Please log in to your PayTech Women member account for free registration. Non-members may purchase the webinar for $50, or join PayTech Women to access all our webinars.

Neurodiversity is a Competitive Advantage

Discover believes that diverse perspectives make us stronger. Diversity is about embracing human variation or difference and leveraging those differences to build stronger teams.

Joy Canonigo and Kayley Petersen will discuss how the neurodivergent population includes individuals with autism, dyslexia, ADHD, Tourette’s syndrome and other learning and mental health differences. This valuable talent population brings creativity and complex problem-solving skills and have the potential to help companies rethink new solutions to old problems.

Drexel University suggests that as many as 1 million young people with autism are expected to turn 18 over the next decade. The CDC estimates that the prevalence of autism has reached 1 in 44 children, up from 1 in 110 in 2006. Unemployment rates are estimated to be as high as 40% for this talent population because traditional methods of recruitment and onboarding are insufficient at addressing the needs of this population.

Outcomes:

• Unravel how Discover is making an investment in this talent pool through our Neurodivergent Connections hiring program.
• Understand how taking a strength-based view of this talent community can shift mind-sets and perspectives.
• Explore opportunities to engage allies within your organization to build your own program.
• Learn from us! We’ll share our lessons learned and our opportunities.
  
  

Speakers:

Joy Canonigo (She/Her)
Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Discover

Joy has more than 20 years of experience designing and leading enterprise HR initiatives ranging from executive to front-line leader development, DE&I learning programs and change and talent management programs.

Joy graduated from Northwestern University with a Master’s in Learning and Organizational Change. She lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband, two sons, and dog. She is passionate about taking a human-centered approach to talent development and believes that your difference is your differentiator. Her passion is shaped by her immigrant parents, being neurodivergent and being the mother of an adult with autism.

Kayley Petersen (They/Them)
Senior Manager, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Discover

Kayley is a DE&I practitioner, professional certified coach, lean management coach and trusted leader.

Kayley graduated from University of Utah with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology, Sociology and Gender Studies. They live in the Phoenix suburbs with their partner, daughter and two bonus sons.

Kayley is passionate about having brave authentic conversations that create space to connect and grow while working to understand how our systems and processes enable us to be and do our best. Their passion is shaped by their lived experience as a transgender non-binary queer human with non-apparent disabilities and as a proud parent of three amazing kids.