How'd You Get THAT Job?!

If there’s one thing we’ve learned throughout this show, it’s that people can thrive at work not in spite of their differences, but because of them. People with learning and thinking differences like ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia all have strengths. But sometimes it takes finding the right job — and the right tools — to allow them to shine. In this final episode of “How’d You Get THAT Job?!,” host Eleni Matheou looks back at themes we’ve seen from guests in the series. Tune in to learn how taking a chance, experimenting with strategies, and asking for support can help you on your career path. Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

Dr. Loucresie Rupert is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist with ADHD. She wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until she was a medical intern. Now, being open with her patients about her own neurodivergence allows her to connect with them — and be the best doctor she can be. Loucresie didn’t have an easy time getting her diagnosis as a Black woman. When she first sought an evaluation, she was labeled as narcissistic and told she wasn’t smart enough to be in medical school, even though she was already attending one. After failing a two-day licensing test she had trouble focusing on, she knew it was time to get a second opinion. Now, she’s a co-founder of the organization Physician Women SOAR (Support, Organize, Advocate, Reclaim). Tune in to this week’s episode of “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” to hear more about the intersectionality of being a Black woman with ADHD, racism in the medical community, and Loucresie’s upcoming podcast. Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

Aideé Chávez Frescas is a senior social media manager at Understood. She also has ADHD and creates her own social media content that has gone viral again and again. She shares about her life as a Mexican person living in the United States, and the intersection of being Latina and having ADHD. Her videos and posts help end stigma and show others they’re not alone. Understood is the first workplace where Aideé has been open about her ADHD. She felt comfortable disclosing because of Understood’s mission to help people who learn and think differently thrive. In the past, she relied on masking her symptoms, toning her energy and personality down to fit into spaces. Now, Aideé is proud to be herself at work. And she encourages her team to do the same. Hear how Aideé thought masking her ADHD was code-switching at first — plus her formula for going viral. Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

Dan Reis is a product designer at an e-commerce startup — and a listener of the podcast! Like many others, Dan saw his coping skills vanish during the COVID-19 lockdown. This led to him finally getting diagnosed with ADHD. Since then, Dan has made it his mission to explore different tools to build his own “ADHD toolkit.” Through trial and error, he modifies strategies to work for him. And he uses these tools to get his work done. Through self-compassion, routine changes, and experimentation, he’s understanding himself better. And, as is true for so many of us, he knows there’s still a long way to go. Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

Gil Gershoni is the founder and creative director of the branding firm Gershoni Creative. He says that everything he does, he does dyslexic. Gil sees dyslexia as a hyper-ability. His goal is to show the world that dyslexic thinkers can open new doors and innovate anything. Along with Gershoni Creative, Gil created Dyslexic Design Thinking, a method that helps clients see new perspectives and tell the story of their brand. Gil also hosts “Dyslexic Design Thinking,” a podcast that explores the link between dyslexia and creativity. Through these outlets, Gil spotlights dyslexic thinkers and ideas. Listen to this week’s episode of “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” to learn more about Gil’s approach to changing the dyslexia disability narrative, and how he advocates for neurodiverse teams. Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

Michael Upshall Senior and Junior both have ADHD. This father-and-son duo doubles as boss and employee in their carpentry business, Probuilt Design + Build. In both work and life, they understand how the other thinks. For Michael Sr., school never matched how his brain worked, and he left high school in the 10th grade. That’s when he took up an apprenticeship, eventually starting his own business. He’s now a master carpenter. And he was diagnosed with ADHD in 2012. Michael Jr. was diagnosed when he entered high school, so he got the support to help him finish school. He’s been working at his father’s business since he was 12. Now, as an adult, he’s learning the ropes of running a business — while picking up ADHD strategies from his father along the way. Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

Isaac Zablocki always had messy handwriting and trouble getting his thoughts down on paper. When he was growing up, teachers in both Israel and the United States assumed his challenges had to do with switching between languages. It wasn’t until college that he was diagnosed with dysgraphia, dyslexia, and ADHD. Because it was hard for Isaac to express himself through writing, he found himself drawn to film. Now, he’s the director of film programming at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) Manhattan. He’s also the co-founder of the ReelAbilities Film Festival, the largest U.S. film festival dedicated to showcasing films by or about people with disabilities. Learn how Isaac’s work in the disability film world highlights differences and promotes stories of those who are often unheard. Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

