Mentra

What was your dream growing up? Since I can I remember, my dream was to create a world where my brother and I could live freely, without fear of judgment or exclusion. A world where being #neurodivergent didn’t mean being left out. Now, years later, we’ve grown up, and so many of us are fighting the same fight. We persist in our vision for a society where everyone has the opportunity to actualize their potential and make an impact through their work. Let’s be honest, building something for the good of humanity might take longer and face more setbacks / resistance. Though that is inherent in the nature of building something that has never been built before. 🧗🏽♀️ We can’t give up. Because this dream is more than a dream—it’s a basic human right to #equalopportunity. The right to be seen, understood, and valued for who we are. Just as ecosystems need biodiversity to thrive, we need #diversityofthought, ability, and experience to build resilience. 🌱 Without it, we risk creating a society where conformity stifles creativity and progress. Masking who we are just to fit in often leads to stress, anxiety, and even depression. In these last few months, I’ve learned that opening up rather than holding it all in —whether it’s with a therapist, a manager, a a loved one, a friend, a teammate or even an investor — can be life-changing. The hardest conversations are often the most liberating. And once you speak your truth, you unlock a strength you never knew existed. 🧠💥 So much #PotentialEnergy. Let’s keep pushing for an #inclusive world—where our unique qualities are celebrated, not suppressed. My brother and I will continue fighting for this vision that we set out to build with Mentra. It might be hard, though we aren’t giving up. 💪 Join us. “When we heal ourselves, we heal the world.” —Marc Nepo 🙏

What happens when we overlook or dismiss neurodivergent talents because they don't fit our traditional molds or expectations? 🤔 Let’s dive into this idea and consider what we might be losing—and what we might gain—when we don’t fully embrace diversity in hiring. 👉 The Invisible Toll: Exclusion isn’t always visible, but its effects are deeply felt. When neurodivergent talent is overlooked, we lose their unique problem-solving skills and attention to detail, which leads to enhanced productivity. Studies show teams with neurodivergent members can achieve up to 30% higher productivity. 👉 A Narrowed Vision: When we don’t actively seek diverse talent, we limit our ability to see and understand the world from multiple perspectives. This narrow focus can stifle innovation and creativity, ultimately impacting our bottom line. 👉 The Human Element: Behind every resume is a person with dreams, challenges, and a unique way of seeing the world. Exclusion doesn’t just impact the company’s bottom line; it impacts lives. It’s crucial to remember that our hiring decisions affect real people. They affect their well-being, their future opportunities, and their sense of belonging. Neurodivergent employees are deeply loyal and committed to their organization. JPMorgan Chase’s Autism at Work program reported a 0% voluntary attrition rate among autistic employees, compared to the company average of 14%. This represents not only an incredible retention rate but also an estimated $40,000 saved per employee in training and onboarding costs. So, how do we turn this around? Start by asking yourself, “How inclusive is our hiring process?”  “Are we actively seeking diverse candidates?” “Are we creating an environment where everyone feels valued and heard?” Small changes in how we approach recruitment and workplace culture can make a huge difference. Consider: - Reviewing and revising job descriptions to avoid bias. - Implementing blind recruitment practices to focus on skills and qualifications. - Providing training to address unconscious bias and promote inclusivity. - Creating support systems for employees from diverse backgrounds. Let’s shift our focus from what we lose to what we fail to gain. The cost of exclusion isn’t just about the immediate skills we miss out on. It’s also about the future we’re compromising by not embracing the full spectrum of human potential. 🧠 #Neurodiversity #Inclusion #HR

