Testimonials

“I was extremely impressed with Russell’s presentation to our Rotary Club. Russell engaged us with his personal story and poetry, the truth and the challenges of growing up with autism. He is an inspiring young man with a great message to help all of us better understand how to meet the challenges of life, to be more compassionate, and listen to those that are different than us. More importantly, he’s reminded us that we each have the power to change, become better, and love ourselves and those around us more fully.”  /// Ph.D. Greg Krause – Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County

“Russell was a phenomenal keynote speaker for our annual conference. His poetry was personally moving to me, and the stories he told of overcoming adversity were highly inspirational to all of the people at our conference.   He really brought the message of gaining strength through admitting his weakness and pushing through adversity one little step at a time.  This is a message we all need to hear, particularly people affected by autism who have an even more personal connection with Russell’s story – Russell showed that he did not just say that message, but he lives it as well! My favorite part of the conference was actually where he admitted he still has struggles, and showed how he may have to recover from a breakdown and then go talk to hundreds of people. We had about 800 people at our conference, and after Russell finished speaking, I’m not sure there was a dry eye in the house. Very impressive young man with an inspiring story who I would recommend to anyone. His kindness and generosity and overall his honesty can help make anyone want to try to be better.”  /// Robert Peyton, Ph.D. – President, Autism Society of Wisconsin

“Russell was a powerful and dynamic speaker whose message was, ultimately, one of hope, unconditional love and personal empowerment. Through original poetry, spot-on quotes by writers, philosophers and other great thinkers, and an intimate look into an at times disturbing and frightening coming-of-age story, Russell skillfully engaged the silent and rapt audience. One of our attendees, who has very high standards, said to me, “you hit a home run with this one”. If you bring in Russell, I suggest you leave enough time for Q&A. As superb as his keynote presentation was, his patient, sincere and touching unscripted actions with our very diverse audience were priceless.”   /// Ned Andrew Solomon – Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities

“Compelling, moving and riveting is how I would describe Mr. Lehmann’s presentation to our entire staff. As a County Superintendent of Schools, I was deeply impressed with his ability to connect with an audience of educators and school board members. His life story and struggles served to give us all hope and optimism in serving children and their families. Well done Russell!”  /// Dr. Francisco Reveles, – Yuba County Superintendent of Schools

“Russell brought to us a fantastic keynote presentation that provided an honest, and sometimes heart wrenching, look at the pain of growing up misdiagnosed and mis-educated, which our audience of youth with disabilities, parents and educators could identify with. With his honest account of his experiences, he also shared a chance for the audience to remember that dark days bring opportunities for growth, new chances and new experiences, and not to let those opportunities pass us by. We very much appreciated Russell’s humor, intelligence, insight and humanness and highly recommend him as a presenter to any group of people wanting a deeper connection to the human experience.”  /// Mary Di Biase, Director – Montana Youth Transitions

“Russell presented to a large audience of autism service providers, investors and industry professionals who serve the autism community. Russell courageously shared his journey from misdiagnosis to diagnosis as a young teen, including his struggles navigating school and the education system. In a very honest account of his experiences he highlighted how he transformed his life into his current role touring the world as a motivational speaker sharing his written word. His message of hope and perseverance resonated with all attendees. Russell’s presentation captivated our audience and received a standing ovation!”  /// Ronit Molko, Ph.D., BCBA-D – Empowering Synergy