October 14th, 2025
Post Convention Report
This year’s AAIDD-Texas Chapter 49th Annual Convention was on Sept. 30th-Oct. 3rd, 2025, and we had a wonderful turnout. As you may or may not know, this is my first year on the board, and it was an awesome experience. I know there were some providers, LIDDA’s, and individuals who just didn’t have funding to come this year or possibly the timing was just not right, and we thank all of you who could make it to the convention. This has been a tough year for everyone in IDD services, especially in the state of Texas.
Next year is our 50th anniversary, so I hope even more of you can attend the convention next year. We plan to go all out for the event! Please don’t forget to sign up to be a member of AAIDD, which gets you so many professional resources, including free material, webinars, and discounts on other resources for IDD, as well discounted rate on the registration for our annual Texas Chapter of AAIDD Convention. Basic Membership cost is very good rate ($90-$185 per year for basic) for national membership, and there is no extra cost for Texas Chapter membership.
I would like to thank all board members for their tireless work to make this happen this year, as well as all the sponsors and vendors. I would like to also thank all the wonderful presenters for the breakout sessions, like Nursing Innovations, Rachel Hopkins from Molina Health Care, and the Transition Support Team members from several of the LIDDAs– Integral Care, Texana, Nueces County. We had an incredible guest, James Meadours for the Opening Session. James is a passionate self-advocate for persons with disabilities and for those who have suffered abuse and has been presenting across the US for many years.
Shelbi Davenport (of the Shelbi Show podcast) did a wonderful job in the general session of hosting her live podcast interview with 3 incredible individuals with Down Syndrome: Martha Haythorn, Jenny Stone (now Underwood), and Austin Underwood. The premise of the interview was to look at the personal perspective of 3 incredible people with Down Syndrome and how the lives of these three people were given the support and freedom to pursue their dreams and how they are now living their best lives.
Austin and Jenny Underwood were actually married not long ago and are both working in jobs they love, which has been a lifelong dream for both of them. After earning a certificate as a prep chef and working as a head of house and chef at an Italian restaurant, Austin founded his own company in 2016 and owns a food truck called “Austin’s Underdawgs” in the DFW area. I have been told they also cater for events! Jenny and Austin both have amazing family support, and we were able to meet their parents at this year’s convention. Jenny has worked as a Teacher’s Aide at the KinderFrogs School at Texas Christian University (TCU) for 20 years. KinderFrogs is a family-focused, early intervention program for children with developmental delays. In her role as a teacher’s aide, Jenny performs many duties from assisting with circle time to preparing lunches and assisting children on the playground.
Martha Haythorn came all the way from Atlanta, Georgia to be with us, and she stole everyone’s heart this week. Martha is incredibly passionate and quite funny, I discovered as well! She was a recipient of a scholarship from Ruby’s Rainbow that allowed her to fund her college time at Georgia Tech and graduate. She has been asked to present at Emory College in 2026 and now has a job providing social media marketing for a medical supplier of respiratory aids that also happens to help many individuals with Down Syndrome with respiratory issues. Martha also sits on the Council for Developmental Disabilities for the State of Georgia. It was my privilege to ask her to present this year and host her for her time here. So happy I got to meet her in person.
Check out some of our photos of the convention!
August 29th, 2025
We invite you to this year’s Texas State Chapter of AAIDD 49th Annual Convention. I am officially a board member this year (Julie Blacklock), and I will also be presenting a breakout session on October 2nd, 2025 especially for HCS providers. Please share with providers, families, and individuals. All are welcome to come. For more information and registration, go to: https://www.aaiddtx.org/2025-convention
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Opening Session
Wednesday, October 1, 8:45 – 10:30 a.m.
James Meadours, Self-Advocate, National Speaker, Disability Rights Leader
A Journey from Group Living to Independent Living
James Meadours, a nationally recognized self-advocate, shares his powerful story of moving from a group home to living independently in “The Right Direction.” With honesty and courage, James outlines the milestones, setbacks, and supports that helped him take control of his life. From building daily living skills and speaking up for his rights, to embracing community inclusion, James offers a message of hope and empowerment. Attendees will leave with deeper insight into how to support others on their own path to independence.
GENERAL SESSION
Wednesday, October 2nd, 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Taking Our Lives in the Right Direction
• Shelbi Davenport, B.S. Better Lives Senior Associate/Practicum Coordinator at TAMU
• Martha Haythorn, Georgia Tech ExCel Graduate, Policy Specialist-Georgia State Legislature
• Austin Underwood, Operator-Austin’s UnderDawgs
• Jenny Stone, Outspoken Self-Advocate and Austin’s partner
This presentation is intended to be a general session in the format of a structured interview that will provide the audience with a personal perspective on how the lives of three people with Down Syndrome were given the support and freedom to doggedly pursue their dreams and who are now living their best lives, with even better things to come. Shelbi Davenport of The Shelbi Show will host the session, interspersing interview questions with video snippets to facilitate and drive the discussion. The audience will be motivated to encourage others with disabilities to let nothing get in the way of following their desired path.
OR
Click on: Tx Chapter AAIDD Convention 2025-brochure-agenda
Remember, as an AAIDD member, you receive a discounted rate for this year’s Texas Convention
Membership: How To Join AAIDD
AAIDD welcomes you to become a member or renew your annual membership now. Click on the link below to choose from the benefit packages that best match your needs.
https://www.aaidd.org/about-aaidd/membership-join/member-types
AAIDD membership advantages include access to a global network of professionals, free webinars, discounts on publications and the annual meeting, eligibility to vote and hold office, access to members-only content like Interest Networks and newsletters, and subscriptions to peer-reviewed journals like AJIDD and Inclusion. Members can also participate in scholarship opportunities and join the Students and Early Career Professionals (SECP) Interest Network.
Why Should I Join AAIDD?
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Journals and Publications:
Members gain access to peer-reviewed journals and resources on the latest research and policy developments in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
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Webinars:
Free access to educational webinars and an archive of past sessions is available to members.
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Interest Networks:
Members can join specialized groups to connect with peers who share similar interests or disciplines.
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Global Network:
Connect with a worldwide network of professionals working in the IDD field.
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Interest Networks:
These provide a forum to share information, network, and find leadership opportunities.
- Annual Meeting: Receive discounts on registration for the AAIDD Annual Meeting.
- Bookstore: Get discounts on books and other resources from the AAIDD bookstore.
Information on Job Opportunities working with IDD services