Disclosure of neurodivergence in the workplace is a deeply personal choice, and it’s often not an easy one. The goal is to create an environment where everyone feels safe and empowered, no matter what they choose to share. For many, it’s about confronting fears of being judged, misunderstood, or treated differently. Creating a supportive atmosphere goes beyond just a commitment to #neurodiversity. It requires tangible, meaningful actions: 👉 Normalize Conversations: Encourage open dialogue on diversity, inclusion, and neurodiversity in workshops, meetings, and everyday conversations. When these topics are normalized, employees feel more comfortable sharing their experiences. 👉 Invest in Education: Provide training on neurodiversity across your team to reduce miscommunication and foster understanding. Educating your workforce builds empathy and inclusivity. 👉 Establish Clear Policies: Develop a well-defined, easily accessible policy that outlines how accommodations can be requested and provided. Ensure these policies protect against discrimination and guarantee confidentiality. 👉 Create Feedback Channels: Offer anonymous feedback options and multiple communication methods for employees to disclose their needs. Flexibility in communication shows that you respect individual comfort levels. 👉 Respect Comfort Levels: Recognize that not everyone is comfortable with full disclosure. Allow employees to share only what they’re comfortable with, and make sure they know that accommodations are available without requiring full disclosure. If someone chooses to disclose, listen without judgment, maintain confidentiality, ask how you can support them, and check in periodically to ensure their needs are met. Let’s commit to a culture of empathy and understanding. 🌈 When we prioritize support and respect, we empower individuals and strengthen our teams and organizations. #Inclusion #HR #WorkplaceCulture #Neurodiversity

How often do we truly listen to what our bodies—and more specifically, our nervous systems—are telling us? To get to the bottom of it, let’s talk about neurotypes. 🧠 Neurotype refers to the unique ways our brains are wired, which influences how we perceive and interact with the world. You might hear someone say “I’m hypersensitive to sound,” or “I have debilitating anxiety when things aren’t a certain way,” or “I need more time to process information,” or “I can’t focus with this stimuli.” These neurotypes aren’t quirks; they’re intrinsic parts of who we are. They shape everything from how we absorb information to how we respond to the world around us. And because our brains govern our nervous systems, these tendencies can either empower us or hold us back — depending on how well we understand and support them. But when we ignore the signals our nervous systems send us, we risk turning these natural traits into obstacles and bring out the masks 🎭 . Here’s the key: Don’t ignore them. If your mind is telling you something, listen. This isn’t about labels; it’s about being honest with ourselves and even vulnerable with those around us. Tell your employer. Tell your coworkers. Tell your family members. Tell your investors. The truth is, when you hit that 🪫 point, it’s been a tough realization. I’m now learning a break is the key to recharge. 🔋 As someone who is addicted to technology (yes I aknowledge it) I can hyperfocus on my passions for hours and forget about everything else… and I’m learning the hard way that taking a break is necessary. We’ve spent centuries prioritizing technological progress over personal well-being, and while we’re more advanced than ever, we’re increasingly disconnected from our own minds and bodies. Let’s change that. Let’s embrace our neurotypes and and build the #futureofwork into one where everyone’s brains can thrive… Starting by taking care of our own. 🧘🏽♀️

There are more neurodivergent leaders in C-Suite positions than you think! Don't believe us? Mentra is proud to sponsor a webinar hosted by Nova Chief of Staff and Maggie Olson featuring some of these unique voices: Sydney Elaine Butler: Founder of Accessible Creates Eliana Bravos: Founder of ND Connect | Neurodivergent mentorship and community Jessica McBride: Founder of Tech Savvy Assistant Join us for a special chat discussing how to create equitable spaces for neurodivergent employees, how to empower neurodivergents to become leaders through growth and mentorship, and intersectionality with neurodiversity and other areas! 📅 Thursday, August 15 at 11 AM Central Daylight Time ⏩ Register: https://lu.ma/63mo28ik

In today’s capital-driven world, it’s so common to see large companies focused on outcompeting each other. What I love about conferences like Disability:IN (which almost doubles in size each year) is that companies across the Fortune 500 come together, put competition aside, and merge minds on how we can continue to make strides for the neurodiverse community In July, Jessye, Shea and I had the honor of hosting an Executive Dinner at the 2024 Disability:IN Conference ✨ We had over 50 attendees from enterprises like Salesforce, Bloomberg, and J.P. Morgan who joined us for an evening filled with powerful toasts and eye opening conversations. Thank you to each of our partners for the toasts you shared, Neil from Microsoft, Julissa from Boeing, Marco from Pratt & Whitney and now Raytheon, Alex from Dell Technologies. And of course our incredible training partners: Judy from University of Connecticut and Dave from Potentia. It’s amazing to see how #Fortune500 companies are stepping up, investing more in #neurodiversity and shifting from “token hires” to real “merit-based hiring”. That strengths based approach is exactly why Mentra exists, focusing on neurotype to make the best hires across your team. 🧠 If you’re hiring, shoot me a DM. I’d love to learn how we can help place neuro-exceptional candidates in your talent pool.

