President Dr. Sally Burton Hoyle Inducted into Women’s Roll of Honor
August 8, 2025
A huge congratulations to lifetime educator, Dr. Sally Burton Hoyle, (left) on being named to the 2025 Brighton Michigan Area Women’s Roll of Honor. Dr. Sally has dedicated her life to advancing outcomes for autistic individuals in all areas of our society through inclusive practices. A well deserved recognition.
We are so proud to share our news with you. The President of The Temple Grandin and Eustacia Cutler Autism Fund, Dr. Sally Burton Hoyle was recently inducted into the Brighton Area Women’s History Roll of Honor. Dr. Sally has served as the President of TGEC Autism Fund for the past 10 years. She moved to Brighton, Michigan in May, 1994, to become the Executive Director of the Autism Society of Michigan (ASM), based in Lansing. At ASM (1994-2006), she provided expert guidance to the Livingston County Community Mental Health, the State of Michigan, and nationally through Person-Centered Planning–honoring needs/opportunities of people with autism and intellectual disabilities while planning/implementing community support. Sally led the grassroots efforts to make Person-Centered Planning a statute of the Michigan Mental Health Code and worked with the Michigan Department of Education to create the Policy for the Emergency Use of Seclusion and Restraint approved in 2017. Sally developed KIDPOWER, a program for siblings of people with autism, that served children in SE Michigan from 1995-2016 and trained professionals in four other states about its guiding principles. After beginning her career as a faculty member at the University of Idaho’s College of Education, Sally left ASM and joined Eastern Michigan University faculty in the Department of Special Education. In 2007, Sally joined with lead EMU faculty to create the Autism Collaborative Center providing full services to persons with autism and their families. In 2008 she developed and introduced the Masters of Arts degree in Autism, one of the first national graduate degrees focused on autism. Hundreds have completed this degree, and several graduates have been employed in Brighton. In conjunction with her colleague Dr. Pamela Lemerand, the College Supports Program was established in 2010 for EMU-admitted students diagnosed with autism. Inspired by her brother, who is on the autism spectrum, Dr. Burton-Hoyle has propelled EMU to be nationally ranked as one of the top universities supporting students with autism. Sally served on the US Department of Health and Human Services Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) from 2012-2017 and has been a panelist on the National Quality Forum for Person Centered Planning (PCP) and Practices since 2020. Sally was recognized as the 2024 EMU Brickley Endowment award recipient.