DWC 2025 - Ottawa
In December 2025, I had the opportunity to present a Lightning Talk at Disability and Work in Canada 2025 (DWC 2025) in Ottawa. The conference brought together employers, policymakers, researchers, and advocates from across the country to focus on one central question: how disability inclusion drives economic success in Canadian workplaces.
My session, “Autism in the Workplace,” was part of the Day 1 Lightning Talks program on December 1, hosted at the Westin Ottawa. Being included alongside national organizations, researchers, and system-level leaders was both humbling and energizing. It also reinforced how urgent and relevant this conversation has become in Canada’s labor market.
What I focused on
In a short Lightning Talk format, the challenge is to get straight to what matters. I focused on three core ideas:
Autism inclusion at work is not a niche HR initiative. It is a workforce strategy.
Many barriers autistic employees face are structural, not individual.
Small, practical changes in hiring, communication, and management can make a measurable difference.
Rather than framing autism through a deficit lens, I spoke about how workplace systems often fail to recognize different ways of thinking, processing, and communicating. When those systems change, outcomes improve for everyone, not just autistic employees.
Why this conversation matters now
Canada is facing talent shortages, rising burnout, and growing pressure on employers to demonstrate real inclusion rather than symbolic commitments. Autistic adults continue to experience disproportionately high unemployment and underemployment, even when they are highly skilled.
The conversations throughout DWC 2025 echoed this reality. Across panels and workshops, the message was consistent: inclusion works best when it moves beyond compliance and into daily operations, leadership decisions, and organizational culture.
Autism inclusion fits squarely into that shift. It challenges organizations to rethink assumptions about productivity, professionalism, and “fit,” and to design workplaces that actually reflect human diversity.
What comes next
Presenting at DWC 2025 marked an important milestone for my work with Autism Workforce Solutions. It confirmed that there is strong interest from employers, policymakers, and practitioners who want practical, honest guidance on autism inclusion, not generic toolkits.
The conversations that followed the session made it clear that many organizations are ready to act but need support translating intent into practice. That is where my work continues to focus: helping employers build systems that work in the real world, for real people.
I am grateful to the DWC organizers for creating space for these conversations, and to everyone who attended, asked questions, or connected afterward. This work is ongoing, and the momentum is real.