Our mission is to secure the safety, livelihood and success of the global autistic community

To achieve our mission, our goals are to educate, destigmatize, advance technologies, and provide strategic policy direction to develop a universal standard of care for those within the autism community

Meet the Founders

Dr. Mohamed Baby Headshot
  • Co-Founder, Dr. Mohamed Baby, has worked as a frontline medical doctor for the United Nations for 21 years. Originally from Mali, Dr Baby studied in Cote D’Ivoire before dedicating his medical services to Eastern Africa in 2003. He is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and shares his time in Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda and Yemen. As a leader among the medics and a focal point of UN Cares, his team supports the African Union troops based in Somalia, providing logistical support, performing medical evacuations of causalities, sourcing pharmaceuticals within the UN network of supplies, and giving trainings before and after deployment. His personal connection

    to autism drove him to this work and he remains committed to providing advanced physical and mental healthcare in the communities where he serves.

Crystalyn Cannon Headshot
  • Crystalyn Cannon worked as a professional nanny for 15 years. Her experience within the family space helped navigate her towards this new career path. Her family was well known for their family-run bakery in Lehi. She helped do the marketing and run the socials for that business.

Samira Diebkile Headshot
  • Ms. Samira Diebkile Bintou is the president of the CARINE N’ group, the leading vocational and technical training institute in Ivory Coast. Founded in 1986 by her late mother, Ms. DIOP CADY, Samira’s clear vision and strong leadership led to the expansion of the organization and the nationwide recognition as a trailblazer in the education space. Access to education for financial sustainability is one of her core values, and her unique expertise in growing educational and workplace opportunities for all people, perfectly aligns with the mission and goals of the Global Autism Coalition.

    Diebkile has a Master's degree in communication and a degree in business information and communication respectively at the International Institute of Communication in Paris (IICP) and at the PAUL VALERY University of MONPELIER (France). She also holds a Certificate in Project Management.

    A communicator by training, she has held numerous professional responsibilities in several companies.

    Samira was the SNEDAI-Mali Project Manager where she managed government projects for the implementation of the National Identity Card and the Malian Security Permit, Obtaining and implementing the market of the electoral list and the planning, implementation, quality control and monitoring of performance indicators for the various projects.

    Diebkile was also SNEDAI-CI Communication Manager with the mission of setting up the communication and information campaign for the launch of the Biometric passport in Ivory Coast and abroad, the Design and implementation of strategic axes of the internal and external communication of the SNEDAI-CI Group and the implementation of a marketing strategy for the international positioning of the Group.

    A hard worker with a high sense of responsibility and a job well done, Samira is also an entrepreneur and business manager. This entire professional journey has allowed her to acquire numerous skills in management topics and a perfect knowledge of the professional world.

Heidi Kershaw Headshot
  • Heidi Kershaw is a seasoned non-profit executive with deep relationship-building skills, who is passionate about advocating for those who are not heard. She is expert at navigating the complexities of stakeholder dynamics and coalition building. Her ability to reach across industry-sectors to collaborate with experts from government, academia, non-profit, corporate, and media entities helped build the United States’ most influential healthcare workforce wellbeing initiative, ALL IN, a partnership of cross-sector parties combining forces to make mental health resources accessible to health workers. Additionally, Heidi advanced a disaster relief program at the Entertainment Industry Foundation, created her own medical device company serving the needs of autistic children, and built the alumni association for the sustainability of the California State Summer School Arts Foundation.

    She earned her master’s degree at Georgetown University in International Affairs. She has a double bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in Communications and French Language. She currently serves on the board of UCLA’s Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART). She is also on the Board of Directors at the California State Summer School Arts Foundation. Her passion for life is rooted by her son, Jack, who is 11 years old and is severely impacted by autism. He wakes up each day with a smile and the sounds of excitement that can only be identified by looking forward to the unknown adventures of the day ahead.

Matthew Pfohl Headshot
  • Global Autism Coalition Co-Founder, Matthew Pfohl, currently resides in and calls Salt Lake City, Utah, home. As a successful Utah entrepreneur, he brings an expansive set of experiences and skills to his developmental work with the organization. Matthew is deeply influenced by his previous career in the performing arts and his excitement in building meaningful and socially focused organizations. As the founder of his own 501c(3) organization, One Small Miracle, Matthew's passion lies in the connection of self expression and meaningful community engagement.

    Matthew's career in the performing arts began as a member of the Five Cent Kisses, improv comedy group- winner of the New York Comedy Festival's: Long Form Improv Comedy Competition, 2006. His early work also includes performing and competing on national slam poetry stages such as the Nuyorican Poetry Cafe in New York City. While living in New York City, Matthew launched his career as an independent film actor, starring in the independent cult classic, Beneath the River. Soon after, Matthew discovered a passion for story-telling through film production, working as an associate producer on the nationally acclaimed 2010 Documentary, Echotone.

    Upon moving to Salt Lake City in early 2012, Matthew began his work in building enriching hospitality businesses within the growing city. As a founder of the national James Beard nominated bar, Water Witch, Matthew's work in the service and hospitality industry soon blossomed into mentoring the next generation of local business owners. Now working to establish excitement and engagement in a growing city, Matthew brings this same infectious excitement and experience in building the the Global Autism Coalition's global reach.

Steering Committee

Hungary

Zsuzsa Matolcsi
Founder of Ginkó Ház 

Iraq

Shaimaa al Hashimi 
Founder of Autism Day Center

Ivory Coast

Samira Diebkile

Ukraine

Olesia Korzhenevska
Founder of 9 ¾ School 

Ukraine

Alexander Kiian
Founder of Brain Stimulation Center