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Autism Speaks company history timeline

2005

Its aggressive ad campaigns started in 2005, when The Today Show aired a week long series of ads highlighting autism research and treatment.

2006

Autism Speaks continues to raise funds from its Autism Walks, which it started from 2006.

2007

It was adopted on December 18th, 2007, and was passed and adopted without a vote in the UN General Assembly.

2008

In January 2008, child clinical psychologist Geraldine Dawson, PhD., became Autism Speaks' chief science officer.

The first World Autism Awareness Day took place on April 2nd, 2008.

Over a quarter of funds for 2008 was used on employee compensation.

Autism Speaks U launched in 2008, and they raise millions of dollars for both Autism Speaks U events and for collegiate teams at their Autism Speaks Walks.

2009

Alison Singer resigned from Autism Speaks in 2009 and went on to found the Autism Science Foundation.

Among Autism Speaks’ largest donors is one women’s fraternity at Knox College, in Galesburg, Illinois called, Alpha Xi Delta that has partnered with Autism Speaks in 2009 and raises over $1,000,000 a year for Autism Speaks, contributing over $10 million total and nearly $2 million last year alone.

2010

What Autism Speaks did invent, however, was the “Light it Up Blue” campaign starting in April of 2010.

2012

Simone Greggs, a mother with an autistic son, filed a lawsuit against Autism Speaks in 2012 after they rescinded her job offer.

2013

On November 11, 2013, Suzanne Wright released a call to action to the United States government titled, “Autism Speaks to Washington – A Call for Action,” asking America to “wake up to the autism crisis,” and “demand a national response” to autism.

2014

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network successfully advocated to change the name of the legislation to the Autism CARES Act in 2014.

2015

On May 1, 2015, Bob Wright resigned as chairman of the organization.

It wasn’t until 2015, ten years after the organization was founded, that Stephen Shore and Valerie Paradiz, two openly autistic people, were added to their board of directors, putting autistic people in positions of power for the very first time in the organization’s history.

2017

In 2017, Autism Speaks faced controversy when a white supremacist group called, Soldiers of Odin registered for one of their Autism Walks in Ontario, Canada, and Autism Speaks partnered with the group.

2018

In 2018, only one percent of Autism Speak’s budget actually went towards their family service grants to help autistic families.

In 2018, it took in over $60 million in funding.

2019

In July 2019, Autism Speaks made a poll asking, “Do you prefer person-first language or identity first language? Choose which you prefer then tell us hwy as well as your connection to autism in the comments.

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Founded
2005
Company founded
Headquarters
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Founders
Lily Kirchner,Bob Wright,Suzanne Wright
Company founders
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Autism Speaks competitors

Company nameFounded dateRevenueEmployee sizeJob openings
Autism Society of Indiana1992$5.1M125-
Organization for Autism Research2001$1.6M22-
Autism Society of America1965$2.4M2,013-
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Susan G. Komen1982$499,9992,01812
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African Parks2000$5.0M50-

Autism Speaks history FAQs

Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Autism Speaks, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Autism Speaks. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Autism Speaks. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Autism Speaks. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Autism Speaks and its employees or that of Zippia.

Autism Speaks may also be known as or be related to Autism Speaks, Autism Speaks Inc and Autism Speaks, Inc.