Meet Anthony Ianni

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Ianni.

Hi Anthony, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
When I was 4 years old, I was diagnosed with Pervasive-Developmental Disorder (PDD-NOS), which is on the Autism Spectrum. A year later, when I was 5 years old, a group of doctors and experts told my parents because I had autism, I would barely graduate high school, never go to college, never be an athlete, and would likely end up in a group institution with others just like myself.

I wasn’t told this story until my freshman year of high school, so that became my motivation to go out and prove those people and every doubter and naysayer wrong. I had to work super hard at everything, such as my social life, basketball, and school, especially cause I wasn’t the smartest kid in my school. I also had a lot of support from family, friends, teachers, coaches, and teammates to help me get to where I needed to go. So, I graduated from Okemos High School in 2007, where I attended Grand Valley State University for 2 years on a full scholarship for basketball.

After things didn’t work out for me there, I went on to live my ultimate dream to play basketball for Coach Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans. Where I was a walk-on for 2 years, my senior year, I then received a full scholarship from Coach Izzo. I was apart of 2 Big Ten title teams, a team that won the Big Ten Tournament Title, a team that went to the Final Four in 2010, and played with an incredible group of guys that I’m proud to call my brothers to this day. Two things I’m proud of during my time though at MSU, first I became the NCAA’s First known Division 1 College Basketball in History, but even more proud I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Michigan State.

After college, I then became a National Motivational Speaker and Autism and Bullying Advocate, where I was on the road for over 11 years, speaking in schools, colleges, and conferences all over the country. Today I am now a school administrator as the Dean of Culture at Bow Elementary/Middle School in Detroit and I’m also enrolled in grad school online at the University of Alabama pursuing my degree in Higher Education Administration.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
For me, life has never been a smooth road for me. There have been a lot of obstacles and struggles that I have had to overcome, such as the struggles of being on the spectrum and not being able to understand social cues. Early on I really struggled understanding nouns, verbs, idioms, jokes and sarcasm.

I’m a lot better today, but I still continue to have those struggles from time to time. I’m okay with that because that makes me who I am. I struggled with loud noises growing up to the point where I could barely attend MSU sporting events, and I also struggled with fire drills in school. Making friends early on was hard for me as a young child as well, but once I got older, I was able to learn some social cues and interact more with others. Being on basketball teams helped me learn a lot, and most of the guys who were on my team became good friends with me.

Even as an adult with autism, my life still hasn’t been a smooth road, but that’s okay cause I wouldn’t change that road because it’s building me into the person that I am today. That road is also helping me learn every day, too.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a school administrator and the dean of culture at Bow Elementary/Middle School in Detroit. This is my first year as a school administrator, and I have enjoyed every second of working with our staff and students. Before I became a school administrator, I was a national motivational speaker for over 11 years.

What I was most proud of as a speaker was the impact that my message was having on communities, and the fact I spoke to over 600,000 people in 11 years shows you how dedicated I was to my work and to my mission for the Autism Community and to those who were severely bullied. What separated me from other speakers was I wasn’t afraid to call out students if they tried to disrupt my presentation. I did it, though, in a way where the student can learn at that moment that if you’re doing this with me, and all you get is just a lesson from me, imagine what could happen if you tried doing the same interrupting with your boss in a meeting 20 years from now.

That really hit home for those students, and the teachers and other school administrators loved it. I wanted to do and try things that other presentations wouldn’t do, and I wanted to be different by having my own style. Even though I don’t speak as much anymore because of my new career, I still try to stay involved with the Autism Community as much as I can. I’m still taking requests from folks who want to host me at different conferences.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Without question, my parents deserve all the credit. They made me into the man and person that I am today. During that meeting, they could have easily accepted my “future fate,” but they refused because they had such great expectations of me, and they were going to find a way to get it done. My Mom actually took a year off from work so she could be my advocate and make sure I was getting the right accommodations I needed in school to be successful.

It’s still crazy to think that during that time, as a family, we were able to go on with life based on one income, but it showed how much my parents cared about me and wanted to make sure I was taken care of when it came to school and eventually down the road with my athletic career. My parents are the main reason why I am where I am today in my life. They have taught me how to be a better person, father, and administrator and just how to navigate life when the roads in life are never smooth.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.anthonyianni.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGameChanger44
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-ianni-8a418965/