Dennis Tran (he/him)

A queer, disabled, partially blind, late-identified autistic-ADHDer and proud Vietnamese American strategist, storyteller, and inclusion consultant. Diagnosed with autism in 2020, Dennis began rebuilding a life rooted in authenticity, care, and culture, transforming unrecognized survival skills into strategic assets. He now uses that insight to co-create more equitable, psychologically safe, and neurodiversity-affirming systems across sectors.

Dennis has led national disability and mental health campaigns, consulted on inclusive children’s media (including Blue’s Clues & You!), developed accessible toolkits for 70+ affiliates of the Autism Society of America, and secured 30+ cross-sector partnerships through the Asian Americans with Disabilities Initiative. His work bridges storytelling and systems, from public health research and QA testing to curriculum design, peer support, and cultural consulting for neurodiversity-affirming media and platforms.

With experience across nonprofit, tech, health, education, and media sectors, Dennis brings a portfolio careerist mindset grounded in lived expertise and strategic innovation.

He’s been featured in SHRM, The Mighty, and Jubilee Media, and has spoken at institutions including UCSF, UCLA, Autodesk, and Sony Pictures. He also serves on multiple advisory boards and fellowships (Flourish Labs, APA Div. 33, IEC, UCLA 5-11 Hoops) and is a certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist.

Ways Dennis can help and work with you:

• Cultural and inclusion consultation for media, entertainment, workplace experience, and leadership development

• Neurodiversity-affirming mental health peer support focusing on AuDHD (Autistic + ADHD), BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+

• Writing: articles, blogs, FAQs, tip sheets, curriculum development, and resource guides

• Narrative and Content Strategist: organization's messaging, marketing, and communication plan, campaign strategy, and storytelling support

• Research collaboration on scientific, community-based, and clinical studies as it relates to autism, adhd, neurodiversity, mental health, disability, and culture.

• Facilitate, moderate, and host events and support groups as they relate to autism, adhd, neurodiversity, mental health, disability, and culture.

• Content creation as it relates to autism, adhd, neurodiversity, mental health, health equity, disability, and culture.

Professional Highlights:

I have worked across various industries, including digital health, media, entertainment, education, and nonprofit sectors, to help organizations move beyond performative inclusion and build psychologically safe, culturally-informed, and neurodiversity-affirming spaces. My lived experience grounds everything I do.

Through my work, I’ve:

• Consulted on the first autistic character, Lavender in Blue’s Clues & You, a 2025 Emmy Award-winning preschool series through Disability Belong, formerly RespectAbility + 9 Story Media
  

• Spoke in person and virtually at companies, conferences, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations, with 2,000+ attendees.

• Led the creation of 15+ monthly Autism Resource Toolkits and Tip Sheets for the Autism Society of America for their 70+ affiliates, impacting 334,000+ individuals nationwide

• Spearheaded national campaigns at the Autism Society of America, generating 1B+ media engagements.

• Co-developed a neurodiversity and disability inclusion tip sheet guide for the A&E Network

• Provided lived expertise and co-created Autism and Neurodiversity Education courses and modules for the Autism Society of America

• Created training, education, and FAQs content for vablet, a healthcare sales enablement platform

• Co-created curriculum, including the Innovating Inclusion Universal Design Curriculum and Program for Fox Family Foundation

• Co-created a nationally accessible resource toolkit for the Asian Americans with Disabilities Initiative (AADI), resulting in 900+ downloads nationwide.

• Co-created IDD Advocacy resource toolkit and guide for IE-Care.

I also work with companies, ERGs, health organizations, and educational institutions to build an inclusive team culture, experiences, affirming community support structures, and better representation. I specialize in authentic storytelling, providing consulting, strategic advising, and implementation through the lens of culture, neurodiversity, and disability justice, with expertise in lived experience.

Whether I’m leading a workshop, speaking on a stage, writing, creating content, or collaborating on projects, I’m driven by one goal: to help others feel seen, valued, and empowered in their full identities. 

Let’s reimagine what inclusion can look like. Together, we can transform the system and build a more neuroinclusive world that's rooted in access and equity for all!