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Live Webinar: Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Inclusive Strategies for Labor & Employee Relations
Virtual
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM)
(CST)
1:00 PM ET | 12:00 PM CT | 11:00 AM MT | 10:00 AM PT
Pricing
If you are a member: You MUST be logged in to purchase a member rate registration and only ONE member registration can be purchased. If registering multiple members, you MUST log in under each member SEPARATELY. Non-members can be purchased in addition to a member rate.
If you are still having difficulty, please get in touch with Kelsia Buxton at educate@npelra.org
Event Details
Public sector workplaces are increasingly recognizing neurodiversity—especially ADHD, autism, and dyslexia—as essential dimensions of their workforce. But for many labor and employee relations professionals, integrating neurodiversity into policy, practice, and dispute resolution can feel unfamiliar. In this session, Melissa Arnold shares her lived experience with ADHD and being featured in Pierce County’s 2024 DEI report, tying personal insights to systemic change. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for addressing accommodations, bias, and workplace conflict, and for leveraging neurodivergent strengths. Through case studies, Q&A, and actionable tools—including template accommodation plans and inclusive communication checklists—this session empowers HR, supervisors, and labor reps to create equitable, legally sound, and inclusive environments across disciplinary, grievance, and performance-management processes.
About Melissa Arnold
Melissa Arnold serves as the Assistant Director of Human Resources – Labor & Employee Relations for Pierce County, Washington. She leads the County’s labor and employee relations division, overseeing the administration of 19 collective bargaining agreements, high-stakes investigations, disciplinary actions, EEO/ADA matters, and countywide labor strategy. With a background spanning public sector labor law, collective bargaining, and complex personnel investigations, Melissa brings a practical and grounded approach to creating inclusive, legally sound workplaces.
As a neurodivergent HR leader featured in Pierce County’s 2024 DEI Annual Report, she is passionate about advancing neurodiversity awareness and embedding inclusive practices into labor and employee relations systems and day-to-day HR operations. Drawing from both her professional expertise and lived experience, she brings a unique, authentic perspective to building supportive workplace systems, strengthening employee trust, and coaching leaders to manage with empathy and clarity.
She holds a J.D. from Willamette University College of Law and has dedicated her career to public service, equity, and collaborative problem-solving.
Additional Information
Event Contact:
Kelsia Buxton
Email:
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Pricing
If you are a member: You MUST be logged in to purchase a member rate registration and only ONE member registration can be purchased. If registering multiple members, you MUST log in under each member SEPARATELY. Non-members can be purchased in addition to a member rate.
If you are still having difficulty, please get in touch with Kelsia Buxton at educate@npelra.org
Public sector workplaces are increasingly recognizing neurodiversity—especially ADHD, autism, and dyslexia—as essential dimensions of their workforce. But for many labor and employee relations professionals, integrating neurodiversity into policy, practice, and dispute resolution can feel unfamiliar. In this session, Melissa Arnold shares her lived experience with ADHD and being featured in Pierce County’s 2024 DEI report, tying personal insights to systemic change. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for addressing accommodations, bias, and workplace conflict, and for leveraging neurodivergent strengths. Through case studies, Q&A, and actionable tools—including template accommodation plans and inclusive communication checklists—this session empowers HR, supervisors, and labor reps to create equitable, legally sound, and inclusive environments across disciplinary, grievance, and performance-management processes.
About Melissa Arnold
Melissa Arnold serves as the Assistant Director of Human Resources – Labor & Employee Relations for Pierce County, Washington. She leads the County’s labor and employee relations division, overseeing the administration of 19 collective bargaining agreements, high-stakes investigations, disciplinary actions, EEO/ADA matters, and countywide labor strategy. With a background spanning public sector labor law, collective bargaining, and complex personnel investigations, Melissa brings a practical and grounded approach to creating inclusive, legally sound workplaces.
As a neurodivergent HR leader featured in Pierce County’s 2024 DEI Annual Report, she is passionate about advancing neurodiversity awareness and embedding inclusive practices into labor and employee relations systems and day-to-day HR operations. Drawing from both her professional expertise and lived experience, she brings a unique, authentic perspective to building supportive workplace systems, strengthening employee trust, and coaching leaders to manage with empathy and clarity.
She holds a J.D. from Willamette University College of Law and has dedicated her career to public service, equity, and collaborative problem-solving.