How I Work

My professional trajectory—from forensic psychology to advanced machine learning—reflects a cognitive profile that is both supported in research and demonstrably effective in complex technical domains. I have ADHD, some autistic traits, and a cognitive profile researchers describe as "spiky." This means my abilities are unevenly distributed, with exceptionally high performance in specific domains.

In my case, this includes advanced systems reasoning, rapid integration of new information, contextualized crystallized knowledge, and fast processing speed when solving complex, meaningful problems. These traits are assets that drive value and have consistently shaped my success in high-stakes, cross-functional settings.

As documented in the British Medical Bulletin and reinforced by meta-analytic studies on neurodivergent cognitive profiles, spiky profiles are common among high-performing professionals who demonstrate nonlinear but high-yield thinking. My work serves as a direct example of how I leverage my differences as a tangible strength. 

Throughout my career, my cognitive profile has translated into measurable outcomes:

• Hyperfocus and execution precision: I led the design and deployment of multimodal analytics pipelines at TikTok, processing over a billion behavioral records with 95%+ accuracy. This depth of focus allows me to build and refine complex systems rapidly and independently.
   
• Pattern recognition and system-level thinking: My work in agent-based simulation and network-level behavior modeling revealed latent platform dynamics and improved recommendation systems. These projects were not just technical—they required structuring abstract behavioral patterns into operational frameworks that guided product and safety decisions.
   
• Cross-domain fluency and rapid learning velocity: I’ve led successful efforts across psychometrics, behavioral analysis, NLP, content strategy, and reinforcement learning. This range reflects my ability to ramp up quickly and produce in-depth solutions across unfamiliar domains when the problem warrants it.
   
• Detail-integrated contextual modeling: My dissertation work, which created a predictive typology of mass violence through linguistic trace analysis, demonstrates the ability to hold granular detail while modeling higher-order behavioral phenomena. I bring this same depth of understanding to any domain or problem space, applying it effectively across contexts ranging from safety systems and applied AI to organizational analytics, content strategy, and beyond.
   

While my career record is extensive, traditional interviews often fail to reflect the full range of my abilities and those of others who share my cognitive profile. This trend is a well-documented mismatch between how neurodivergent professionals operate and how decontextualized interviews are structured.

• Recall is context-driven: As many others like me, I perform best when immersed in real-world conditions, with clear parameters, goals, and constraints. Evaluations that ask for decontextualized or hypothetical recall do not accurately reflect the skills I use daily to build robust and scalable systems.
   
• Performance increases with meaningful complexity: My strongest contributions—like designing psychometric classifiers or building cross-functional pipelines—emerge in response to real problems. Toy tasks and generic prompts underrepresent the way I apply logic and technical precision to high-impact initiatives.
   
• Prepared communication enables precision and clarity: I have extensive experience communicating technical systems, stakeholder insights, and strategic guidance across a variety of formats; and am able to do so skillfully when allowed time to thoughtfully prepare.

• Visual Presentation of Materials: Like many others with ADHD and autism characteristics, I also process visual information more efficiently than auditory input, so when materials are shared visually—charts, written prompts, architecture diagrams—I absorb and interpret them quickly. This enhances my ability to translate abstract problems into concrete systems.
   

When organizations align with how I operate, the result is faster delivery, deeper insight, and greater innovation. The following practices are particularly effective:

• Portfolio-based assessment: My publicly available projects demonstrate end-to-end execution, from data generation and modeling to deployment and interpretation. These artifacts speak more clearly to my capabilities than any interview ever could.
   
• Contextualized problem-solving: Presenting challenges that reflect actual team needs, use cases, or stakeholder constraints allows me to bring forward the same systems-level thinking that drives real outcomes in my work.
   
• Presentation of prepared work: My experience navigating professional spaces as a neurodivergent individual aids in my ability to consider differences in how individuals best receive and process information; as a result, my project outputs consistently include raw data, statistical summaries, visualizations, and narrative interpretation. This makes my work accessible across audiences and use cases, from peer-level technical review to executive decision-making, regardless of the recipient's preferred processing method.
   
