Board of Directors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melissa Diamond founded A Global Voice for Autism at age 18, after meeting a refugee mother who hid her autistic daughter in her home due to autism stigma and a lack of resources in her community. As the guardian of a close friend on the autism spectrum, Diamond realized that if her friend had been born into different circumstances, she too may have spent her life hidden away instead of going to school, making friends, and participating actively in her community. 

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Today, Diamond is a sought-after consultant, speaker, and social entrepreneur dedicated to creating sustainable inclusion solutions for the world's most marginalized communities. Under her leadership, A Global Voice for Autism has helped more than 19,000 children, caregivers, and community members build and participate in more inclusive communities. In addition to her leadership of A Global Voice for Autism, Diamond has consulted for numerous organizations, including the International Organization for Migration, the Melissa Network for Migrant Women, Talent Beyond Boundaries, and multiple language interpretation, disability support, and diversity, equity & inclusion startups. 

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Diamond holds a Master's in Conflict, Security, and Development from the University of Bradford, where she was a Rotary Peace Fellow, and a Masters of Management in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University, where she was a Schwarzman Scholar. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Richmond. She has presented about her work and about A Global Voice for Autism's impact on numerous global stages, including at the Clinton Global Initiative, the One Young World Summit, and at the United Nations.