Patricia Wright, Ph.D., MPH and Katie Curran, MAPP

Patricia Wright, Ph.D., MPH, is Executive Director of Proof Positive, a national non-profit that works to integrate and expand well-being programming for autistic individuals and their communities. Her commitment to ensuring that all individuals with autism have access to effective services and supports has guided her work for more than 30 years, from her earliest responsibilities as a special educator to state and national-level program management. Her advocacy work includes the management in the design of a statewide system of support for children with autism in Hawaii, several years as the National Director of Autism Services for Easter Seals, and industry positions leveraging technology. Wright has held advisory roles with a number of professional associations and advocacy groups, including the Organization for Autism Research's Scientific Council, the Executive Committee for the Friends of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Board of Directors for the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts, and the Autism Society Panel of Professional Advisors. She has provided expert testimony at Congressional hearings and is a frequent media contributor, raising awareness of effective intervention for those living with disabilities. Wright received her Ph.D. and Master of Public Health degrees at the University of Hawaii. Her research focuses on the delivery of evidence-based interventions in community-based settings and healthcare access for people with disabilities.

Katie Curran, MAPP, is the Chief Wellbeing Officer of Proof Positive. She has more than 20 years of clinical experience working with autistic individuals and has developed strategies and tools that fuse positive psychology with Applied Behavior Analysis to improve wellbeing. Prior to joining Proof Positive, she held tenure at the Sheppard Pratt Mental Health Institute, the Kennedy Krieger Institute, and the Princeton Child Development Institute, and as a Primary Instructor on UPenn’s Master Resilience Training team, she led interdisciplinary teams around the world to train educators, soldiers, athletes, and government officials on the skills of resilience and human flourishing. Curran has authored articles on topics including Goals Setting, Hope Theory, Character Strengths, and Learned Happiness. She serves as a global representative to the International Positive Education Network; held a seat on the MAPP Alumni Board at University of Pennsylvania; and was a founding board member for the Global Autism Project. She holds a Masters of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania.