Jenna Gensic
Freelance writer/editor and manager of learnfromautistics.com.
Education
May 2011 Master of Arts in English Indiana University, South Bend, IN
May 2005 Bachelor of Arts in English St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN
May 2005 Secondary Education Certificate St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN
Honors and Distinctions
2010 & 2013 Listener Commentary Radio Essays, South Bend NPR WVPE 88.1
2011 Wolfson Writing Award Indiana University, South Bend, IN Nonfiction First Place
2010 Wolfson Writing Award Indiana University, South Bend, IN Nonfiction Second Place
2009 Wolfson Writing Award Indiana University, South Bend, IN Nonfiction Honorable Mention
2005 Advanced Composition Award St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN
2005 English Department Award St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN
Speaking Experience
2022 & 2023 Presentations to Exceptional Education classes at St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN
2021 Diversity With Dignity Global Roundtable: The Importance of Accessing Autistic Expertise
2021 Bartholomew County Library Presentation: Neurodiversity 101: Tips for promoting autism acceptance and raising more confident and capable Autistic children
2020 IUSB Presentation to SLP students
2019 Keynote Gravens Conference on the Environment of Care for High Risk Newborns
2019 Presentations to staff at Beacon Children’s Hospital NICU, South Bend
2011 NICU Parent Panel Participant, Beacon Children’s Hospital, South Bend
2009 March of Dimes South Bend Mom of the Year Presentation
2008 March of Dimes South Bend Ambassador Family Presentation
Teaching Experience
2019-2021 High School Writing Tutor
2010-2013 Middle School Writing Tutor
2005-2010 High School English Teacher of Lit. and Comp. English 10, American Lit., British Lit., Speech, Great Books Shared Inquiry
Writing/Other Work Experience
2015-present Creator and manager of learnfromautistics.com, a website connecting parents and caregivers with voices and expertise from the autistic community. I regularly interview individuals on the spectrum that are published on this website and write autism-related blog posts based on autistic expertise. I also have a Twitter and FB account devoted to supporting this mission.
2012-present SEO freelance writing, web articles, social media, website design, webpage copywriting, project management
2012 ND Doctoral Dissertation Editing
Publications
2021 [Under contract with Jessica Kingsley Publishers] The #ActuallyAutistic Guide to Advocacy: Step-by-step advice on how to ally and speak up with Autistic people and the autism community
2019 What Your Child on the Spectrum Really Needs: Advice From 12 Autistic Adults (Autism Asperger’s Publishing Company)
2019 Parent Reflections From the NICU: A Guidebook for NICU Staff (Beacon Children’s Hospital, South Bend, IN)
2013 “At Least We’re Going To Be Okay” Courier (St. Mary’s College Alumnae Magazine)
2013 But I Did Everything Right (self-published collection of personal essays)
2012 “That Other Family” Currents (IUSB Literary Journal) personal essay contribution
2011 WomensMemoirs.com May Memoir Contest Winner
2011 The H.A.V.E.N. Newsletter story contribution
2008 Ronald McDonald House Charities Newsletter story contribution
*See additional web-published samples in the Work Samples tab.