Madison Burnell
I’m an Executive Assistant at Autodesk, supporting the Vice President of Fusion Sales. I’ve spent almost 5 years at Autodesk supporting the Fusion Sales team, and this last year earned my Professional Certification in Project Management. And, of course, I’m delighted to have recently been given the opportunity to sit on the board of Autodesk MIND Network (an employee resource group representing topics and communities pertaining to Mental Inclusion, Neurodivergence, and Disability) as the Global Programming and Events Lead! I’m based south of the Denver metro area in Littleton, Colorado, where I live with my husband, our two children, and our assortment of animals.
Prior to becoming an executive assistant, I first had a career in veterinary medicine. I earned my college degree in Pre-Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University and was an equine veterinary technician and nurse (meaning I only worked on horses) for 10 years. Ultimately, I left this field due to compassion fatigue, and while I struggled to leave an industry I loved, my mental health has been much better for it.
I’ve really learned how to lean into self-care over the last few years. My husband had a pretty severe battle with cancer in 2022, and while he’s thankfully now two years cancer-free, we have made it a priority to regularly do something nice for ourselves. For me, this looks like engaging in equestrian activities whenever possible – I even once purchased a horse after cashing out some of my employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) shares in 2022. I also do yoga on a regular basis throughout the week.
Empowered by acceptance
I joined Autodesk in late February 2020, just a mere two weeks before offices were closed indefinitely due to the pandemic. Like so many of us, I had a lot of time to do some soul-searching and really get to know myself, and I started looking into attending therapy through Autodesk’s Employee Assistance Program and exploring the possibility of my own neurodivergence. I was further emboldened when a leader I admire at Autodesk casually mentioned that there was evidence that they might be on the spectrum – just like that! And nothing terrible happened to them! People didn’t question their ability to lead; they just accepted it. That moment was a major turning point for me because I realized that at Autodesk, I am safe to be myself.
I took the following months to pursue an official diagnosis, which was an extremely validating process. I received my official Autism diagnosis – and a bonus ADHD diagnosis (who knew?!) – in March of 2022. Since then, I have been learning how to work with my brain instead of against it. The ADHD diagnosis has been a game changer – there are so many aspects of how I work now that are so much more efficient and compassionate (to myself). The most difficult part of this entire process has been trying not to mourn all of the lost time I spent wondering why I was different, and instead embracing those differences as strengths now that I know.
Being a member of Autodesk MIND Network has only helped me feel more belonging and validation, and I’ve learned some seriously life-changing tips through the group’s Slack channel. Being part of this community means the world to me. I’m a parent of two young children, and there is strong evidence that they are also neurodivergent like me. I want to make sure that they grow up with all the support and validation they need to feel confident and secure. I am grateful to Autodesk for giving me the opportunity and resources to learn more about myself, the safety and security to be my authentic self, and the work-life balance so that I can support my neurodivergent family, too.
Creating a safe space
Disability awareness in the workplace is incredibly important. Because I have an invisible disability, it can sometimes feel hard to justify my need for additional support from others. In addition, having an invisible disability doesn’t mean that the effects of that disability stay hidden – it takes a lot of effort to mask and hide any feelings of overwhelm and anxiety from my managers and colleagues. I am so lucky to have the manager and team I have at Autodesk; it is invaluable that I can express any additional needs and in response, I am met with full support or clarifying questions because they are genuinely interested and want to understand how to help me be successful.
Because I have the psychological safety to be myself and unmask at work, I have freed up massive amounts of energy to do better work, advance my career, and gain self-confidence in the process. My wish would be for everyone to have this experience at Autodesk.
Learn more about Autodesk’s employee resource groups here.