About the Monoceros Initiative
Who are we, what are we doing, and why?
The Monoceros Initiative aims to widen representation and access for ADHD individuals by innovating resources for ADHD inclusion and accessibility. Through developing accessible educational materials, advocacy initiatives, and an inclusive community space, we work to empower people with ADHD and related differences.
We have big plans to deliver more access to the ADHD community, from providing free educational resources, to putting on inclusive and community building events, to even subsiding coaching programs for marginalized groups. But to make this vision a reality, we need your help.
Whether it’s spreading the word, joining us for events, or contributing what you can, financially, every bit of support makes a difference. If you believe in what we’re doing... widening representation, amplifying diverse voices, and making sure ADHD support is available to all—please consider supporting us. Together, we can make a real impact on the entire ADHD community. Thanks so much for being part of this journey with us!
The Monoceros Initiative Inc is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and your donation is tax-deductable.
How did The Monoceros Initiative start?
The driving force behind starting The Monoceros Initiative is to provide real and accessible help to everyone in the ADHD community. Too much of what's available is either too expensive, not designed for everyone’s unique experience, or just entirely incorrect. Success in the ADHD field is often reliant on who we know, which gives a huge advantage to those with privilege, and makes it hard for emerging professionals to get their break. On top of that, those in the industry are often separated by occupation, with medical professionals gathering together, ADHD coaches gathering separately, therapists in yet another corner, and content creators often excluded entirely.
There is an increased pressure for ADHD professionals to create content, often outside of their comfort zone, and very few resources to help them in that journey.
ADHD coaches and former classmates Ron Capalbo and Jaye Lin got together in 2022 and recognized how isolating and intimidating the ADHD industry can be, and didn't believe it has to be this way. At the beginning of 2023, they created The Monoceros Initative as a way to connect ADHD professionals and content creators for greater collaboration ADHD content creation.
One of the most important things we do is encourage collaboration and empowerment. ADHD professionals often work in their own lanes, competing against each other instead of teaming up. In that scenario, the community as a whole loses. We believe it’s not about competition; it’s about coming together to move the community forward. The most crucial part of this is making sure we include the ENTIRE community. A big part of our mission is to ensure wider representation in the ADHD space, amplifying diverse voices and experiences.
Our core values for The Monoceros Initiative are simple: equal access, broader awareness, inclusivity, diversity, representation, and collaboration. Through this initiative, we’re dedicated to making a positive impact on everyone with ADHD.
Meet the founders
Ron Capalbo
My name is Ron, and I'm an ADHD coach, speaker content creator, and podcaster.
I've long noticed an imbalance in how ADHD content is presented, with dynamic content creators discredited, and only an in-crowd of speakers being uplifted. I think the community deserves better. Not only is getting the right help and information out there important to me, but how it is delivered is a big deal as well. As an ADHDer, I tend to do things differently, and I wanted The Monoceros Initiative to follow the same line of thinking.
I want ADHD professionals and content creators to operate with an abundance mindset, working together to empower and collaborate on all of our efforts. Not only does this support and collaboration benefit each of us, but it makes the entire ADHD community better as a whole.
I don't believe that we have to do things the way it's always been done. What ADHD brains can create goes beyond neurotypical structures, and I want us to explore those possibilities. It’s why I became a coach in the first place; to give my all so that no brain goes underappreciated.
Jaye Lin
My name is Jaye, and I'm an ADHD coach, speaker, podcaster, and community builder.
I've never been satisfied with accepting inequality and unjust systems simply because it's the status quo, even when I benefit from those unjust systems. As a woman of color who doesn't quite fit the stereotypical description of an ADHD individual, I've experienced firsthand how damaging it can be when the only perspectives validated are those from a specific demographic subset.
I've seen the power of creating diverse communities of support, from starting the ADHD-Women@Google ERG, to being the lead facilitator and founder of the Asians with ADHD virtual peer support group at ADDA. I've also experienced appallingly discriminatory and awful behavior aimed toward me for seeking more diverse spaces.
The Monoceros Initiative is important to me, because it allows us to show existing organizations how impactful diverse voices are to the ADHD community. We do this, not by using force and threats, but through leading by an inclusive, innovative, and fair example.
Why did we name it The Monoceros Initiative?
The Monoceros constellation is a unicorn, a wonderful symbol for neurodivergence. Only a few of the stars in the constellation are visible to the naked eye, and yet the other stars still exist, significantly part of this constellation once the dots are connected.
This is a great guide for us to create our pending nonprofit, as we are creating visibility for rising stars and underserved populations in the ADHD community who do not currently have a platform for their voices to be heard, and whose perspectives are equally deserving of attention.
Where we started
Things began with Starboard, an ADHD collaboration cruise that brings all kinds of ADHD professionals and content creators to the same collaborative table to share ideas, resources, and support for each others' content and ventures.
What's next
The velocity from the first three Starboard cruises encouraged us to evolve to create a truly diverse and inclusive platform for ADHD ideas and content, one that the ADHD community has been in need of for decades.
The pending nonprofit, which also includes the efforts of fellow board members Ali Gates and Meredith Carder, will utilize innovation and diversity of voices to create a more inclusive ADHD community.
Events with The Monoceros Initiative will connect ADHD professionals and content creators, forging bonds, connecting individuals for collaboration, and creating a community that makes us all bigger than the sum of our parts. Content featured by The Monoceros Initiative will shine the spotlight on fresh ADHD perspectives, from a diverse set of voices that truly reflect the vast intersectionality of ADHD individuals.
Meet the rest of our Board of Directors
Meredith Carder
Meredith is a founding board member of The Monoceros Initiative, as well as an ADDCA-trained ADHD coach and social media creator. She runs Hummingbird ADHD Hive, a community for adults with ADHD. Her book, It All Makes Sense Now, releases August 2024, and contains actionable exercises and strategies for ADHD individuals, reinforced by real-life stories from clients and herself.
She completed a Bachelor's in Psychology and holds a Master's in Business Administration. As a true multi-passionate adult with ADHD, Meredith decided to pursue ADHD coaching after seeing the positive change it facilitated in both her and her daughters' lives.
As a two-time Starboard attendee, Meredith has seen firsthand the impact community can bring to ADHD professionals and content creators, and shares our vision of providing wider access to these kinds of enriching environments.
Meredith's extensive experience in both the ADHD space and nonprofit space as a board member of the Chandler Children's Medical and Dental Clinic provide us with level-headed, wisdom-filled determination.
Ali Gates
Ali is a founding board member of The Monoceros Initiative, with a background in AI/ML, digital health and strategic product development, and nonprofit startups.
He is the current Director of National Heath Tech and AI Initatives at the American Heart Association (AHA).
Ali's career path includes roles such as Founding and Lead Product Manager at Elemy, where he played a pivotal role in the company's valuation reaching over $1 billion in just two years. Prior to Elemy, Ali spearheaded AI strategies at the CDC improving public health data processing and accuracy including overseeing the COVID 19 contact tracing app collaboration with Apple & Google.
Alis personal initiatives, like the "U; Good?" app have garnered acclaim, including winning Apple’s Cultural Impact Award in 2022, highlighting their dedication to using technology for social benefits.
Ali's rich background allows us to drive toward diverse, inclusive ADHD spaces through innovation.