1000 Hours Biographies
Dr James Morton
Dr James Morton is the father of 3 children including 9 year old Andrew, diagnosed with autism in 2001 at the age of 2. Not one to waste time on despair, they sought the best possible educational program that would eventually lead to him attending a mainstream school.
As Andrew’s communication improved, his anxiety and frustration diminished and his behaviour and social skills improved. Life for Andrew and the family started moving steadily back to normal activities. However, in 2003, the early intervention centre was closed. Dissatisfied with the fact that Andrew and thousands of children like him, had no opportunity to attend an early intervention facility that was dedicated solely to children with Autism they decided to start their own.
In November 2003, James and Louise, together with Andrew's Educational Therapist Rebecca Allen, started AEIOU (Autism Early Intervention Outcomes Unit). In February 2005, the first AEIOU centre was opened in Moorooka, Queensland. The centre is dedicated solely to an intensive early intervention learning program for children aged 2-5 years, delivered within the framework of long stay childcare. AEIOU operates 5 such centres around Queensland with more than 100 children enrolled. AEIOU is currently building its 6th centre at Griffith University in Brisbane.
By providing Queensland children with access to early intervention therapy at AEIOU, The Morton’s goal is that all children can reach their full potential. James is currently a senior staff specialist in the Leukaemia and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Royal Brisbane Hospital, and a Director of Haematology Oncology Clinics of Australia. He was formerly a member of the Board of the Leukaemia Foundation of Queensland, creating and instigating the World’s Greatest Shave for a Cure.
Nicole Rogerson
Nicole Rogerson is the Managing Director of the Lizard Centre, in Chatswood, Sydney. Nicole left a promising career in Marketing and Public Relations in 1999 when her son Jack was diagnosed with autism at age3 . Since that time, Nicole has devoted herself to providing Jack with the best possible intervention programs.
This lead her to renowned Speech Pathologist and Behavioural Clinician Elizabeth Watson and together they established the Lizard Children’s Centre, aimed at providing an evidence-based intensive early intervention program not only for Jack, but for the other many other children who would follow him. Today, the Lizard Centre has provided quality effective services for hundreds of children, attracting national and international recognition as a Centre of excellence.
Nicole is a frequent public speaker on ASD and has been instrumental in raising public awareness of Autism across Australia in the public and political arenas. She sat on the Federal Government’s Autism Advisory Board prior to the introduction of the Helping Children with Autism funding package, and continues to push for better access to evidence-based intensive early intervention programs for children with autism.
Seana Smith
Seana Smith studied Classics and English at Oxford University before working as a TV researcher and producer for the BBC and Channel 9. She is the author of "Sydney For Under Fives." Seana lives in Sydney with her husband and four children, the eldest of whom is now 12 and has a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
In response to her experience and in order to provide a resource for other families who find themselves struggling with autism, Seana joined forces with medical writer Benison O’Reilly to produce "the Australian Autism Handbook" released in 2008.
Seana is also a well known presenter on autism matters and is committed to providing information and support to families affected by autism.
Benison O’Reilly
Benison O'Reilly has university degrees in Pharmacy and Commerce and works as a medical writer with a special interest in evidence-based medicine. She lives in Sydney with her husband and three sons. In 2004 her youngest son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and she began using her professional expertise to investigate the most effective treatment options for ASD.
In 2007, Benison was approached by Seana Smith to co-write the book they wished they’d had when their boys were diagnosed: science-based but also parent-friendly and personal. The 'Australian Autism Handbook' (Jane Curry Publishing, 2008) is the result.
With her own son, now aged eight, Benison witnessed first-hand the transformative power of intensive early intervention and believes all young Australian children with an ASD deserve nothing less.
