Welcome to episode #35 We’re thrilled to be joined by Ainslee Hooper today.
Ainslee is the driving force behind Ainslee Hooper Consulting, which helps public-facing organizations strengthen their disability inclusion. With a background in Anthropology and a unique approach to holistic inclusion, Ainslee is not just a researcher but a transformative advocate. She's earned accolades, including the 2020 Geelong Employment Award. Ainslee is a passionate advocate and a valued member of several advisory committees. When she's not advancing the cause of inclusion, she's doing the strength sport of a strong woman.
Welcome to the show Ainslee!
Questions
Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity? When did you realize that you weren’t neurotypical? What challenges did you face? What is it like now?
Close family got diagnosed + friends got diagnosed and shared experiences “But I’m neurotypical and I do that too”
Liked rules of COVID lockdown
Anxiety around networking events
Nutritionist - list of what I don’t eat longer than what I eat.
Referral to a psychologist and then a psychiatrist
What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
Disability inclusion consulting
Access and inclusion plans
Internal and external stakeholders
Wheelchair user gives empathy
Customer experience journey map
Anthropology is a special interest
Linguistic, biological, cultural, archaeological
Elicit stories from stakeholders
What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
2005-2011 Bachelor of Arts: super focused and organized
Different days of the week are devoted to different activities:
Monday = Professional Development (LinkedIn strategy)
Tuesday = Client engagement
Wednesday = Content Creation
Thursday = Project work day
Friday = Admin and podcasts
What resources (books, philosophies, apps, sensory toys) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?
Trello for project management, Zapier
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Philosophies: lean into special interests at work
Where can people connect with you or find your work?
Episode 35