Nothing About Us Without Us*

An emerging, powerful voice in the Neurodiversity space, Ellie Middleton is breaking taboos and empowering  neurodivergent people and their employers with the tools to best navigate the workspace. After Ellie’s post on what it means to be ‘professional in a post-pandemic world’ went viral on LinkedIn, she quickly gained a big following which continues to grow.

She encourages her followers to celebrate their differences and offers guidance for employers on how best to support their neurodivergent team members. The inspiration behind LinkedIn’s ‘I Am Professional’ campaign, Ellie is working hard to break down stereotypes and has been recognised for this incredible work with award nominations such as Stereotype Buster at the 2022 Celebrating Neurodiversity Awards,  Role Model of the Year at the 2022 Digital Women Awards, and being named as Top 50 Influential Neurodivergent Women 2022.

LinkedIn, Website, Tik Tok

Hi, I’m Jenny! I am autistic and an ADHDer. At Google, I’m a machine learning (ML) researcher focusing on foundational ML fairness & DEI-informed problems, and applications of ML to climate change & biodiversity conservation. I’m also the global president of our autism ERG which seeks to provide a safe and inclusive space for autistic employees while helping support them through challenges in the workplace. When I’m not advocating for the wellbeing of neurodivergent folk, you can find me galavanting in the outdoors, practicing social flexibility (“Yes and…” a.k.a. improv), and honing my motor skills (any longboarders or crocheters out there?).

Papua New Guinean-Australian Paff Evara is a digital marketer turned storyteller, activist, and founder. After going viral on TikTok during lockdown, Paff built an audience of over 100,000 people who followed along as they came out as lesbian, non-binary and neurodivergent — all while inspiring others to be their authentic selves. Now a keynote speaker, Paff shares their incredible story of overcoming poverty, racism & homophobia to organizations across the UK, US, and Australia. Wanting to extend their impact, Paff recently founded an online community with their wife, Han. Called Take Up Space, their mission is to empower BIPOC & LGBTQ+ via media, education, and community and support the next generation of diverse leaders.

LinkedIn, Website

Rachel Lowenstein (she/her) is a creative leader, storyteller, and media maven. After nearly a decade in media, she has worked with Fortune 500 brands like Nike, CHANEL, Unilever, and Campari as the Global Head of Inclusive Innovation at Mindshare (WPP), using inclusivity and intentional applications of technology as a brand growth engine. She has been named on Business Insider's Top 35 Rising Stars of Madison Avenue and The Drum's 50 Under 30. As an esteemed speaker, Rachel has been invited to speak at prestigious stages such as Cannes Lions, CES, Yale University, and more around the world.

As a late diagnosed autistic woman, Rachel is a content creator to educate and advocate for autism acceptance and neuroinclusivity in professional environments. Rachel has built a community of over 75,000 people across TikTok, LinkedIn, and Instagram, empowering autistic, ADHD, and other neurodivergent leaders to make magic in their careers.

TikTok, Medium Article - How to Cannes Lions when you’re autistic

Onyinye Udokporo is an author, entrepreneur, educator, public speaker, and pioneer of social mobility. Having been a tutor for over ten years, Onyinye wanted to delve deeper into the world of Education and completed a postgraduate degree at King’s College London in Education, Policy, and Society MA. She curated and conducted research on the urban digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her research paper achieved a distinction and has heavily influenced her approach to the development of Enrich Learning. Onyinye has begun writing her first book, which will inform readers of her journey as a black dyslexic woman. The book also includes her productivity and writing hacks. Onyinye was formally diagnosed with dyslexia aged 11, and whilst she had incredible support from parents and teachers, she found coming to terms with the diagnosis challenging. Onyinye is aware of the lack of diversity in the world of neurodivergence and is keen to be a visible dyslexia advocate for everyone regardless of their color, creed, and/or circumstance.

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Jim Hogan, the Vice President, Accessibility in Technology for Google's Disability Alliance and the Chief Innovation Evangelist, Google Cloud. He is an innovator, a human rights activist, and a strong representative of what is possible for autistic individuals. Jim found his passion for computer science and innovation at a young age and has since worked in leadership positions for over 30 years. With his powerful voice and advocacy for acceptance, he has led the way for hundreds of autistic individuals who entered the workforce behind him.

LinkedIn

“We have always advocated for personalizing the event experience to each and every one of our event participants. Time to stop talking about it and time to conceptualize what each attendee needs and how they consume the experience. Let’s stop designing events for the sake of our business and for the sake and well-being of our audience as individuals.”

- Dahlia El Gazzar, mother to Aisha, who is neurodivergent.

Dahlia founded her own agency after she worked with tech companies and event industry trailblazers and found the need for speed — to close the gap between great tech and adoption. With more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for trend-setting solutions, event tech news, event marketing, + social media expertise. Dahlia is also mother to Aisha, who is neurodivergent.

LinkedIn, Website

Recognized across North America as a connecting force in experiential design & live events, Aaron is an industry leader in strategic consultation and campaign development. As an influencer and speaker, Aaron has held roles with prestigious associations and foundations both in and out of the industry: Bizbash 250 for Canada, Bizbash 500 worldwide, and Eventex Top 100.

As the President and CEO of Fifth Element Group Inc., Aaron has set his own path from Toronto to International markets and leads a team in fostering long-term connections for annual growth through implementing strategy and developing campaigns for experiential events of high impact.

LinkedIn, Website

Entrepreneur, advocate, and all-round Tourettes Syndrome guru. Steering the ship at Manton Executives, Luke's got his hands full running a bustling virtual PA and social media marketing agency, keeping the digital world in tip-top shape.

Luke’s turned his Tourettes into a tool for enlightenment, busting myths and banishing stigmas faster than you can say "neurodiversity"! He’s a beacon of knowledge in the world of Tourettes syndrome and its associated conditions, serving up his wisdom in a way that’s as digestible as your favourite biscuit.

You might have spotted him on Sky, Forbes, or maybe delivering a cracker of a talk on TedX. He's also had a chinwag on Waffle Shop and a whole host of other places.

Put simply, Luke's on a mission to celebrate neurodiversity, drive societal change, and make the digital world a bit more brilliant. And he's doing it all with a cheeky grin and a relentless spirit. That's our Luke!

Linkedin, Tiktok, Facebook, Instagram, Website