Amplifying Voices from Neurodivergent Leadership: Meet Erin and Pranav

What does it mean to lead while being true to yourself and to your neurotype? At Neurowrx, we understand through experience that leadership isn’t about fitting a mold. Rather, it’s about showing up with authenticity, curiosity, and a deep sense of purpose. 

We’re exploring what leadership and autism acceptance and awareness look like to neurodivergent members of our community. An important theme that has emerged is that lived experiences and community-driven work are reshaping what it means to lead, especially when it comes to neurodiversity inclusion. Keep reading to meet Erin and Pranav, our first two featured leaders.

Erin Dekker (they/them)

Neurodiversity-Affirming Freelance Job Coach and Researcher

Ontario, Canada

Visit Erin's Website

What does it mean to you to be a neurodivergent leader?

To me, being a neurodivergent leader means living by my values of listening, continually learning, and supporting others. My leadership is rooted in community-based research and the understanding that knowledge is best cultivated within the community.

As an autistic person, I recognize that my perspective is just one of many within the neurodivergent community. I strive to amplify diverse voices and lived experiences, continually learning from them to refine my support strategies and align my goals with the priorities of the neurodivergent community.

What does autism acceptance mean to you?

To me, autism acceptance means recognizing and valuing differences as valid ways of navigating the world and interacting with others. These differences are assets when supported in the right environment.

In practice, autism acceptance involves challenging societal norms that marginalize autistic ways of being and knowing. We can seek diverse ways of being and actively transform systems, structures, and expectations to not only include but celebrate our differences.

By fostering accepting and curious environments where autistic communities can thrive, we create meaningful change—not just for autistic individuals but for all communities that fall outside societal norms.

Pranav Sethi (he/him)

Neurodiversity Advocate and Lived Experience Advisor, Orchvate LLP

Climate and Disaster Risk Mitigation Specialist, GeoHazards Society

What does it mean to you to be a neurodivergent leader?

Honestly, I don’t feel like a neurodivergent leader. All I am trying to do is be more myself and less of what the world wants me to be. I wish and hope the world could see my uniqueness and, for once, step into my shoes to feel how I perceive the world.

I try to make the world a better place by encouraging people to be emotionally available to those around them. I aim to create a world where no one is forcefully moulded into something they are not but are allowed to and encouraged to be unique without being questioned or made fun of.

It is a tough, emotionally exhausting journey of unlearning and relearning for an ideal society that is inclusive and disabled-friendly.

What does autism awareness mean to you?

Autism awareness, for me, is more than ticking boxes on a checklist. It is more than lighting things blue or organizing a talk by a psychiatrist or psychologist.

It is about bringing in the big guns, the actually autistic people and giving them the stage to share their lived experiences. It is about making the world truly listen to our voices, to our truths, and to feel even for a moment what it is like to live with the condition.

Autism awareness is about committing to real long-lasting inclusion. It is about shifting power dynamics across the globe and building a world that doesn't just accept us but also includes us.

Building a More Authentic World

Erin and Pranav offer distinct perspectives, but both underscore a critical truth: Neurodivergent leadership doesn’t always follow conventional patterns, and that’s exactly the point.

Whether it’s through listening deeply, refusing to conform, or pushing for structural change, it is leaders like these that bring essential insights and emotional intelligence to the forefront.

Now more than ever, we are pushing for a future where authenticity, diversity, and mutual respect are the cornerstones of every workplace and community. Folks like Erin, Pranav, and Neurowrx’s members are paving a way toward a more inclusive world.