A Supportive, Inclusive Community for Neurodivergent Accountants
Connect with peers, share experiences, and find the tools to thrive in accounting—your way.
At Ovata Collective, we empower neurodivergent accountants, tax professionals and students through community. By providing practical tools, peer mentorship, and unwavering support, we encourage inclusion and the success of accounting professionals.
Upcoming Events
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Wednesday, September 28th Noon EDT
Open roundtable for members. Feel free to bring your lunch (or dinner, or coffee) for a community conversation about the state of neurodiversity in accounting.
What are the challenges and what are the wins? How are you feeling about Ovata? What tech do you find valuable? Want to show us something cool you made? Bring it along. If ever there was a group who will OOOO and ahhhh about a great spreadsheet, it’s this one.
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November 25th Noon EST
Before you say lame let’s do a new take on gratitude.
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Wednesday, September 23rd Noon EDT
Our September roundtable theme will focus on inclusion advocacy and how this kind of action and leadership can look different and come at a different cost for neurodivergent individuals. Advocacy can take many forms so we will discuss advocacy across an array of actions from political involvement, to industry affinity groups, to living out loud and simple dinner table conversations.
Brian Streig has been a long time advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in the accounting world and will bring his first hand experience to the conversation. Brian will lead us in conversation around where advocacy starts and what his experience has been like. What does it mean to advocate in larger forums and at our own dinner tables? What can the mental load of advocacy work look like for neurodivergent leaders? How do we manage our own mental load, the physical impacts, and toll advocacy work can have? And we will even wrestle with the idea of stepping back even when we are deeply passionate in order to help ourselves.
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July 22nd at noon EST author, coach, and creator Karen Reyburn will be joining us. Karen is the author of two books, including, “Accountants, You Are Creative: How Embracing Your Creativity Leads to Breakthroughs in Your Marketing, Business, and Life.”
Neurodiversity and creativity and innovative thinking are closely linked, yet not all of us see ourselves as creative. But what if we are just thinking about creativity too narrowly?
“If you’ve ever said “I’m not creative,” you’re not alone. Most accountants believe creativity lives in another world entirely—one of artists and dreamers, not spreadsheets and systems. But what if creativity isn’t about chaos or colour palettes?
What if creativity is curiosity, problem-solving, and rhythm?” -Karen Reyburn
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Jennifer is a former Sr. Product director for TIAA, TEDx Speaker, Adjunct faculty at University of North Carolina Charlotte, and founder of Strategic Curiosity - a firm helping leaders and orgs turn curiosity into a catalyst for clarity, trust, and lasting impact. Jennifer is a neurodiversity advocate and will be joining us to explore the client side of neurodiversity in accounting.
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April 22nd, 2026 Noon EST
Author David Greenwood (Overcoming Distractions: Thriving with Adult ADHD and Overcoming Burnout) will join Sabrina and Meg for a fireside chat about burnout, writing, and neurodiversity. When is it time to “burn the boats?” Does recovery really take 4-5 years? Why is selling it all or quitting isn’t the magic bullet we think it is? Join us to find out.
Testimonials:
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“25 years after my ADHD diagnosis, I'm only now exploring what that really means for me, and Ovata Collective has been the perfect space for that.”
Although I was diagnosed with ADHD over 25 years ago, I've only recently started exploring what that actually means, and more specifically, what it means for me. Sometimes it's hard to put my thoughts into words, work through ideas, or even understand my own feelings, but I've found the perfect place for that in Ovata Collective. I resonate so much with the posts and the comments from other members. I'm learning more about myself just by watching others explore their own brains right alongside me.
It also helps that it's a relatively small group as opposed to the big communities where your post immediately disappears into the void. The size makes it feel manageable instead of overwhelming, and it's part of why I've felt so comfortable diving in. I've found a genuine safe space to be vulnerable, ask questions, and go deep in meaningful discussions.
This crazy train called Life is a different ride for all of us, but I'm glad I got on this one with these folks. They get me.
Dena Martin
Owner, Smooth Saling Business Solutions
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"Once I joined, I realized it was much more than meetings and resources. I was accepted right off the bat, even without a formal diagnosis."
I started exploring my own neurodivergence earlier this year after putting it off for a long time. I wasn't really sure what I was getting into, but the topics for Ovata's monthly sessions kept catching my interest, almost like they were specifically targeted to me. I joined thinking the monthly meetings and resources would help me better understand some of the challenges I'd noticed in myself. Once I joined, I realized it was much more than meetings and resources. I was accepted right off the bat, even without a formal diagnosis. I started meeting people who do the same quirky things I do, and I wasn't afraid of being judged for working with my lights off, rocking in front of the camera, or spinning my fidget toy du jour. I even had a 15-minute conversation about the Magna Carta with people who had independently gone down the same rabbit hole.
Almost every time I share something, someone says, “Me too!” or “I get that.” I've become much more comfortable being myself and stopped thinking some of this stuff is quite so weird.
I've spent years working in inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community. Joining Ovata gave me a different experience of inclusion that I didn't realize was missing from my life.
Brian Streig, CPA.
What’s inside
Virtual events with featured experts.
Live community roundtables with industry peers.
Discussion boards featuring topics that matter to you.
Mirroring and virtual co-working spaces.
Accountability buddy groups.
Member meet-ups at conferences and in-person events.
Access to exclusive member benefits and discounts.
Access to our members-only resources.
Practical tools for productivity
Peer mentorship from professionals like you.
You deserve a professional space where you belong.
This is it.
FAQs
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No, you do not need to supply proof of diagnosis to join. Nor do you need a specific neurodivergent condition. Want more information about what it means to be neurodivergent? Check out this resource from the Cleveland Clinic.
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Ovata membership is open to all members of the accounting community, including tax professionals, accountants of all levels, and accounting students.
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That is entirely up to you. There is no time commitment required, and nobody is taking attendance. This experience is entirely your own.
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Yes.
This is a sample from our community guidelines.
Privacy. Members must respect the privacy of others and not share personal information without consent. Content from within the group should not be gathered by screen shots or other means and shared outside of the group without permission.
No employment solicitation or “poaching” within the group. There are plenty of great places to look for amazing employees. This group is not intended for that purpose.
No spam. Excessive posting of self-promotional sales material, spam, or irrelevant content is prohibited. Please share your successes, your wins, and all the things that are awesome about you, though!
No hate speech or discrimination. Content promoting hate or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or disability is strictly prohibited.
No illegal activities. Discussions or content promoting illegal activities, including piracy, illicit drug use, or other unlawful conduct, are forbidden.
No explicit content. Sharing explicit, adult, or NSFW (not safe for work) content is not permitted.
Misinformation. Members must fact-check posts and responses. Posts or comments found to contain false information will be removed. Those found to be distributing misinformation intentionally will be removed from the group.
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Crassula Ovata plants (Jade plants) hold meaning in South African and Eastern cultures. These hardy plants symbolize friendship, good luck and positive energy- Things we hope to foster in this community