Working With the World of Autism

By Elizabeth Harrin (London)

“Being a mother of an autistic child impacts the core of who I am,” says Tracey Gray-Walker, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at AXA Equitable. “Everything I do – even how I work – stems from my experiences with the world of autism.”

Tracey became involved with Autism NJ about 14 years ago when her son was first diagnosed as autistic at the age of three and a half. “It was the first organization I found that provided me with the information, education and resources I was going to need as a parent of an autistic child,” she says. “I got involved to help other families of autistic children and to help create programs and activities to help our children lead more enriched and productive lives. In the beginning, I helped in whatever way I could. As the years went on, I became more involved in organized programs and activities.”

Today, Tracey spends around 12 hours a month volunteering which she balances with a senior role at the life insurance company AXA Equitable and the needs of her own family in Plainfield, NJ. “Balance is a challenge,” she admits. “Recognizing that everything needs to be managed and addressed, then gravitating to what needs to be addressed at that moment. Prioritizing and re-prioritizing. But, when it comes to autism, for me the most important thing is to continue to drive awareness. Autistic people need a voice, they can’t speak for themselves. I always want to be one of those voices.”

April is Autism Awareness Month, which has a special significance for Tracey. “One of the things I am particularly proud of is the personal fundraising I’ve done around Autism Awareness Month,” she says. “Over the past several years, through driving awareness for autism during the month of April, I have personally been able to raise $50,000 for Autism NJ.”

Tracey says she volunteers to make a difference and to improve the lives of “special people”. It’s an opportunity to give back, and it provides personal satisfaction. It’s also something the whole family is involved with. “My husband is a coach for Special Olympics,” she explains. “Through our Special Olympics teams, my husband and I worked with a select group of parents and volunteers to create a Friends and Family Day for special people where families of children and adults with special needs come together and just have fun. We rent out a local park and there is plenty of food, drink and activities and no explanations required, because everyone there understands the unique needs of special people. People come from across the state of NJ to participate.”

Tracey sat on the board of Autism NJ for 15 months and only recently stepped down to focus on the needs of her son. These needs are changing now that he is 18 and becoming an adult. “Each child and adult with autism is unique, and every family’s challenges and experiences will differ,” she explains. “When many hear the word autism or autistic they see the cute little children. I am a witness that they grow up and there is not enough support for this population as they age.”

Tracey is still very active in the organization and now spends time helping parents find the resources they need to help their children and to help support the creation of awareness around the needs of adults. “Some common challenges are lack of resources and access to resources, including doctors, specialists, therapists and life planning, which includes jobs and housing,” she adds.

When she’s at work Tracey’s role is also to foster integration. She joined AXA Equitable’s Financial Management Development Training Program in 1989 and has risen rapidly through the ranks to become senior VP. “For AXA Equitable, embracing and engaging professionals and customers of all backgrounds is not just the right thing to do – it is essential to maintaining our competitive position in an increasingly diverse market place, and to remaining a preferred company where talented people want to build a career,” she says. “It is also key to being recognized as a company that can provide financial solutions to all communities. As CDO, I drive solid collaboration between the office of diversity and inclusion and the business units with the objective of creating an inclusive culture that will give us greater opportunities for talent acquisition and new business development in the local communities we serve.”

Tracey acknowledges that her work with autism has impacted every part of her life. “My willingness to share my experiences, knowledge and to help others in all aspects of my life is a direct result of living in the world of autism,” she says. “I’m passionate about driving awareness for autistic children and adults and all special people because I believe these individuals are disenfranchised in our culture and they need a voice. I believe that everyone can benefit from the experience and results of giving back. It helps to define your journey. Particularly in a high powered career, it’s easy to get caught up in the job. Volunteering helps to put perspective on life.”