Our mission is to show the world everyone has a voice. We show how people of all abilities can overcome challenges, and make an impact on the world. ATP aims to make a huge impact on mainstream children & teens entertainment. And our message to the next generation is “no matter our circumstances, we achieve anyway”. Together, our artists, with and without autism, create original, professional productions on-screen & on-stage.
And we use videos of ATP productions to teach empathy, resilience, and perseverance at schools and educational programs. ATP also runs drama workshops for students of all abilities that use role-play to teach empathy, social skills, and effective communication.
Gena Sims has grown ATP from a high school community service project into a groundbreaking production company. She created ATP’s drama workshop program while at New World School of the Arts. Gena then studied musical theater at Carnegie Mellon University, where she created ATP’s first production, “In the Life of a Child,” inspired by her sister on the spectrum. As a performer, Gena has starred in an original Off-Broadway musical, been featured on-screen at international film festivals, won the National Society of Arts & Letters drama competition (now an ATP sponsor), and worked professionally as a singer, including on Oprah Winfrey’s tour.
In response to the pandemic, Gena built a community of committed ATP artists through virtual workshops and rehearsals. This collaborative effort led to ATP’s latest production, “The Voice Inside”. Gena currently sits on the boards of renowned producer Maritza Casiano’s Autism Paradise and CCDAPR.
Yasser is a seasoned futurist entrepreneur with a distinguished track record in leading event productions, startups, nonprofit community initiatives and other projects. He seamlessly blends innovative solutions with strategic resource management to drive influence and create substantial social impact. His leadership and forward-thinking approach consistently deliver transformative results.
Mr. McGhee has a BA, Intercultural Studies, Trinity College, Hartford, CT; Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Preschool Montessori Teacher’s Certificate, Perugia, Italy. Mr. McGhee II has an AMS Montessori Certificate for Elementary Education for children ages 6 to 12. He taught at Alexander for three years in Preschool and two years in Lower School Elementary, and was the Summer Camp Director for ten years. He is an alumnus of Ransom Everglades School (Class of 1978).
Mr. McGhee II has been an Administrator since 1993. He has experience in sales, training, and consulting with the Mortensen Math Program. He is an American Montessori Society consultant, serves as Secretary on the Board of the National Independent Private School Association (NIPSA), serves on the Boards of Directors of the Association of Independent Schools of Florida (AISF) and the Independent Schools of South Florida (ISSF), and has served on the Board of the Florida Kindergarten Council (FKC).
Mr. McGhee II is also the creator of the Skip Count Kid Musical Math Tapes.
Matteo Esposito is an autistic playwright, set designer and singer/songwriter from Ontario Canada. He is best know for his one act about autism called Sorting It Out, which was originally produced in Ontario Canada by Jean Paul Michellepis (a member of this company) in 2019 before get picked six times, with productions all around North America including an Off Off Broadway run in New York City in August of 2023, which was extremely successful!! Other plays include: The Value of Many, about autism and inclusive employment and Moonchild, based on the short poem by best selling author G. Brian Benson. Both those shows got readings online and live and are looking for people to give them a “new” life.
Set Designs include: Sorting It Out (Off Off Broadway, 2023 New Circle Theatre Company, directed by Jon L peacock.) Last but not least, he has an E.P out called You Can Do Anything. It’s out now on music platform’s everywhere.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this company so far and please remember to never give up on your dream and work hard to achieve your goals! God bless.
Zack Hoaglund is a film creator, photographer, editor, actor, and voice over artist. Two of his productions have been featured in international film festivals, including his documentary on Lionfish which was recognized by National Geographic and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, and a third, of which he was the Director of Photography, won recognition by the New York International Cult Film Festival. In addition, Zack is the producer of a podcast called Pageturner Adventures with Zack, a literary podcast for kids.
Michelle Zeman is a passionate Autistic self-advocate, as well as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with certification since 2016. With a dedication to compassionate and culturally sensitive care, she has provided her expertise to clients aged 2 to 16 across various settings including telehealth, clinics, schools, homes, and communities. Michelle firmly believes in person-directed, person-centered goals that are socially significant, striving to empower individuals through advocacy and support.
Daniel Keenan is an American actor. He is known for roles in short films such as Asylum Harbor (2018) and The Old Man (2019). He participated in community theatre and attended the Southern Delaware School of the Arts. He will receive his BFA in Acting from the prestigious University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Spring of 2021. You can see him in the upcoming film Niche (2021).
Keana joined the Autism Theater Project in 2022 as a finance intern and is now working as the Board Secretary. Outside of ATP, She is a student at Columbia University.
Alex is a visual artist based out of Orange County, California. Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of 2, Alex was told that he’d never be able to hold a job as an adult. 24 years later, Alex has won numerous awards and has garnered nationwide praise for his documentary films and screenplays. With being a writer on The Voice Inside, Alex hopes to create a compelling and accurate portrayal of living with ASD. Alex has been fortunate to be surrounded with other talented writers for the show. He hopes to use his knowledge gleaned from The Voice Inside for his own screenplays in the future.
Kaylah Taylor is an energetic, focused, and driven musician that puts together every piece of herself to make her music. Kaylah is a singer-songwriter, pianist, guitarist, composer, and producer from Miami, FL. She is a graduate with her AA in Music from Miami Dade College. She continued to Florida International University to earn her B.A. in Music where she graduated; with honors, Cum Laude holding a 3.6 GPA. She studied opera throughout college and have sung in various languages. Kaylah says, “studying opera was difficult, however being open to learning it in college, added elements to my form and other styles of singing.
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