BARTOW COUNTY, GA · EST. 2024
Know Your Rights. Own Your Space.
We are dedicated to providing support, resources,
and advocacy for a safer, more inclusive Bartow County for adults on the autism spectrum and then focus on incorporating surrounding counties and all of North GA.
Elevate Autism provides the essential advocacy, educational resources, and supportive community networks needed to own your space with confidence.
Three Pillars. How We Help.
Protection
Safety Resources
Accessible tools and information designed to enhance personal safety, including sensory-friendly kits and practical guides for navigating public spaces with confidence.
Our founder Mandy, has a son named Caleb. Caleb, is an autistic adult. Several years ago, a misunderstanding with law enforcement changed our lives forever.
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Although the charges against him were ultimately dismissed, the experience revealed how easily communication differences associated with autism can be misunderstood during moments of stress.
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That experience inspired the creation of Elevate Autism with one clear purpose: to help build safer, more understanding communities through education, compassion, and collaboration.
Caleb's Story
Our Mission
Community Partnerships
We are forging strong partnerships with schools to deliver resources, supplies, and support to special needs classrooms.
Advocacy in Action
We are starting to engage with policymakers to ensure better access to services for families.
A Vision For Growth
While we are still building, we plan to expand our efforts—offering workshops and trainings as we grow.
Elevate Autism is dedicated to providing the tools, language, and community connections you need to advocate for these rights effectively. We believe that informed support leads to safer, more inclusive environments for everyone.
Upcoming Events.
August 7, 2026 | Ribbon Cutting Celebration
An official "ribbon cutting" celebration with our team, the Cartersville-Bartow Chamber of Commerce, community members & more. Giveaways, refreshments & Elevate Autism!
8:30 am - 9:30 am |Â 122 W Main St. Cartersville, GA 30120
October 10, 2026 | Car Show & Bike Ride
A fundraiser featuring a bike ride and a car show to raise money for Elevate Autism.
9 am - 3 pm
October 2-4, 2026 | Great Locomotive Chase
Great Locomotive Chase Festival has over 90+ food and craft vendors, live entertainment all three days, parade, carnival rides and more.
Elevate Autism celebrated it's official ribbon cutting, in conjunction with the Cartersville-Bartow Chamber of Commerce.
Elevate Autism leadership meeting with members of the Adairsville Police Department and community partners to discuss our mission and opportunities to work together.
In the Community
Lori Satterfield
Board Member
Lori Satterfield is a proud mom to a son that has multiple medical diagnosis, but as a family they have never let that hold him back from participating in whatever interests him. Lori is very passionate about the special needs community and believes they should be included in their respective communities. Lori serves as the treasurer/uniform manager for the Bartow County Challenger League and finds great delight in watching the athlete’s eyes light up when it comes time for uniform distribution. Lori is also an (unofficial) mom to a daughter and loves spending time with her parents, children, grandchildren and extended family. In addition,
Lori has worked, in various roles, for the Cartersville Police Department for 33 years and she currently serves as the Administrative Assistant to the Chief’s Office. Lori believes in pouring into the youth and currently serves as a Committee Member for Youth Leadership Bartow. Â
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Lori has a desire to see all special needs children/adults treated with respect, love, compassion, and acceptance. Further, Lori hopes that serving alongside others with Elevate Autism, she can make a difference in the lives of those conquering life with special needs.Â
Tara Currier
Board Member
Tara Currier is passionate about connecting people, ideas, and opportunities to create positive change in her community. With a background in marketing and communications, Tara currently serves as the Membership Director for the Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce and previously spent more than 10 years at Shaw Industries, where her work in sustainability introduced her to the importance of accessibility, inclusive design, and neurodiversity.
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Tara met Elevate Autism founder Mandy Beavers through her work with the Chamber and was immediately inspired by Mandy’s determination to turn a difficult personal experience into an opportunity for meaningful change. She joined the board with a desire to help position Bartow County as a leader in inclusivity while supporting Elevate Autism’s vision of developing training, programs, and resources that can make a meaningful difference locally and, ultimately, be expanded to communities beyond Bartow County.
