In the penultimate episode of this Season, titled "Directing the Spectrum", we're joined by Nathan Briggs, the Executive Director of Autism Society Greater Hudson Region (ASGHR). Nathan shares his inspiring origin story, which, despite not having a direct connection to autism, is deeply rooted by an individual in his early life. We dive into Nathan's vision for the organization by the end of the decade, aligning with the Autism Society's five core values, and discuss exciting opportunities for supporting autistic individuals in college and their transition into adulthood. Continuing our exploration of how autism is understood across cultures, we touch on the Gaelic and Scotch/Irish interpretations of the word "Autism." In our ADAM Project segment, we discuss the therapeutic impact of animals on autistic children and highlight organizations that provide therapy dogs. Finally, we embrace some chaotic neutral energy and showcase our limited edition podcast mugs—find out how you can get one of your own! Episode Chapters: 00:00 Intro - A Regal Man's North Star 07:21 The 6 Year Vision 11:08 Low Hanging Fruit 13:15 Autism in Gaelic 17:13 The ADAM Project - Effect of Pets 22:00 Hero of the Day - Thinking about Tony 23:24 The Wrap Up - Nathan Got Mugged!