Arlene R. Atherton

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Arlene R. Atherton

Known For "Visual Linguistics" Theory of visual communication

Occupation Director Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery Association 2016 - Present

Director Visual Linguistics "Integrating Modernity with Heritage" January 2001 – Present

Atherton Advisory, Inc. President Pre- IPO Consulting - Silicon Valley Private Wealth Management

Personal details Born Arlene Ruth Atherton

           May 3, 1956 (age 62)
           Redlands, California
           USA

Political partyIndependent Spouse(s) None Residence Chicago, Illinois Education Columbia University cum laude Cultural Anthropology (BA) Sub-specialty - Visual Anthropology Department Honors Art History (BA)

International Center for Photography Documentary Photography

Arlene R. Atherton is an American Anthropologist, Photographer, and Technology Entrepreneur. She is the first person in the world to become a 'Virtual Anthropologist'. She combined her skills in technology, anthropology, marketing, art history and consulted overseas, serving foreign governments.

Atherton was born in California. Her father, J. Arlie Gilmore, worked for Lockheed Missiles & Space in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was married to Donna R. Bellomy, a 1950's 'stay at home' mother. Arlene R. Atherton had three siblings, all girls. Arlene Atherton graduated from Columbia University in the City of New York in 2001. Atherton was in 9/11 in New York City. She applied her documentary photography to record the events post attack. She interviewed Ground Zero workers until the site was cleared. And she recorded the closing ceremonies with the black shroud over the final beam in respect of the Jewish tradition of mourning.

At Columbia, Atherton’s work in Structural Anthropology resulting in her work 'Human information processing in relation to Information Architecture.' Her Anthropology Department honors was for the theory of Visual Linguistics: the discovery that every society has. a distinct visual language with grammar and syntax like spoken or written language.

Atherton began her professional life advising in finance. Located in Silicon Valley ,CA. She became an expert in Compensation Planning. Providing seminars to high-tech firms in 'Unlocking the Golden Handcuffs'. She consulted with senior management of technology firms on Stock Option planning, exercise & sale, and understanding income tax consequences. Founding her 1st Consulting business - Atherton Advisory, Inc. she provided information, and support to Pre-IPO companies until they went Public. This was the beginning of Atherton's specialization in 'niche marketing’. Silicon Valley values were imprinted in Atherton's psyche: using technology to 'change the world'. She utilized the first unix network computer systems back in 1982, before the ‘Mac'. Neither the Apple nor the IBM PC had networking capacity. Atherton demonstrated her natural skill in using technology for business innovation.

In 1996, Atherton embarked on her second career to combine technology with Culture & Heritage. Recognizing the internet had just arrived, she became a specialist in the human response to the 'screen'. Communication was no longer going to be http:// protocol on a command line. (Think - “You’ve Got Mail” (1998) - Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks). Graphics and image were now part of the Internet.

Enrolling in Columbia University in the city of New York, she sought to understand the core issues of communication and its medium. Tracing the origins of human communication to the Assyrian period, she studied how different societies, with separate languages, varied trade routes, no written language, executed governance of a territory, exchanged products, and moved merchandise across vast distances. Cultural Anthropology taught her how people make decisions to conform with both socialization, custom, and analytical reasoning.

Applying Art History to the 'computer screen' it now became a 'canvas'. Tracing the conveyance of ideas, social norms, political statements through art and history painting, set the stage for how a society communicate to itself, within its own people. How the use of ‘color’, placement on the screen, and artifacts used to help the viewer find what they need or cue them for action?

Independent study of Human Information Processing: Why do users ‘blow off the site?’ What is the difference in gender use of technology? How are generational learning templates impacting the use of technology and ability to execute tasks? Is there an optimal ‘mind set’ for learning online? Atherton ran the largest focus groups for Columbia University New Media Technology & Learning. The approaches discovered lead to and understanding of 'User decision Making & User preferences'. This was knowledge was later translated to Marketing Approaches using the Internet.

