Cathy Rashidian

ADHD & Neurodiversity Workplace Speaker

Leadership, ADHD & Strategic Communication for Neuroinclusive Workplaces

Cathy RasCathy Rashidian neurodiversity workplace speaker and ADHD leadership expert

I work with organizations navigating complexity — leadership pressure, cognitive diversity, hybrid work, burnout risk, and misalignment that quietly slows performance.

My sessions focus on one core question:

How do leaders lead well — under real conditions?

You don’t need another motivational keynote.

You need leadership development that works in real meetings, real feedback conversations, and real decision-making moments.

✓ If you’re looking for insight that holds up in real conditions — not just on stage — you’re in the right place.

Speaking Engagements

Calix

Lippe Taylor

CPHR Alberta Annual Conference

Hitachi Solutions

Why Organizations Bring Me In

Organizations typically invite me when they want to:

  • Strengthen executive communication and alignment

  • Support neurodiversity in the workplace in practical ways

  • Reduce burnout and over-functioning in high performers

  • Equip leaders to navigate difficult conversations

  • Improve psychological safety without lowering standards

  • Help managers lead effectively in hybrid or fast-paced environments

This work is grounded in lived leadership experience and executive coaching — not abstract theory.

Schedule a Intro call with Cathy Rashidian
Cathy Rashidian neurodiversity workplace keynote speaker

Speaking Topics

ADHD & Neurodiversity in the Workplace — Applied to Leadership & Performance

  • From Awareness to Leadership Capability

    Most organizations acknowledge neurodiversity.

    Few know how to lead it.

    This flagship session moves beyond awareness into application — examining how ADHD and cognitive diversity shape communication, productivity, decision-making, and team dynamics.

    Participants learn how to:

    • Translate neuroinclusion from policy into everyday leadership behavior

    • Reduce friction caused by cognitive style differences

    • Improve alignment and follow-through across diverse teams

    • Support neurodivergent employees without lowering performance standards

    • Activate strengths while minimizing misinterpretation and breakdown

    This session reframes ADHD and neurodiversity as leadership variables — not accommodation topics.

    Ideal for leadership teams, HR, L&D, and organizations ready to move from intention to execution.

  • Communication, Feedback & Performance Across Cognitive Styles

    When leaders misunderstand how ADHD and different thinking styles show up at work, performance friction increases — even when intentions are strong.

    This session focuses specifically on:

    • Executive and manager communication patterns

    • Feedback loops that build clarity instead of defensiveness

    • Reducing misinterpretation between neurotypical and neurodivergent work styles

    • Strengthening accountability without micromanagement

    • Creating psychological safety that improves information flow

    Neurodiversity becomes a leadership competency — one that directly impacts trust, retention, and execution.

  • Preventing Burnout in High-Pressure Environments

    Many high-performing professionals with ADHD succeed by compensating — over-functioning, masking, and carrying more than their share.

    Over time, those strategies become unsustainable.

    This session explores:

    • How ADHD intersects with burnout risk

    • Emotional regulation under cognitive load

    • Over-responsibility and performance pressure

    • Sustainable leadership strategies that protect both results and well-being

    This topic resonates strongly with high-responsibility roles, emerging leaders, and organizations concerned about retention and long-term capacity.

Speaking Formats

Designed for conversation & implementation, not consumption.

I don’t approach speaking as a performance.

I approach it as a leadership intervention — scaled appropriately to the room.

All Sessions are delivered virtually across Canada, the US, and the UK.

Interactive Keynotes

Designed to introduce core concepts, challenge default thinking, and spark meaningful reflection across leadership teams or conference audiences. (45 - 60 minutes)

Extended Keynotes + Facilitated Dialogue

Insight followed by structured discussion, so leaders can immediately apply what they’re hearing to their own context. (75 - 90 minutes)

Leadership Workshops

Deeper exploration of neurodiversity, communication, and sustainable performance — with practical tools and implementation time built in. (Half or Full Day)

Small-Group Implementation Labs

For organizations that want to move beyond awareness and build real capability.

Schedule an intro call to discussion the best choice for your Organization

Professional Background

I’m a certified executive coach specializing in ADHD and neurodiversity in the workplace, with over 20 years of corporate leadership experience across organizations such as TELUS and Deloitte.

I bring both lived understanding of ADHD and deep experience inside high-performance environments. That combination allows me to speak to leaders in a way that is practical, credible, and grounded in real organizational dynamics.

