Alessandra Gilli

Italian neurodiversity pioneer who redefined autism education

This Milanese educator (1975-2018) transformed autism support through her 『Rainbow Navigation Method』, replacing behavioral conditioning with neuro-affirmative learning. Key breakthroughs:

• Developed sensory modulation classrooms using color-frequency algorithms
• Pioneered non-verbal communication boards adopted in EU schools
• Authored UN's 2014 Right to Stim guidelines

Gilli's 2008 TEDx talk The Beautiful Logic of Autistic Minds went viral, challenging ABA therapy dominance. Her 2016 MRI study demonstrated autistic pattern recognition surpassing neurotypicals by 220%.

Despite terminal cancer diagnosis, she established Polvere di Stelle centers across Italy, training 5,000+ neurodiverse educators. Posthumously awarded the 2022 Leonardo Prize for Cognitive Revolution.