Empowering Neurodivergence Speaker Series
Harnessing Strengths for Success
This six-part, neurodivergent-led hybrid speaker series run by the Aiden Lab at the University of Alberta aims to celebrate neurodiversity and challenge stereotypes by featuring successful neurodivergent (ND) role models who will share their personal and professional experiences.
The Cognisant Lab will host in-person viewing rooms at the Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo campus.
Speaker Series 6: Haley & Nicholas Bennett
Nicholas Bennett is a decorated Canadian Paralympic swimmer who made history at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Competing in the SB14 classification for athletes with intellectual impairments, Bennett claimed gold in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke, marking Team Canada’s first gold medal of the Games. The victory at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre was Bennett’s second medal of the competition, showcasing his exceptional talent and dedication to the sport.
As an autistic athlete, Bennett is an inspiring figure, demonstrating excellence in swimming while breaking barriers and highlighting the capabilities of individuals with intellectual disabilities on the world stage. He is coached by his sister, Haley Osborne.
When:
March 24, 2025 from 2:30 - 4:00 pm ETWhere:
Bricker Academic Building, Room BA101
Speaker Series 5: Jeff Warren
Jeff Warren is a Canadian meditation instructor and writer, known for his dynamic and accessible style of teaching. He is the co-author of The New York Times best-selling Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, founder of the nonprofit Consciousness Explorers Club, and co-host of the Mind Bod Adventure Pod. Jeff's Do Nothing Project streams for free every Sunday night on YouTube; his guided meditations reach millions of people through the Ten Percent Happier and Calm apps, as well as through his Substack, Home Base.
Jeff’s mission is to empower people to care for their mental health, through the realistic, intelligent and sometimes irreverent exploration of meditation and personal growth practices. As someone with both ADHD and bipolar, he is big on destigmatizing mental health issues, and champions a neurodiverse outlook on life and practice.
When:
March 10, 2025 from 1:00 - 2:30 pm ETWhere:
Arts Building, Room 2C4
Speaker Series 4: Robert Lamont & Brooke Leifso
Join us for an engaging panel discussion on Embracing Diversity: Navigating Neurodivergence, Queerness, and the Arts with Robert Lamont, a New York-based musician and educator, and Brooke Leifso, a local Disabled/Crip performance producer and access consultant.
This session will explore the intersection of neurodivergence, queerness, and professional creativity, focusing on how these identities shape their work in the arts and education. Through their stories and insights, Robert and Brooke will address overcoming challenges, finding community, and leveraging unique strengths.
Whether you're seeking inspiration, advice, or a better understanding of neurodiversity, this conversation offers a meaningful perspective on thriving at the crossroads of identity and art.
When:
February 10, 2025 from 7:30pm-9pm EDTWhere:
Bricker Academic Building, Room BA102 (Doors open at 7:00pm EDT)
Speaker Series 3: Jenny Mai Phan
Dr. Jenny Mai Phan is the Assistant Director of Community Engagement at the Center for Adaptive Systems of Brain-Body Interactions and a Research Assistant Professor in the College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University.
An autistic, multiply neurodivergent researcher, Dr. Phan focuses on autism and co-occurring mental health conditions in adolescents, with a special interest in how biopsychosocial factors affect early and delayed puberty and the role of sexual health education in autistic teens’ mental health and well-being. Her lived experiences as an Asian American woman, wife, mother, and advocate deeply inform her work and commitment to intersectionality.
View Jenny's Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennymaiphan/
When:
January 9, 2024 from 7:30pm-9pm EDTWhere:
Bricker Academic Building, Room BA102
Speaker Series 2: Noah Britton
Dr. Noah Britton is a psychology professor who's been working directly with people on the autism spectrum since 2005, as researcher, camp counselor, life coach, consultant, and respite worker. He is a member of the first comedy troupe composed of people with Asperger Syndrome, Asperger's Are Us, and plays music in his spare time.
View Noah's website here: https://www.facebook.com/fakenoahbritton/
When:
December 10, 2024 from 7:30pm-9pm EDTWhere:
Bricker Academic Building, Room BA102
Speaker Series 1: Jessica McCabe
Jessica McCabe, the creator of the popular YouTube channel How to ADHD, produces engaging and research-based videos that help viewers understand and embrace their unique brains. Her content, rooted in personal experience and consultations with mental health experts, has reached hundreds of thousands, improving their lives. As a public speaker, Jessica has gained international recognition for her TED Talk, which has amassed over 19 million views. Her debut book, How To ADHD: An Insider's Guide to Working With Your Brain (Not Against It), released in January 2024, quickly became a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.
View Jessica's website here: https://howtoadhd.com/
View Jessia's youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/c/howtoadhd
When:
September 18, 2024 from 7:30pm-9pm EDTWhere:
Bricker Academic Building, Room BA102