My credentials include:

  • International Coach Federation (ICF)

  • Professional Association of ADHD Coaches (PAAC)

  • Lead Trainer at ADD Coach Academy (ADDCA), where I support the development of future ADHD coaches

My speaking work has been featured at:

  • Hitachi Solutions (ERG)

  • CPHR Alberta Annual Conference (twice)

  • ADD.org Webinar Series

  • ADHD International Conference

  • Chartered Institute of Taxation (UK)

  • Calix

  • Lippe Taylor

  • Work Therapy - Podcast

  • Understood Podcast - ADHD AHA!

Organizations invite me in when they want conversations about neurodiversity that are thoughtful, strategic, and immediately applicable to leadership practice.

“Cathy was an engaging, empathetic and professional speaker and our session was a huge success. She is clearly very educated and informed about ADHD, sharing valuable insights and knowledge. Her approach was to involve the audience and it landed tremendously well with them. The engagement in the chat was at an all-time high for one of our events.” Panda ERG Team at Hitachi Solutions Global

  • "Great information and perspectives on how to support those with ADHD so that they can have a voice and be set up for success."

    HR Leader

  • "Cathy's presentation and material was fantastic. Extremely insightful and helpful, not just for those with ADHD but leaders who may oversee neuro-divergent individuals and how to facilitate constructive conversations"

    Past HR event participant

  • "I'm so glad I attended, I knew it was an area that I wanted a deeper understanding on - success!"

    HR Leader

  • “This session was fantastic… and I love the strong chat participation!”

    Team member at Hitachi Solutions

  • "The amount of verbal excitement and satisfaction from our session was incredible! The ability to open a conversation up and have it organically progress and evolve with a large team like that is exactly what we were looking for in this session.

    feedback from a company wide virtual talk on Neurodiversity at Work

Book Cathy Rashidian for Your Leadership Event

If your organization is ready to move from neurodiversity awareness to leadership capability, I’d welcome a conversation about what would best serve your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • I don’t deliver generic talks.

    Before any engagement, I take time to understand:

    • The leadership level in the room

    • The pressures your teams are carrying

    • Where communication or inclusion may already feel strained

    • What you want to be different after the session

    My goal isn’t just to deliver insight.
    It’s to make sure the conversation lands.

    In the room, I balance:

    • Directness and empathy

    • Strategy and emotional intelligence

    • Structure and openness

    I create space for leaders to think honestly — without defensiveness, without shame, and without lowering standards.

    You can expect:

    • Clear frameworks

    • Real examples

    • Practical language shifts

    • Space for reflection

    • Respect for the responsibility leaders carry

    This work is grounded, thoughtful, and designed to hold up after the event — not just during it.

  • Cathy Rashidian works with organizations that are navigating leadership pressure, growth, or complexity — particularly those supporting cognitively diverse leaders and teams.

    This includes organizations looking to:

    • strengthen leadership communication and decision-making

    • support neurodiversity and neuroinclusion in practice (not just policy)

    • reduce burnout and over-functioning in high performers

    • improve alignment, trust, and execution across teams

    Her work is especially relevant for leadership teams, people managers, HR/L&D, and DEI audiences.

  • Both — by design.

    Cathy’s work uses ADHD and neurodiversity as leadership lenses, not niche topics. Sessions are accessible and relevant to all leaders, while also offering deeper insight and validation for neurodivergent participants.

    Organizations often choose Cathy because she can address neuroinclusion without isolating or stigmatizing — and without requiring prior knowledge of ADHD.

  • Item You can reach out to discuss your audience, goals, and event format. Cathy is happy to explore whether the fit is right before moving forward. inquiry link

  • Organizations report clearer communication, more intentional leadership behavior, and greater awareness of how cognitive differences impact performance and collaboration.

    Leaders leave better able to:

    • communicate with clarity under pressure

    • navigate difficult conversations more effectively

    • recognize patterns of over-functioning and burnout

    • support diverse thinking styles within their teams

    The focus is on practical shifts, not abstract inspiration.

  • Yes.

    Cathy regularly works with senior leaders, executives, and high-responsibility roles. Her approach is grounded, strategic, and respectful of the pressures leaders carry.

    This is not entry-level leadership content or wellness programming. It’s designed for leaders who are responsible for results, people, and culture.

  • Rather than focusing on awareness alone, Cathy’s work translates neurodiversity and inclusion into everyday leadership practice.

    Sessions focus on:

    • how leaders communicate

    • how decisions are made under pressure

    • how psychological safety is created or undermined

    • how systems impact performance

    This makes the work relevant to business outcomes as well as individual experience.

  • Yes.

    Each engagement is shaped around the organization’s context, leadership level, and objectives. Cathy collaborates with internal stakeholders to ensure relevance and alignment.