NDEAM Profile: Ali Ingersoll, Corporate Disability Strategy Consultant, Quadriplegic

For National Disability Employment Awareness Month, meet friend of SPINALpedia Ali Ingersoll, a corporate disability strategy consultant from North Carolina.

In the comments below, please share if you are ❤ working post spinal cord injury, 💚 when you started, and 💙 what you love most about your job 👍

Name?

Ali Ingersoll

Age?

40

Where Do You Live?

Raleigh, North Carolina

How and When Were You Injured?

“Shallow water diving accident in 2010. C6 complete quadriplegic.”

Were You Employed Your Injury?

“Yes, I was employed as a financial assets day trader and still continue to day trade.”

What is Your Current Job and What Do You Do?

“I now work as a corporate disability strategy consultant and started this in 2019 bringing together my disability advocacy career in my professional business background.” “I run the global community and corporate partnerships for Open Inclusion ( Inclusive disability and age inclusive research house), coach employee resource groups, work with HR executives on disability inclusive hiring practices, and am in keynote speaker.”

How Did You Find Your Job?

“I networked around the globe through LinkedIn and read thousands of pages on the DEI landscape and then I started networking.”

How Long Did You Search for Your Current Job?

“9 months.”

Please Name Any Programs That Supported You Finding or Maintaining Your Current Job:

“I switched careers completely on my own without any support.”

What Kind of Disability Accommodations, If Any, Have You Requested and Received from Your Employer?

“I work from home, so I have my own assistive technology set up.”

Do You Have Any Tips or Tricks to Share on Finding a Job?

“Networking without a doubt. Connect with as many people in your industry as you can on LinkedIn and try to set up a zoom with them, build relationships, and connections.”

Do You Have Any Tips or Tricks to Share on Maintaining Employment for the Long Term?

“Finding a balance between wellness with your own body with a significant mobility impairment and a lot of hard work.”

If You Could Go Back in Time, What Advice Would You Give Yourself Before Pursuing Your Job or Career Path?

“I do a lot and probably too many things. My advice would be pick 2 to 3 avenues to focus on.”

Is There Anything Else You’d Like to Add About Your Job Search or Employment Experience?

“The worst someone can do is say ‘no.’ If you don’t try, inaction is certainly going to lead to no action. You’re going to get a lot of ‘no’s,’ but if you consistently have different opportunities on the horizon when one falls off another one will pop in.”

— Follow Ali at https://www.instagram.com/quirkyquad_ali/