At Advocates Empowered, we believe accessibility and inclusion aren’t optional add-ons, but the foundation of thriving workplaces. We partner with organizations to build cultures where neurodivergent and disabled employees can succeed, and where all employees benefit from inclusive systems.

Why does this matter?

• Around 15–20% of the global population is neurodivergent, and 25% of people in the U.S. live with a disability, making inclusive organizations not just a moral imperative but a business one too

• Autistic adults face an 85% unemployment rate, a dire disparity when many are eager and able to work.

• In the U.S., unemployment for people with disabilities stands at 7.5%, nearly twice the rate of those without disabilities

• Inclusive teams aren’t just fair- they’re smart. neuro-affirming teams deliver up to 30% higher productivity!

Our work is rooted in lived experience. Our founder, Kris Joy, grew up navigating barriers as a neurodivergent, disabled, and trans person. From teaching in special education to co-leading a corporate Employee Resource Group on neurodiversity and disability, Kris witnessed both the power of inclusive design and the harm of inaccessible systems. Out of these experiences, Advocates Empowered was born- to equip organizations with practical strategies and empower individuals to advocate for themselves.

We exist to bridge the gap between individuals who need accessible, affirming workplaces and organizations who want to do better but don’t always know how. Through consulting, training, and coaching, we help companies build cultures of belonging while giving employees tools for self-advocacy.

Our mission is to ensure that accessibility is not an afterthought, but a core part of how we design workplaces, relationships, and systems - so that all brains, all bodies, and all backgrounds have the chance not just to be included, but to thrive.