Educational background

My academic background is rooted in philosophy and psychology.

I have a double bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Psychology from CUNY Brooklyn College. My psychology background is how I learned to read, understand, and accurately translate complex scientific research without losing nuance or meaning.

I also have a Master’s degree in English from CUNY Brooklyn College. That, along with my corporate background (more on that in a moment) is how I developed the skill of turning highly complex, abstract ideas into clarifying explanations that are accessible to readers of all backgrounds and neurotypes.

Corporate and professional experience

For more than 20 years, I’ve worked in corporate environments as an adult learning expert, creating learning programs in various industries.  

This is when I developed, refined, and honed my skillset of translating complex concepts into clarifying ones. 

Lived experience

I am formally diagnosed as autistic (Level 1 in both categories), and I consider myself high-masking with highly internalized traits and lower support needs. This is important context, because though I am able to share insights from the internal autistic experience, I cannot offer insight into the internal experience of higher support needs autistic individuals.  

I do intentionally write all my content to be as inclusive as possible, but when it comes to the internal autistic experience, I can only speak to what I personally experience as a level 1 autistic person.

I’m also a parent to 3 neurodivergent children. We are a neurodivergent household with many different conditions in the mix, including autism, ADHD, SPD, anxiety, and OCD.  

I will always be cautious about sharing personal information about my children, so I will not be more explicit about their individual diagnoses, but this mix does give me insight into support strategies for brain wiring differences that I do not personally have myself. This is where a lot of my support strategy approaches originated from. 

Author and publishing background

I am a published author of five children’s books (and have published a sixth for another author under my imprint, Insegna Publishing).

My books are used across the world by families, teachers, practitioners, public schools, and public libraries, and are designed to support neurodivergent children and their caregivers through validation, empathy, and practical support tools.

I am currently writing my first book for adult audiences, which will be a memoir about my journey toward discovering my own autism. I am represented by Vicky Weber, a literary agent with Creative Media Agency.

Philosophical approach

I see autism as one part of a much greater human experience. 

I believe every human can achieve self-actualization, including autistic humans, and that it’s not a distant, unachievable ideal. 

I created the Autistic Self-Actualization Paradigm (you will see me talking more about this in the coming year) and founded the Autistic Self-Actualization Community, both of which are meant to help autistic individuals find their own version of self-actualization.

Public presence and media

My social media presence spans several platforms (including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, Threads, and X), and my community is currently over 600,000 people strong. 

My work has been featured in national media, including The Washington Post, where I was asked to share my thoughts on Walmart’s new (at the time) sensory hours.