About Romy

Why work with me?

I know what it’s like to navigate work as a neurodivergent person: I took some detours, hit burnout, and learned through trial and error. Now, I draw on that lived experience, along with years of professional work and research, to support others on their own paths.

Experience

• I’m autistic (and probably ADHD as well but not formally diagnosed).
• I created and led Autism NZ’s employment support programme.
• I’ve been supporting neurodivergent jobseekers since 2013.
• I’ve got an insider perspective on a wide range of industries, both as an employee and a contractor (office cleaning, animal welfare, teaching, proofreading, translation, windsurf instruction, academic research).
• I’ve also volunteered as a hospice carer, diver at a marine biology research station, horse trainer, and farmhand.

Knowledge

• My PhD research focused on therapeutic relationship-building with autistic adults, and was recognised with Dean’s List and a post-doctoral research award.
• I published research papers and a chapter in a book on ethics in neurodiversity studies.
• I wrote a book on supporting autistic clients.
• I’m currently involved in academic research projects on neurodivergence and disability.