Assessing for Happiness: Collecting Data That Targets Self-Identity and Long-Term Wellbeing

Chris Wenger is a speech-language pathologist with nearly 25 years of experience working with neurodivergent students. Known online as the Speech Dude, he currently works in schools where his focus is high school students - helping teens build self-advocacy skills, authentic connections, and a sense of belonging.

Chris is the creator of the DASEL, a strengths-based informal assessment designed to change how neurodivergent students are described in reports and IEPs. He is also the co-host of The NeuroAffirm Podcast.

As a neurodivergent professional himself, Chris draws on his own lived experience to advocate for approaches that honor how students actually process, communicate, and connect. He is based in the Los Angeles area.