Minds at Work: How Neurodiversity Fuels Business and Belonging

Only 3 percent of ads tested feature someone with a visible or invisible disability — and that number has barely moved in years. Frank Starling, chief DEI officer at LIONS (the organization behind Cannes Lions) joins Nathan Friedman to unpack the state of inclusion work in advertising and marketing and what it will take to close existing gaps.

Frank discusses findings from a joint report with LIONS, Understood.org, the Unstereotype Alliance, and Shift 20 on disability and neurodiversity in marketing. Frank also shares why co-design with underrepresented communities is essential to authentic storytelling, and why brands should narrow their DEI focus in order to drive real commercial and cultural impact.

Check out the report: Shifting the Narrative on Disability and Neurodiversity Inclusion in Marketing

For a transcript and more resources, visit Minds at Work on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at u.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when you take a global team of strategists and turn them into a creative studio overnight? Gina Wolf, global director of BrandWorks Creative Studio at LinkedIn, joins Nathan Friedman to talk about leading through that transformation and creating space for different communication and working styles. 

Gina discusses authentic leadership and shares an exercise that helped her global team navigate different styles of conflict, collaboration, and processing time, including insights from neurodivergent teammates that changed how she leads. She and Nathan also dig into how AI is accelerating upskilling, reshaping creative workflows, and giving more voices a seat at the table.

For a transcript and more resources, visit Minds at Work on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at u.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Entrepreneurship rewards people who see opportunities that others miss. Rakia Reynolds joins Nathan Friedman to discuss how ADHD shaped her leadership style, fueled her creativity, and helped her build a thriving business. 

From masking at work to embracing pattern recognition as a superpower, Rakia shares why some of the qualities that once made her feel different in school and traditional workplaces became her greatest strengths as a founder. 

Together, they explore what leaders can learn from entrepreneurial thinking — and why workplaces that embrace neurodiversity are better equipped to innovate and grow.

For a transcript and more resources, visit Minds at Work on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at u.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As businesses navigate AI, rapid transformation, and shifting workforce expectations, one of the greatest untapped advantages may already be hiding in plain sight: neurodivergent talent. In this episode, Nathan Friedman speaks with EY global leader Hiren Shukla about how cognitive diversity fuels innovation, adaptability, and business growth. 

Drawing from EY’s leading neuroinclusion work and global workforce research, Hiren explains why psychological safety, flexible systems, and strengths-based leadership are becoming essential for the future of work. 

For a transcript and more resources, visit Minds at Work on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]

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Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at u.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Work is changing faster than leadership models can keep up. In this episode, Nathan Friedman sits down with executive coach and PILOT CEO Ben Brooks to unpack what’s broken and what leaders must do next. From the rise of nonlinear careers to the growing expectations of a neurodiverse workforce, they explore why traditional structures around performance, communication, and development are falling short.

Ben shares practical insights on building clearer expectations, separating performance from potential, and designing workplaces that work better for everyone. The conversation challenges leaders to move beyond outdated norms and embrace more explicit, human-centered approaches to management.

Check out Understood’s 2026 Neurodiversity at Work survey. 

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at u.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Neurotechnology is moving rapidly from hospitals to everyday consumer devices. Headsets that promise better sleep, focus, or productivity may also collect neural data that reveals cognition, emotion, and mental health.

In this conversation, Stephen Damianos, executive director of the Neurorights Foundation, talks to host Dr. Maureen Dunne about the emerging the emerging field of neuro rights and the urgent policy questions surrounding brain data, privacy, and consent. Drawing on work with neuroscientists, policymakers, and industry leaders, he explores how new technologies can decode brain signals — and what that means for personal freedom.

What happens when technology can decode thoughts? And how can safeguards ensure that innovation benefits everyone, including neurodivergent users?

This special season of Minds at Work is brought to you by Understood.org and the Davos Neurodiversity Summit. For a transcript and more resources, visit Minds at Work on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]

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Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at u.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At the Davos Neurodiversity Summit, one message stood out: The future of work will be shaped by empathy, psychological safety, and better systems. Not just better intentions. 

In this conversation, Dr. Maureen Dunne talks with Tristan Lavender, a globally recognized voice on neurodiversity at work, to explore what that looks like in practice. 

As the founder of a global neurodiversity employee resource group for a multinational organization, Tristan advocates for proactively building employee resources and designing approaches to AI and leadership cultures that work for different minds. 

For a transcript and more resources, visit Minds at Work on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]

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Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at u.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nat Lyckowski is the Global Neurodiversity Advancement Leader at IBM, where she is helping redefine how organizations build environments where different minds drive measurable results. Through authenticity, data, and intentional design, she is paving the way for business leaders to move beyond awareness and into action.

In this episode, Maureen Dunne and Nat explore how companies can move past performative inclusion and make practical, low cost cultural shifts that create meaningful change for neurodivergent employees.

The business case is clear. Representation, mentorship, and inclusive infrastructure are not just values. They are scalable drivers of innovation, performance, and long term growth.

The perspectives Nat shares come from her lived experience and personal point of view, reflecting what she’s learned along the way.

For a transcript and more resources, visit Minds at Work on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]

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Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at u.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Conversations from Davos, Dr. Maureen Dunne speaks with Eve De Rosa of Cornell University about building truly neuroinclusive campuses. They explore how Cornell is leading the way in higher education, showing how research, teaching methods, and innovation can drive systemic change, empower neurodivergent individuals, and foster a campus culture where people of all learning styles can thrive.

This special season of Minds at Work is brought to you by Understood.org and the Davos Neurodiversity Summit. For a transcript and more resources, visit Minds at Work on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

For a transcript and more resources, visit Minds at Work on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]

.

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at u.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Martin McKay is the founder and executive chairman of Everway, a global organization that helps companies build human-centered, inclusive workplaces. At the 2026 Davos Neurodiversity Summit, he spoke with Dr. Maureen Dunne about disclosing his dyslexia as a founder and senior leader. They discussed the importance of psychological safety for neurodivergent employees, and how organizations can move beyond inclusion as language to create meaningful, lasting change.

This special season of Minds at Work is brought to you by Understood.org and the Davos Neurodiversity Summit. For a transcript and more resources, visit Minds at Work on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at u.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.