• Dedicated focus time for deep work: My ability to build robust models, design evaluation logic, and anticipate downstream issues is directly tied to the opportunity to work with focus. This is a core strength and should be treated as an accelerator, not something to be constrained.
   

The structure of my thinking has led to concrete business value, including:

• 20 to 35 percent improvements in platform moderation precision and content strategy effectiveness
   
• A 35 percent reduction in negative experience metrics through behavioral modeling and sentiment analysis
   
• A 40 percent reduction in manual review effort by operationalizing reproducible research pipelines
   

These outcomes are consistent with findings reported in Harvard Business Review and other sources documenting the business impact of hiring neurodivergent professionals into technical leadership roles.

My work is proof that high-variance cognitive profiles, when properly aligned with meaningful challenges and structured environments, drive measurable impact. I welcome opportunities to contribute this form of thinking and execution to organizations that value innovation, deep logic, and results.

These articles and papers explore cognitive variation, context-sensitive reasoning, systems thinking, and how talent is evaluated in applied settings. They provide useful background on the types of thinkers often underrepresented by conventional hiring processes.

Doyle, N. (2020). Neurodiversity at work: a biopsychosocial model and the impact on working adults. British Medical Bulletin, 135(1), 108–125.
https://academic.oup.com/bmb/article/135/1/108/5913187
Introduces the concept of "spiky profiles" as a defining characteristic of neurominorities. Explores how neurodivergent thinking styles thrive in aligned environments and are only disabling in misaligned contexts.

Dwyer, P., Williams, Z.J., Lawson, W.B., & Rivera, S.M. (2024). A trans-diagnostic investigation of attention, hyper-focus, and monotropism. Sage Journals.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/27546330241237883
Examines hyper-focus across ADHD and autistic individuals, supporting the idea that deep focus can emerge under the right conditions and is often a strength.

Taylor, A., et al. (2023). Cognitive Profile in Autism and ADHD: A Meta-Analysis of Performance on the WAIS-IV and WISC-V. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 39(4), 498–517.
https://academic.oup.com/acn/article/39/4/498/7286382
Confirms "spiky" cognitive profiles, especially in autistic individuals, and highlights strengths in reasoning alongside variability in processing speed and memory.

Autistic and Non-Autistic Memory Differences – PMC
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8814938/
Shows differences in memory architecture, with autistic cognition often more relational and context-sensitive.

Context-Dependent Memory – Wiley
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wcs.1464
Summarizes research on how memory and reasoning are shaped by cues in the environment, supporting the need for situated evaluation methods.

Relational Framing in Autistic Cognition – Springer
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11229-021-03356-5
Highlights structured, generative reasoning as a core strength in autistic cognition, especially in contexts requiring abstraction.

Flow States and Neurodivergent Cognition – Wiley
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jtsb.12427
Explores how deep immersion and flow states are particularly productive for neurodivergent thinkers.

Executive Function in Neurodiverse Learners – Springer
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03997-6
Examines how differences in executive function interact with structure, novelty, and ambiguity in tasks.

Frontal Lobe Executive Function – Elsevier
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012088765-1/50004-4
Explores planning, abstraction, and working memory differences in real-world problem solving.

Serrallach, B., Groß, C., Bernhofs, V., Engelmann, D., Benner, J., Gündert, N., et al. (2016). Neural Biomarkers for Dyslexia, ADHD, and ADD in the Auditory Cortex of Children. Frontiers in Neuroscience

This study identifies distinct neurofunctional and structural differences in the auditory cortex among children with dyslexia, ADHD, and ADD. Utilizing neuroimaging and magnetoencephalography, the researchers found that all disorder subgroups exhibited an oversized left planum temporale and abnormal interhemispheric asynchrony of the primary auditory evoked P1-response. These findings suggest that auditory processing differences are a core feature of these neurodevelopmental conditions. For individuals who process visual information more efficiently than auditory input, this research underscores the importance of leveraging visual strengths in learning and communication strategies.

Austin, R.D., & Pisano, G.P. (2017). Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage. Harvard Business Review, 95(3), 96–103.
https://hbr.org/2017/05/neurodiversity-as-a-competitive-advantage
Documents how companies like SAP and Microsoft improved innovation and productivity through neurodiversity hiring programs.

