#397: SPOTLIGHT: Allison Kleinman

#397: Allison Kleinman  

August 6, 2024

A Backbeat of Community

Question for Allison:  

Do you recall a moment or period in your work/career where your feeling of “mis-alignment” was growing simply too large and causing you anxiety or bad sleep… What practical change or action did you take?

Allison's Response: 

Oh to think back to my early 20s.  I had dreams of moving to Berkeley to do a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program. In the end, I attended a PsyD graduate program close to my family who moved to South Florida (though we're from NY).  It was all wrong.  I moved back to New York City, living in a large closet with two other roommates and working in a resource center for a National Jewish non profit.  

Closer but still lost and yearning for purpose, I applied to one masters degree program in Organizational Development and one for a Masters in Social Work.  I chose the Social Work path while progressing at my job but it wasn't until my second year field placement that it all started to click.  Through some networking, I secured an internship at the JCC Manhattan.  Their only social work internship was creating community programming for neurodivergent adults.  Having no connection to developmental disability, I jumped in with curiosity.  Within days, I had fallen in love with the community.   The honesty and lack of interest and/or ability to play the small talk, social games we often do were incredibly refreshing.  Once I started to get to know the fierce parent and sibling advocates, I was hooked. Timing is so important.  I was in the right place at the right time and they gave me, the intern, a chance to run the program.  

Sixteen years later, it is my life's work to partner with neurodivergent adults and their families to conquer "the cliff," to create innovative, integrated housing models and to provide future care as parents age.   With dedicated partner investors and an incredibly passionate, talented team, we are growing Future Centered Care (FCC) to create purposeful lives for neurodivergent adults.  I wake up daily with gratitude for the overflowing purpose I have in my career and life and work to empower neurodivergent adults to find purpose in their lives. 

I suspect Allison would love all direct responses from you.  I find it incredibly encouraging when I hear from any of you after I share my thoughts. It is powerful for me. I assume many others have a similar experience. So here is Allison's email… pip  
allison@futurecenteredcare.com 

Amanda’s thought…  

Allison, I loved this because I found it to be a true testament to enjoying the journey getting to a certain point, while remaining curious, patient and trusting along the winding road of self-discovery. I have always found that your spirit and passion for the work you do is contagious Allison, and I'm so glad you experience so much joy in it daily. Thank you for sharing your story. 

- AP