Jill Escher

Jill Escher
Born1965 (age 59–60)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma materStanford University (BA)
University of California, Berkeley (JD)
Occupation(s)Lawyer
Investor
Philanthropist
Known forThe Escher Fund for Autism
Websitewww.jillescher.com

Jill Escher (born 1965) is a former attorney and real estate developer. She is the head of the Escher Fund for Autism, the immediate past president of the Autism Society of America San Francisco Bay Area chapter, and the president of the National Council on Severe Autism.[1]

Research

Escher hypothesizes that the increasing prevalence and strong heritability of autism can in part be explained by non-genetic, environmentally informed events. The changes can manifest as changes in chromatin, epigenome, or de novo mutations.[2] She is known for collaborating with scientific experts[who?] and for speaking at scientific conferences.[which?] Escher has also petitioned the FDA to withdraw approval for two drugs until they can be tested for impacts on developing fetal germ cells.[3][4]

Advocacy

Neurodiversity paradigm
Philosophy
Organizations
Events
Issues
People
Films
Criticism

Before becoming a research advocate, Escher earned her J.D. degree and Master's in City and Regional Planning at UC Berkeley. In 1996, Jill Escher published her master's thesis, A Nightmare on Elm Street?: Government Liability for Innovative Street Design.[5]

In 2002, Escher appealed to the Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program to provide reimbursement for speech–language services for all autistic individuals, claiming that speech therapy provides benefits to autistic individuals that are equivalent to medicine. Escher won her appeal and also asked the OPM for a written decision indicating that BCBS was in error.[6]

Bibliography

  • Farewell, Club Perma-Chub: a sugar addict's guide to easy weight loss. Claradon Press. 2011. ISBN 978-1-4662-7389-4. OCLC 781503008.

References

  1. ^ Saffron, Jesse. "Toxicants can affect sperm and eggs, pose risks for offspring (Environmental Factor, November 2019)". National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  2. ^ Zeliadt, Nicholette (18 July 2016). "'Science junkie' bets big on autism's environmental origins". Spectrum. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  3. ^ Kay, Jane (23 July 2013). "Mother's quest could help solve autism mystery". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  4. ^ Roth, Mark. "Mysteries of the Mind: Can autism be triggered in future generations?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  5. ^ Escher, Jill (1996). A Nightmare on Elm Street?: Government Liability for Innovative Street Design (Master's). University of California, Berkeley. OCLC 233613538.
  6. ^ McCarthy, Janet (April 2002). "Advocacy Brings Success in Reimbursement Appeals". The ASHA Leader. 7 (6): 1–20. doi:10.1044/leader.GR.07062002.1.