Atherton consulted overseas to preserve Country Aesthetics, and Cultural Identity in an increasing globalization process to homogenize the world. Following ISO (International Standard Operating Protocol) technology use individuality was being lost. Rather than out-sourcing to New York or London to meet international standard, Atherton ran teams in the country to preserve jobs, and provide control over an internal product. Columbia University Training in Anthropology prepared her for the 'Image of the State'(State means Nation) in social imagination. This translates to Country Branding, and Identity using modern 21st Century tools. With the ability to frame a message either to one’s own population base, a specific group of people within the region, or an international audience. International communication seeks a common understanding. Atherton lays the groundwork for cultural preservation, and mutual understanding between peoples. Atherton's goal is to reduce discrimination between ethnic groups, through cultural education.

Separate from 'Visual Linguistics' consulting Atherton endeavors to engage in capacity building. Drawing on her experience in 'start-ups' in Silicon Valley, she understands the components necessary to make a new endeavor emerge. Striving to change the dependence of 3rd World Countries on Trade/Aid deals, Atherton’s approach to expand internal capacity, create jobs, spur the economy, and reduce the dependence on outside funding of international sources. (IMF, World Bank). This kind of economic vitality can transform regions, and shift the political structure among nations.

Contents 1 Early life and career 1.1 Youth and young adulthood in the United States 2 Career 2.1 Atherton Advisory, Inc. 2.2 Visual Linguistics 2.3 Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery Association 2.6 Pedestrian/Auto Accident 2011 2.7 Awards 2.8 Books 3 Personal life 4 See also 5 References 5.1 Footnotes 5.2 Works cited 6 External links

Early life and career Born in Southern California, her father an engineer in the Defense Aerospace Industry, taking a position a Lockheed Missiles & Space in Northern California. At the time, Santa Clara Valley was an agricultural area supporting San Francisco. San Jose was known as the ‘prune capital of the world’. Atherton’s father educated as an electrical engineer, worked in Government Proposals Management. He was chosen to be a representative of Lockheed during the Gemini and Apollo programs, present at the launch of space capsules at Cape Canaveral (Cape Kennedy).

The family was very stable in Cupertino, California. (Current market value 2.4 million). The suburban area was expanding with new schools built to accommodate the volume of migration to the area. The influx of computer industry, defense industry, and aerospace industry brought educated persons to expand the residential communities. Santa Clara valley host to San Jose, the 3rd largest city in California, and 10th largest in the USA. The San Jose Metropolitan Area has the third highest GDP per capita in the world (after Zurich, Switzerland and Oslo, Norway), according to the Brookings Institution. The Santa Clara Valley boasts the most advanced degree populations concentrations in the United States. Education was very important to the inhabitants, funding school systems, and engaging in advanced education techniques. It was this heritage that led Apple Computer,Inc. to donate Apple II's to the elementary school systems in the late 70’s. Apple literally grew its future work force through early exposure to OS when they were children.

Atherton attended Monta Vista High School in the Cupertino School District - ranked #7 in STEM in the USA. The proximity of the School System to the High Tech industry led many foreign parents to send their children to public high school to learn ‘English’, and streamline into the California Higher Education System. Atherton has been surrounded by multiple nationalities, multiple ethnic, multiple heritage since her youth. Graduating in the 70’s Silicon Valley was dominated by semiconductor industries, defense companies, and large companies such as Bell Labs, Kodak, General Electric, Hewlett Packard, IBM, and Burroughs Computer.

Silicon Valley received its name due to the chip manufactures such as Fairchild, Intel, Amdahl that supported the Computer Industry. The adjoining industries were research and defense based, with Stanford Linear Accelerator, satellite companies, and biomedical research. Genentech began in the area in 1976. The region has long been an area of ‘new ideas’, ‘educational application’, ‘innovative techniques’, and ‘new frontiers’. The common pursuit is to improve the ‘status quo’, disrupt the present way of operating, and innovate alternative solutions.

Silicon Valley due to its multi-ethnic population is global in viewpoint. It holds a natural affinity to cultural understanding, and exchange. The emphasis of eco-consciousness is intrinsic to the area with first ‘EARTH DAY’ in 1970 from San Francisco. California’s educational system developed the first ‘life-long learning’ whereby post college adults continue their education in other disciplines at the local community colleges. De Anza Community College in Cupertino boasts 48,000 students. Steve Jobs gave his presentation launching the ‘Mac” at Flint Center in 1984. Atherton was present in the audience. Atherton’s personal value system is imbued with the Silicon Valley template: 'Never retire, just do the next project.'

