Hopebridge Founder Speaking in Westfield
Invest Hamilton County is honored to welcome Kim Strunk, Founder of Hopebridge, as the April Coffee Connections speaker on Thursday, April 24 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at The Bridgewater Club! Hopebridge was born to bridge the gap in autism care and create better opportunities and outcomes for children and their families.
Kim will be discussing her background, the importance of inclusion, and the positive impact of hiring employees with disabilities in our community.
Our community is filled with many organizations that have been hosting inclusive events to promote Disability Awareness this month. We are honored to partner and work closely with Invest Hamilton County and Westfield Mayor’s Council on Disabilities to help create and support opportunities for neurodiverse individuals!
The story of Hopebridge began in 2005, driven by a passionate occupational therapist—Hopebridge founder, Kim Strunk. While working closely with children in her community, Kim recognized a critical gap in essential pediatric services for the autism community, especially for those transitioning from early intervention programs to prepare for school.
Determined to change this, Kim pioneered an integrated, evidence-based approach rooted in applied behavior analysis (ABA). She founded the first center – originally named Homefront Learning Center in Kokomo – one of the first of its kind in Indiana.
At a time when ABA therapy lacked insurance coverage and widespread recognition, her commitment to serving children and families laid the foundation for what is now Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers.
20 years later, with more than 100 centers spanning across 12 states, Hopebridge serves nearly 5,000 patients with autism every day. Kim was awarded an IBJ 2022 Healthcare Hero award in the category of Community Achievement in Health Care, and is steadfast in her commitment as Head of Clinical Strategy to advance the clinical quality of autism therapy.
Since 2022, Invest Hamilton County has been piloting disability-focused career awareness and training programs in partnership with local advisory councils and service providers. In 2024, InvestAbility is expanding to deliver dynamic and inclusive career exploration services to students and adults throughout Hamilton County.
Through partnership with local Chambers, and the Hamilton County Leadership Academy, Invest Hamilton County will facilitate 1:1 career discovery meetings for local students and adults with disabilities looking to learn more about a given career or occupation.
Invest Hamilton County invites you to join us for what should be an impactful and informative morning.