Autistic Techie

Hi there, I’m Shea Belsky. I’m an autistic advocate, software engineering manager, and former startup Chief Technology Officer.Navigating the workplace can be extremely challenging for neurodivergent folks. Figuring out unspoken social norms, masking all the time, and fighting with sensory dysregulation, it's overwhelming.That's why I created the Autistic Techie podcast. I interview guests from all different corners of the tech industry: Advocates, leaders, founders, entrepreneurs, and more. People just like you, and unlike you too!Whether you're neurodivergent, support someone who is, or just want to learn more about the ND experience on the job, tune into Autistic Techie podcast to learn how you can be a better advocate and ally to yourself & others.

Ever felt overwhelmed before? Yes you have - No need to put on a brave face or mask and pretend that you haven't. Really. We've all been through times when we just want to pull our hair out and scream. Or perhaps your physical state for feeling overwhelmed looks different - Maybe you need to step outside to take a breath of fresh air? You need to listen to music? Everyone's different. Neurodivergent folks (ADHDers, autistic folks, people with epilepsy, anxiety, OCD, and others) experience intense dysregulation due to a wide variety of stimulus. How we process the feelings of "I need help" is a separate concept from actually recognizing the signs of "I need help." In this episode, I break down some personal experiences with how I've recognized the signs of feeling overwhelmed, learning what I can do about them, and actually taking the first step to making said change. Transcript available on https://autistic-techie.com/the-neurodivergent-crash-course-on-feeling-overwhelmed Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie

Ever feel like you walk into an interview just to be interrogated? It's no fun, and you shouldn't feel like that's the norm. Job interviews are supposed to be back and forth conversations between you and the company you'd like to work for. Listen in on how to make interviews a two-way street, or to know if that's just not going to fly for a potential employer. Transcript available on https://www.autistic-techie.com/interviews-are-conversations-not-confrontations Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie

Being neurodivergent on the job can sometimes feel alienating. Other times you'll find your tribe and think to yourself "Where was this my entire life?" Veronica Yao is the manager of the Neurodivergent Careers Facebook group, boasting more than eighty thousand neurodivergent folks all looking to help each other be more confident and supported in their jobs. Veronica is also a neurodivergent career coach, working with folks just like you to make the most out of their careers and find success no matter where they are! Transcript available on https://autistic-techie.com/it-takes-a-village-and-veronica-yao-is-a-welcoming-mayor Follow Veronica Yao and join the Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/atypicalcareersinc https://www.facebook.com/groups/neurodivergentcareers https://www.atypicalcareers.com/ Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie

What's it like to be a goose enthusiast at the intersection of art, autism, and AI creativity? I could think of no one better to answer these burning questions than Schuyler Dragoo. She is the Chief Strategy Officer of Kiingo AI, a recent graduate of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, and a neurodiversity self advocate! Our conversation dove into the fusion of art with creative strategy, and how neurodivergent people such as ourselves have experimented with AI to help us figure out the neurotypical world around us. Transcript available on https://autistic-techie.com/art-autism-and-wacky-ai-with-schuyler-dragoo Connect with Schuyler Dragoo https://www.linkedin.com/in/schuyler-dragoo-mfa-a99672333/ https://schuylerdragoo.com/ Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie

I'm back! I've been training for the Boston Marathon for the last few months. Preparing for this race has given me the opportunity to reflect on my own state of mind: Being prepared with the right tools to succeed, having to manage unknown and unpredictable situations, creating resilience when things go sideways, and developing a plan to ace the course. If this sounds familiar to your personal workplace journey, this is the episode for you. Discover insights on pacing, resilience, and preparation that apply to both running and overcoming workplace challenges. Transcript available on https://autistic-techie.com/its-a-boston-marathon-not-a-sprint If you want to track me on the day of the race, I am bib 7937. Use the Boston Athletic Association app to track me as I make my way through the course! Donate to the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation: https://www.givengain.com/project/shea-raising-funds-for-doug-flutie-jr-foundation-for-autism-109565 Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie

Receiving therapy and coaching is good for the mind & soul! But what if the practitioner really knew what it was like to be you? Jordan Schatz is the ADHD Guru, a licensed therapist and coach helping neurodivergent people like us unpack their lives and take it all back. Jordan and I had the chance to talk about un-sticking our lives and getting out of those ruts we carve out of need. You have them too, right? Not just me? Whether you have a dozen special interests, a few hundred, or none at all, tune into this episode with Jordan as we talk about our unique ways of thinking - I even get some coaching in myself! Transcript available on https://autistic-techie.com/empathic-adhd-therapy-coaching-with-jordan-schatz-the-adhd-guru Connect with Jordan Schatz, the ADHD Guru: https://www.tiktok.com/@theadhdguru https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-schatz Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie

Software engineer and accessibility advocate Meenakshi Das joins Shea to talk about integrating accessibility into tech, regardless of your job title. As a Software Engineer 2 at Microsoft and vice chair of Teach Access, Meenakshi shares how she brings a disability lens to everything she works on, even when accessibility isn’t part of the formal job description. They discuss her journey with a speech disability, the gaps between tech and academia, and what real inclusion looks like beyond checklists. This episode highlights the power of lived experience and the impact of showing up, even quietly, for a more accessible future. Transcript available on https://autistic-techie.com/accessibility-advocacy-and-self-expression-with-meenakshi-das Follow Meenakshi Das and Teach Access https://www.linkedin.com/in/meena11/ https://www.teachaccess.org/ Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie

Learning strategist and neuroinclusion expert Tracy King joins Shea to explore how training, education, and professional development can be reimagined with cognitive diversity in mind. As CEO of InspireEd and chair of the IACET neuroinclusion working group, Tracy breaks down what it really means to design learning experiences that include neurodivergent people from the start, not just through accommodations. They discuss continuing education (CE), scalable program design, and how to create learning environments where every brain is not only welcomed but empowered. If you’ve ever felt excluded by the way information is delivered at work, this episode is for you! Transcript available on https://autistic-techie.com/instructing-the-instructors-on-neurodiversity-with-tracy-king-inspireed Follow Tracy King and Inspire-Ed https://www.inspired-ed.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracykingceo/ Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie

Blake Baumann and Pickens Calhoun of ASPIE-R (pronounced "aspire") join Shea to talk about what it means to truly support autistic individuals; not just with accommodations, but with purpose and pride. Blake shares the personal journey that led him to found ASPIE-R, a coaching and mentoring platform built by and for the autistic community, while Pickens reflects on what it takes to be an authentic ally. Together, they explore identity, late diagnosis, parenting, and how to rise above one-size-fits-all expectations in both work and life. This episode is about rejecting shame and embracing the possibility of a self-defined, fulfilling future. Transcript available on https://autistic-techie.com/autistic-autonomy-independence-and-flourishing-with-aspie-r Connect with Blake Baumann and Pickens Calhoun at ASPIE-R: https://www.aspie-r.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspie-r-llc/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakebaumann/ Follow us on social media: https://www.tiktok.com/@autistic_techie https://www.instagram.com/autistic_techie