Atherton developed her consulting practice Atherton Advisory, Inc. in Santa Clara Valley. Adopting the use of computers early in her career. The networked system and software created the most advanced tracking and calculating capacity in wealth management that existed on the market. Every endeavor Atherton has chosen has drawn on her technology background due to early exposure since a child in technological solutions.

Career Early career Arlene Atherton founded Atherton Advisory, Inc., a boutique financial advisory firm in 1982. Her office was in the heart of Silicon Valley in Santa Clara. As such, her specialization was Executive Compensation Consulting, managing ISO/NQ Stock options plans. She lectured to firms for their employees Financial Management, and offered strategies that the employer could not provide. She worked in the early days with Banks out of San Francisco who operated the first ‘cashless exercise’. Same-day options exercise based on a 1-day loan to the exerciser of the option; conditioned on the delivery of the stock to the bank. The bank then liquidated the shares at market rates to cover the purchase cost of the Stock option. In 1982, there was a special exemption from the Glass-Steagall Act, a 1933 law that separates commercial from investment banking; permits banks to provide management and advisory services, but not fund underwriting or distribution services. Atherton worked with Human Resources departments to connect them with San Francisco Banks offering this service.

Golden Handcuffs Atherton consulted with clients in high tech firms during the ‘hardware wars’, when the PC (personal computer) was just emerging. The early APPLE COMPUTER TV ads ‘Think Different’ (1997) made an impact throughout America. The constant emergence of companies, and resulting ‘buy out’ to a larger entity was the exit plan. With the growth of the Venture Capital industry, founders elected to IPO - initial public offering of their privately held stock. Going 'public' was the road to riches. Alternately a ‘start-up’s’ demise due to competitive battle was a ‘way of life’ in the ‘valley’. Many firms disappeared: Lotus, Attari, Convergent Technology, Compupaq, and others. In the 80’s even senior management lasted only about 5 years. Atherton’s clients in high tech changed firms frequently bringing their team with them to the next endeavor.

Early Pre-IPO consulting covered coordination with the CFO on compensation arrangements of a small private company. Little known is firms may take years - 4-8 years before they go public, dependent upon Venture Capital Financing Rounds to keep them afloat; while they built traction and fought off competitors in an emerging market. The cycle typically showed a leader determined to gain market share - called the first mover advantage. (ie: Amazon - in online book sales). Gaining name recognition with the public, and building infrastructure, the firm built loyalty to fend off competitors. Bezos used the first ‘relational search’ program (late 1990’s) in Amazon Books. This relational marketing is still being used regardless of the product category. Amazon has displaced Sears & Roebuck as Americas home market consumer product distribution. Bezo’s brilliance was to 'stick with the durables', non-shelf life products. Bezos continues to use technology and innovation in logistics to deliver products in a cost effective manner.

The words of the ‘valley’ are “Go Fast. Go Big’.

The basic profile of the emergence of an industry is a leader, then several competitors (‘me too’) products with little new innovation, relying on graphic interface and customer service variance, while they fight for the same customer base. Then there is a ‘shake out’. The number of players drops from 8 to 3. We saw this with the deregulation of the telephone industry, and break up of the ‘Baby Bells’ - (AT&T. 1982). In technology the operating system depended on market share. We can thank Bill Gates for wiring the world. Without Microsoft servers we would not have the depth of the world wide web. It was the Microsoft operating software on cheap desktop computers that penetrated Europe, the sub-continent, Asia, and Africa. Gates has maintained a software and operating system monopoly resulting in antitrust litigation: Microsoft v European Commission (2007). In effect this ‘Go Big’ allowed Gates to block competition from technology firms in the EU, and Microsoft has become the default standard.

Absorbing Silicon Valley Culture 1st Mover Advantage: Gates was smart enough to buy out all his competitors to make Microsoft the standard (DOS). Soon, only APPLE COMPUTER remained under (OS). It was Apple's savvy in user interface, bundled software, and graphics capacity that gave it a niche to continue to compete. In 2006, London opened the first Apple Store in Europe. The user base was primarily early adopt Boomers. Again, Apple grew its user base with laptops/ipads that Gen ‘X’ers bought their children. Now when you go anywhere, the norm is to see the lighted Apple icon on the backscreen.

