The Breakthrough of Knoxville Citywide Autism Acceptance Breakfast will feature the presentation of two awards and guest speaker Raun K. Kaufman, former CEO of the Autism Treatment Center of America who now conducts lectures and seminars worldwide. As a child, he was diagnosed with severe autism and became a graduate of the Ivy League’s Brown University with a degree in biomedical ethics. Bruce Fox, partner and co-founder of Fox Farley Willis & Burnette, will receive the Autism Acceptance Award, which honors individuals who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to promote acceptance and understanding of autism spectrum disorder. Elizabeth Ritchie, a founder of Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville and former executive director, will receive the Trailblazer Award, which honors individuals who have paved the way for improved services, increased opportunities and exceptional quality of life for adults with autism.

Registration and networking begin at 7 a.m. with breakfast at 7:30 a.m.