Off-Balance Podcast | Business Leadership, HR Strategy, and Entrepreneur Growth
Off-Balance Podcast | Business Leadership, HR Strategy, and Entrepreneur Growth
Dr. Brooks Demming
74 | Told She Couldn’t: But She Did with | Michelle Steiner
29 minutes Posted Dec 9, 2025 at 12:00 am.
Welcome & Guest Introduction
Perseverance Amid Early Doubt
College Confidence & Paying It Forward
Photography, Walking, and Finding Strengths
Defining Michelle’s Mission
Embracing Accommodations Without Shame
First Advice for Learners with Disabilities
Inside the Paraeducator Role
Teaching Advocacy to Students
The Future of Special Education
Parent-School Partnership for Support
Myths and Realities of Accommodations
Community, Friendship, and Resilience
Strength-Based Living and Joy
Photography as Therapy and Craft
Writing as Voice and Advocacy
Disclosing Needs Without Over-Sharing
Workplace Maturity and Fit
Knowing Your Rights and Resources
Daily Self-Advocacy in Action
What Listeners Should Take Away
Parenting for Independence and Strength
What’s Next for Michelle
Closing & Ways to Connect
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Show notes
The loudest voices told Michelle Steiner that college wasn’t an option and meaningful work wouldn’t be in reach. She proved them wrong, and then turned that hard-won confidence into a career helping students with disabilities claim their voice, their tools, and their future. We sit down with Michelle, writer, photographer, and paraeducator, to unpack how perseverance, accommodations, and everyday advocacy can transform doubt into durable progress. We explore the practical side of equity: usi...