Nancy D. Wiseman

Since 1999, Nancy D. Wiseman has made a significant contribution to changing policy, improving awareness, and changing pediatric practice in how we screen, refer, and detect young children today. As the founder and president of First Signs, a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate professionals and parents about the early warning signs of autism and related disorders, Nancy is dedicating her life to improving the lives of children and families affected by developmental disorders. Before devoting herself to First Signs, Nancy worked in corporate communications for over 20 years. She counsels parents nationwide and she has appeared in interviews with USA Today, Parents Magazine, NBC's Today Show, and Larry King Live. She is the author of Could It Be Autism? A Parent's Guide to the First Signs and Next Steps (Broadway Books, 2006) and The First Year: Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed Child (Da Capo Press, 2009). Nancy is the mother of Sarah, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. Today--at age 13--Sarah stands as a powerful example of the impact that early identification and intensive intervention can have on young children with autism and related disorders. Nancy is the 2006 recipient of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Dale Richmond/Justin Coleman Award for her outstanding achievement in the field of child development.