Neurodiversity in the Workforce: Ashley Peña Of Mission Connection On Why It’s Important To Include Neurodiverse Employees & How To Make Your Workplace More Neuro-Inclusive
An Interview With Eric Pines
An inclusive culture isn’t just nice to have, it’s essential for innovation, retention, and well-being. When people feel safe to be themselves, they contribute more authentically and creatively. Inclusion also builds trust, employees know they’re valued for their unique strengths rather than judged for their differences. In mental health especially, that authenticity ripples outward, the care we give to our teams directly impacts the care they give to clients.
Research suggests that up to 15–20% of the U.S. population is neurodivergent. There has been a slow but vitally important rise in companies embracing neurodiversity. How can companies support neurodiversity in the workplace? What are some benefits of including neurodiverse employees? To address these questions, we are talking to successful business leaders who can share stories and insights from their experience about “Neurodiversity in the Workforce”.
As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Ashley Peña.
Ashley Peña is the National Executive Director for Mission Connection, the outpatient extension of AMFM Healthcare’s compassion-driven and evidence-based clinical programs. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master’s degree from Rutgers University, Ashley leads a multidisciplinary team providing intensive outpatient services both in-person and via telehealth. Her clinical philosophy is rooted in compassion, trust, and inclusivity, drawing on CBT, DBT, and Solution-Focused Therapy to empower individuals toward resilience and recovery.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you ended up where you are?
My journey into mental health and leadership was deeply personal. Early in life, I witnessed the transformative power of compassionate care, both in my family and community. I saw how mental health struggles could isolate people, but I also saw how the right support could help them reclaim their lives. That inspired me to pursue social work. At Rutgers University, I immersed myself in clinical training, learning evidence-based approaches like CBT and DBT. When I joined AMFM Healthcare, I realized that leadership wasn’t just about policies, it was about creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued. That’s why Mission Connection’s outpatient programs focus on blending clinical excellence with human connection.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Compassion, resilience, and keeping it real. These aren’t just buzzwords for me, they’re lessons I’ve learned the hard way. Take compassion, it’s not about being nice, it’s about being brave enough to ask the tough questions. I’ll never forget the client who yelled at me that I didn’t get it. Instead of getting defensive, I told him that he’s right and to help me understand. That simple admission changed everything, he softened instantly because he felt heard. Then there’s resilience. When we launched telehealth during COVID, there were a lot of mishaps. Between tech glitches and frustrated clients, I almost threw in the towel. But instead of pretending I had it all under control, I told my team that we’re figuring this out together, and somehow, we did. And finally, keeping it real. When I first started working in a corporate wellness program, I hid my own struggles to appear professional, until a seasoned therapist shared how her openness about mental health built trust with clients and colleagues alike. Seeing her authenticity transform conversations taught me that being real isn’t a weakness, it’s the foundation of meaningful connection and true impact.
Can you share a story about one of your greatest work-related struggles? Can you share what you did to overcome it?
One of my greatest struggles came during a time of rapid organizational growth. As we expanded programs, I started to feel stretched thin, trying to be everything to everyone. I realized that while I was great at supporting others, I wasn’t modeling healthy boundaries myself. That disconnect started to affect my energy and clarity as a leader.
What helped me overcome it was embracing vulnerability. I opened up to my team about needing to recalibrate and encouraged them to do the same. We built a culture of checking in with one another, not just about tasks but about how we were truly doing. That experience taught me that leadership isn’t about doing it all, it’s about cultivating balance, transparency, and trust.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
Right now, we’re expanding our intensive outpatient programs to include more specialized trauma-informed care and culturally responsive services. We’re also developing peer support initiatives where individuals with lived experience mentor others in recovery. Additionally, we’re enhancing our disability inclusion efforts, for example, ensuring our facilities are ADA-compliant and that our clinicians are trained in accommodating diverse needs.
Fantastic. Let’s now shift to our discussion about neurodiversity in the workforce. Can you tell our readers a bit about your experience working with initiatives to include neurodiverse employees? Can you share a story with us?
Absolutely. At Mission Connection, we’ve made a conscious effort to recognize and celebrate neurodiversity, not just among our clients, but within our staff as well. One memorable example was when a clinician disclosed that traditional staff meetings were challenging due to sensory sensitivities. Instead of expecting them to adapt, we restructured our meeting format, adding visual aids, reducing background noise, and offering written summaries. That small change made a huge difference and opened the door for more employees to share what they needed to thrive.
This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have an inclusive work culture?
