Alexandra Nicklas is a native New Yorker who lives with her mini goldendoodle, Sadie. Alexandra was born with an in utero stroke that was diagnosed at eight months. As a result, she had physical, learning, speech, and emotional deficits to overcome. Her right arm is weak and with her poor fine and gross motor skills it has affected her ability to perform two handed activities. In addition, her speech and language were also delayed. In the fourth grade, she started experiencing difficulties with attention, executive functioning, and reading comprehension. With treatment, Alexandra has learned to compensate for her difficulties. 

During her younger years Alexandra struggled, but no one expected that Alexandra would be diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 22. Her epilepsy is now under control  and she is now an advocate for all those affected with epilepsy. 

Interviewed by our Interview Series Director at Different & Able, Cameron Kalajian, Alexandra shares her epilepsy journey and her involvement with the epilepsy community.

Alexandra Nicklas was gracious enough to share her story as a patient speaker for freshFACES, below is a link to the speech she gave. 

FACES FALL E-NEWSLETTER 2018.pdf (nyu.edu)

Based in Delhi, India, Dr. Singh is best described as a healer, a teacher, a disability rights crusader, and an advocate for disability employment in the medical and health care industries. Acquiring a physical disability in his legs due to polio when he was nine months old, Dr. Singh went on to become a medical doctor and a professor at the University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi. A firm believer in diversity and inclusion, he fought discrimination to bring policy reforms that unlocked 1,674 faculty posts for doctors with disabilities. His tireless work also helped raise the bar for web accessibility standards in hospitals under the Government of Delhi.

As a professor, Dr. Singh strongly believes that education has the power to break down barriers in communication, attitudes, and opportunities for medical students with disabilities. Outside of the healthcare industry, Dr. Singh played an integral role in making India’s 2014 General Elections in Delhi accessible to people with disabilities. In recognition of his accomplishments, he received the State Award from the Government of Delhi. In 2017, Dr. Singh became the first Indian to win the Henry Viscardi Achievement Award. This prestigious award is given to extraordinary leaders in global disability activism. Today, he continues to work toward improved accessibility— including medical institutions, banks, and post offices — across India.

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Dr. Singh discusses how his locomotor disability was one of the factors that defined his characteristic traits of perseverance and resilience. Dr. Singh also tells of his work in advocating for equal access in medical education. In addition, he talks of his success with ensuring competencies around the care of patients with disabilities. As Dr. Singh states, ‘Don’t identify a person based on their disability. Just talk to them and respect them as human beings.” 

Amy Zellmer is an award-winning author, keynote speaker, editor in chief of The Brain Health Magazine, and advocate of traumatic brain injury (TBI). She hosts the "Faces of TBI" podcast series as well as "TBI TV" on YouTube, and co-hosts The Brain Health Online Summit. She is a frequent contributor to Thrive Global, and has created a private Facebook group for TBI survivors.

In February 2014, Amy Zellmer slipped on a patch of ice and fell, forcibly landing on the back of her skull. The impact briefly knocked her out, and when she started to get up, she immediately knew something was very wrong. Amy had suffered a TBI and her life had changed forever. Amy struggled with daily routines and became frustrated. Through research and the help of Jeremy Schmoe, DACNB, a chiropractic functional neurology diplomate who runs the Functional Neurology Center, Amy was able to recover and advocate for others with TBI. 

Amy sits on the Brain Injury Advisory Council (BIAC) through the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) and is involved locally with the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance. Her two books, ``Life With a Traumatic Brain Injury: Finding the Road Back to Normal'' and "Embracing the Journey: Moving Forward After Brain Injury" both received a silver medal in the Midwest Book Awards. As a motivational speaker, Amy travels with her Yorkie, Pixxie, to help raise awareness about TBI, which is a silent and invisible injury that affects over 3.5 million Americans each year. 

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Amy discusses her life as a TBI survivor and advocate. She also clears up some common misconceptions regarding brain injuries and survivors, talks about the importance of self-care, and shares her top three success strategies for recovery. Amy is out to change the landscape of what brain care looks like for herself and other TBI survivors. “I am hopeful that my memory will continue to improve, and that my cognitive function comes back to full capacity. But for now, I am who I am,” Amy states. 

RJ Mitte is an actor, advocate, and philanthropist who has spent his career proving that having a disability is not a limitation — it is a perspective. Best known for playing Walter "Flynn" White Jr. on AMC's Emmy Award-winning series Breaking Bad, RJ has cerebral palsy in real life, a condition he has navigated since childhood. Rather than hiding his diagnosis, he has built a career and a platform around it, becoming one of Hollywood's most visible advocates for disability representation and inclusion.