Dina Ragab is a lawyer with ADHD working on the California high-speed rail project. Dina has always known that she was “neurospicy,” but therapists couldn’t see past her anxiety to the ADHD underneath. It wasn’t until after law school that she was diagnosed, went on medication, and realized there were ways to manage her sometimes all-consuming emotions. Dina’s job path wasn’t always a smooth one. She went through a few positions and work environments until she found the honest, straightforward boss that she needed. In this week’s episode of “How’d You Get THAT Job?!,” hear Dina describe her journey through misdiagnosis — and how self-advocacy is an opportunity for co-workers to take one another’s needs into consideration. Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences in the U.S. can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2022 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

Delia Gallegos combined her love of fandoms with her business experience to create the perfect job for her ADHD. Delia is the chief financial officer of Black Nerds Create (BNC), a collective for marginalized creators to make fandom content. Delia first joined BNC as a side hobby to her business operations career. But during the pandemic, she took part in the great resignation and left a job she loved at the Smithsonian. Delia realized that everything she loved about that job was about being there. Without the stimuli of in-person work, she couldn’t get a thing done. Delia’s resignation led her to transition her hobby to full time when she saw that BNC could use her business skills. Listen to this week’s episode of “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” for tips on forming habits with ADHD — and how sometimes you need to throw everything against the wall to see what sticks. Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences in the U.S. can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2022 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

Luke Kolpin is a chef with dyslexia. He’s cooked in high-pressure environments, from “Top Chef” to the critically acclaimed Noma in Copenhagen. Luke didn’t have the best relationship with school when he was first diagnosed with dyslexia. After high school, he started taking community college courses. But he still wondered what he really wanted to do. That’s when his best friend suggested culinary school. After all, Luke’s nickname was Lunchbox when he was a kid. Culinary school changed Luke’s world. He excelled in the hands-on work — but he also had to get past the academics. A teacher who recognized his skill set made all the difference. In this week’s episode of “How’d You Get THAT Job?!,” Luke shares how he handles challenges that bring up old anxieties — and that asking for help is OK. Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people with learning and thinking differences in the U.S. can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2022 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

Rohan Chhabra found out he had dyslexia during graduate school by tagging along with a friend to her evaluation. He went in knowing nothing about dyslexia — and came out with a diagnosis. After learning more about it, so many things about how his brain worked finally made sense. Dyslexia had been guiding his life and his career choices, and he hadn’t even realized it. Growing up in India, Rohan was a quiet kid who worried about keeping up with academic classes. He gravitated toward creative fields that relied on drawing instead of writing. After getting his master’s degree in industrial design, Rohan worked for fashion titans like Nike and Ralph Lauren. But his passion for animals and the environment pulled him in another direction. Now, he creates digital fashion sold as NFTs. To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood. Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2022 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

Phoebe Gavin has ADHD — and a passion for helping others thrive in the workplace. She’s an executive director of talent and development at Vox.com, a veteran, and a private career coach. Phoebe was diagnosed with ADHD as a child, and she enlisted in the military after high school. Transitioning back into civilian life was difficult, but she had a mentor who made all the difference. Now Phoebe gives that same support to her colleagues and clients. In this week’s episode of “How’d You Get THAT Job?!,” hear about Phoebe’s journey from the military, to fashion school, to her current work. Plus, get interviewing tips and advice on how to find work that best aligns with your values. Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts Copyright © 2022 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brendan Mahan has ADHD — and the drive to help others navigate their own ADHD landscapes. From a young age, Brendan knew he wanted to help people. When his college major options left little room to do that, he forged his own path. Now, he’s an ADHD coach and podcast host. From parenting to marriage to the workplace, Brendan’s got you covered. And he’s there to remind you that it’s OK to have ADHD. On this week’s episode of “How’d You Get THAT Job?!,” Brendan talks about how to stack different skills into the perfect combo of what works best for you. Find out why hobby consolidation could be the right move for ADHD folks. And get Brendan’s tips on finding the right career, how to self-advocate, and employer red flags to look out for. Understood is a nonprofit and social impact organization dedicated to shaping a world where the 1 in 5 people who learn and think differently can thrive. Learn more about “How’d You Get THAT Job?!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2022 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.