After working with children, adolescents and adults who have disabilities for 25 years and seeing firsthand the high incidence of sexual abuse, Ms. Nowell went back to school and completed a Master’s Degree in Sexuality Education in 2002. Since then she has worked hard addressing the unmet need for sexuality and relationship education for people who are on the autism spectrum or have intellectual disabilities.
Over the past 10 years Ms. Nowell has taught hundreds of adolescents and adults about relationship skills, sexual abuse prevention, sexual health, and boundaries. Ms. Nowell has developed best practice models of support for people with disabilities who are victims of sexual abuse, and people who have problematic sexual behavior or are sex offenders. In 2007 she received the Emerging Professional Award from The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality for her work.