From Eric Kissinger, Board President, ASGW Board of Directors
Dear Autism Society of Greater Wisconsin Families, Members, and Partners:
It gives me both pause and pride to announce that Kirsten Cooper, our Executive Director of over ten years has decided to resign and accept a larger role with the Autism Society of America. Kirsten has played a critical role in growing our organization. A list of all her accomplishments would be too long but I’d like to recognize her overseeing a transition in service area, supporting local chapters and community groups, securing several grants to provide services like respite care nights and routine vaccination clinics, and adapting services and educational and support offerings to be virtual in the pandemic.
Over the next few weeks we will be conducting a search to find the next Executive Director. During this period our priority is to find the best individual to lead the dedicated staff and maintain a stable and effective Autism Society.
Thank you Kirsten for your dedication to this organization and the families and individuals your work has touched across Wisconsin.
Eric Kissinger, Board President, ASGW Board of Directors
From Kirsten Cooper, Executive Director, ASGW
It has been an honor to work collaboratively with so many who are all dedicated to creating connections, empowering everyone in the Autism community with the resources needed to live fully in Greater Wisconsin. I have cherished every connection and am extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished at the Autism Society of Greater Wisconsin over the last decade.
In the last 12 years, we have more than doubled our reach and impact across Greater Wisconsin. With your support, our organization has added countless programs to serve the needs of the community and continue working towards a world where everyone in the Autism community is connected to the support they need, when they need it.
Please accept my deepest gratitude to all who have been so supportive these past 12 years. It’s because of you the Autism Society of Greater Wisconsin is positioned to make 2024 its most impactful year yet.
The Autism Society of Greater Wisconsin has an incredibly talented and dedicated staff that will continue to deliver meaningful programming during this transition. We are all working together to ensure that the community will receive uninterrupted, quality support as the Board of Directors identifies the next Executive Director. I am committed to doing everything I can to facilitate a smooth and successful transition to the next leader of this organization.
My next adventure will not take me far from the Autism Society of Greater Wisconsin. I have accepted a role at the Autism Society of America as the Director of Education & Training. I’m excited for this new opportunity to continue serving the Autism community by focusing on the development and growth of the Autism Society’s training programs nationwide.
Thank you for a wonderful and transformative 12 years. I look forward to cheering on and supporting the Autism Society of Greater Wisconsin to achieve great things with new leadership throughout the next 12 and beyond.
With gratitude,
