Autistry Studios Staff

Janet Lawson, LMFT, CEO/Executive Director

Janet is a Marriage and Family Therapist and has worked with adolescents and young adults for many years. She has a Masters in Library and Information Science (Indiana University) and an MS in Counseling Psychology (Dominican University). She worked for several years in the film industry and was a Producing Fellow at the American Film Institute. She is a Phi Beta Kappa – Summa Cum Laude graduate of UC Berkeley, with a major in Film Studies. Blog Posts

Dan Swearingen, COO/Director of Studio Operations

Dan was educated as an astrophysicist but has mainly worked in software development for private industry and government projects. Outside of work Dan has always loved building things and Autistry Studios leverages and challenges all his skills. Dan’s job is to maintain technologies for the students to use in their projects and teach the students how to (safely) use them. Blog Posts

Sara Gardner, LMFT, Clinical Director

Sara is a graduate of Mills College and has a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Dominican University. She has years of experience working with individuals on the autism spectrum. Sara is an accomplished role-playing gamer and has developed a therapy model for working with young adults using role-playing scenarios. She is also an avid equestrian and quite skilled with LARP weapons. Sara oversees the Autistry intake process, is a therapist/mentor in the workshops and also counsels clients in individual sessions.

Phil Lewis, Core Workshop/ACAP Mentor

Phil is an award-winning landscape and fine-art photographer. He has years of experience as a computer teacher in Austin, a co-teacher at an International Baccalaureate school in Durango, and working one-on-one with students at a full-inclusion school in Los Angeles. In these settings, he worked closely with students across a wide spectrum of ability. Phil has a passion for equity, social justice, and inclusion. It is this passion that led him to join Autistry Studios as a mentor.

Adjunct Staff

Blue Gardner: Dog

Woof woof.