Utopia with ADHD Girls

Evelyn Polk Green, MSEd, is a past president of both ADDA, the Attention Deficit Disorder Association and CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder).  Evelyn is an adult with ADHD and the mother of two adult sons, Perry and Robert, both of whom also have ADHD.  Active in ADHD and mental health advocacy for more than 25 years, Evelyn has served as a leader representing the family and educator voice in the ADHD and mental health communities in many capacities, including as a member of the Network on Children’s Mental Health Services funded by the MacArthur Foundation. She frequently represents the family/consumer perspective on mental health issues and often speaks to audiences and the media on a variety of topics.  She has been focused on the challenges of ADHD in minority, poor and other underserved populations throughout her advocacy career. She is the recipient of several honors for her volunteer work in mental health and education, including the Beacon College Achieving Lifetime Vision and Excellence (ALiVE) Award for her advocacy work on behalf of children and adults with learning differences and ADHD. Evelyn works as an administrator with the Chicago Public Schools, planning professional development programs for early childhood special education professionals and families. She holds bachelor and master’s degrees from National Louis University and a master’s degree from Northern Illinois University. About Utopia This interview is part of the Utopia campaign, a collaboration between ADHD Girls and Qbtech. By shedding light on the unique lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals, Utopia aims to create a broader, more universal understanding of what it’s like to experience life with ADHD. For those living with ADHD, their families, and clinicians alike, this interview offers a wealth of real, relatable stories. For more information about the Utopia campaign, please visit https://adhdgirls.co.uk/utopia/

Gwen has over 15 years experience in healthcare to include time as a bedside nurse, nursing leader, clinical value analysis director, and adjunct professor. She has 2 masters degrees in healthcare leadership. She was diagnosed with ADHD at age 33 and has dedicated her time since diagnosis to educating herself about her neurodiversity, advocating and sharing information about ADHD to reduce the stigma and improve support, and is currently writing a book and putting together a collaborative for ADHD professionals. For more information about the Utopia campaign, please visit https://adhdgirls.co.uk/utopia/

Dr Wiley attended medical school at the University of Alabama School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Alabama School of Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Alabama.  He is board certified in Paediatrics. Dr Wiley practiced general paediatrics at Dothan Paediatric Clinic in Dothan AL for almost 20 years before moving to Mobile in 2008 and founding Focus - http://www.focus-md.comHe served as President of the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Paediatrics and is currently the District X Vice Chairperson for the AAP. He has been listed in America’s Best Doctors and America’s Top Paediatricians and was named Master Paediatrician by Children’s Health System. http://www.jameswileymd.com     

This episode with Samantha Hiew, PhD, Founder and Director of ADHD Girls was featured on the #creatingfutures podcast episode Salt, a global, award-winning digital recruitment agency, connecting people and businesses within Consulting, Creative, HR, Marketing, Sales, and Technology.  Sam is an accomplished speaker, consultant and soon-to-be author on the subject of neurodivergence, advocating for herself and others in workplaces and using her platform to empower women to embrace their neurodivergence. Salt chatted to Sam about her own experience of neurodivergence across different cultures, and why understanding intersectionality in addition to #neurodivergence is so important for workplaces and individuals alike. To find out more about the neurodiversity trainings and programmes that Sam performs within organisations, visit https://adhdgirls.co.uk/. 

Rachel Grant-Waters is an openly neurodivergent Teaching Assistant who has worked in SEN education for over 5 years. Diagnosed with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia as a child, she was diagnosed with ADHD in her 30s. Rachel actively uses her first hand experience as a neurodivergent learner to support the students she works with while advocating for awareness, understanding and better support of neurodevelopmental disorders in mainstream education and the workplace. About Utopia     This interview is part of the Utopia campaign, a collaboration between ADHD Girls and Qbtech. By shedding light on the unique lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals, Utopia aims to create a broader, more universal understanding of what it’s like to experience life with ADHD.    For those living with ADHD, their families, and clinicians alike, this interview offers a wealth of real, relatable stories.    For more information about the Utopia campaign, please visit https://adhdgirls.co.uk/utopia/