‘Shake-out’ : The period of condensing players in a market, repeated in the Millennials experience with social networking. Facebook having 1st Mover Advantage and locking in the college market. Initially, opening the product to family and friends of the college student 2006. Facebook opened in 2008 with exchange in other geographic areas (nations). Atherton consulted to Cyworld USA a Korean Social Networking site localizing to the USA Market (see Visual Linguistics). In 2018 Facebook has 2.2 Billion users per month, obliterating any social networking platform competing. The sole remainder social networking sites are isolated ‘in-country’ language specific sites, little known in America.

There is no career ladder in Silicon Valley: it is about leveraging your skills set, and engaging your market. Transparency is a way of life in the ‘valley’. Direct communication saves time. With small ‘start-ups’ on a shoestring budget, there is no time for jockeying for position or power; the company will die. Everyone’s life relies on the performance of others in the firm, so team work is more than getting along. It is the bedrock of ‘life for survival of the firm’, an interdependent relationship. Developing mutual respect, and trust in colleagues is part of the value system of the ‘valley’.

Atherton Advisory, Inc provided advice that meets the clients needs, building the reputation for future work. Atherton states, “You are hired for your character, not just your qualified skills. Do you have integrity? Do you have a proven track record of successful results? Can you put the needs of the firm above personal payoff, power, or compensation?” During this time as a financial consultant, Atherton was selected for WHO’s WHO in America; WHO’s WHO in Finance; WHO’s WHO in California; WHO’s WHO in American Women.

Visual Linguistics In 1989 Timothy Berners-Lee invented the world-wide-web at CERN, Switzerland. Tim laid out his vision for what would become the web in a document called “Information Management: A Proposal”. Initially, not accepted, working on his own "using a NeXT computer, one of Steve Jobs’ early products". In April 1993 CERN made the World Wide Web available on a royalty-free basis. By October 1993 there were over two hundred HTTP servers online. By 1996, the public was aware the world wide web had arrived. Early sites were little more that one page ‘yellow page ads’. Atherton made a decision - Silicon Valley was the Mecca for ‘tool makers’. She realized she would never be an engineer, and design a technology prototype. However, she was a master ‘tool user’ and she headed for the content side. This led to her apply to Columbia University in New York City. NYC is the home of America’s Media, Television Networks, Magazine publications, National Newspapers, Madison Ave Advertising all resided in New York. This was the place to study CONTENT. The screen became a ‘canvas’ and Atherton knew it was necessary to gain the vocabulary of visual representation.

Structural Anthropology applied to the Internet: The goal was to understand international communication through the use of native aesthetic preferences per country. Studying Cultural Anthropology, where Columbia University in the City of New York was the premiere institution of Anthropology in the United States. Ms. Atherton studied ‘Visual Anthropology’ a sub speciality designed to describe the way cultures have presented themselves in visual format. This led to studies in documentary photography, graphic design, advertising styles in history, motion pictures, and performance art. All visual formats, while some are temporal, and others enduring. The second degree was Art History, spanning the differentiation of cultural aesthetics, symbolism, political history, and story telling of the society. Even modern art has intrinsic values related to the culture representative in the artwork itself. The goal was to find how visual style represented itself in the Internet.

Cross cultural use of the Internet: Atherton produced a study of 6 continents, 91 sites, spanning news, youth, environment, e-commerce, television, and political representation. Atherton was able to classify user preferences of navigation, layout, use of space, overlap, photographic representation, animation, timing and using. This work led to her work 'Human information processing in relationship to Information Architecture’.

Human Perception & Processing: Taking this topic forward the addition of studying the human brain from a decision making standpoint in neurological science allowed Atherton to order the priority of stimuli that leads a person to a conclusion or decision. Separating analytical mind from socialization led Atherton to the discovery of the ‘universal’ (all human beings - Mankind) v the ‘particular’ (a culture) in decision making. Atherton learned where in the mental process cultural decision making overrides convention. This data is applied to the understanding of ‘user adopt’ of technology. Rather, that waiting for saturation marketing, or mainstream ideas (‘X’ generation; see Apple’s example of grooming a future workforce); Atherton is able to determine what groups and individual users will adopt early, and what factors are necessary prior to adopt. This is part of her ‘niche marketing strategy’. Bringing the two sets of social sciences together, Atherton formed the theory of ‘Visual Linguistics’.

