Podcast Summary: Tony Mantor: Why Not Me?
Episode: Danny Combs – Building Opportunities In Autism Employment
Date: April 20, 2026 | Host: Tony Mantor | Guest: Danny Combs
Episode Overview
This episode centers on Danny Combs’ pioneering work to create meaningful pathways to employment for autistic and neurodivergent individuals, highlighting his roles with TACT (Teaching the Autism Community Trades), Buildable, and the Colorado Disability Opportunity Office. The conversation explores innovative funding, startup challenges, the importance of data and policy, unifying advocacy, and long-term hopes for systemic change in neurodiversity employment initiatives.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
Danny’s Recent Achievements and Roles
- Congressional Recognition: Danny was honored with the Congressional Mentor of Honor Society Citizen Honor Award for his autism advocacy work in Colorado.
- State Appointment: Appointed by the Governor to Colorado’s new Disability Opportunity Office, one of the first of its kind nationwide.
- Innovative Funding Model: Colorado funds this office creatively via the sale of historic license plates, generating up to $1.5M/month—ensuring sustainable support for disability initiatives.
- “It’s really creative…now generating about a million and a half bucks a month for us. $25 a pop.” – Danny Combs (05:39)
TACT and Buildable: Scaling Success Beyond Colorado
- Replication of Model: TACT’s trade-focused training model is expanding, with Buildable launching in Tennessee in partnership with Belmont University.
- Workshop Approach: Initial hands-on workshops (e.g., ukulele-building) allow participants to explore trades.
- Corporate Partnerships: Subaru and other companies provide credibility and job opportunities for program graduates.
- “Subaru is a really great partner...they will come to those dealerships...and say, ‘Hey, there’s this training program. You should hire their graduates.’” – Danny Combs (08:42)
Main Objectives and Future Expansion
- Franchise-like Consistency: Buildable aims to maintain educational quality and consistency across new sites, learning from nonprofit expansion failures elsewhere.
- Addressing High Unemployment: The autism community remains the most unemployed demographic in the country—a reality these programs aim to change nationwide.
- Interest from Other States: 15 states have expressed interest in bringing this model to their regions.
Challenges in Expanding Employment Programs
- Resource-Intensive Setup: Finding properly zoned locations, equipping with necessary (and expensive) tools, and situating near employment opportunities proves difficult.
- Personnel: Attracting the “right people” who combine both passion and the skills needed for startup success is a major hurdle.
- “While well meaning people want to get things set up...once they start pricing out what classrooms full of power tools and hand tools and all that equipment looks like—it's expensive.” – Danny Combs (11:09)
State-Level Work and Policy Impact
- Broader Perspective: Working for the state has given Danny a comprehensive view of nonprofits and valuable insights into how policy shapes outcomes.
- Critical Data Gaps: No reliable state-specific data exists about the actual number of autistic individuals, hampering effective policy and program design.
- “How do you put in place a solid strategy and program infrastructure if you don’t really know who you’re trying to serve?” – Danny Combs (14:16)
- Advising Lawmakers: Danny brings ground-level nonprofit experience to legislators but observes their limited operational background often leads to disconnect between intention and implementation.
- “A lot of cases, they’ve never run a state agency or office…they don’t understand how that truthfully impacts those running those state offices…” – Danny Combs (13:42)
The Importance of Unified Advocacy
- Nonprofit Competition: Large charities rarely collaborate, which weakens the sector’s collective advocacy power.
- “Unfortunately, nonprofits are so competitive and they're so siloed...If there was more of an alignment of nonprofits working together in concert…I would imagine they would be more likely to listen [at higher levels].” – Danny Combs (16:40)
- Language and Unity: Disagreements over terminology (e.g., “autistic” vs “person with autism”) can distract from the core mission of securing employment and dignity.
- “Rather than missing the message of what we were trying to achieve, they got caught up in the language.” – Danny Combs (20:53)
Employer, Parent, and Community Education
- Employer Perception: Many businesses lack understanding of autism; education should focus on abilities and ROI.
- “What needs to be put across is these autistic people can do everything and anything that a neurotypical can do. Sometimes it’s just presentation.” – Tony Mantor (22:30)
- Shifting Environment, Not the Individual: Programs should adapt to the needs of neurodiverse learners, not the other way around.
- “It’s an opportunity…to reframe on a broader scale. How do we relook at education in general? How do we relook at training in general?” – Danny Combs (23:03)
- Family Realities: Many autistic adults still live at home with aging caregivers because community infrastructure hasn’t built adequate support or housing. Preparing families for incremental success, not drastic transformation, is essential.
- “There’s going to be a lot…that are going to start happening [as parents age], and…inclusive housing initiatives…are certainly not enough.” – Danny Combs (26:20)
Hope for Systemic Change
- Five-Year Vision: Dream is full societal and workplace inclusion—where targeted programs are no longer needed because opportunity and understanding are universal, though “the ship is slow to turn.”
- Message to Listeners: Parents and individuals shouldn’t limit expectations—when given real opportunities and the right support, autistic individuals can truly thrive.
- “Our kids can do amazing things when we give them the opportunity…and not limit their scope of what they think is achievable.” – Danny Combs (27:56)
Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes
-
On creative state funding:
“They took historic plates from the 50s, the 60s, etc., and brought them back…It’s now generating about a million and a half bucks a month for us. $25 a pop.”
— Danny Combs (04:22–05:39) -
On competitive nonprofits:
“Unfortunately, nonprofits are so competitive and they're so siloed in their scope of work, fighting over similar grants…they don’t necessarily collaborate…”
— Danny Combs (16:40) -
On language vs. message:
“When TACT started, we would talk about our students as autistic…and people would be like, ‘No, no, you can’t say that…’ Rather than missing the message of what we were trying to achieve, they got caught up in the language.”
— Danny Combs (20:53) -
On advocacy with policymakers:
“…even the policies they develop, they don’t understand how that truthfully impacts those running those state offices and let alone…the nonprofits or the community members they’re trying to serve.”
— Danny Combs (13:42) -
On long-term aspirations:
“In five years, honestly, I would love to see that the entire system has changed…that genuine inclusion of equality of opportunity exists for everybody, uniformly—that would be the dream.”
— Danny Combs (24:12)
Timestamps for Major Segments
- [03:44] – Danny’s introduction, recent achievements, and state role
- [04:22] – Creative license plate funding for disability office
- [06:37] – Buildable’s launch plans in Tennessee
- [08:42] – Corporate partnerships and program scaling
- [11:09] – Startup and scaling challenges
- [13:07] – State policy, advocacy, and legislative realities
- [16:40] – Nonprofit competitiveness and need for unification
- [19:21] – Differentiating jobs vs. careers; real opportunity for autistic individuals
- [20:53] – Language debates and missing the bigger picture
- [23:03] – Adapting education/training models for neurodiverse learners
- [24:12] – Five-year vision for true inclusion
- [25:45] – Preparing families, addressing future care and housing
- [27:56] – Final message of empowerment and encouragement
Conclusion
This episode offers a heartfelt, practical, and strategic look at the path to meaningful employment for autistic and neurodiverse individuals. From legislative challenges to nonprofit competition and public attitudes, Danny Combs outlines a vision for lasting systemic change—one built on collaboration, creativity, and a belief in every individual’s potential. Listeners are left with a compelling call to broaden expectations and work collectively for a more inclusive future.
Quotable Close:
“Our kids can do amazing things when we give them the opportunity…do not limit their scope…individuals can regularly break out of those boxes when you elevate and empower them and give them the tools to truly be successful.”
— Danny Combs (27:56)