By University Communications
Friday, 08 19 2022

Sarah Minner will be the first to lead Texas A&M-San Antonio’s autism institute, providing critical resources in South Bexar County

San Antonio - In July, Texas A&M University–San Antonio officially welcomed Sarah Minner as the inaugural executive director of the Institute for Autism and Related Disorders in the College of Education and Human Development. Minner will oversee the institute’s multi-phased plan to create a lifespan approach for people with autism that includes early identification of children with autism, primary and secondary education, family- and self-advocacy, and therapeutic interventions to improve the quality of life for individuals with autism and their caretakers. 

Minner holds 17 years of experience as a public educator, serving students from Pre-K to young adults in South San Antonio. She has served as a special education teacher, autism itinerant, program specialist, and 18+ transition coordinator, preparing young adults for entry into the workforce, post-secondary access and to live independently in the community. 

“As a special educator in a school district where students and families were traditionally underserviced, I am ecstatic to be able to begin this work at the University and continue to walk in my purpose,” said Minner. “I am an advocate by nature and value equity and inclusion, so I love that our focus is on South Bexar County and bringing critical resources to individuals on the autism spectrum and families.” 

The institute has been approved by the Texas A&M System and Texas A&M-San Antonio has begun efforts to house several programs with the support of community partners the Charles Butt Foundation and the Kronkosky Foundation. 

In 2019, the Charles Butt Foundation donated $1 million to support A&M-San Antonio and South Bexar County ISDs Partnership to Impact Regional Equity and Excellence (ASPIRE) network and set the foundation for the new autism institute. ASPIRE is comprised of seven participating school districts that collaborate to leverage assets to advance access to education and services, such as the Autism RISE Center, impacting nearly 70,000 K-12 students in South Bexar County and beyond.  

In 2021, the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation, Autism Lifeline Links and Texas A&M-San Antonio entered into an agreement to transition Autism Lifeline Links (ALL) to the College of Education and Human Development at the University (view the press release). The institute will continue the work of the Kronkosky Foundation with ALL, which provides resources to families and individuals with autism, but also supports professionals by bringing together 14 partner agencies that service the autism community in and around Bexar County. 

Through the generous support of the Kronkosky Foundation and U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro, the institute will operate the Autism Mobile Assessment Bus and Learning Environment (AMABLE). The unit will travel into the community where resources are needed and allow for assessments and therapies, while offering parent, family, and school training. 

“Early intervention and identification for children with autism is key in creating successful adult outcomes who can work, live in the community, attend college and pursue their best life,” said Minner. “AMABLE will remove obstacles that may have inhibited families from getting the support needed for their child.” 

A native of San Antonio, Minner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from The University of Texas at San Antonio and holds a Master of Arts in Special Education with an Emphasis in Autism and Behavioral Disorders from Our Lady of the Lake University. 

Minner views the potential for the Institute for Autism and Related Disorders as limitless and aims to eventually have the institute serve as a hub for research, conferences and a journal. She plans to establish summer programs on campus for transition-aged youth starting at age 14; the programs will provide career and post-secondary exploration for individuals with autism and related disorders. The summer programs would be a first for a university in and around Bexar County.

“When ready, the institute will expand our services to the surrounding rural areas who have a need for resources. I envision creating a model institute for replication across the state, county and world, which will create lasting change,” Minner said. “The pathway that we are creating at the University will affect generations to come and I’m honored to lead the work.”

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 About Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Established as a stand-alone university in 2009, Texas A&M University-San Antonio is a comprehensive four-year public university that reflects the culturally diverse, heritage-rich community it serves. Situated on nearly 700 acres in south San Antonio, the University offers 33 undergraduate degrees and 16 graduate degrees to nearly 7,000 students. A&M-San Antonio is home to the Henry G. Cisneros Institute for Emerging Leaders and the Cyber Engineering Technology/Cyber Security Research Center. The University holds the Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designation and is one of only 24 higher education institutions in the U.S. to have received the Seal of Excelencia certification from Excelencia in Education for its support of Latino student success. More than 75 percent of A&M-SA students identify as Hispanic, and 73 percent are the first in their family to attend college. A&M-San Antonio is a military-embracing institution; in 2020, Military Times ranked the University No. 35 in the nation for “Best for Vets: Colleges.” Visit tamusa.edu for more information. #onamission