One of the first things you notice when talking to Lindsay Adams-Spinner is how enthusiastic she is about her job. While working in the communications field wasn't exactly what she imagined she'd be doing while pursuing a double major in Spanish and International Studies, World Politics and Diplomacy at the University of Richmond, she says it's the perfect fit for her creative spirit. A Maryland native, Lindsay once planned to be a Foreign Service Officer, but her job as a senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton has helped her find her real passion.
Lindsay, who has cerebral palsy that affects her speech and balance, started as a business analyst at Booz Allen after graduating from college five years ago. In that position, she was exposed to communications work and realized it was her true calling. By networking with a senior associate at the firm, she was paired with the leader of the creative team, who encouraged her interests and eventually helped her transition to her current job. She also took classes in digital communication and digital marketing to prepare for the change, in addition to a remote semester in graphic design at Parsons School of Design — The New School in 2014. For the past year, she has been working as a consultant to the Defense Healthcare Management Systems, Program Executive Office, part of the U.S. Department of Defense, where she assists with brand management and communications. She splits her time between working at the client site and from home, and her duties include editing, developing web content, managing social media accounts, researching and ensuring that all communications content is on-brand. Eventually, she says she would like to work on diversity and inclusion efforts from the brand side.
Lindsay is a member of Booz Allen's diverseABILITY Forum, the company's employee resource group (ERG) that supports company-wide disability initiatives, for which she co-leads efforts to develop strategic partnerships between Booz Allen and community organizations. Her focus within the group is on internal communications and marketing to help generate participation from other Booz Allen employees. In addition, she acts as a mentor for the U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN) Rising Leaders Mentoring Program.
In her free time, Lindsay likes to paint and draw and goes to yoga class 3-4 times a week, which she says has helped greatly improve her balance. She also loves to travel, a passion that was fueled when she studied abroad in Valencia, Spain while in college and through a Foreign Service internship at the Embassy of Grenada. Lindsay took her first solo trip to Barcelona and Rome for her 26th birthday, and says her dream destination is Bali. Her advice to other people with disabilities is to also pursue their dreams, whether near or far, and not shy away from talking about disability as they do. "Own it and be okay with your story," she says. "It's not always comfortable, but it's bigger than you as an individual. Educating others is so important."