Writing toward a fuller life with autism.

Chantal Sicile-Kira is an award-winning author, speaker, and advocate who has focused on autism, adolescence, and the transition to adulthood for more than twenty-five years. Drawing on her experience as both a parent and professional, she has become an internationally respected voice on autism spectrum disorders, working with families, educators, service providers, and policymakers in the United States and Europe.

Before becoming a parent, Chantal worked with adolescents and young adults with developmental disabilities at Fairview State Hospital in California, teaching daily living, community participation, and leisure skills to support successful community integration during California's deinstitutionalization movement.

Chantal and her husband, Daniel, raised their two children, Rebecca and Jeremy, in France, the United Kingdom, and California. Their family's experiences with education and inclusion across three countries were documented in a 22-page article published in the French academic journal La Nouvelle Revue de l'Adaptation et de la Scolarisation (2006).

In 2010, Chantal founded AutismCollege.com, an educational platform that provided practical resources and training for parents and educators until 2025. A former BBC documentary researcher and television line producer in Paris, she is the author of six books on autism and has contributed to publications including Psychology Today and HuffPost.

An NPR host once described Chantal as the "chief strategist and leader of the troops" for her pivotal role in her son Jeremy's success. For decades, she has built and managed the support teams that enable him to live a fully included life in his community.

Jeremy Sicile-Kira is a professional artist and autistic who communicates using a letterboard. After learning to communicate through the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) with Soma Mukhopadhyay, he became one of the first minimally speaking autistic students to graduate from high school with a full academic diploma and deliver a commencement speech in 2010. Chantal currently oversees Jeremy's California-based art studio and business.

The documentary The Beautiful Colors of Jeremy Sicile-Kira premiered nationally on PBS POV in 2023. His work has been exhibited at museums, art shows and galleries, including the Oceanside Museum of Art, Art Basel Miami; and is held in public and private collections, including Boston Children's Hospital, the California Department of Developmental Services, the University of Scranton and San Diego State University.