A tech support manager who (really) gets it

An early autism diagnosis

When Bob applied for a tech support role at Tobii Dynavox, he didn’t know much about autism. He saw the job as an opportunity to use his computer skills. His wife, Jen, was pregnant with their first child at the time, so he was grateful for the quick commute. 

After their daughter was born, a lot changed. They began to notice that Riley wasn’t meeting typical communication milestones. By the time she was eighteen months old, Bob knew enough about autism from working at Tobii Dynavox that he recognized the signs in Riley. They took her for an evaluation and got the diagnosis.

High-tech AAC, Riley’s way

Shortly after receiving her autism diagnosis, Riley started seeing a speech therapist. Though Bob worked at Tobii Dynavox, he didn’t try to influence her recommendations for Riley’s assistive communication solution. 

“I’m not going to be that parent that tells you how to do your job,” Bob said.

But years later, when her school speech therapist raised concerns about Riley’s communication software being able to keep up with her progress, Bob knew he had to mention one that could: TD Snap.

Beyond the software, Bob felt confident that everyone, from the Solutions Consultant who would help him customize Riley’s solution to the members of his own Tech Support team, understood what access to communication means for a family like his. 

“We’ve all got that empathy,” Bob said.

Bob and Jen also have two younger children, an eight-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl. As a family they love going to amusement parks, playing outside and being in each other’s company. Riley’s speech device, a TD Navio, helps her and her family overcome emotionally challenging moments by allowing her to express herself with clarity. 

Riley likes to change her voice regularly. A library of voices allows her to represent herself as different ages and with different accents depending on her mood. Riley also spends a lot of time reading. Her parents can scan books and create sets of symbols based on the text, so she can enjoy her favorite stories from the car or plane.

"I never expected how much compassion I had to give”

Nearly ten years after his family first got Riley’s diagnosis, Bob is able to connect with the caregivers of nonspeaking autistic kids better than he ever imagined he would, having experienced all the trials and joys of loving someone on the spectrum. 

“Some of my most memorable moments throughout the years are the small wins that mean so much to the user and their family,” he said. “Being able to help as many people as possible allows me to have great pride in my job and continue helping to improve others’ lives, if even for just a moment.”

Like many parents, Bob’s favorite AAC memory is when Riley first used her device to say ‘I love you.’

“I never expected how much love, compassion and patience I truly had to give,” Bob said. “My daughter is my bestie even on our worst days. She has made me a better person.” 

Learn more about comprehensive assistive communication for autistic people.