Allison M.

Every now and then, Allison would hear a voice in the back of her head whisper, "You should have been a teacher." Like many of us, she went to college not knowing what she was good at, yet she always had a love for kids and helping young people grow. Which is why she started her college career as an early childhood education major. As luck would have it, she discovered that she loved art and design and was good at it, so turned everything upside down, switching majors AND schools.

In her sophomore year at MIAD, Allison took a class in branding. The professor, Phil Belaire, suggested she connect with IOB Co-Founder Mark Fairbanks after hearing she had briefly focused on becoming an educator at UW-Milwaukee. Mark was looking for mentors to help autistic students learn digital creative software. Allison was immediately excited about the prospect of blending her two loves –  her passion for helping kids and her professional design skills. 

All of this transpired back in 2016. Fast forward seven years and Allison has continued devoting her time and skills as an IOB mentor as she built her professional career. She hasn't stopped blending both worlds! Today, Allison is an Art Director at Hoffman York and finds that her time with IOB’s students helps her to be better at her job. “Mentoring at IOB has improved my communications skills. When I work with a student, I have to think about how to distill complex information into something simple and easy to understand. I also have to have patience as I try explaining things in different ways when the first time doesn’t succeed. It has helped me do a better job with my clients! They might not know the backstory for why we are doing something. I’m better at simplifying for a clearer narrative,” Allison explains.

IOB’s community of creative professionals/mentors keeps growing and long-time mentors like Allison are happy to support newcomers with advice.  Allison understands that some new mentors may have a little concern about working with autistic kids – especially if they aren’t familiar with autism. “People worry about the worst moments, but there are way more great days. Meltdowns don’t happen every day.  You just have to pay attention to when your student needs a break and accept when they need to shift gears.”  

She realizes it's not just about teaching – mentors can learn just like their students. “It’s fun when I work with a new student that has had other mentors and they can teach me a new way to use the software.”

Allison has mentored more than 20 students over the years. Beyond the feeling of satisfaction from helping someone, the bonds formed are really amazing.  She describes her experience mentoring a student online who was non-verbal. The mother attended alongside her child to help with understanding their communication methods. At one point while chatting, the mother expressed her appreciation for what she was doing for the family. “I was focused on helping the student, it didn’t occur to me that what we were doing was also helping their families. I saw them at the next Colors and Chords (IOB’s annual event) and it was clear they remembered me and expressed their gratitude again.” 

Sometimes, she gets to work with a student she has had before. As Allison describes, “It is great to continue the bond. They are excited to see you and that feels great. You have an understanding of their workflow, communication style, and interests. It is so awesome to sub in for someone and reconnect with a former student. I love seeing how they have grown!”

“The best part of mentoring is seeing how excited the students are at the end of the workshop to share their work with their class and their families. They get to celebrate their accomplishments with their peers, parents, siblings, even grandparents who are all taking pictures and video.”

Hear more about mentoring in Allison’s own words in this video: