Introducing Our Presenters


Alex Nickels and Tara Anne Noftle	Cheryl Fisher

Workshop Presenters

Cheryl Fisher

Cheryl has been presenting workshops on autism and inclusion in the United States and Canada for over fifteen years. She is the Director of Ladybird Crossing, LLC. Her former positions include founder and president of the Idaho Autism Association, director of Idaho Parents Unlimited (the Federal Parent Training Center of Idaho), member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, Board of Directors of Independent Living Services, and an elementary education teacher.

Cheryl has been intricately involved in the design of Alex’s program throughout his school years and in the community since graduation. She is dedicated to the proposition that regular education programs can be modified and adapted in ways that will enable students with a wide spectrum of abilities to function successfully in typical classroom settings and share academic experiences and social activities with their peers. She believes that such placements greatly enhance the possibility of full community lives for children with disabilities as they grow into adults. In 1989 Cheryl was named Outstanding Parent of the Year by Idaho Parents Unlimited and she is the recipient of the 1991 TASH National Distinguished Parent Award. (TASH is the internationally known and respected association of people with disabilities, their family members and other advocates and professionals advocating for a society in which inclusion of all people in all aspects of society is the norm.)

Cheryl's work has been published in:

*Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions - "PBS" Spelled "Friends"
Vol. 6, No. 3, Summer 2004, pp. 178-187
Published by PRO-ED

*Positive Behavioral Support - Including People With Difficult Behavior In The
    Community - Chapter 6 "A Gift from Alex - The Art of Belonging" pp. 123-144
    Edited by Koegel, Koegel, & Dunlap
    Published by Paul H. Brooks Publishing Company, 1996

*Pivotal Response Treatments for Autism - Chapter 3 "Interventions in General
Education Classrooms" - pp. 53-79
Edited by Koegel & Koegel
Published by Paul H. Brooks Publishing Company, 2006

Alex Nickels

As an adult, Alex faces moderately severe challenges of autism. While expected by many to need out of home institutional placement by the age of ten to twelve years of age, Alex found solutions to his challenges in general education classroom placements throughout his school years where the basic principles of partial participation and positive behavior supports were applied. In 1998, Alex graduated from Jerome High School in Idaho to a standing ovation from his senior class friends. Today Alex lives in his own apartment with the assistance of a community support program. He is learning to care for himself and his apartment and participate in ordinary personal and community activities. He works part time at St. Luke's Magic Valley Regional Medical Center in the Volunteer Auxiliary. In his own unique way, Alex presents the story of his life in the community to conference participants and school students around the United States. In spite of the challenges of autism, Alex lives a happy, fulfilling, and contributing life in the community. He earns the respect and love of those whose lives he touches. He teaches us all the value of diversity and the pride and power of belonging.

Tara Anne Noftle

Tara is a Therapy Technician and Community Coach with Positive Connections, a service provider company in Twin Falls, Idaho. Tara brought her exceptional insight and experience into the life of Alex Nickels shortly after his graduation from high school. Under her sensitive and wise direction, Alex made the transition from school and home life with his family to living in an apartment of his own in the community. Tara designed and developed a work opportunity where Alex has become a well-known and respected member of the team among his co-workers at the Regional Medical Center. Today Tara provides thirty hours a week of community support under a state Medicaid program to assist Alex in his home, community, and at his work. Tara outlines the programs and methods she has used to build Alex's adult community program.