Diagnosed as an adult with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, Jessica Hicksted, Ph.D., brings her life experiences and education to advocate for people with invisible disabilities. She has faced many challenges, including sustain injuries during military service, which she overcame with resiliency and determination. She is a mother to two sons with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.
Dr. Hicksted has faced her own battles with discrimination in the workplace after disclosing her invisible disabilities. She returned to graduate school to learn to become an effective advocate for positive social change. Through her PhD studies in Industrial Organizational Psychology, she dedicated her research to invisible disabilities in the workplace, and developed a tool for employers to measure stigma associated with the disclosure by workers of invisible disabilities.
Dr. Hicksted can be contacted at jessica[dot]hicksted[at]gmail[dot]com.