Every year the Center for Neurodiversity Education, Support and Training (NEST) hosts a Expert Speaker Series on a diverse range of topics.

View previous NEST News and Events

You Can Have Both: Pathways to Professional Fulfillment AND Reliable Employment.

Caitlyn Carpenter

• When: Wednesday February 25, 2026 from 6-7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
• Where: Virtual via Zoom: Please email: Ashleigh_Hillier@uml.edu to request the zoom link for this event.
• Cost: Free.

For many neurodivergent adults, the journey toward a fulfilling career can become overwhelming with all the possibilities or to find genuine interest. If we dive deep into ourselves to our internal factors, the "soul-searching" required to identify passions and talents. While discovering what one loves, there is a necessity of balancing those internal drives with the external realities of the modern economy. Using the Ikigai framework, participants explore how to move towards their dreams in a sustainable but fulfilling way by identifying tangential pathways. You can have both; individuals can stay immersed in their areas of interest while securing financial stability. The goal is to use backwards planning to bridge the gap between passion and a paycheck, ensuring that personal strengths meet a market that is ready to pay for them.

About the speaker:

Caitlyn Carpenter is an educator and advocate dedicated to creating equitable access to higher education and career opportunities. As the Pathways Program Director at Upward Pathways Richmond Virginia (UP RVA), she leads the organization’s efforts to support students through their development, from the ninth grade through college graduation and into their professional lives. In her current role, she is moving beyond the degree to help students discover meaningful career paths along with other expertise She holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History and an Master of Art (M.A.) in Teaching from Virginia Commonwealth University. Caitlyn spent eight years as a high school history teacher in Henrico County before transitioning to the non-profit sector.

This event is sponsored by the University of Massachusetts Lowell Center for Neurodiversity Education, Support and Training and the Interdisciplinary Minor in Disability Studies.

For more news and information related to the Center for Neurodiversity Education, Support and Training (NEST) visit our NEST Facebook page.