Editorial Team
The CJAE Editorial Board is composed of 8 Autistic people passionate about equity, specifically equity as it relates to the autism community. Below you will find a short introduction to each of CJAE’s Editorial Board members.
Dr. Mackenzie Salt: Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Mackenzie Salt was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome when he was 13 years old. Since then he has tried to help the ASD community both in his professional life and his personal life. He sat on the leadership council of a local chapter of Autism Ontario for almost two years while a graduate student and he more recently served on Autism Canada’s ASD Advisory Committee for three years. Dr. Salt completed his PhD in Cognitive Science of Language in 2019, studying the communication abilities of Autistic adults and developing a new method of studying language abilities in ASD by examining interactions between autistic adults. Dr. Salt is currently a member of the McMaster University Autism Research Team (MacART) and has worked with a number of community and non-profit organizations conducting research and service evaluation for the benefit of Autistic adults as well as the broader Canadian autism community.
Dr. Cameron Winter: CJAE Editorial Board Member
Dr. Cameron Winter was born in 1991 and diagnosed Autistic in the first grade. He attended Trent University for his undergraduate degree, then the University of Guelph for his master’s degree. He obtained his PhD in history at Waterloo University.
Terri Robson: CJAE Editorial Board Member and Treasurer
Terri has a Bachelor of Education (Secondary - Music Major & English Minor). She also has a 2-year Music Business Diploma. She is a Certified Journeyman Partsperson. She has also completed many courses towards a professional accounting designation. Terri is the founder and owner of Awkward Spirit: Looking Beyond the Mask. She is an international speaker on Asperger Syndrome and growing up without a diagnosis. She is the founder of the Adult Asperger Support Group in Red Deer, Alberta, and has mentored several young people with Asperger’s. She has worked at a variety of jobs throughout her life. Terri received the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities Award of Excellence for Public Awareness in Alberta in 2016. She has been a volunteer with Lions Clubs International for many years and received a number of awards.
Ryan Collis Ph.D Student: CJAE Editorial Board Member
Ryan Collis is a PhD student in the Faculty of Education at York University, working in the intersection of autism, expertise, and Science Fiction to discover future imaginaries where autistic students are truly supported. He holds degrees in English (BA, Queen’s ‘99), Computer Science (BScH, Queen’s ‘00), Education (BEd, OISE ‘05), and Science and Technology Studies (BScH, York ’19; MA, York ‘20). Ryan has been a high school teacher in the York Region District School Board since 2006, is a Member at Large of the executive of the Canadian Committee of Graduate Students in Education (CCGSE), and serves as the Graduate Student Officer of the Canadian Educational Researchers’ Association (CERA). Ryan lives with his wife and son in Ajax, Ontario.
Stephen Bedard: CJAE Editorial Board Member
Stephen Bedard is originally from St. Catharines, Ontario. He has studied at Brock University and McMaster University, and most recently earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Acadia University. He is a co-pastor, with his wife, at Brookfield Baptist Church in Brookfield, Nova Scotia and a chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces reserves. He has written both academic and popular level articles in the area of disabilities, especially at the intersection of religious faith. He has three children with autism and was diagnosed with autism himself as an adult.
Sarah-Emanuel St-Gelais Nash: CJAE Editorial Board Member
Sarah holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Modern Languages. She currently works full-time, located in Montreal. Diagnosed with ADHD and autism as an adult, she wants her neurodiversity to be seen as a source of strength. Deeply passionate about sustainability and social justice, she volunteers and seeks ways to make a positive impact in her community. Sarah believes in the power of art and creative expression to raise awareness and initiate dialogue. She has traveled around the world despite her disabilities. Now, through her personal and professional work, she continuously explores the connections between identity and inclusion in the pursuit of a more equitable world.
Marine Dandois: CJAE Editorial Board Member
Marine Dandois has a bachelor of business administration with a specialization in human resources. She’s currently completing a graduate diploma in management at HEC Montréal as well as a PhD in educational psychology at the Université de Montréal. Originally from France, she moved to Québec at 17 to pursue her studies and received her autism diagnosis a few months later. Her research focuses on the positive mental health and resilience of neurodivergent university students, exploring these concepts from their own lived and experiential perspectives. Beyond her academic work, she is actively engaged in initiatives promoting the inclusion of neurodivergent students and workers. She believes in building bridges between environments, roles, and people to foster a more inclusive society at every level.
Dr. Stephane Beaulne: CJAE Editorial Board Member
Dr. Stéphane Beaulne is a Professor of Psychology at Université de Hearst. As an autistic scholar and parent of an autistic child, he brings together scientific expertise, clinical practice, and lived experience in his work with autistic individuals and their families. His doctoral research focused on the multiaxial assessment of autistic children. His current work adopts a neurodevelopmental perspective, emphasizing self-regulation, executive functions, explicit instruction, and inclusive education across school and postsecondary settings. He designs and evaluates professional development models — including in vivo coaching and pedagogical consultation — to support evidence-informed practices. Dr. Beaulne collaborates with school boards and community partners to develop structured, inclusive learning environments that foster autonomy and meaningful participation for autistic learners.
To get in contact with the editorial board, please email CJAE.board@gmail.com.
