Diagnosed with autism at 13 years old, Thomas “Tom” Iland has worked hard to achieve his goals: learning to drive, living on his own, graduating from college, obtaining full-time employment, running two marathons.

Tom recently left his career as a certified public accountant (CPA) to educate, inspire and motivate people affected by autism and other unique abilities.

One of only 4,000 Distinguished Toastmasters in the world and a member of the National Speakers Association, Tom recently had the honor of speaking at the United Nations and giving a TEDx Talk as an emerging leader in the autism community that helps people become their best selves through coaching and consulting. He plans to become the first- ever Toastmasters Accredited Speaker with autism and a certified human potential coach in 2019.

Tom has worked in multiple business environments over the course of his career and offers his professional experience having recently taught soft skills to a cohort of Uniquely Abled Project students.

Tom currently lives in Santa Clarita, California, with his dog, Bridget.