‘Visual Linguistics’ Theory: is the theory to apply to the SCREEN ENVIRONMENT emerging in 1996 - and being the mode of communication in the 21st Century. ‘Visual Linguistics’ is the comprehension that all visual language has a set of grammar, syntax, sequence structure, and colloquial norms like spoken or written language. Every society has a visual template of how they communicate. These emerge as regional or national styles. This was discovered through her years of research abroad photographing societies and regions. It appears in their visual culture, including all aspects of visual stimuli. The objects of aesthetics: color, shape, texture, form, hardness, and luminosity. Precedence for it appears in art history. We have all heard about Italian architectural style, or French Gothic. Even interior designers know about ‘impressionist’ style, or ‘realism’. There are visual cultural styles.

The initial study took place 1998-2000 at Columbia University in the City of New York. Examining the penetration of the early internet across six (6) continents, spanning six (6) topics - newspapers, television, politics, youth sites, non-profit, e-commerce; Atherton inventoried 91 sites in (6) countries. The countries were defined by greatest user base per capita on the internet. Examine via Art History analysis of visual representation, the use of space, color, hierarchy, classification style, animation, cuing, pathing, depth of site, and associated resources. Using this as a template for Human Information processing, she conducted user studies at Columbia University New Media Teaching and Learning, utilizing focus groups and means that users use to absorb information on an internet site.

Learning Theory and the Internet: Columbia was interested in understanding how one ‘learns online’. How is it different from conventional learning tools? What is the best way of integrating multimedia in the classroom. One study was visual incorporating an ‘art’ site, to see how various ages, disciplines, fields of interest, and past experience approach visual material. Another was a cognitive study of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, used in Columbia Law School. Understanding different user types who vary in range of sequential based absorption, or people with multiple inputs in their mental structure who seek greater depth in delivery. Atherton combined this with existing learning theories of learning orientation, learning style, and neuroscience. A comprehension of ‘deep’ or ‘shallow’ processing help to understand how people grasp information. Not all minds are configured the same, though they are biologically similar. This precept goes back to early childhood education understanding the formation of learning patterns.

Understanding Human Information processing: There is a comprehension of the European saying ‘the mentality’. ‘The mentality of the people’ means how the people of a nation ‘think’. It’s a short-cut for understanding values, priorities, history, and presences. Incorporating the assembly of knowledge of Atherton’s formation is a unique perspective on social, cultural, and sacred values in the context of visual representation. This positions Atherton as a unique consultant in visual communication with modern media. Atherton’s financial background appeals to decision making authorities concerned about budget. Her insight from her Columbia studies provides a laser precision in solutioning to visual presentation. Having traveled the world over 4 times, collecting visual material for her research - she has a perspective NOT FOUND in textbook answers. The classic recipe of apply the latest ‘trend in internet graphics’ has been displaced by human science.

Applying the prototype: Atherton integrated her knowledge base when working for Cyworld USA, 2006. A social networking site to compete with ‘My Space’, and ‘Facebook’. Hired to join the locational team in San Francisco, Atherton took the 35 members from a stalled project for 16 months to launch in 3 months. Applying her visual anthropology skills, and aesthetics expertise, she was able to gain a ‘pass’ in all Focus Groups in various geos of the United States. Articulating specific instructions to the graphics team, she was able to create identification with the U.S. audience and appeal to their demographic. Atherton saved millions of dollars of ‘trial and error’ attempts to seduce the attraction of the early millennials. For the engineering team, Atherton protected the Korean brand’s integrity to maintain the sense of ‘intimacy’, ‘conversation’, ‘vulnerability’, and values of SHARING, and RESPECT. Atherton states, “It was the first software in the world with ‘manners’.” During the social networking ‘shake out’ Atherton strove to maintain the uniqueness of the product to save it from a ‘me too’ existence.

