Autism Unplugged: Board of Directors

Dr. Amanda Johns is passionate about helping others.  Amanda founded Autism Unplugged because she saw a gap in programs, support, and services for Autistic teens and young adults. Programming tends to focus on younger kids, parents of Autistic kids, or "fixing" and changing the autistic individual. 

Amanda is late diagnosed AuDHD (Autistic and ADHD) and understands how difficult it can be for the younger age groups to find support and build positive relationships. When you struggle socially, and the expectations and "rules" of society are constantly changing, it is even harder. Amanda is hopeful that this program will succeed and become something even bigger than ever imagined.

Amanda is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, has her Doctor of Social Work and owns her own private practice, Heart of Therapy, in Bucks County PA. 

Harold Johns grew up during a time when kids, teens, and young adults didn't get diagnosed with Autism. Harold was diagnosed with Autism at 35 years old (at the same time as his son). The diagnosis answered a lot of questions and helped him to understand himself better.  

Harold knows what it is like to feel like you don't fit in but to not understand why. As a teen and young adult, he struggled talking to new people, fitting in, and with figuring out the rules of dating. He believes that if he had been involved in a program like this as a teen and young adult, that he may not have struggled as much as he did.

Harold's interests in mathematics, computers, and technology led him to NJIT where he got his degree in Computer Science. Being able to focus on his interests with like-minded people gave him confidence. He joined the college varsity volleyball team and fell in love with the sport. He loves farming, Legos, D&D and video games.

Harold is an IT Director of Strategy Portfolio and Operations for Johnson and Johnson Innovative Medicine. He has worked at Johnson and Johnson for over 30 years. He is active in the local Volleyball community and was a volleyball coach within various organizations for 6 years. Harold is a resident of Bucks County, PA.

Tracy Barry Gillespie is passionate about helping autistic teens understand who they are and who they can become. She was a special education teacher who worked with middle school students for over 25 years. 

Tracy educates and supports autistic students and those diagnosed with learning disabilities and emotional disorders. She is a passionate leader who doesn't want society's decisions about diagnosis to limit a persons abilities or future.

Tracy loves helping others to understand their feelings and emotions. Tracy is intentional in integrating relationship-building skills into her work with students. Tracy’s goal is for those she works with to gain strength in self-advocacy. 

Ultimately, Tracy's dream is to reach the point where society's expectations do not dictate the worth, value, or ability of autistic individuals and where autistic people are understood and accepted for who they are. She believes that Autism Unplugged will help make her dream come true.