A.J. Paron-Wildes, National Architectural and Design Manager for Allsteel, is a presenter at SXSW EDU, the education component of the South by Southwest® (SXSW®) family of conferences and festivals, to be held March 5–8 in Austin.

Paron-Wildes will join architect Brian Giebink and interior designer Bethany DeLine,both of HDR, and accountability coordinator Erin Giebink of Spero Academy in a session titled “Empathetic by Design: Designing Educational Spaces for Students with Autism.”Children with autism are hypersensitive to their surroundings, which can make learning daunting. The panel will share research on the current state of autism-friendly design, insights and lessons learned from real world application and the effect on students.

Paron-Wildes specializes in design implementation and collaboration, environmental initiatives/LEED and change management. She uses the term “design empathy” to characterize the need to accommodate a range of sensory experiences in making modern workspace. Paron-Wildes’s extensive experience includes having built and led an award-winning design/build firm; developed national programs for the American Society of Interior Designers; and developed research programs for the University of Minnesota. She has also been a consultant for interiors in healthcare and education, specifically dealing with autism.

The panel takes place on Tuesday, March 6, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm in Room 17B at the Austin Convention Center. For more information, please visit:schedule.sxswedu.com/2018/events/PP73825