Atherton went on to continue to promote cultural aesthetics ‘online’ overseas, working in Eastern Europe, and the Gulf countries (GCC). Growing up in California… it was ‘save the rainforest’, ‘save the whales’, ‘save the oceans’. It seemed perfectly normal to ‘save the values and aesthetics’ of a culture’. The homogenization of the world via dissemination of International style is a loss of Mankind’s variation of visual expression’. If we are worried about endangered species due to loss of habitat. Why aren’t we worried about the loss of artistic forms around the world? Atherton was already seeing the imitation of internet style outsourcing to Web/Advertising/Branding firms in New York or London. In commerce driven economies, attention to social values can be lost. In the era of the internet dissemination of ideas and norms can be carried out world wide.

Atherton’s studies in ‘social imagination of a State’ at Columbia come forefront in the way people communicate with each other. Integrity in culture is ‘stereotype busting’, getting rid of negative connotations about where someone is ‘from’ (ethnic origin). America is ethnically diverse. Yet, traditions and cultural norms are insular and misunderstood. Not only does Atherton want people in the United States to be proud of their personal heritage. She wants to ease the pain of population migration in an increasingly mobile world. Visa laws expand; Work opportunities increase; and Conflict relief has arrived. Taking people into foreign soil is relatively new in the last 20 years. Most nations are not immigrant based like the United States. It is a cultural challenge to assimilate foreign born persons. (Note the EU - Syrian Refugee crisis)

Children Speak:Tsunami Atherton answered the call for volunteers for S.E. Asia Tsunami in 2005. She worked in relief in Galle, Sri Lanka; Banda Ache, Indonesia; and Kao Lak, Thailand. As a documentary photographer, she photographed in each region. Beginning in Sri Lanka she noticed children’s drawings of the Tsunami. They were unusual. Given the villages were not impacted by the West, the drawing styles were native to their country. Atherton collected these drawings and created an exhibit: Children Speak:Tsunami. The combination of drawings and photos went to Asia Society in New York City, Asia Society in Washington DC, and the George W. H. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, TX. Atherton created a 51 minute digital film of three segments: 1) Drawings - Siri Lanka; Drawings - Indonesia; Drawings - Thailand; 2) Presidential tour of S.E. Asia - President George W. H. Bush & Envoy President Bill Clinton; 3)Kids Drawing project. The exhibit of 164 drawings Children Speak: Tsunami was made into a book, with 45 drawings (15 per country), and the remainder in smaller view. The exhibit for the President was to honor the 1st Bipartisan Presidential Humanitarian effort by Tsunami Envoy - President Bill Clinton (42), and President George W. H. Bush (41).

Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery Association Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery Association was ‘birthed’ as a concept in 2015. As Atherton was searching for Traumatic Brain Injury Neuropsycological evaluation, she realized the injury she suffered was far greater than she understood. Traumatic Brain Injury is with you for ‘life’. It is not a reduction of IQ. It is a loss of certain functioning based on neural network destruction due to the injury or trauma. It is truly a ‘handicap’ a limitation of abilities the person formerly knew their brain to possess.

Columbia University trained in studies of Human Information Processing, Atherton wanted ANSWERS. What was wrong with her brain? Neither the doctors, nor therapist could offer scientific theory. They only state that the CDC was studying the ‘outcome’ of TBI survivors to create a treatment protocol. This longitudinal study would not provide results authorized by the government for over 10 years. Atherton didn’t want to wait 10 years to get better. Atherton discovered that there is NO Cognitive Rehabilitation requirement post acute care in the United States. “So, if I break my leg, you will teach me to walk again, but if I break my brain, you WON’T teach me to THINK again!”

Current Rehabilitation Programs gives priority to motor skills and speech therapy. The goal is achieving 'LIFE SKILLS'. This focus led Atherton to coin the term ‘biological blob’ theory of TBI recovery models. Concentrating solely on the physical aspects and neglecting the cognitive challenges of Traumatic Brain Injured survivor.

