Webinar
Building Accessible Workplaces Through InnovationOn-Demand
Accessible by design. Inclusive by intent. Better for everyone.
October is Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM) and the theme for 2025 is “Celebrating Value and Talent.”
Join us for a dynamic virtual event spotlighting organizations, individuals, and research institutions that are advancing neuroinclusion in the workplace through innovative programs, tools, and resources. In alignment with DEAM’s 2025 theme, “Celebrating Value and Talent,” this webinar brings together an incredible panel of leaders in neuroinclusion.
You will hear from:
- Ludmilla Praslova, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP (keynote speaker) – In her keynote, The Talent Ecosystem: Accessibility, the Future of Work, and Dignity by Design, Ludmila explores how to design a thriving talent ecosystem that drives both innovation and a sustainable future of work. She emphasizes engaging the very people who live and work within that ecosystem—listening to those who know firsthand where the barriers and bottlenecks lie. Her talk introduces a participation-first, dignity-first framework for building workplaces that are sustainable, thriving, and accessible for all.
- Nicola Warnock with Everway (panelist) – An innovative software company breaking down barriers for neurodivergent employees with the use of technology and AI.
- Jan Schlueter with Frist Center for Autism & Innovation and Neurodiverse Technologies (panelist) – Sharing the latest research and project development of SANDI, a state-of-the-art adaptive driving simulator for neurodiverse adolescents and adults, building confidence for real-world driving while advancing research on how technology and AI can remove transportation barriers for job seekers.
- Eliana Bravos with ND Connect (panelist) – A virtual community built by neurodivergent people for neurodivergent people seeking mentorships, social connections, and more.
- Munazza Tahir with Open Collaboration for Cognitive Accessibility (panelist) – A project designed to support businesses in building more inclusive, accessible employment contracts.
- Dave Thompson (panelist) – A Neuroinclusive Workplace Strategist & Author, a strategist and innovator who helps organizations better support and leverage neurodivergent talent, and a two-time TEDx presenter.
Whether you’re just beginning your neuroinclusion journey or leading mature initiatives, this session offers practical insights and resources to help you build more accessible, productive, and human-centered work environments.
Audience:
Employers & Community Partners
Meet our event Keynote & Panelists:
Ludmila Praslova, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP (Keynote)
Author and professor of Graduate Industrial-Organizational Psychology
LinkedIn | TheCanaryCode.com
Ludmila N. Praslova, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, is the award-winning author of The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2024), recognized by Thinkers50 as one of the top new management books of 2024. She is a Professor of Graduate Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Vanguard University of Southern California and a member of the Thinkers50 Radar 2024 cohort of global management thinkers most likely to shape the future of work. With more than 25 years of experience in developing talent-rich organizations, she is also the first person to publish in Harvard Business Review from an autistic perspective.
Eliana Bravos (Panelist)
Co-Founder & Community Experience, ND Connect
LinkedIn | NDconnect.app
Eliana Bravos is a social impact entrepreneur passionate about co-creating accessible community spaces where people feel they truly belong. Inspired by finding a life-changing mentor with shared ADHD experiences, she founded ND Connect and has since supported over 1,000 leaders in building more accessible cultures and processes. With an HBSc in Psychology and Peace, Conflict, and Justice from the University of Toronto, Eliana has facilitated neurodivergent peer programming since 2018 and led initiatives on COVID-19, student rights, and employment discrimination. She dreams big, inspires others, and brings humor as much as vision to her work.
Jan Schlueter (Panelist)
Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Frist Center for Autism and Innovation and CEO, Neurodiverse Technologies
LinkedIn | The Frist Center for Autism & Innovation | NeurodiverseTechnologies.com | SANDI.website
Jan Schlueter serves as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University, where he focuses on bridging research, innovation, and commercialization in assistive and supportive technologies. He is also the CEO of Neurodiverse Technologies, a Vanderbilt spin-off company that brings cutting-edge solutions to market—most notably SANDI (Simulator for Advanced Neurodiverse Driving Instruction), the world’s first AI-powered, VR-based driver readiness platform for neurodivergent learners. In addition, Jan leads the Operational Craft Consultancy (OCC), where he partners with organizations to unlock operational excellence through tailored strategies, creativity, and AI-driven innovation.
Munazza Tahir (Panelist)
Associate Director of Inclusive Research and Evaluation, Open Collaboration for Cognitive Accessibility
LinkedIn | OpenAccessibility.ca
Munazza Tahir is the Associate Director of Inclusive Research and Evaluation at Open Collaboration for Cognitive Accessibility. In this role, she ensures that people with cognitive disabilities are meaningfully included in research and development projects across sectors. She collaborates with academics, companies, and organizations to advance the recognition of Advisors with lived experience of cognitive disabilities as partners and collaborators in projects. Munazza holds a PhD in Community Psychology from the University of Ottawa and has previously worked with the Autism Program at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) as well as other provincial disability programs. With a background in Applied Disability Studies, she has been working with people with disabilities for more than 15 years.
Dave Thompson (Panelist)
Neuroinclusive Workplace Strategist & Author
LinkedIn | NeuroDAVErsity.com
Dave Thompson is a strategist and innovator who helps organizations better support and leverage neurodivergent talent. A two-time TEDx presenter, he brings lived experience as an early-identified ADHDer and dyslexic thinker to his work. His forthcoming book, Brainstorm: A Guide to Neurodivergent Talent and the Future of Work, will be published globally in early 2026.
Nicola Warnock (Panelist)
Partnership Director, Everway
LinkedIn | Everway.com
Nicola Warnock is the Partnerships Director at Everway, where she works with HR leaders and workplace changemakers to build neuro-inclusive cultures in which support and flexibility are part of everyday work. She helps organizations move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches by removing barriers and unlocking potential—advancing Everway’s mission to impact 1 billion lives by 2030.