About RJ Mitte

Born in Louisiana, RJ was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of three. Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that affects movement, muscle tone, and motor skills. For RJ, it has never been a barrier, it has been a defining part of who he is.

His path to Hollywood began when his family relocated to Los Angeles after his sister had a chance encounter with a casting director. RJ quickly found his footing, landing guest roles on Weeds, Vegas, Everybody Hates Chris, and Switched at Birth before being cast in the role that would change everything, Walter Jr. on Breaking Bad.

What many viewers don't know is that RJ's portrayal of Walt Jr. required him to actually intensify the physical presentation of his own cerebral palsy. The character's condition was deliberately more pronounced than RJ's real-life experience, meaning he had to learn to use crutches and adjust his speech patterns to embody the role authentically. It is a testament to both his skill as an actor and his deep understanding of what it means to live with a neurological difference.

Since Breaking Bad, RJ has continued to build a diverse career, starring in Dixieland, The Recall, Tiempo Compartido, and River Runs Red alongside John Cusack and George Lopez. He has also made his mark in the fashion world, walking runways at Men's Fashion Week in Milan, Berlin, and New York for designers including Vivienne Westwood, and serving as the celebrity face of GAP International's Lived in Spring campaign.

Living with Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of neurological disorders that affect a person's ability to move and maintain balance and posture. It is caused by damage to the developing brain, most often before or during birth. CP is the most common motor disability in childhood, and it looks different for every person who lives with it, ranging from mild coordination challenges to more significant physical differences.

For RJ, cerebral palsy has shaped not just how he moves through the world, but how he sees it. He has spoken openly about the stigma surrounding disability and the pressure many people feel to hide or minimize their differences. His message is consistently the opposite: disability gives you insight, knowledge, and a perspective that others will never have access to.

Advocacy and Impact

Beyond acting, RJ has dedicated significant energy to disability advocacy. He serves as an official Ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Hospitals for Children, and has partnered with Shriners to lead their #CutTheBull anti-bullying campaign, focused specifically on children with differences. He is also an active member of SAG-AFTRA's Performers with Disabilities Committee, working to improve representation and opportunity for performers with disabilities across the industry.
 

In this interview with D&A President and Founder Alexandra Nicklas, RJ discusses his life with cerebral palsy, his acting career, the intersection of his diagnosis and his work, and his rise as a global fashion figure. He also shares his perspective on the ongoing debate around non-disabled actors being cast in disabled roles, a conversation the entertainment industry is still navigating.

What RJ Wants You to Know

• Disability is not something to hide. It is something to understand, embrace, and celebrate.
• Having cerebral palsy gave RJ insight and knowledge that has shaped every part of his life and career.
• Representation in Hollywood matters, seeing yourself reflected on screen changes what you believe is possible.
• Bullying and prejudice toward people with differences is a serious issue, and speaking up about it is part of the work.
• You do not have to minimize who you are to succeed. RJ built his entire career by leaning into his difference, not away from it.

RJ Mitte's story is a reminder that the qualities the world tells you to hide are often the ones with the most power to change it.

Dr. Gregory Snyder majored in Molecular Biology with certificate programs in Neuroscience and Spanish at Princeton University. In June 2013, Greg suffered a traumatic fall while hiking with his dog, which resulted in broken vertebrae and a spinal cord injury. After two spinal fusion surgeries and a lengthy Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay, Greg got stronger each day and learned how to adjust to a life as a T9 paraplegic – to become independent again. The experience of immediately becoming a patient with a chronic health condition enlightened Greg as to the real difficulties and inefficiencies of our healthcare system. After rehabilitating for one year, Greg finished medical school at Jefferson Medical College. 

Currently, Greg  is an Attending Physician of General Internal Medicine in the Department of Medicine at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, which is part of the Mass General Brigham Health System. He is also an affiliate faculty member at Ariadne Labs, an entity that studies the implementation of best practices for healthcare delivery and works for innovative startups that are attempting to improve the quality and access to health care, including through telehealth.

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Greg shares his story and the lessons he has learned as a paraplegic doctor. He discusses how as a patient, along with his perspective as a doctor, he was able to gain an understanding of the requirements one must need to receive quality care. Greg is a strong advocate for doctors to see differences in today’s medical field. He states, “We could find value in the subtle difference between being a patient learning from a doctor and being a doctor learning as a patient. This will make for good, patient doctors.”