Galt Staffing (2024). Neurodiversity in the Workplace: An Important Driver of Innovation.
https://galtstaffing.com/2024/05/01/neurodiversity-in-the-workplace-an-important-driver-of-innovation/
Highlights common neurodivergent strengths like pattern recognition and focus. Emphasizes both opportunity and necessary support.

Lead Grow Develop (2025). Unlocking the Potential of Workplace Neurodiversity.
https://leadgrowdevelop.com/unlocking-the-potential-of-workplace-neurodiversity/
Cites JP Morgan research showing higher productivity among neurodivergent employees. Recommends specific inclusive practices.

Simply Psychology (2024). ADHD Hyperfocus: The Phenomenon of Intense Fixation.
https://www.simplypsychology.org/hyperfocus-in-adhd.html
Explains how hyperfocus can enhance productivity and deep learning, especially when aligned with meaningful work.

SmartKeys (2024). Embracing Neurodiversity: Tech-Enabled Inclusion in the Workplace.
https://smartkeys.org/neurodiversity-inclusion-future-work/
Reports improved performance and retention in neurodivergent teams using inclusive technologies and work practices.

ScienceDirect (2022). Neurodiversity of the workforce and digital transformation.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040162521001712
Explores how digital transformation and neurodivergent talent can reinforce one another in technical environments.

ACFO-ACAF (2024). Thinking Differently at Work.
https://www.acfo-acaf.com/thinking-differently-at-work/
Outlines practical accommodations and strengths of ADHD in the workplace, including creativity and systems thinking.

Exceptional Individuals (2021). Spiky Profile: What is It and Who is it for?
https://exceptionalindividuals.com/candidates/neurodiversity-resources/spiky-profile/
Explains spiky profiles in plain language and encourages organizations to design work around peak strengths.

NeuroClastic (2021). Autistic Skill Sets: A Spiky Profile of Peaks and Troughs.
https://neuroclastic.com/autistic-skill-sets/
First-person account of spiky skill distribution and how it shapes both capability and misunderstanding in workplaces.

REBA Global. How 'spiky profiles' can highlight the strengths of neurodiverse employees.
https://reba.global/resource/how-spiky-profiles-can-help-support-the-strengths-of-neurodiverse-employees.html
Argues for understanding employee ability as variable and contextual, not binary or linear.

Specialisterne USA. How the Autistic 'Spiky Profile' Creates an Expectation-vs-Reality Gap in the Workplace.
https://us.specialisterne.com/how-the-autistic-spiky-profile-creates-an-expectation-vs-reality-gap-in-the-workplace/
Describes how employers often misinterpret spiky profiles and miss out on peak capabilities.

Clark, A. (1997). Being There: Putting Brain, Body, and World Together Again.
https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262531566/being-there/
Foundational text on situated and embodied cognition, where thinking is shaped by real-world engagement.

Brown, J. S., Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1989). Situated Cognition and the Culture of Learning.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/1176008
Shows how knowledge and skill become meaningful through context and social practice.

Dynamic Thinking – The Systems Thinker
https://thesystemsthinker.com/dynamic-thinking-a-behavioral-context/
Describes how dynamic thinkers model feedback loops, emergence, and complexity in systems.

Flow and Autistic Learning – Ought Journal
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1162&context=ought
Discusses how autistic individuals achieve flow through focused, meaningful engagement.

Doyle, N. (2020). Neurodiversity at Work.
https://www.koganpage.com/product/neurodiversity-at-work-9780749498281
Practical guide for designing inclusive hiring processes and work environments.

What’s Wrong With Tech Interviews – Julia Evans
https://jvns.ca/blog/2022/10/15/what-s-wrong-with-tech-interviews/
Critiques interview norms that reward composure over capability.

Interviewing Neurodivergent Professionals – Stack Overflow
https://stackoverflow.blog/2022/04/05/effective-interviewing-for-neurodivergent-professionals/
Offers practical advice for inclusive evaluation practices.

Copilot vs. Interviews – Simon Willison
https://simonwillison.net/2022/Nov/5/copilot-interviews/
Explores the gap between real-world coding and what interviews tend to measure.