Speakers

Aron Mercer (he/him) is a PhD candidate at Griffith University, social entrepreneur, and expert in neurodiversity in the workplace. He is the author of Untapped Talent: A Practical Guide for Hiring and Retaining Neurodivergent Staff (2024).

With over 25 years of experience across corporate leadership, non-profits, and social enterprise, Aron brings both strategic insight and lived experience. Diagnosed with ADHD at 12 and living with hearing loss from a childhood accident, he understands the systemic and intersecting barriers people with disabilities face in employment and is determined to dismantle them.

Aron was part of the founding team of Xceptional, now Xceptional Academy, a leader in inclusive recruitment. He helped grow the organisation from concept to national impact, leading across product, business development, marketing, and talent. This unique work has been recognised by the Google.org Impact Challenge ($1M award), Westpac, Optus, and TechDiversity.

His current PhD research, Investigation into the Experience of Neurodivergent Employees: Disclosure in the Workplace and Mental Wellbeing, explores how disclosure decisions are shaped by the employee lifecycle, an individual’s neurodivergent identity and workplace culture. Aron’s upcoming second book, The Cost of Concealment: Why Some Employees Hide Their Identity, and Why That’s Bad for Organisations, builds on this research.

Aron holds degrees from Macquarie University and Swinburne, with executive education from Stanford and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He is also Mentor in Residence at the Social Impact Hub, Global Advisor for Billion Strong, and Adjunct Industry Fellow at Griffith University.