Autistic Techie is a podcast for neurodivergent professionals in tech—engineers, designers, PMs, and more—who think and work differently. Whether you're autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, or otherwise wired in a nontraditional way, this show explores how to navigate the tech world on your own terms.
Your host Shea Belsky interviews guests from all different kinds of workplaces, from huge enterprises to startups and self-run businesses, providing personal insights to empower you as a meaningful self-advocate.
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Ever feel like you walk into an interview just to be interrogated? It's no fun, and you shouldn't feel like that's the norm. Job interviews are supposed to be back and forth conversations between you and the company you'd like to work for. Listen in on how to make interviews a two-way street, or to know if that's just not going to fly for a potential employer.
Being neurodivergent on the job can sometimes feel alienating. Other times you'll find your tribe and think to yourself "Where was this my entire life?" Veronica Yao is the manager of the Neurodivergent Careers Facebook group, boasting more than eighty thousand neurodivergent folks all looking to help each other be more confident and supported in their jobs. Veronica is also a neurodivergent career coach, working with folks just like you to make the most out of their careers and find success no matter where they are!
What's it like to be a goose enthusiast at the intersection of art, autism, and AI creativity? I could think of no one better to answer these burning questions than Schuyler Dragoo. She is the Chief Strategy Officer of Kiingo AI, a recent graduate of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, and a neurodiversity self advocate! Our conversation dove into the fusion of art with creative strategy, and how neurodivergent people such as ourselves have experimented with AI to help us figure out the neurotypical world around us.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
What do you need - not just what you want? It's a challenge to unpack the often-messy intersection between personal needs, social expectations, and workplace dynamics. Don't force yourself to go to that event if you don't have the spoons for it. The LAST thing you want to do is crash and burn and stay at home the next day because you've got nothing left to give. Whether it's navigating sensory overload at an event or pushing through discomfort because you feel like you "have to," this episode challenges you to be radically honest with yourself. Learn how to distinguish between wants, needs, and obligations—and how to advocate for what truly helps you thrive as a neurodivergent person.
You shouldn't have to fit a square peg through a round hole! Do you feel like a square peg constantly being forced into a hole you cannot fit through, no matter what? ADHD coach Sue Day joins us to explore how neurodivergent people can find structure, self-compassion, and success...without masking who they are. As the founder of Pathway Forward Coaching and a graduate of the ADHD Coaching Academy, Sue shares her personal journey with ADHD and how it shapes the way she works with clients across the neurodiversity spectrum. They dive into time blindness, executive function, and the emotional toll of trying to "fit in" at work. This episode is full of actionable insights and warmth for anyone trying to show up more fully as themselves
Author, filmmaker, and award-winning journalist Kristof Morrow joins Shea to talk about creativity, masking, and resilience as a multiply neurodivergent and disabled person. Kristof shares his journey through abuse, self-discovery, and artistic expression while living with autism, ADHD, and Tourette Syndrome. From bestselling books to film direction, he opens up about how his lived experience shaped his storytelling and advocacy. This powerful conversation explores how neurodivergent identity intersects with trauma, artistry, and reclaiming your narrative on your own terms.
Working on your resume can feel like watching paint dry. Neurodivergent brains have it even worse off than our neurotypical peers: Getting hung up on the words, formatting, it can take an hour just to jot down a paragraph or two. Then there's the impostor syndrome: What if recruiters don't like it, or the ATS just spits it out? This episode covers some actionable steps you can take to improve the content, formatting, and structure of your resume. If you're an autistic infodumper like me, have trouble focusing with ADHD, or struggle with formatting details or catching typos due to dyslexia, this is the episode for you.
Clinical psychologist and UX researcher Dr. Alison Greco joins Shea to talk about Parathera, her innovative platform that bridges the gap between “I’m fine” and full-scale therapy. With a background in anxiety treatment, user experience leadership, and parenting a neurodivergent son, Alison brings a multidimensional lens to mental health support. Together, they explore how neurodivergent professionals can create space for self-compassion while still holding themselves accountable. This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt like traditional therapy didn’t quite fit—and wants to understand a new path forward!
Organizational psychologist and workplace inclusion expert Dr. Victoria Mattingly joins Shea to explore what real allyship looks like - especially for neurodivergent professionals. From her early work in leadership development to launching "Men as Allies" training, Dr. V shares how data-driven empathy can transform workplace culture. They discuss her books Inclusalytics and the upcoming "Act Like an Ally, Work With an Ally", dive into psychological safety, and unpack how neuroinclusion goes beyond buzzwords. Whether you're leading a team or navigating your own career, this episode offers a candid and actionable look at building workplaces where everyone - especially those who think differently - can thrive!
Getting distracted can be one of the worst things to happen to neurodivergent folks trying to get work done. Fortunately, there's an app for that: Focus Bear! Designed and developed by AuDHD founder Jeremy Nagel, Focus Bear blocks distractions from biting you at the worst possible times so that you can get back to doing real work. With an incredible team of neurodivergent people behind him, Jeremy and I got to talk about his own AuDHD journey, ultramarathons, and his startup founder perspective.
