Denver, CO - 2026
The Next Steps Neurodiversity Expo in Denver brings together local and national organizations, services, and products that support neurodivergent individuals and their families, creating a welcoming space to connect, learn, and explore resources.

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Plan to Attend
Mark your calendars for the Next Steps Neurodiversity Expo on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum! From 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, this comprehensive showcase brings together services and products for neurodivergent individuals and their families, offering direct access to products, services and resources that enhance daily life and well-being. Throughout the day, attend insightful presentations by experts covering a variety of topics. This iconic venue provides an accessible space to discover the resources and connections you're seeking. There is no cost to attend the Neurodiversity Expo and registration is required.
Presentations
Presentations take place in the Harrison Ford Theater on the main floor. Each 40-minute session is a talk you can sit back and listen to, with time for questions at the end. Seating is limited to 70 and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend arriving a few minutes early. If you think you may need to step out, choosing a seat near the door helps keep things comfortable for everyone.
10:30 AM to 11:10 AM (Auditorium, 1st Floor)
How to Thrive with ADHD to Enjoy Your Parenting Adventure
Anita Robertson, LCSW | Anita Robertson, LCSW
Who it's for: Parents and caregivers
Description: Parenting with ADHD can feel like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle, especially when you're managing sensory overload, sleep deprivation, and endless daily responsibilities. Anita Robertson explores why parenting can feel so challenging for ADHD adults and shares practical, sensory-friendly tools to make family life more manageable, reduce stress, and find more joy in the parenting adventure.
11:30 AM to 12:10 PM (Auditorium, 1st Floor)
How AI Can Unlock Neurodivergent Potential
Blake Baumann, PCC, CPC, ELI-MP | Ideal Minds
Who it's for: Teens through adults
Description: What becomes possible when we have tools that work with our brains rather than against them? In this presentation, Blake Baumann explores how artificial intelligence can help neurodivergent individuals reduce cognitive load, support executive functioning, improve communication, and turn ideas into action. Attendees will discover practical ways to use AI to navigate everyday challenges and build on their unique strengths.
12:30 PM to 1:10 PM (Auditorium, 1st Floor)
The Energy Puzzle: Working With Your Brain, Not Against It
Sindra S. Richards, MSOT | NeuroForte Strategies
Who it's for: Teens through adults
Description: Have you ever wondered why some days everything feels manageable, while other days even simple tasks feel overwhelming? In this presentation, Sindra Richards explains how your brain uses energy and why understanding your unique patterns can make everyday life easier. You'll leave with simple, evidence-informed strategies to reduce overwhelm, support your strengths, and work with your brain instead of against it.
Workshops
Workshops take place in the Lowry Room on the 2nd Floor. Each 40-minute session is small and hands-on, with activities and chances to connect with others. Participate at your comfort level. Watching, listening, or stepping out for a break are all welcome. Morning and mid-day workshops have seating for 40 on a first-come, first-served basis. The afternoon workshop requires pre-registration.
10:30 AM to 11:10 AM (Lowry Room, 2nd Floor)
Skip the Small Talk: Listening Practices for Deeper Conversations
James Farmer | Noble Mentors
Who it's for: Teens through adults
Description: If small talk leaves you drained, you’re not alone. Many of us connect best when we can get straight to what’s real. In this relaxed, hands-on workshop, you'll practice simple, structured ways to listen, understand, and be understood, with clear prompts that take the guesswork out of deeper conversation. Teens and adults welcome; you choose how much to share.
11:30 AM to 12:10 PM (Lowry Room, 2nd Floor)
Building Your Autopilot for Achievement
Meredith Schultz | Addjust Course Coaching
Who it's for: Teens through adults
Description: Deciding when and how to tackle every little daily chore is exhausting and full of friction. In this workshop, you'll learn how to coach yourself and your family members into creating habit stacks that reduce decision fatigue, improve time management, and help you accomplish tasks with less effort. This isn't about building an inflexible routine or setting good intentions you won't live up to. It's about creating a system that supports small, meaningful changes that stick and can be built upon.
12:30 PM to 1:10 PM (Lowry Room, 2nd Floor)
Stop the Music, Start a Friendship
Lisa Shanken | Tri-Wellness
Who it's for: Adults 18 and up
Description: Remember musical chairs? We're bringing it back for adults, except this time nobody's out. Wherever you land, there's someone new looking to make connections and a conversation card to get you started. Over three easy five-minute rounds, you'll practice the kind of low-pressure, friendly conversation at the heart of Social Bloom, Lisa's 13-week program designed to help neurodivergent adults build lasting friendships with like-minded people. You'll leave having met a few new people you just might genuinely connect with.
*Pre-registration is required for the "Stop the Music, Start a Friendship" workshop. To Register Click HERE

Anita Robertson, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, author, and ADHD mom who works with individuals, couples, and parents. Drawing on both clinical expertise and lived experience, she helps adults with ADHD better understand themselves, navigate parenting, strengthen relationships, and make everyday life easier to manage. She authored Being a Mom with ADHD.

Blake Baumann, PCC, CPC, ELI-MP, is a certified professional coach, author, speaker, and founder of Ideal Minds. An autistic adult, father of four neurodivergent young adults, and former technology executive, he brings lived experience, leadership, and coaching expertise to helping neurodivergent individuals navigate challenges, recognize strengths, and build practical life skills.

Sindra S. Richards, MSOT, is a coach, speaker, and founder of NeuroForte Strategies. With a background in occupational therapy and her own lived experience, she helps individuals, leaders, and organizations build sustainable performance without burnout, specializing in neurodiversity, executive functioning, and capacity-informed strategies that work with the brain rather than against it. She also serves as an Ambassador for the Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce.

James Farmer is a mentor, Certified Circling Facilitator, and founder of Noble Mentors in Boulder and Denver. Drawing on more than a decade of work with young adults and over 25 years of meditation practice, he helps teens, adults, and families build independence, strengthen relationships, and connect more authentically through mentoring, parent coaching, and group facilitation.

Meredith Schultz is an ADHD coach with Addjust Course Coaching who helps adult women and LGBTQ+ individuals understand their ADHD, build practical life skills, and develop adaptive strategies for lasting well-being. With a colorful, unconventional approach that celebrates difference and neurodiversity, she brings warmth, insight, and creativity to her work.
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Lisa Shanken is an executive functioning coach, certified health counselor, and founder of Tri-Wellness in Boulder, where she created Social Bloom, a 13-week program helping neurodivergent adults build lasting friendships. Drawing on more than two decades of training in physical and mental wellness, she combines practical skill-building with a whole-person approach to help clients strengthen executive function, build healthier habits, and form genuine connections.
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