Full Name
Jeffrey Snyder
Job Title
Autism & Neurodiversity Advocate
Company
Going the Distance
Speaker Bio
Hello and welcome!! Allow me to introduce myself, I am Jeffrey “Jeff” Snyder, autism and neurodiversity advocate and public speaker based in Seekonk, Massachusetts and founder of “Going the Distance,” my mission to share my story on both an in person or virtual platform since 2021. My speaking topics range from autism/neurodiverse families and professionals to educators to employers using examples from mainstream media to illustrate key points on whatever topic I cover. Born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1989, I was first diagnosed with autism at the age of 21 months old in December of 1990 and as a result, I was nonverbal until I was 4 years old.

Upon my graduation from Seekonk High School in 2007, I became the first special education student on the autism spectrum to complete an entire education within the Seekonk Public Schools system. In addition to my high school diploma, I was also awarded the Massachusetts Secondary School Administration Association (MSSAA) Prinicipal’s Leadership Award and the Student Leadership Award upon my graduation.



After graduating in 2008, I made it my mission to give back and pay it forward to education beginning when I founded the Jeffrey Snyder “Go the Distance” scholarship which goes towards graduating Seekonk High School students who had been on an Individual Education Plan or IEP’s that are seeking college acceptance. To this date, we have given out over $10,000 in scholarships. I also have administrative volunteer positions as Core Team Leader for the Autism Tree Project Foundation in San Diego, California since 2019 and as first as a member of the Junior Board and later Board of Directors for the Unicorn Children’s Foundation in Boca Raton, Florida in 2021. More recently, I have been designated as a Flutie Fellow for the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism in Framingham, Massachusetts since September of 2022.

Some of my key interests include writing fanfictions (stories based on movies, television shows and other forms of mainstream media), Disney (classic Disney mostly), Classic Movies and from 2011-2019, I was a member of the Brony Fandom which are fans of “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.” As for my employment, I worked for Borders Bookstores in North Attleboro, MA in inventory and customer service from September 2007 to September 2010 and since December of 2010, I have been working for Stop and Shop Supermarkets first as a bagger and now as a porter (janitorial specialist) in Seekonk, MA.

So far, my mission and my life’s story has impacted hundreds of lives and I hope to leave you and your friends and family inspired with my story because anyone can “GO THE DISTANCE.”

*Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your health care provider.
Jeffrey Snyder