Neuroinclusive Workplace Panel 2025

I’m Kelli Fisher. At 14, I was diagnosed on the autism spectrum and told I wouldn’t get my license or succeed in college—but I proved them wrong on both. After having several part-time jobs, I’m now full-time running social media for Spectrum Designs, a nonprofit employing autistic adults. Since then, we’ve gone viral, I’ve been featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show, and even shared the stage with Adam Sandler!

As an autistic social media manager, "The Rewards of a Neuroinclusive Work Culture" is deeply personal to me. I never thought I would be able to work full-time, but with the right supports, I not only found my place, I found my purpose. I use my platform to advocate for autistic adults and to show the world that with understanding, accommodations, and inclusion, anything is possible. Neurodivergent people do not need fixing; we need opportunity.

As the Marketing Event Manager for Funko. Nikki manages the strategy, coordination, and execution of events throughout all the Funko retail stores. Driving exciting initiatives in Hollywood, Everett, Buckeye, and beyond! In the past six years at Funko, Nikki has had the opportunity as a Retail Sales Manager to use her creativity to oversee many events in the Hollywood store, from celebrity signings to partnering with The Ed Asner Family Center! Nikki cherishes quality time with family and has a love of thrifting! She's passionate about empowering individuals to rethink fashion and sustainability, advocating for mindful consumption and creative expression.

Johanna “Joey” Murphy has an M.F.A. in Non-Fiction writing and a B.A. in Philosophy. Shortly after beginning her M.F.A., she was autistic at the age of 42, her life began to make a lot more sense to her. She has taught at the University of Pittsburgh. Now in her 50s, she divides her time between writing, teaching and advocating for greater awareness of the needs of autistic people, especially older women on the autism spectrum as Director of Inclusion Programming for Evolve Coaching, a Pittsburgh-based organization that provides master’s level coaching and support for autistic college students and workforce candidates. She is also part of a working group at NEXT for Autism as well as Proof Positive Autism Wellbeing Alliance. Along with Patricia Wright, PhD, MPH, Executive Director of Proof Positive, Joey is the co-author of "Cultural Humility: A Path to Equity," for Handbook for Quality of Life for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, by the Autism Partnership Foundation. She has written candidly about her own autism diagnosis later in life, including a 2019 Public Source piece “Women my age weren’t called ‘autistic’ growing up” earned a second-place SPJ Spotlight Award for health and medical reporting.