If you need a moment to take in a conversation before replying, you're far from alone. Figuring out the right kinds of styles for you to communicate in take time and effort. Let's talk about how to empower YOU to be more thoughtful about your own terms for meetings & communication. Whether you need a meeting agenda, captions, or just to ask people to slow down, I encourage you to reflect on what you NEED to have a productive and successful meeting!
Hyperfocus - Sounds exciting and a bit scary, right? You might be familiar with the feeling of spending hours on a particular task, or accomplishing lots of little tasks. But what expense does hyperfocus incur on neurodivergent people? How can you protect yourself and recognize when you're on the tip of burning out from a hyperfocus streak? And how can people around you actually HELP you hyperfocus instead of getting in your way? Tune in to learn all about hyperfocus and how you can be thoughtful about your focus state.
What even is ADHD hacking? Is it possible to stick joysticks in your brain like Plankton did in that Spongebob episode and actually do everything that has to happen? Jennifer Chou has done that and more, cultivating more than 80 thousand social media followers across Instagram and TikTok. Sure we can all indulge in some doom scrolling, and to be honest, who doesn't these days? Jennifer has figured out the best strategies, plans, and methods to really get us out of bed and hit the books. Tune into this episode of Autistic Techie where we dive into her ADHD college journey, journaling our thoughts, and setting proper goals.
"Spelling it out" for people doesn't have to be hard. On the contrary, you can get into as much detail about your brain and working style as you want. The trick is to do so in a way that actually empowers your boss and team to help you, and not feel inundated with information. Enter the
What's your internal "script" that you follow when dealing with troublesome situations? If you have to consciously remember to keep a straight face when confronted with something stressful, you are far from alone. Nicola Knobel spent most of her life masking, frustrated with having to defend her actions and expend significant amounts of energy just to be like everyone else. "But you're so extroverted!" people would say...Because everyone expected her to be that way. Having been diagnosed with autism and ADHD (also known as AuDHD) well into adulthood and parenthood, Nicola opens up on our latest episode about her diagnosis journey, honest masking, and letting her guard down around her coworkers.
Special crossover episode! I had the honor of joining forces Sean Gill from Neurodiversity in the Workplace for their podcast. Together, we dove deep into the unique challenges and opportunities faced by neurodivergent people in and out of the workplace. Landing a job isn't just about surviving and getting by - We talked about how to thrive, supporting both neurodivergent peers and their employers, including neurotypical peers who work with ND folks just as much as their managers do. And to us neurodivergent folks, some tips and tricks on what it means to feel like you belong, and not just exist.
Do you want to build a mask? It's summer in the USA, so no snowmen here. But you're always going to be wearing a mask to get through tough situations. Interviews? Networking events? Parties? Snowman building parties with corporate matchmaking afterwards? Our newest episode talks about the process of building a mask thoughtfully, not just bruteforcing a social setting and hoping that you'll be OK afterwards. If you've ever gotten stuck on figuring out how you should be masking, this is the episode for you...
In this episode of Autistic Techie, I sit down with Adam Compton, a principal software engineer with over two decades of experience at top tech companies. We explore Adam's journey from a childhood fascination with computers to mastering complex systems at companies like Slack and Quantcast. Adam shares insights into navigating workplace politics and the unique challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals in tech. We delve into his experiences with autistic empathy, masking, and the intricacies of social interactions. Adam also discusses the importance of balancing technical expertise with people skills, offering valuable advice for thriving in the tech industry
Coding interviews are one of the most difficult things a neurodivergent software engineer can go through. Whiteboarding, coding challenges, and explaining technical concepts are tough for everyone, especially for those whose don't express ideas in quite the same way as everyone else. Mihai Todor has gone through hundreds of coding interviews, and he has some incredible insights to share! We talked about self regulating during interviews, what kind of tech works and what doesn't, and setting specific boundaries for the kinds of interviews he can do.
Does your brain freeze up when you hear this question? "Tell me about a time when..." Yeah, mine too. And for many other neurodivergent people, having to come up with an answer to questions like this can feel like running into a brick wall. But there's good news: Providing a meaningful answer to this kind of question doesn't have to be as scary or impossible as you might think. Let's get the inside scoop on approaching this kind of question from the neurodivergent perspective. You'll be shooting for the STARs in no time!
Neurodivergent people are no strangers to sensory dysregulation - This is a fancy term which, in short, means "I am not able to regulate your emotions and/or my sensory environment." Your sensory struggles can and often do impact your emotions and vice versa. When you're in a tough environment and find yourself in an overwhelming situation, what can you do? Let's dive into these feelings together, talk about some strategies to help you in the workplace, and unpack some ways you can think about dysregulation when it comes to your needs.
