Autistic Techie

It's A [Boston] Marathon, Not A Sprint

I'm back! I've been training for the Boston Marathon for the last few months. Preparing for this race has given me the opportunity to reflect on my own state of mind: Being prepared with the right tools to succeed, having to manage unknown and unpredictable situations, creating resilience when things go sideways, and developing a plan to ace the course. If this sounds familiar to your personal workplace journey, this is the episode for you. Discover insights on pacing, resilience, and preparation that apply to both running and overcoming workplace challenges. If you want to track me on the day of the race, I am bib 7937. Use the Boston Athletic Association app to track me as I make my way through the course! Donate to the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation: https://www.givengain.com/project/shea-raising-funds-for-doug-flutie-jr-foundation-for-autism-109565 Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie

Empathic ADHD Therapy & Coaching with Jordan Schatz, the ADHD Guru

Receiving therapy and coaching is good for the mind & soul! But what if the practitioner really knew what it was like to be you? Jordan Schatz is the ADHD Guru, a licensed therapist and coach helping neurodivergent people like us unpack their lives and take it all back. Jordan and I had the chance to talk about un-sticking our lives and getting out of those ruts we carve out of need. You have them too, right? Not just me? Whether you have a dozen special interests, a few hundred, or none at all, tune into this episode with Jordan as we talk about our unique ways of thinking - I even get some coaching in myself! Connect with Jordan Schatz, the ADHD Guru: https://www.tiktok.com/@theadhdguru https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-schatz Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie

Accessibility Advocacy and Self-Expression with Meenakshi Das

Software engineer and accessibility advocate Meenakshi Das joins Shea to talk about integrating accessibility into tech, regardless of your job title. As a Software Engineer 2 at Microsoft and vice chair of Teach Access, Meenakshi shares how she brings a disability lens to everything she works on, even when accessibility isn’t part of the formal job description. They discuss her journey with a speech disability, the gaps between tech and academia, and what real inclusion looks like beyond checklists. This episode highlights the power of lived experience and the impact of showing up, even quietly, for a more accessible future. Follow Meenakshi Das and Teach Access https://www.linkedin.com/in/meena11/ https://www.teachaccess.org/ Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie

Instructing the Instructors on Neurodiversity with Tracy King & InspireEd

Learning strategist and neuroinclusion expert Tracy King joins Shea to explore how training, education, and professional development can be reimagined with cognitive diversity in mind. As CEO of InspireEd and chair of the IACET neuroinclusion working group, Tracy breaks down what it really means to design learning experiences that include neurodivergent people from the start, not just through accommodations. They discuss continuing education (CE), scalable program design, and how to create learning environments where every brain is not only welcomed but empowered. If you’ve ever felt excluded by the way information is delivered at work, this episode is for you! Follow Tracy King and Inspire-Ed https://www.inspired-ed.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracykingceo/ Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie

Autistic Autonomy, Independence, and Flourishing with ASPIE-R

Blake Baumann and Pickens Calhoun of ASPIE-R (pronounced "aspire") join Shea to talk about what it means to truly support autistic individuals; not just with accommodations, but with purpose and pride. Blake shares the personal journey that led him to found ASPIE-R, a coaching and mentoring platform built by and for the autistic community, while Pickens reflects on what it takes to be an authentic ally. Together, they explore identity, late diagnosis, parenting, and how to rise above one-size-fits-all expectations in both work and life. This episode is about rejecting shame and embracing the possibility of a self-defined, fulfilling future. Connect with Blake Baumann and Pickens Calhoun at ASPIE-R: https://www.aspie-r.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspie-r-llc/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakebaumann/ Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie