Lara Schaeffer is a trusted guide for neurodivergent students and young adults navigating college and career paths. With 28 years of experience as a teacher, counselor, and admissions leader in top independent schools, in addition to three years experience working exclusively with the neurodivergent population, she brings deep expertise, empathy, and the wisdom of her lived experience to every interaction. Identified as autistic later in life, Lara blends a career's worth of professional insight with a lifetime of personal understanding to offer individualized, strengths-based support. She served as a College Counselor in a Manhattan independent school for five years (and as Director for four of those), and she is trained in evidence-based programs like PEERS® and the Greenwood System™ for holistic career counseling. Outside of her work at Find YOUR Way, Lara actively advocates for neurodivergent empowerment through speaking, writing, and community leadership.