K3: Find What You Are Not Looking For

Every transformative journey begins with a deeply personal story.

In this keynote, Jose Velasco will share how raising autistic children fundamentally changed the course of his life and career. What began as a father’s search for understanding became a mission to create opportunities for autistic individuals and the families who support them.

That mission led Jose to pioneer and scale the SAP Autism at Work program, demonstrating that when organizations recognize neurodiversity as a source of talent and innovation, they create better workplaces for everyone. Along the way, he learned that meaningful belonging requires more than employment; it requires removing barriers across every stage of life.

Today, as Chief Digital and Information Officer of the Autism Society of America, Jose is leading One Constellation, an ambitious digital transformation strategy designed to connect individuals, families, professionals, and local affiliates through a unified ecosystem of knowledge, community, support, and services. Rather than asking people to navigate a fragmented system, One Constellation seeks to ensure that no one travels the autism journey alone.

Participants will leave inspired to think differently about belonging—not as a program or initiative, but as a lifelong commitment to building systems that help every person thrive.

Learning Outcomes:

Describe how personal experiences and lived perspectives can shape meaningful approaches to autism advocacy, inclusion, and belonging.

Identify strategies organizations can use to recognize neurodiversity as a source of talent, innovation, and value while reducing barriers to meaningful employment and participation.

Explore how technology, digital transformation, and connected systems can improve access to information, resources, community, and support across the lifelong autism journey.

Speakers