Yenn Purkis

Autistic & ADHD Advocate | Author | Speaker

Yenn Purkis is an Autistic and ADHD, non-binary, Asexual advocate and author. They also have a diagnosis of atypical schizophrenia and anxiety. Yenn has been a disability advocate since 2005 when their first book, the autobiography Finding a Different kind of Normal, was accepted for publication. Yenn has worked as the Deputy CEO External Relations in the Disability Leadership Institute as well as being the accessibility manager for Rebus Theatre and was a public servant for 17 years.

Yenn is a prolific author, having written or co-authored 18 published books. They have been giving presentations since 2002 and have presented all over the world including for TEDx Canberra twice. Yenn is a sought after presenter with a wealth of experience.

Submit Your Speaking Request

Topics

Talking Points

Disability
Neurodiversity
LGBTQIA+ inclusion
Autism
ADHD
Schizophrenia
Criminal justice
Mental health
Gender diversity
Intersectionality
Resilience

What meaningful disability and neurodiversity inclusion actually looks like in real systems
Autism, ADHD, and schizophrenia beyond stereotypes — lived experience and public understanding
Where organisations, services, and institutions get inclusion wrong
Mental health, identity, and navigating systems that weren’t designed to include everyone
Gender diversity and LGBTQIA+ inclusion within disability and neurodivergent communities
Intersectionality and why single-issue inclusion approaches fail
The criminal justice system and its impact on neurodivergent and disabled people
Resilience without romanticising struggle or adversity
Creating safer, non-judgemental spaces for complex conversations
Why listening to lived experience changes outcomes

What People Say About Yenn

Carina Beattie

“Yenn Purkis was a fantastic keynote speaker at our 2023 Neurodivergence conference. Their talk was both insightful and deeply engaging, offering a valuable perspective that resonated strongly with our attendees. Yenn has a unique ability to connect with the audience while delivering powerful and thought-provoking content. I would highly recommend Yenn for any guest speaker role.”

Christonia Charlandy

“I had the pleasure of working with Yenn on the curation team for TEDxCanberra’s 2023 flagship event. Yenn delivered a powerful narrative on the vital importance of respect and acceptance for unique gender identities. Beyond their own performance, Yenn was a dedicated collaborator, consistently proactive in workshops and generous in sharing their advocacy and presentation expertise with the rest of the speaker cohort. Their ability to connect with the audience and make a deeply personal story feel universally relatable was truly impressive”

Production Lead at TEDx Canberra

Autistic, ADHD & LGBTQIA+ Advocate Delivering Real-World Inclusion That Works

About Yenn

Yenn Purkis is an internationally recognised autistic and ADHD advocate, author, and speaker who brings lived experience, deep insight, and practical understanding to conversations about neurodiversity, mental health, and inclusion. Identifying as non-binary and asexual, Yenn also lives with atypical schizophrenia and anxiety, perspectives that shape their compassionate, honest, and impactful work.

A disability advocate since 2005, Yenn’s first autobiography, Finding a Different Kind of Normal, launched a career dedicated to education, awareness, and systemic change. They have held senior leadership roles including Deputy CEO (External Relations) at the Disability Leadership Institute and Accessibility Manager at Rebus Theatre.

Yenn is widely respected for translating complex neurodivergent experiences into accessible, engaging insights that help organisations, educators, and communities move from awareness to meaningful inclusion.

Request Discussion

Brimbravo is a selective representation firm that connects attention, access, and strategic placement for individuals and brands capable of sustaining scale. We purposefully limit our engagements.

Quick Links

Home

About

Speakers

Contact

Terms & Conditions

Privacy Policy

Refund Policy



Email

team@brimbravo.com

