You don't "look the part" Neurodiversity, AI and surviving tech

Stop using 'cultural fit' as an excuse to hire the same people over and over again. When every person in your tech team thinks exactly the same, you haven't built a defence—you've built a massive, predictable blind spot. Welcome to a special DTX Edition of the SECURE | CYBER CONNECT Podcast. Today, Kayla Vondy -a leader operating at the high-stakes intersection of government policy and cybersecurity- exposes why the industry’s obsession with 'standardised' talent is a national security risk. We are stripping away the red tape to look at the raw realities of 2026 public sector tech, from the 'Immigration Tax' to the danger of neurotypical-only threat modelling. 🔥 WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER: - 🧠 The Bureaucratic Blind Spot: Why neurotypical-only teams are fundamentally incapable of effective threat modelling against non-linear attackers. - 🚨 The Immigration Tax: The silent, exhausting pressure of proving your worth in UK tech while navigating unwritten cultural rules and visa dynamics. - 🎭 The Weaponisation of 'Cultural Fit': How HR terminology is actively used as a gatekeeper to keep diverse, brilliant minds out of the room. - 🤖 AI for the Social Contract: Building 'human-first resilience' for vulnerable citizens who rely on government systems every day. - 📍 DTX Special- Purpose to Practice: How to move beyond policy checkboxes to actual citizen-facing delivery in 2026. - ⚡ The Risk Paradox: How neurodivergent leaders bridge the gap between 'fail fast' tech culture and 'never fail' government bureaucracy. - 🛒 Procurement Red Flags: The one question every government buyer must ask vendors to stop procuring 'exclusionary' tech. - 🛠️ The 2026 Playbook: Which 'unwritten rule' of government tech must be deleted to make the industry work for everyone. 🔹 Kayla Vondy - Kayla is an AI Project Manager at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, where she works across AI, cybersecurity, and public sector delivery. She brings deep expertise from the tech and cyber fields alongside her lived experience as a neurodiverse woman. A regular speaker on responsible AI and digital inclusion, Kayla is dedicated to building inclusive, resilient systems that work for real people. 📅 Join us at DTX Manchester on 29th and 30th April. Register for your FREE ticket here: https://forms.reg.buzz/dtx-manchester-2026/?utm_source=partners&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=26dtxmvisprom&utm_term=strategic&utm_content=secure_cyber_connect 👇 The Challenge: What is the biggest outdated hiring 'rule' or corporate standard in tech that needs to be permanently retired? Name it in the comments below! ✅ Join the Ecosystem, use code ‘LOOKTHEPART’ and bypass the waiting list: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdiJ3kC2UDadnnLfP91u2K18XEiwV9n7J-l_-Dt8icUzP00bA/viewform?pli=1 🔔 We appreciate your support - Please SUBSCRIBE, LIKE and SHARE to encourage diverse and inclusive knowledge sharing.