About the Authors

Peyton Goddard Peyton Goddard writes passionately about her experiences and offers a rare perspective of autism by someone labeled as low functioning. In l993, even before she learned to communicate using a keyboard, she made a vow (she calls it her I.O.U.) that the rest of her life would be devoted to “quietly changing this worrisome world”. In 2002 she became the first person using facilitated communication to graduate valedictorian from a U.S. college. She knows that children are dying in institutions and at the hands of parents who have lost sight of their child's value. Her wisdom is sought after by educators, doctors and community groups nationwide, who have invited her to deliver more than 75 presentations at conferences and universities on the subject of esteeming all people and supporting their successful participation in all aspects of life. Her story has been featured in numerous publications such as the Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune and she recently co-authored the foreword of a book for K12 educators entitled Collaborating With Students in Instruction and Decision Making (Corwin Press, 2010). Peyton considers i am intlgent, along with her continued advocacy, the fulfillment of her I.O.U.
Dianne Goddard Dianne Goddard is a former educator who committed herself as few mothers would to seeking a cure for her daughters neurological challenges. She kept detailed journals dating from Peytons birth along with every report by doctors and teachers, amounting to thousands of pages that describe Peytons downfall and resurrection after discovering facilitated communication. Having wasted decades futilely attempting to cure her daughter, she celebrates this opportunity to share what she is learning from Peyton about a better way of loving and supporting each other.
Carol Cujec Carol Cujec holds a Ph.D. in literature and has taught college writing for 15 years at institutions such as Babson College, University of Massachusetts and DeVry University. As a freelance writer, she has written scores of articles for print and online publications, including The Los Angeles Times, San Diego Magazine, University of San Diego Magazine, World & I Magazine, and Exquisite Weddings. In her work as a writing consultant, she has designed and taught seminars for clients like Harvard University Office of Development, nSight Communications, and F. W. Olin School of Business.
Dr. Friedman Robert Friedman, M.D., who will write the foreword, has been Peyton's treating psychiatrist for the past fourteen years. Through the judicious use of psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic strategies, Dr. Friedman has helped Peyton manage and control symptoms that have interfered with her developmental progress, as well as helped Peyton to process and integrate the traumatic experiences that have added to the challenges of her life. Dr. Friedman is Board Certified in Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatry and is a founding partner, President and CEO of PsyCare, Inc., a behavioral healthcare provider group with seven offices throughout San Diego. In addition, he is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry, where he provides clinical supervision to training child and adolescent psychiatrists.