Mental Health Panel 4: What Happens When Autistic People Lead: Safety, Mental Health and Systems Change Through Peer-Led Advocacy
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What Happens When Autistic People Lead: Safety, Mental Health and Systems Change Through Peer-Led Advocacy
Moderator: Sujata Patel, MD
Objectives:
- Discover how peer-designed, neuro-affirming resources—developed by and for autistic girls, women and gender-diverse individuals—can transform traditional approaches to mental health and safety.
- Explore how autistic-led leadership and community-driven models can catalyse meaningful systems change in schools, mental health services, and policy.
Recognise the urgent need to identify and support internalised, high-masking presentations of autism—and gain practical strategies to shift from a deficit-based model to a strengths-based, inclusive lens.
Katie Koullas, CEO and Founder of Yellow Ladybugs
Katie Koullas is a neurodivergent leader, advocate, and changemaker who founded Yellow Ladybugs—an autistic-led organisation committed to building a more inclusive world for autistic girls, women, and gender-diverse individuals. As an autistic woman and parent, Katie is deeply driven by lived experience and a fierce commitment to challenging outdated narratives about autism. Through education, events, and advocacy, she amplifies voices that are too often ignored or misunderstood, particularly those navigating internalised and hidden autistic experiences. Under her leadership, Yellow Ladybugs has become a leading force in neuro-affirming education, offering training, community programmes, and an annual national conference that blends lived and professional perspectives. Katie also provides strategic policy advice through government advisory boards to drive systemic change and ensure lived experience shapes reform. Katie’s work bridges the gap between research and real life, always centring dignity, autonomy, and belonging. She is passionate about creating safer systems—from classrooms to clinical spaces—that understand and support autistic needs without forcing compliance or masking. Katie is known for her bold, values-driven advocacy, her ability to communicate complex concepts with clarity, and her unwavering belief that inclusion must be co-designed with those it impacts most.
Maisie Soetantyo, MEd, Yellow Ladybugs
Maisie Soetantyo is a late-diagnosed, openly autistic curriculum designer, inclusivity trainer, and customized employment specialist. She is the Founder of Guiding Extraordinary Minds (GEM) and Autism Career Pathways (ACP), a nonprofit dedicated to advancing neurodiversity-affirming practices across communities and workplaces. With a strong foundation in both professional and personal lived experiences, Maisie empowers parents, educators, service providers, and employers to better understand and support autistic and neurodivergent individuals. The courses she designs aim to shift people's mindset, promote dignity, self-determination, and inclusive best practices. Through GEM, Maisie amplifies neurodivergent-created resources that support autistic people of all ages and their support teams. Through ACP, she works to break down barriers to employment by helping businesses become more inclusive, accessible, and neurodivergent-friendly.
Marni Kammersell, MA, Yellow Ladybugs
Marni Kammersell is a late-identified Autistic researcher, writer, and consultant who supports families in creating neuro-affirming learning environments. Her doctoral research focuses on family resilience and how autonomy-supportive environments foster growth and well-being. With over 15 years of experience in alternative education, Marni draws on both research and lived experience to support neurodivergent youth and their families. Learn more at wanderingbrightly.com.