Psychiatry v Neurology There is a current ‘war’ over the patient in the medical sciences, sharing the same oversight authority: American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology the disciplines of psychiatry vie with the disciplines of neurology. Psychiatry has been practiced since the 3rd Century A.D., while Neurology is a modern science from the 20th Century. Psychiatry has long been the domain of the mind, emotions, behavior, and social conduct. Psychiatry sees everything in terms of chemical imbalance, or genetic disturbance. Neurology is a relatively new field that examines the function of the brain and its operations. The ability to treat brain tumors, brain cancer, strokes, and degenerative neurological disease come from Neuroscience. Atherton promotes the domain of Traumatic Brain Injury as Neurology.

Psychiatrists have long attempted therapies to improve social conduct, behavior, or emotion, using human beings as experiments. The American tragedy in the Kennedy family is a credentialed doctor, who convinced a loving father to perform a ‘new’ psycho-surgery - a frontal lobotomy, on his mentally retarded daughter Rosemary. The surgery did not improve her emotion, oraid her to become docile as promised by the doctors. It left her impaired to the point of inability to interact with others at all. Considered an IQ of a 5 year old, the Kennedy family suffered first hand the damage done in the name of science. It is Rose Kennedy the world 'Thanks', who created the ‘Special Olympics’ patterned after games on the lawn of Hyannisport with Rosemary and her friends. The ‘Intellectually impaired’ are able to represent their nation in the Special Olympics, under 16 classifications. Regardless of their ability - they can ‘win’. The special Olympics athletes pledge: “Let me win. If I cannot win. Let me be bold in the attempt.”

Atherton is bold in challenging the psychology and psychiatry regarding treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury survivors. She has found the following:

Emotional mood swings - are not chemically related. Therefore should not be treated with pharmaceuticals or drugs. It is damage to brain tissue from the trauma impacting the limbic system, which governs emotions. Angry outbursts - are due to frustration the Traumatic Brain Injured person experiences when their elaborate information processing (train of thought) is interrupted. Bystanders don’t understand responding too quickly, or interjecting their statement makes the TBI survivor lose their place, while thinking. Violent tendencies - The amygdala controls arousal. This is also part of the limbic system. The TBI survivor is not becoming violent. The NFL players where chosen to be professional sports players due to their aggression on the field to ‘win’. This same aggression is expressed in shouting, and sometimes throwing. They should not be jailed, or drugged (chemical restraint) when they are upset due to the Traumatic Brain Injury - suffered due to multiple concussion. They need a counseling program like C.R.A.T.E.R. developed by Dr. Zeiner of the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital. Forensic PROOF that Traumatic Brain Injury is a completely separate medical malady than ‘mental illness. Traumatic Brain Injury survivors across the country are being ‘misdiagnosed’, and losing their opportunity to regain society. Their behavior, demeanor, and verbal statements are mistaken as 'mental illness'. The Traumatic Brain Injury survivor needs to have access to TBI medical care. Neuroplasicity - is a natural phenomena of cellular regrowth. It is presently under study. Using pharmaceuticals on a Traumatic Brain Injured survivor is contraindicated, as ‘bathing the brain in a chemical’ arrests the normal regenerative process.

Psychiatry is damaging American Population of Traumatic Brain Injury survivors by use of pharmaceuticals to manipulate brain function like focus - ADHD; emotions - depression & anxiety; behavior - social conduct. They are freezing the Traumatic Brain Injury in the injury status, while claiming they are ‘helping’ the victim.

Recovery - There is no CDC government authorized protocol for Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery, survivorship is too new. Atherton has developed partnerships with various groups to be support system for Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery. Recovery is estimated to take 6-10 years, or life.

Atherton has partnered with various groups to provide support for Traumatic Brain Injury survivors to RECLAIM their LIFE.

Pedestrian/Auto Accident 1/7/2011 Atherton was in the United States guest at Santa Fe Art Institute in New Mexico. She had just done a presentation for the O’Keefe Museum. On her return she took a bus. The decision of a lifetime…. Why didn’t I take a taxi? As a New Yorker, Atherton was used to taking public transportation. She asked the driver to tell her the stop to exit the bus. Her goal was to get to her accommodations at the Institute. The Santa Fe Transit Bus Driver told Atherton to disembark, and cross the street. Following his instructions, she was almost across, when a SUV swerved around a stopped car. The car was allowing Ms. Atherton to pass. Richard Chapman owner of Santa Fe Hardware driver of the SUV moved from behind the car into the left lane, preparing to turn left. He was racing to meet the ‘green light’. It is illegal to move around stopped traffic. Chapman hit Atherton just as she was exiting the lane, claiming the ‘sun was in his eyes’. The eye witness stated they saw a ‘body flying through the air’ landing on the other side of the meridian, with on-coming traffic. Passersby called 911. Those reports stated a 20-30 year old woman was injured, and not receiving any aid.