Nearly five years ago, when I first embarked on this mission with Jhillika at Georgia Tech it truly was just an idea – that society would benefit from recognizing the unique value neurodivergent individuals bring to the workforce. Working alongside incredible champions to turn this idea into a seed stage startup has been the honor of my lifetime, and my belief in our mission has only strengthened the more I’ve gotten to know the community. That said, all good chapters must come to an end, and it’s the right time for me to step aside and explore new opportunities. I’ll be cheering on the Mentra team as they continue to advance our mission under Jhillika’s leadership. I’ve never worked alongside a more talented team, and I look forward to seeing their growth and continued success. Thank you to everyone who’s played a part in this journey of creating a more inclusive world – to all the mentors, advocates, and champions who’ve supported this movement. You all inspire me every day. I would love to stay in touch as I plan the next steps on my journey. 🙏

Mentra is excited to sponsor an incredible event by Nova Chief of Staff: Neurodivergence in the C-Suite! 💡 Neurodivergent people are no less capable of succeeding in the c-suite than anyone else. Jessica McBride, Eliana Bravos, and Sydney Elaine Butler are superb leaders in their enterprises, paving the way for others to create inclusive environments in their own workplaces! 🧠 We'll learn about how to create equitable spaces for neurodivergent employees, how to empower neurodivergents to become leaders through growth and mentorship, and intersectionality with neurodiversity and other areas! 📅 Happening on Thursday, August 15 at 11 AM Central Daylight Time. ⏩  Register: https://lu.ma/63mo28ik

This week I was bumped off a flight from the West Coast — I’d never seen airport staff that busy trying to redirect tickets. The problem stemmed from CrowdStrike pushing through a flawed software update that clashed with Microsoft Windows, causing a global IT outage and significant disruptions across various sectors. Planes were impacted. Hospitals were impacted. Lives were impacted. Imagine if that was a real cyber breach. This incident brought to life the enormity of the problem – many were stuck in a standstill. At Mentra, we believe in the unique strengths of neurodivergent individuals to solve these complex problems. We are committed to hiring #neurodivergents in cybersecurity and bringing brilliant minds to work. We are doubling down on this focus in an area that requires immediate action. Neurodivergents – your talents are needed more than ever. Join us at Mentra, and let's build a safer world together. 🌍 #Cybersecurity #Neurodiversity #TechOutage #hiring

The Disability:IN conference this year has been eye-opening. Walking around seeing people from the deaf community with access to #ASL interpreters, people who are #blind with volunteers to help navigate, people who are #neurodivergent with access to sensory friendly rooms, and people with #cerebralpalsy who can enter all spaces with wheelchair-accessible ramps. Why don’t we see this equal representation of humanity everywhere we go? This IS the future. It made me realize how much we need more spaces that don’t exclude large parts of the population. Instead of staying at home or in isolation, people with #disabilities #PWD can come out, connect, and be empowered in the workforce to make change. ✊🏽 Specifically I want to share memorable encounter I had yesterday: After the last talk of the day, Jessye and I were figuring out what to do next. Claudia L. Gordon, Esq. passed by us and saw the look of confusion on our faces. She had no idea who we were, and was nice enough to ask us a few questions and said, "Come join us!" She and her team at T-Mobile made us feel included, and shared that Claudia was the first female deaf lawyer working at the White House. As we sat down around the table, there were three sign language interpreters (#ASL), and we had the best conversations, and connected in a deep and powerful way. Until that evening, I had never thought about how hard it is to make a phone call as someone who is deaf or hard of hearing. It’s amazing to see how T-Mobile is building services to allow for captioning and live ASL on calls. That’s what happens when you bring brilliant minds together and into leadership positions… just like Microsoft’s CAO Jenny Lay-Flurrie. With all the advancements being made, we have no excuse to remain unaware of the unique composition of the human population. It’s time to bridge that divide. #Technology is that bridge. #NoMoreExcuses