Nov 10, 2025 · 30 minReady to turn your passion into a profession? We talked with experts Marlene Sharp and Judi Uttal from Autism in Entertainment Workgroup about a vital topic: increasing employment for autistic individuals in the entertainment industry.
We dive into why autistic traits make us uniquely suited for this industry, where to get support and what you need to know to get started.
Whether it’s film, game design, animation, acting, and something in between you’ll hear amazing advice about how to make it in the industry.
Listen to this lively chat with Marlene and Judi as we put autism in entertainment in the spotlight.
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Autism in Entertainment Website
Bios:
Marlene Sharp is a creative and business-savvy entertainment multi-hyphenate who originally hails from New Orleans and moved to San Fernado Valley. Firmly ensconced in LA life, she is top dawg at Pink Poodle Productions. She serves as producer, story editor, and writer on the forthcoming animated TV series Mongly Syndrome: K-Pop Odd Couple from ENPIX Animation Studio and Educational Broadcast System in Korea. Noteworthy media consulting clients and co-conspirators include Autism in Entertainment, God’s Gang, Orange County Asperger’s Support Group, GameU, Spectrum Laboratory, Rubber Ninja, Katamaco and more. Prior to Pink Poodle Productions, she was director, production at Level 5 abby, home of Yokai Watch and other Japanese hit video game-based franchises. She even worked with the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise at SEGA as well.
Marlene is a 5+ year ally of the autism community, and she grows more enthusiastic each day. This passion started with a consulting role at The Center for Learning Unlimited and companion animation studio Brainstorm Productions and swelled to collaborations with multiple artists on the spectrum including the bunch of performers whom she represents via Sandstone Artists Management. She is exceptionally proud of the ongoing Laugh Factory neurodivergent comedy nights which she established alongside Rob Kutner, Mike Rotman, Judi Uttal, Maja Watkins, Autism in Entertainment, the Miracle Project and Spectrum Laboratory.
Judi Uttal is the founder and the mastermind behind the Autism In Entertainment Workgroup. She led the effort to host the amazing Autism In Entertainment Conference held on April 5, 2024, and continues to drive and expand the effort to increase employment of talent on the autism spectrum in the entertainment Industry.
Judi is the president of the Orange County Asperger’s Support Group (OCASG), a nonprofit organization improving the quality of life for individuals and families dealing with high-functioning autism and the parent organization of Autism In Entertainment. For the last twelve years, Judi has been leading the OCASG Toastmaster Gavel Club. Meeting monthly, this innovative organization has helped individuals on the spectrum improve their communication skills and quality of life.
Judi is a member of the Competitive Integrated Employment Blueprint, Orange County Local Partnership Agreement (OCLPA) and the Thompson Policy Group Chapman University Transition Initiative. In this role, Judi has been doing groundbreaking work on how the fear of losing Social Security benefits impacts work and potential solutions.
Judi retired from a career as a high technology marketing executive. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Math/Computer Science from UCLA and an MBA from the Tepper School of Management at Carnegie Mellon University. Judi is married and is the mother of a 33-year-old son, Joshua, who was diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism at the age of three. Josh graduated from California State Univer
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