Elaine Hall

Elaine Hall - also known as "Coach E!" and referenced by The New York Times as "the child whisperer" - was a top Hollywood children's acting coach whose life changed dramatically after her son Neal, adopted from a Russian orphanage, was diagnosed with autism. When traditional therapies did not work for him, she sought the esteemed Dr. Stanley Greenspan who encouraged her to rally actors and other creative people to join his world. Slowly, Neal emerged out of his isolation.

In response to her experiences, Hall developed "The Seven Keys to Unlock Autism" and used these methods to train staff and volunteers and to create The Miracle Project, a theatre and film program for children of all abilities, which was profiled in the Emmy-winning HBO documentary AUTISM: The Musical. She has appeared on CNN, CBS News, and Oprah Radio and was featured in The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Hall also directs The Vista Inspire Program, an arts enrichment and a bar/bat mitzvah program for children and teens with autism at Vista Del Mar in Los Angeles.

Elaine Hall is a keynote speaker and workshop leader at conferences throughout the US and Canada, and is a regular Huffington Post blogger. Her book, Now I See the Moon: A Mother, a Son, a Miracle, was chosen for World Autism Awareness Day at The United Nations where she has spoken several times. Hall has received honors from Autism Speaks, Autism Society of Los Angeles, The Mayor of Los Angeles, Senator Fran Pavley, Villa Esperanza, Areva Martin's Special Needs Network, Holly Robinson Peete's HollyRod Foundation, Etta Israel, and others. She co-produced and hosts the DVD series Unlocking Autism for medical professionals and first providers, and inspired the CD Fly, which pairs children with autism with celebrity artists such as Jack Black, Stephen Stills, and Chaka Khan. Her latest book, co-authored with Diane Isaacs, Seven Keys to Unlock Autism: Creating Miracles in the Classroom, has received critical acclaim.

Elaine Hall and her team are now launching The Miracle Project nationally, with locations in West Los Angeles at Vista Del Mar and in the Valley at The Help Group. The first satellite will be The Miracle Project of New York City at the 92nd Street Y beginning Fall 2011. She is available for workshops, speaking engagements, to emcee events, phone consultations, and trainings.