The Room
Two generations of senior executives, deliberately mixed. Some are decades into this journey. Others are earlier in it. We talk about what most rooms will not.
What makes the room work is not just the agenda. It is who is in it, and what they are willing to say to one another.
The Founding Table
Founding members are CEOs, founders, and senior executives who carry visible responsibility in one part of life and an invisible one at home.
The founding table is five couples — about ten people around one table. Each is personally chosen by the founder.
Some are parenting adult children and bring decades of perspective. Others are earlier in the journey and bring urgency, candor, and fresh questions.
The exchange between them is the point.
The founding table opens to a broader cohort in 2027. Founding members hold a permanent seat.
A standing circle of researchers, clinicians, and operators have helped shape our agenda and mission. Many have already shared wisdom on our podcast, “Imperfect Leaders.”
The Brain Trust
Dr. Bradley Schlaggar
President and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute and professor of neurology and pediatrics at Johns Hopkins. A researcher, clinician, and father, he brings rare perspective on the science of neurodiversity and developing brains — and on what it takes to lead through it.
Keivan Stassun
MacArthur Fellow and founding director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt. Speaks about building institutions and teams that genuinely make use of neurodivergent talent. Listen to Keivan’s interview on Imperfect Leaders podcast.
Adrian Jones
Goldman Sachs leader and father of a son with profound autism. Speaks about resilience, leadership, and what this journey demands over time. Listen to Adrian’s interview on Imperfect Leaders podcast.
Ben Yalom, Ph.D.
Clinical psychologist working with senior leaders on mortality, legacy, succession, and family decisions.
Trenna Sutcliffe, M.D.
Developmental pediatrician whose work helps families think across medical, behavioral, and family systems. Listen to Trenna’s interview on Imperfect Leaders podcast.
Brian Harper
CEO and father of a son with profound autism. Speaks about how this journey changed him as a leader and as a builder of organizations. Listen to Brian’s interview on Imperfect Leaders podcast.
Jason Karp
Founder and CEO who speaks openly about his own mental health challenges and leadership journey. Listen to Jason’s interview on Imperfect Leaders podcast.
Chris Male
Managing Partner of the Autism Impact Fund and father of a son with profound autism. Listen to Chris’ interview on Imperfect Leaders podcast.
Theresa Hamlin, Ed.D.
CEO of the Center for Discovery and co-author of Autism and the Stress Effect.
Amanda Lukof
Entrepreneur in the autism and caregiving space focused on making caregiving more manageable and more humane. Listen to Amanda’s interview on Imperfect Leaders podcast.
Ling Shao
SVP, Outcomes-Based Care at CentralReach, and founder of SpectrumAi. Mother of four sons, all on the autism spectrum. Founding member of the L3 community.
Rita Gardner
President and CEO of Melmark, a nationally recognized nonprofit serving children and adults with autism and intellectual disabilities across three states. A behavior analyst by training and a leader in the field for more than four decades.
Why This Mix Matters
The value of the room comes from the mix itself: operators, builders, clinicians, investors, and parents who can speak from direct experience rather than abstraction. Together we can innovate.
That combination makes the conversation both more grounded and more useful.