Karime “KK” Harris is a Business Psychologist and Executive Coach Director at Talking Talent. She is inspirational, motivational, energetic and leads with empathy. KK’s coaching experience has been in both the public and private sector, combined with her knowledge of psychology, has enabled her to have a deeper understanding of the complexity of people, which enables her to help her clients perform better at work.  One General Manager, of a multinational corporation, recently said, “KK is the unlock expert.” Her passion for DEI, and her thoughts around the necessity to be more inclusive in all areas of diversity, including Neurodiversity, have been featured in publications. She wasrecently interviewed by Trisha Goddard on London Live Talk Radio about KK’s experience of having a late ADHD diagnosis and the need for workplace awareness and support.  KK is from Los Angeles and lived in London for more that 15 years. She now resides in Horsham, West Sussex with her daughter and their 3 cats.   About Utopia     This interview is part of the Utopia campaign, a collaboration between ADHD Girls and Qbtech. By shedding light on the unique lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals, Utopia aims to create a broader, more universal understanding of what it’s like to experience life with ADHD.    For those living with ADHD, their families, and clinicians alike, this interview offers a wealth of real, relatable stories.

For many young people with #ADHD, it's hard to feel understood by parents or guardians. As Jhillika Kumar shares in this interview, thinking outside the box can go a long way in supporting those with ADHD. Jhillika Kumar is a 23-year-old social impact entrepreneur, Diversity & Inclusion community builder, and Grace Hopper Celebration keynote speaker, as a person with ADHD herself, and advocate for disability empowerment. She is the sister of a non-speaking autistic individual named Vikram, who is the source of inspiration behind founding Mentra - an employment platform that matches neurodivergents with meaningful careers. Jhillika grew up in Dubai and moved to the US for her studies, and founded Mentra whilst she was still in university.  This interview is part of the Utopia campaign, a collaboration between ADHD Girls and Qbtech. By shedding light on the unique lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals, Utopia aims to create a broader, more universal understanding of what it’s like to experience life with ADHD.   For those living with ADHD, their families, and clinicians alike, this interview offers a wealth of real, relatable stories.

When Sydney Dodini started noticing her ADHD symptoms as a young adult, she attributed them to lifestyle changes and a difficult course-load rather than a potential neurodevelopmental condition. As Sydney explains in this interview, the path toward diagnosis can be tricky. Avoiding the "stigma of self-diagnosis" while adapting to life changes like a new university can change the way we see our struggles.  Some people may see themselves in Sydney's story. In this interview, Sydney discusses experiences with procrastination and the "nearsightedness of the brain" that other people with ADHD have felt, as well as her journey to a diagnosis.

When Sydney Dodini was diagnosed with ADHD at age 19, she didn’t just gain new ways of improving her focus at university. With the help of her father, Dr. Aaron Dodini, and objective ADHD testing with QbTest, Sydney was also able to better understand her perfectionist tendencies, her struggles with anxiety, and the way neurodivergence can affect our daily lived experience. The ADHD diagnosis changed Sydney’s life, but it was only the beginning of a path that led to a new level of self-reflection.  In this powerful and heartfelt conversation, Sydney and Dr. Aaron Dodini give a refreshing and frank perspective on living with and treating ADHD.  Both Dr. Hiew and Sydney Dodini were diagnosed with ADHD as adults. In this interview, they lend their perspective on creating their own productive, self-motivated lives while living with ADHD. Alongside Dr. Aaron Dodini’s years of experience treating neurodivergent patients, the conversation also encompasses personal anecdotes, reflections, and hope for the future of ADHD care.  For ADHDers, their families, and clinicians alike, this interview offers a wealth of real, relatable stories.

Do you know what Stress does to a Neurodivergent's brain and body? Why are we so susceptible to #burnout? What can we do about it?  This is an absolute GIFT from the Utopia campaign to all the high achieving NDs who are on a perpetual hamster wheel.  Bernadette Dancy PhD (Health coach) and me discussed why stress shows up so much in a neurodivergent's life and the ensuing burnout, gender differences and what it looks like in terms of biology and behaviour, sharing examples of impact of the stress culture on our work lives, and why some struggle to "come out” and unmask at work, and some stress management strategies.