First Place: Independent Living for the Neurodivergent, with Denise D. Resnik | EDB 349

Denise D. Resnik shares how First Place AZ has created a new paradigm for IDD independent living. Denise is the founder and president/CEO of First Place AZ (established in 2012), co-founder of Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC, established in 1997), and founder and CEO of DRA Collective, a marketing/communications firm (established in 1986) that serves clients in a variety of fields, including real estate, economic development, healthcare, education and hospitality. Denise serves as a member of Arizona State University Foundation Board and Watts College Dean’s Council, the Creighton University Presidential Health Sciences Phoenix Advisory Board and The Precisionists, Inc. Advisory Board. Former leadership positions include the Autism Society Marketing Task Force, Autism Speaks Housing Committee, Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism Leadership Council, National Association of Residential Providers for Adults with Autism and the National Autism Transition Research Network Advisory Panel. She has also served as a federally appointed member of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee of the National Institutes of Health. Denise has received numerous local and national honors for her civic contributions and business accomplishments. She graduated cum laude from ASU, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Her adult son Matt, who has autism, and others with disabilities inspire her work. For more about Denise’s work: https://firstplaceaz.org/ https://firstplaceglobal.org/ Follow Different Brains on social media: https://twitter.com/diffbrains https://www.facebook.com/different.brains/ https://www.instagram.com/diffbrains/ Check out more episodes of Exploring Different Brains! http://differentbrains.org/category/edb/