An inclusive culture isn’t just nice to have, it’s essential for innovation, retention, and well-being. When people feel safe to be themselves, they contribute more authentically and creatively. Inclusion also builds trust, employees know they’re valued for their unique strengths rather than judged for their differences. In mental health especially, that authenticity ripples outward, the care we give to our teams directly impacts the care they give to clients.
Can you share a few examples of ideas that were implemented at your workplace to help include neurodiverse employees? Can you share with us how the work culture was affected as a result?
We’ve implemented flexible communication formats, like offering written and verbal options for feedback and check-ins. We also created quiet zones in our offices where staff can recharge without overstimulation. Additionally, our training programs emphasize strength-based supervision, focusing on what employees do well instead of where they fit a typical mold.
What are some of the challenges or obstacles to including neurodivergent employees? What needs to be done to address those obstacles?
One of the biggest challenges is unconscious bias, the assumptions people make about capability or communication styles. Another is lack of training for leaders on how to provide accommodations effectively. To address these, we need continued education, open dialogue, and leadership accountability. Inclusion can’t be performative, it has to be built into policies, hiring practices, and daily interactions.
How do you and your organization educate yourselves and your teams on the concept of neurodiversity and the needs of neurodivergent employees? Are there any resources, training, or workshops that you have found particularly helpful?
We partner with disability and neurodiversity consultants who conduct workshops tailored to our team’s needs. These sessions help demystify terms, highlight lived experiences, and provide practical tools for inclusion. We also encourage ongoing peer learning, where staff share personal insights or resources that have helped them understand neurodiversity better.
This is the main question of our interview. Can you please share five best practices that can make a business place feel more welcoming and inclusive of people who are neurodivergent? If you can, please share a few examples.
1 . Ask, don’t assume. Create safe channels for employees to share what support looks like for them instead of assuming what they need.
2 . Offer flexibility. Flexibility in communication, scheduling, and environment can make all the difference, like providing hybrid options or sensory-friendly workspaces.
3 . Use clear communication. Be direct, concrete, and consistent in expectations. Ambiguity can create unnecessary stress.
4 . Train leadership regularly. Inclusion starts from the top. Equip leaders with the empathy and tools to recognize and address barriers.
5 . Celebrate neurodiversity as a strength. Encourage teams to view different ways of thinking and processing information as assets that enhance creativity and problem-solving.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story about how that was relevant in your own life?
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” — Arthur Ashe
This quote has been my compass, both personally and professionally. Early in my career, I felt overwhelmed by the enormity of systemic change needed in mental health care. But this reminded me that progress happens incrementally, whether it’s a client bravely starting therapy or a small policy shift that eventually ripples outward. It’s about showing up, even when the path isn’t fully clear.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I would inspire a movement centered on radical compassion. Imagine if compassion guided how we lead, how we design systems, and how we interact daily. I believe that would transform not only mental healthcare but also workplaces, schools, and communities.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can follow me and our team’s work through Mission Connection’s website and LinkedIn. We regularly share resources, insights, and stories to support anyone on their mental health journey.
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success and good health!
Thank you so much, it’s been an honor to share and connect.
About the Interviewer: Eric L. Pines is a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. He represents federal employees and acts as in-house counsel for over fifty thousand federal employees through his work as a federal employee labor union representative. A formal federal employee himself, Mr. Pines began his federal employment law career as in-house counsel for AFGE Local 1923 which is in Social Security Administration’s headquarters and is the largest federal union local in the world. He presently serves as AFGE 1923’s Chief Counsel as well as in-house counsel for all FEMA bargaining unit employees and numerous Department of Defense and Veteran Affairs unions.
While he and his firm specialize in representing federal employees from all federal agencies and in reference to virtually all federal employee matters, his firm has placed special attention on representing Veteran Affairs doctors and nurses hired under the authority of Title. He and his firm have a particular passion in representing disabled federal employees with their requests for medical and religious reasonable accommodations when those accommodations are warranted under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (ADA). He also represents them with their requests for Federal Employee Disability Retirement (OPM) when an accommodation would not be possible.
Mr. Pines has also served as a mediator for numerous federal agencies including serving a year as the Library of Congress’ in-house EEO Mediator. He has also served as an expert witness in federal court for federal employee matters. He has also worked as an EEO technical writer drafting hundreds of Final Agency Decisions for the federal sector.
Mr. Pines’ firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas and has offices in Baltimore, Maryland and Atlanta, Georgia. His first passion is his wife and five children. He plays classical and rock guitar and enjoys playing ice hockey, running, and biking. Please visit his websites at www.pinesfederal.com and www.toughinjurylawyers.com. He can also be reached at eric@pinesfederal.com.
Neurodiversity in the Workforce: Ashley Peña Of Mission Connection On Why It’s Important To Include… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.