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From Classroom to Global Advocacy: Meet Lindsey Mandolini, Champion of Disability and Neuro-Inclusion Inspired by Humanity and Justice
Join GlobalMindED in celebrating the achievements of individuals with disabilities and those who support them. We're highlighting inspiring stories from education, business, and advocacy.
Lindsey Mandolini (she/her) is a researcher, educator, and advocate who is deeply committed to advancing disability and neuro-inclusion across industries and sectors. With over 15 years of experience, she has a strong background in strategic collaboration, program design, and advocating for disability rights in education, public policy, and nonprofit settings across the Americas and Sub-Saharan Africa.
What is your personal/professional story?
Growing up in West Michigan, I was an inquisitive child, always eager to explore new ideas and understand people on a deeper level. My family embraced my independent spirit, offering guidance while allowing me the freedom to be myself. I began my career as a special education teacher, spending over a decade helping high school students transition into adulthood. Guiding young people as they explored their identities and learned to advocate for themselves was incredibly fulfilling.
During summers, I worked as a program director at a camp called Camp Sunshine, serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). My time with Camp Sunshine deepened my sense of justice and inspired me to dream of expanding this work globally. I eventually took time off to travel and live in various countries. Along the way, I witnessed both the beauty and the harsh realities of how disability is perceived and treated around the world. These experiences, and the incredible people I met, ignited my passion for advocating for disability rights.
After returning to the US, I earned an MA in International Studies, specializing in human rights and disability studies. This education equipped me to bring disability into every conversation, from academic discussions to my work with an ambassador in Kenya.
My journey into disability inclusion consulting began organically. I saw a significant gap in understanding disability and began helping friends, family, and colleagues recognize access barriers in their daily lives. Over time, referrals led to speaking engagements, and today, I work to make disability inclusion an essential part of every organization’s fabric, across all sectors and industries.
What key moments in your life led you to where you are today?
Like many, I’ve had several key moments that shaped my journey. For now, I’ll highlight one professional and one personal.
One professional moment that stands out took place while I was volunteering at a clinic in Mozambique. A mother came in one day, hoping to see a doctor about her worsening back pain. She explained that her son, who had Cerebral Malaria, was unable to walk. As he grew, carrying him around the community became more and more difficult for her. Listening to her, I reflected on my background working with children with disabilities in the US, as well as the various mobility aids and therapies we used to support their independence.
My mind wandered to memories of working alongside my dad in his wood shop. He was a builder and taught me to make the most of whatever materials we had on hand. Inspired by those memories, I sketched a design for a walker and showed it to the doctor that afternoon. With his approval, I gathered bamboo, a rusty saw, electrical tape, and tire string from the market. That evening, I assembled a makeshift walker, hoping it might give this boy a new way to move through his world.
The next day, I brought the walker to the clinic. Six months later, I heard the family had returned—this time, the mother carried the walker while her son walked beside her. That experience reinforced for me the power of creative problem-solving and how even small actions can ripple outward, making a lasting impact on someone’s life.
On a personal note, meeting my wife was transformative. Until then, I hadn’t identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community, nor had I dated women. Our relationship shifted how I saw the world, breaking down binary ways of thinking and expanding my understanding of belonging and identity. I’ve since recognized the powerful connections between queer community and disability community—especially around inclusion, intersectionality, celebrating differences, and challenging societal norms.
Building a life together has fundamentally reshaped how I approach my work. It’s taught me the importance of visibility, the power of vulnerability, and has given me the courage to engage in (at times difficult) dialogue that showcases the richness of the human experience.
Where does your passion to serve come from?
I’m driven by a belief in humanity’s capacity for good and in Ubuntu—the understanding that we are all deeply connected. Whether it’s my own neurodivergence or the nature of being a Four on the Enneagram, I’m endlessly curious about the experiences that shape people’s lives. I can’t help but put myself in others’ shoes, wondering how they experience the world, and considering my role to make it more inclusive.
How can GlobalMindED help you reach your goals?
GlobalMindED can help by fostering connections and raising awareness of disability inclusion, especially this month, during National Disability Employment Awareness Month. I hope to share my work with your community and invite them to consider disability inclusion as a crucial component of leadership. I welcome the chance to learn from others and broaden our collective impact.
To learn more about Leading Inclusive Strategies, visit our website at https://leadinginclusivestrategies.com/, or connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-mandolini/.
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