Beauty in the Kaleidoscope of Neurodivergence
Thursday, October 15, 2026, 1:30-2:30pm ET
Good for 1 CAE Credit Hour
Insights & AI Ideas held a fabulous conversation in March, Hidden Strengths for Team Success: Neurodiversity in Events. This was so well-received we decided to do a second session sharing even more help for the association community. Because October is ADHD Awareness Month, our online conversation again explores when, why, and how associations can make neurodivergence a strength — not a liability — for members and staff.
This hour puts a special focus on association events, including activities that make some of us cringe when others thrive. We’ll explore how event planners – including those with a tight budget and a small team – can bridge those differences for a stronger meeting. We’ll also talk about leadership in general, again sharing how lived experiences can deliver practical insights everyone can bring back to your own meetings and team.
Key Takeaways:
- Neuroinclusion starts with your planning team. The same support your attendees need may be needed by your own staff and vendor partners.
- Neuroinclusive design benefits everyone, not just a subset of attendees. Simple, low-cost changes to signage, agendas, and event flow reduce sensory overload and improve the experience for your whole audience.
- Masking has a real cost. Understanding what it feels like for neurodivergent professionals to not mask can reshape how you design spaces for genuine participation, not just attendance.
- Quiet spaces and pre-event communication are high-impact, low-cost fixes. Small structural changes — from sensory-safe rooms to accommodation questions on registration forms — go a long way.
- Recovery and event culture intersect more than most planners realize. A candid look at attending and staging events as a sober professional challenges assumptions about what “relationship-building” formats should look like.
Speakers
Kim FitzSimmons, Chief Marketing Officer at American Association Endodontists
Kim FitzSimmons is the Chief Marketing Officer for the American Association of Endodontists. She is an award-winning marketing leader with a passion for driving business results, culture change, and brand growth. She has had the privilege of working with some of the world’s leading healthcare brands, including Allegra, Nasacort, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. A social media and digital veteran, Kim’s expertise spans content marketing, integrated campaigns, corporate and brand communications, and reputation management. She is also highly experienced in CEO and C-suite communication, thought leadership, media relations, and strategic planning.
Christine Saunders, President and Founder of Halmyre
Christine Saunders is the President and Founder of Halmyre, a WBE-certified firm that helps trade and professional associations unlock sustainable growth by listening to the voice of their future members. For more than 11 years, she has worked with over 125 associations across North America to diagnose membership gaps, refine value propositions, and design strategies that drive retention, engagement, and revenue. Known for turning deep member research into actionable plans, Christine helps associations move beyond traditional campaigns to implement growth, pricing, and revenue strategies that work in the real world.
Moderator, Barbara Armentrout, CAE, BJA Solutions for Associations
Innovative strategist helping associations achieve sustainable growth through non-dues revenue, dynamic business collaborations, and smart technology solutions. Barbara’s work is designed to help small-staff teams.
Hostess, Teri Carden, COO, Insight Guide
Teri Carden is the COO at Insight Guide, helping associations modernize how they engage members and industry partners. Teri is wildly passionate about turning big ideas—especially around AI and innovation—into practical solutions that deliver real value.
What is this series about anyway?
Insights & AI Ideas is a monthly series of candid, fast-paced conversations where association executives exchange insights and industry trends plus practical examples illustrating how artificial intelligence is helping them work smarter and lead more effectively.
Each session shares innovative, real-world strategies that free up time, streamline planning, and spark new ways of thinking—especially in meetings, conferences, and events.
From automating tedious tasks to reimagining member engagement and event intelligence, Insights & AI Ideas spotlights how technology is unlocking greater creativity, collaboration, and strategic focus across the association community. Designed for professionals managing full plates and big ambitions, these conversations offer peer-tested takeaways without the hype—just honest dialogue, useful tools, and real inspiration.
Each session includes at least one hands-on A.I. takeaway chosen by and for association professionals.
This collaborative series combines the relationship-building expertise of BJA Solutions for Associations with the innovative member engagement breakthroughs pioneered by Insight Guide.
Join us by Zoom every third Thursday from 1:30 to 2:30 ET for the conversations you really don’t want to miss!
