# A valedictorian with ADHD, autism, and a disciplinary record (Ann Bennett’s story)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/adhd-aha-4325260/a-valedictorian-with-adhd-autism-and-a-disciplinary-record-ann-bennett-s-story
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/adhd-aha-4325260/a-valedictorian-with-adhd-autism-and-a-disciplinary-record-ann-bennett-s-story.md
Podcast: [ADHD Aha!](https://stenobird.com/podcast/adhd-aha-4325260)
Published: 2025-10-21T04:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.understood.org/en/podcasts/adhd-aha
Audio file: https://mgln.ai/e/1245/afp-935247-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/608ae5c9-7135-4564-9708-367bb0e6dc78/episodes/ebb1e19a-fdc6-4756-8103-255f6bcc792c/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=608ae5c9-7135-4564-9708-367bb0e6dc78&awEpisodeId=ebb1e19a-fdc6-4756-8103-255f6bcc792c&feed=yjHKUkkH
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/adhd-aha-4325260/episodes/a-valedictorian-with-adhd-autism-and-a-disciplinary-record-ann-bennett-s-story
Duration seconds: 2002

## Resource

This week, host Laura Key sits down with her co-worker Dr. Ann Bennett, who leads applied research and evaluation at Understood.org. Ann shares her own autism and ADHD diagnosis story — one that didn’t unfold until the end of her PhD program. Ann was valedictorian of her high school. She also had a disciplinary record. She’d get bored and sometimes fall asleep in class because she’d already taught herself the material. First diagnosed with autism and later with ADHD, Ann reflects on what those labels helped her understand about herself and her brain. She also shares findings from our recent “Women With ADHD: The Power of Podcasts” study, where she surveyed and interviewed women who listen to Understood podcasts — including ADHD Aha! Along the way, Ann found herself having her own “aha” moments.

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## Transcript

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