Meet The Neurodiversity Alliance's Celebrity Ambassadors
The Neurodiversity Alliance is honored to announce its inaugural celebrity ambassador cohort—remarkable individuals who are lending their voices and platforms to champion the movement:
Eva Erickson
Eva Erickson is a multi-talented individual with a passion for inspiring others through her experiences as the first openly autistic contestant on CBS Survivor, her ongoing engineering PhD research, and her extensive career in hockey as both a player and referee. Erickson earned her BS in Physics with a concentration in Physics of Living Systems (PoLS) at Georgia …
Viraj Dhanda
Viraj Dhanda is a nonspeaking autistic student admitted to MIT’s Class of 2029. Diagnosed with autism and apraxia in early childhood, he overcame profound communication barriers through typing and has since demonstrated extraordinary abilities in mathematics, writing, and critical thinking. Viraj’s poetry and essays showcase his unfiltered voice, offering deep insight into the inner world of nonspeaking autistics. …
Phil Hanley
Phil Hanley is a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who has turned his experience with dyslexia and ADHD into both a creative advantage and a platform for advocacy. Growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia, comedy became his saving grace—and today, he uses humor to break down stigma and empower others with learning differences. His memoir, Spellbound (Henry Holt/Macmillan, 2024), …
Jewell Loyd
Jewell Loyd is one of the most decorated and dynamic players in women’s basketball. Drafted #1 overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2015 WNBA Draft after forgoing her senior season at the University of Notre Dame, she quickly made her mark as the WNBA Rookie of the Year. She played with the Seattle Storm from 2015–2024 before …
Alex Hackel
Alex Hackel is a multi-time X Games medalist skier hailing from Boston, Massachusetts. His journey to becoming a decorated professional skier has been anything but traditional. As a kid on his weekend ski team at Sunday River, Maine, Alex was often picked last and overlooked by local ski programs. That feeling wasn’t unfamiliar; he grew up with dyslexia …