Atherton was injured right in front of a fire station, with the only Regional Medical Center 3 miles away. She was hit so hard, she had a ‘stroke’ on impact. Her left kidney was shattered. The Right saved by her laptop, which defused the blow from the SUV.

Atherton was told she had to have life saving surgery, and the hospital needed consent; but they had to inform her that she might no ‘make it’. Her answer was ‘Let’s go!’. Some people live for loved ones, some for return to their life, others for something yet to be done. Atherton’s was ‘Visual Linguistics’. It is an idea whose time has come, and can change the way people interact with one another.

Chapman was never charged with ‘criminal negligence’ with a motor vehicle even though he caused ‘serious bodily injury’, with consequences to Ms. Atherton for life. The legal battle has continued over 8 years. At no time did the insurance company ever pay one cent for Ms. Atherton’s injuries, or aid her to gain medical care for Traumatic Brain Injury care.

Atherton founded Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery Association for others who have been similarly maligned by the legal, medical, and insurance system of the United States. “We are now living in a country where laws are not enforced. Courts do not respect victims rights. And lawyers don’t want to educate themselves in medical science to gain claims. Rural areas like New Mexico are an ‘insider culture’ If, you are not from there. You will not be treated fairly.” Lawyers count on repeat business and people from ‘out of state’ don’t bring them new clients. Unable to secure legal counsel due to the nature of the injuries neurological trauma. Atherton has been forced to investigate the legal case law with similar injuries.

Books “Going On: September 11th” (2002): documentary of events of the ‘Attack on America’ until the closing of ‘Ground Zero. Unpublished. Children Speak: Tsunami (2006): A photo essay of drawing by the Children of the Tsunami in all three countries, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Thailand. “Visual Linguistics: Communications in the 21st Century” (2010): Understanding Visual Representation online. (unpublished)

Personal life Atherton remained single during her life. (Personal home valued 1.5 million lost in pedestrian auto accident). Though she sought a life partner, she found that many men in her generation (Boomer) were intimidated by a professional female. Silicon Valley can be very provincial, though progressive in social thought. The profile of senior management is usually a six figure salary, and stock option plan. Once educated, the married woman is expected to take a social role, rather than career role. This is unlike the east coast, where professional women retained their career alongside their professional partner. Sheryl Sandberg is the ‘X’ generation. Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook is from New York. She was educated in Boston at Harvard. In Sheryl Sandberg’s book, her advice was to not ‘stay home and re-enter a career when the children are older’. Hence the title ‘Lean In’. The Boomer generation fought for a place in the workforce. The X generation strove for the ‘work/life balance women desire. The ‘Y’ generation looks for a place in leadership roles.

Corporate America has 4.8% women CEO’s of F500 firms, Atherton did not pursue this track. 19.3% of Congressional representative are women, and 21% of the Senate. Therefore, in America - elected office is the forefront of opportunity of women in leadership roles over F500 track. Atherton chose to be an independent consultant, and entrepreneur in her application of her knowledge. 2.2% of women received Venture Capital in 2017. Atherton was self-funded overseas in her Visual Linguistics work. She was promoting social responsibility projects using technology to ‘change the world’. No person, man or woman has ever done this kind of work. Atherton is the 1st in history. Atherton relied 100% on her own ability, with no backing from NGO, Academic Institution, Grant funding, or Foundations.

Understanding shifts in global migration to an existing society than ever has happened in history. Atherton’s goal is to build a mutual respect, and understanding between people. So when they appear in nations as a minority, their acceptance rate will increase and discrimination will diminish. Atherton’s goal is to change the world with technological solutions.

See also List of Who’s Who in American Women List of Who’s Who in Finance and Industry List of Who’s Who in California

References

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