Austin's Story

Austin is a Level-1 Certified Soma Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) Provider.  Austin has been working with special needs families since 2001, and specializing in RPM since 2015. Owner of Moore Opportunities, LLC, Austin woks on communication skills with non-speaking and non-reliable speaking autistics through letter boards, typing and purposeful movements. Austin has been instrumental assisting with the implementation of Reece’s vision and as a principle partner will bring much to ReClif with his love for not only Reece, but this whole community. During his senior year of high school in 2001, a friend of Austin's introduced him to the Blankenship family.  At the time, they were looking for additional therapists for their home based ABA program for the then 6 year old Reece. In order to support his future educational journey, I began working part time with Reece and started learning the complexities, yet joys, of the autism spectrum.  Like many families with a special needs child, the Blankenship's had tried everything under the sun to support and help Reece progress along his path in life. As a result, Austin was exposed to many different therapy modalities such as DIR Floortime, Son-Rise, Carbone, and most intensely the LoVaas ABA method.  The Blankenship family also felt the need for Reece to still be a kid, so Austin spent time outside and they played, A LOT! Austin also accompanied Reece through parts of elementary, middle and high school as he served as his personal school aid for 9 years. This opportunity introduced Austin to a plethora of other students on the spectrum. Austin's love of Reece and this community make him uniquely qualified to be in a leader position at ReClif.

"After graduating from UGA with a degree in Biology, I landed a job doing inside sales in the medical arena in 2011.  Naturally, I kept in close contact with Reece and the Blankenship who had become my second family!  Fast forward to November 2014 when Lou called to urge me to drop everything and watch Reece work with Elizabeth Vosseller at the first spelling to communicate workshop in Atlanta.  That emotional Sunday afternoon encounter as I witnessed Reece voice come out on the letter board, cemented my future career.  For 15 years I had seen bits and pieces of Reece personality peak through his wayward body, but he finally had a way to purposefully communicate!  I knew immediately that I had to learn this method to help other autistics learn to communicate, and this revelation made me realize I was not meant to be stuck in a cubicle making sales calls all day!

After learning the basics of becoming a letter board coach, I started working with other families around metro Atlanta as an independent contractor; shoutout to all clients of Moore Opportunities!  I completed the Soma-RPM Level 1 training in January of 2016 and have started networking with other professionals sharing my story.  Most importantly, how spelling to communicate has changed so many lives.  Since Reece has been able to communicate, he has been an all-star advocate for the methodology and has stated that he wants to be an entrepreneur by opening a community center.  There was no way I was going to let him do this without me - side by side like we have been working together for so many years!"