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Tara is excited to bring her communications, marketing, and storytelling experience to Elevate Autism, helping share the organization’s mission, amplify its impact, and connect its work with the people and organizations who can help carry it forward.
Jaime Elaine Fountain is a special education leader and advocate with more than 25 years of experience serving students with disabilities, with a particular passion for Autism, behavior support, and creating systems that expand opportunities for students with complex needs. She began her career as a special education teacher in Georgia and has since served in classroom, behavior, program development, compliance, and district-level leadership roles across multiple states, including Director of Special Populations for KIPP Texas Public Schools.
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She holds a B.S. in Special Education from the University of West Georgia, an M.Ed. in Special Education with an emphasis in Autism from Texas Tech University, and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis, and plans to return to school in Winter 2027 to pursue certification in special education administration.
Her work has focused on building meaningful programs, supporting educators and families, and ensuring students receive the services and opportunities they deserve. Though she no longer lives in Georgia, Jaime still makes a point of seeing her former students whenever she returns — a constant reminder of why she chose this work. Her students are, and always will be, her why. She believes every student deserves to be seen for their abilities, supported in their challenges, and given high expectations and meaningful opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute.
Board Member
Jamie Elaine Fountain
Our Board of Directors
Mandy Beavers
Founder
Mandy Beavers is the Founder and Executive Director of Elevate Autism, Inc., a Georgia-based nonprofit dedicated to improving safety, understanding, and communication between individuals on the autism spectrum, their families, first responders, and the communities they call home.
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For Mandy, the mission is personal. As the mother of an autistic adult son, Caleb, she has spent more than two decades navigating a world that does not always understand autism, especially as autistic children grow into adults. She founded Elevate Autism to create safer outcomes for other families through education, community partnerships, first responder training, and practical safety initiatives, with particular focus on the often-overlooked needs of autistic adults.
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Under her leadership, Elevate Autism is building partnerships with 911 centers, law enforcement agencies, schools, and community organizations across Georgia, advocating for tools and training that give first responders valuable information before or during an encounter while keeping the voices of autistic adults at the center of the conversation.
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Outside of Elevate Autism, Mandy works as a Land Agent, where communication, relationship-building, and navigating difficult conversations have proven invaluable in bringing families and public safety professionals to the same table. She believes meaningful change comes not from division, but from listening and learning together.
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At the heart of everything is her family: her husband, Allerick, their four sons — Jadrien, Caleb, Trey, and Devon — and four Golden Retrievers. Her vision is to start local, build programs that work, and expand throughout Georgia and beyond, creating a model where autism awareness does not end when a child turns 18.
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"Autism is not something you outgrow." Through Elevate Autism, Mandy is working to make sure our communities never outgrow the responsibility to understand it.
Melissa Hunt
Executive Director
Melissa Hunt serves on the board of Elevate Autism because she believes autistic adults deserve to be seen, understood, respected, and included in every part of our community. She's passionate about bringing people together, connecting resources, and helping create greater awareness of the experiences and needs of autistic adults.
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She is especially proud to support Elevate Autism’s work in providing education and training to first responders, community leaders, and others who may interact with Autistic individuals. For her, this isn’t simply a board position... it’s an opportunity to use her strengths, her heart for helping others, and her commitment to our community to help create meaningful understanding and positive change. She believes that when we educate, advocate, and come together, we can build a community where autistic adults are not only supported, but truly valued and included.
Brianna Hunt
Secretary
Brianna Hunt is a proud boy mom who loves spending time with her family, reading, and finding ways to care for and give back to others. She is passionate about making a positive difference in the lives of those around her.
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Autism has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember, and it has given her a deep understanding of the importance of acceptance, compassion, and inclusion. She joined the board because she believes no one with Autism should ever be treated unfairly or unjustly. She wants to be part of creating a community where adults with Autism are respected, valued, heard, and given the opportunities they deserve. She joined this board because she believes we can, and should, do better as a community, and she wants to help be a part of that change.
"We believe every autistic adult deserves a community that speaks their language and celebrates their unique rhythm."
- Mandy, Founder of Elevate Autism. Our mission is built on the strength of shared experiences and the power of accessible support networks.