You've heard about coaches before, but for people who have ADHD? Is that even a thing? 100% it is, and Brittany Smith is one of the best. An ADHDer herself, Brittany is the mastermind behind Conquer Consulting, whose mission is to help you un-suck your brain and get you back to doing the things you enjoy. She also runs the ADHD Guild, a place for neurospicy people to find community, support each other, and find shared accountability. In this episode, we talk about ADHD coaching, the dreaded ADHD tax, strategies and tips that work for neurodivergent people, and having a conversation with your inner critic.
You've said this to yourself: "I need a friend! Someone who gets it!" Enter ND Connect, a website whose mission is to connect neurodivergent people with friends, mentors, and other like-minded folk who actually understand what it means to be neurodivergent. You don't have to go into the world alone all the time. If you could meet people who've gone through similar struggles as you, whose brains operate similarly, and can provide you with actually relevant advice, you'd wanna find them, right? I got to talk with two of the cofounders of ND Connect: Eliana Bravos and Jacob Estep and learn all about their journeys with neurodiversity, founding the website, and how their brains really work!
Nicholas Solter is an incredible parent of a dyslexic daughter, and his advocacy has completely transformed his engineering management approach. He has a storied tech career that has been shaped by his daughter's struggles, triumphs, and personal epiphanies. Join us as we talk about how inclusion and accessibility inform Nicholas' approach to building teams, working on projects, and the history that led him here
Mat Hultquist has spent most of his life tinkering with technology in some way, messing with his family computer and working his way up to doing IT work at his high school. Who else could be a more accurate description of an "autistic techie"? Mat is a former colleague of Shea's at Mentra and is now a software engineer at Lattice. Join us as we talk about his self discovery of autism & ADHD, how hyperfocus helps him get work done, and how other people can be more supportive of neurodivergent people in their lives.
In this episode of Autistic Techie, I chat with Sheldon Gay, the National Vice Chair of Umbrella US, founder of Techano Solutions, and neurodivergent self advocate. Sheldon is also the host of his own podcast, "I Must Be BUG'N" where he talks about neurodiversity too!Sheldon's story is one of late diagnosis, navigating career changes from mechanical engineering to product management, and running his own technology business. We talked about intersectionality and Sheldon's upbringing in Philadelphia, how neurodivergence appears to other people in the tech industry, standing up for yourself, and helping other autistic/ADHDers advocate for themselves more clearly.
We live in a AI dominated world, whether we like it or not. The variety, complexity, and difficulty of these tools is intimidating for everyone, neurodiverse folks especially. Elias Kouloures has figured out how to take the best of AI tools and support his work and lifestyle, while being aware of its shortcomings and what to look out for. Join us for a deep dive on how AI can support neurodiverse people in their decision making, executive functioning, and indulgence in special interests!
Adaptive fashion is a burgeoning industry, and neurodivergent people are in need of sensory friendly clothing. Sense-Ational You is a clothing line whose mission is to address the sensory and accessibility needs of kids and adults everywhere. Julia DeNey joins Autistic Techie to talk about the journey to founding Sense-Ational You, how her studies and experiences led her to this career path, and how the brand creates community for people who may never have had one.
Burnout affects everyone at some point in their careers, and neurodivergent people are no exception to this. Because of how much it takes to mask, we burn out more than neurotypical people do! Jared Williams, a former Mentra colleague of mine and now the General Manager of Florecita Panadería bakery, talks about his journey in the startup world, venture capital, knowing when he'd hit his limit, and discovering what it meant to take the reins of his career into his own hands.
Jobseeking is a painful process, and that's even more true for neurodiverse people. How can you tell if a company is inclusive and can support you? Surprisingly, there are many ways you can figure out whether a potential employer supports neurodiversity or not. Some of these things can even be done before you start working on an application! This episode talks through all the ways you can evaluate this for yourself, from before the application, through the interview process, and after you've landed an offer.
Join me as I sit down with Cat Contillo, a cybersecurity expert and multidisciplinary artist who is also a passionate advocate for autism and accessibility. Cat shares her journey from studying social work to becoming a cybersecurity professional, driven by her desire to help others and her love for technology. We discuss her late autism diagnosis and how it transformed her understanding of herself, leading to her advocacy for neurodiversity and accessibility in tech.
How should you respond if someone says that you don't "look" neurodivergent? Does neurodiversity actually have a "look"? We unpack the meaning of this question, where it might come from, and how you can stand up for yourself when confronted with this.
What does it mean to belong? How do you know when you've found a place where you can thrive? Is it a job, a club, group, something else? This episode unpacks that strange fuzzy feeling when you're just vibing with the people around you. They welcome you with open arms. And if that space doesn't exist, nothing's stopping you from making it.
The age old question: Should I tell my boss that I'm neurodivergent? The answer has a surprising amount of nuance beyond a simple "yes" or "no" response. Let's unpack why it's a complicated question with an even more nuanced answer.
The first day of a new job can be a scary thing. It's OK to feel overwhelmed in the beginning, but what if you could feel more prepared? And find your sense of comfort along the way? This episode unpacks your first day or so to help you hit a great stride when everything around you is brand new.
