Bryden Carlson-Giving, OTD, OTR/L, is a neurodivergent and disabled occupational therapy practitioner who works within the public schools. He earned his post-professional doctorate from Boston University, where he developed a toolkit for OTPs to challenge ableism in pediatrics, leading to the creation of the EMPOWER model, the first neurodiversity-affirming OT model. Bryden also founded Neurodivergent Nexus, an online hub for supporting anti-ableist OT practice. He received Boston University’s Emerging Leader Award and will publish Neurodiversity-Affirming Occupational Therapy: Empowering Approaches to Foster Neurodivergent Participation in March 2026.