Daniel’s Music Foundation was founded by the Trush family in 2006 to empower individuals with developmental and physical disabilities by combining music programs with community and socialization. We believe in inclusion, diversity, and the right of all individuals to creatively express their best selves.  

Music in various forms played a critical role in every phase of Daniel’s recovery. From the songs that kept him connected to reality during his coma, to the keyboard playing that helped him regain his motor skills; and even the music history class he took that ultimately inspired him to help others. Most importantly, it was music that maintained his connection to the people around him – and to the very essence of life. 

Interviewed by our Founder and President, Alexandra Nicholas, Daniel and Ken Trush share about Daniel’s difference and how he recovered against the odds with the healing power of music. Daniel and Ken additionally discuss the mission of Daniel’s Music Foundation, their online episode series Smile-O-Meter Friday, and next steps for Daniel's Music Foundation, which recently celebrated its fifteenth anniversary. The interview also highlights the Trush family's strong advocacy for disability awareness.

You can find out more about Daniel's Music Foundation and Daniel’s journey by  visiting: Daniel's Music Foundation (danielsmusic.org).

Daniel Trush: President and Co-Founder for Daniel’s Music Foundation

Daniel is the President and Co-Founder of and inspiration for Daniel’s Music Foundation and along with his family, is actively involved in all aspects of the organization. Surviving a ruptured brain aneurysm at the age of 12, he is a talented songwriter and performer and is the man responsible for naming DMF’s key performance indicator, the “Smile-O-Meter,” which focuses on the changes in attitudes and outlook reported by DMF participants—a measure the organization takes very seriously. Most importantly, Daniel is the life force that drives DMF and he serves as the ambassador for the mission. He is a living example of acceptance, kindness, and joy.

Ken Trush: Co-Founder/Chair of Board of Directors for Daniel’s Music Foundation

Ken Trush is a non-practicing CPA and is a partner at Spring Advisors, an M&A advisory firm that works with marketing agencies, design & development firms, and consultancies. Prior to Spring, Ken was a founding shareholder, CFO and EVP of Corporate Development at Agency.com, a digital agency that grew to 1,700 employees in 14 locations in 6 years (1995-2000). 

Ken is also a Co-Founder of Daniel’s Music Foundation (DMF) and serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors. Ken works closely with his son Daniel, the DMF management team, and staff (20 total employees; 6 full-time), in the development of the music programs and in the marketing, development, and operational areas of the foundation. He developed the concept of "The Danny Awards" during the summer of 2019, an annual celebration of musical talent from around the world and is the driving force behind their Virtual Community.

Statistics indicate that learning and attention disabilities affect one in five children. Research shows that learning disabilities can develop due to genetics and /or neurobiological factors. Learning disabilities can range from reading and writing difficulties to attention and hyperactivity issues. In conjunction with these difficulties, mental health issues can also result. Mental health issues can include anger, irritability and worthlessness. Since learning disabilities and mental health issues are invisible, it is hard to know if one has one of these conditions. I have a learning disability. As a result of a neurological condition, I have attention, reading comprehension and executive functioning deficits. My learning challenges have also affected my mental health. 

My fifth grade teachers noticed that I was having difficulties with attention and reading comprehension. They referred me to a neuropsychologist for an evaluation. The evaluation indicated that my neurological condition was causing learning challenge; specifically, deficits in attention, reading comprehension and executive functioning. 

In order to compensate for my deficits, I participated in cognitive remediation with a neuropsychologist, three times a week. She helped me develop strategies such as taking notes and underlining to increase reading comprehension, creating outlines to help organize my thoughts when writing essays and making schedules to break down school tasks into more manageable pieces. 

The downside of using the compensations I was taught, was that I had to work twice as hard as the average student who did not have learning challenges. As a result, this limited my social life, including after school activities and playdates. Not being able to participate in normal social activities like any other kid caused me to have issues with depression and anxiety. While I did not take medication at that time to help, my neuropsychologist did provide counselling. Just as with academic strategies, she helped me with psychological strategies. Psychological strategies included figuring out ways to make friends with my classmates, to not be bullied as well as other strategies including with my family life. 

Learning disabilities can result in mental health challenges. As such, a neuropsychological evaluation includes a section that is on emotional health. Oftentimes, working with a neuropsychologist for cognitive remediation and a psychotherapist is recommended. Even if a child is not exhibiting mental health issues at the present time, mental health issues are possible to develop. For every individual who has been recently diagnosed with a learning disability should be aware of the signs of mental health challenges and consult the appropriate health professional if symptoms begin to occur. 

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