Joy Paluska Heaps

Joy Paluska Heaps is the Co-Founder and Senior Advisor of the National Autism Safety Council. With more than twenty-five years of leadership across the White House, disaster response organizations, civil rights coalitions, and national child protection programs, Joy has devoted her career to strengthening safety, equity, and support for vulnerable communities. Her work at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children deepened her commitment to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and began her long friendship with NASC Founder Lori, whose mentorship continues to shape her work.

Joy’s contributions have been recognized throughout her federal and nonprofit service. During her tenure at the Executive Office of the President, she received multiple awards, including the Extra Mile Award for her disability advocacy at the White House. Earlier in her career at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Joy received the Arnold Aronson Fellowship Award, and during law school she was selected for both the AFL-CIO Law Student Union Fellowship and the M. Shanara Gilbert Human Rights Fellowship.

At NASC, Joy helps lead compassionate, community-centered strategies that advance safety and dignity for autistic individuals and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Connect with Joy on LinkedIn.