we do not guarantee that this event will be covered under your NDIS plan. We recommend speaking with your Support Coordinator, Plan Manager, or LAC to confirm whether your plan goals align with the program. If you're unsure, we encourage you to book under Community Access, where free ticket options are available.

Need a support letter to assist with your claim?
Email us by using the contact host button below and we’ll provide a downloadable PDF summarising the program and access features.