Living and Working with Disability

I live and work with several co-occurring conditions that affect how I communicate, think, and work: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Bipolar Disorder, and a speech impediment. I share this publicly not to explain myself, but to invite better understanding and more effective collaboration.

How These Conditions Affect Me

These conditions don't limit my intelligence, drive, or commitment. They create barriers to how I execute—and they interact in ways that are sometimes unpredictable. On any given day, I may experience challenges with task initiation, sustained focus, working memory, verbal fluency, or emotional regulation. These can shift without warning, and they compound under stress.

How I communicate and show up may vary. That variation is not a reflection of my engagement or capability.

My Support System

I work with a personal aide who functions as a prosthetic—an extension of my functional capacity, not a substitute for my judgment or voice. They help manage communications, provide structure, and buffer the professional consequences of my symptoms when needed. If you interact with my aide, you are interacting with a trusted extension of my professional presence.

I also use assistive technology, including generative AI tools, as cognitive scaffolding. My thinking, analysis, and voice remain entirely my own.

How to Work With Me

Written communication is my strongest channel—when possible, it's the best way to reach me and get my best thinking. In conversation, patience goes a long way. If I'm working through what I want to say, please wait. I know what I want to say.

Clear and direct communication works best for both of us. I don't need adjustments made for me without my input -- just honesty, structure, and the assumption of competence.

A Note to Collaborators

Disability doesn't make collaboration harder. Silence does. If something isn't working, say so. I will do the same.