Alexxa Wartman
Alexxa Wartman is a disability advocate and Case Specialist & Wellness Team Lead at Nebraska Guardianship Counsel, LLC, where they work within the developmental disability (DD) community to support vulnerable and disabled adults. In their role, Alexxa focuses on participant-centered programming and behavioral support interventions that prioritize dignity, autonomy, and meaningful inclusion. Their work emphasizes empowering individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities to be active participants in their own care rather than passive recipients of services.
Alexxa’s passion for advocacy is deeply rooted in lived experience. As an autistic adult who received their diagnosis later in life, and as a parent to neurodiverse children with ADHD and autism, they understand firsthand the challenges many individuals face in systems that are not designed for different neurotypes. Their experiences led them to explore how modifying environments—rather than trying to change the individual—can dramatically improve outcomes and quality of life. Through extensive self-directed research, reading, and conversations with professionals across multiple disciplines, Alexxa has developed a holistic perspective on disability support and behavioral intervention.
In addition to their professional work, Alexxa is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Psychology at Bellevue University, where they are expanding their knowledge to strengthen support networks for disabled adults. Their advocacy centers on respectful, honest communication about symptoms and needs while challenging systems that unintentionally infantilize individuals with disabilities. Through both their professional role and community involvement, Alexxa strives to ensure that every person they work with feels supported by a team committed to helping them succeed and pursue the life they choose.
• Bellevue University- B.S.
• Nebraska Guardianship Council
• DD Community
What do you attribute your success to?
Ever since I was a kid, I've always fought for the underdog. I attribute my success here to doing something that truly aligns with my passions and something that is congruent with my character. I think if I had to force a role or to fit something, I wouldn't be as passionate and as driven. As somebody with an interest-based nervous system, I have to be doing something I love. No matter what my role is from a day-to-day, per individual, it's constantly changing, but my passion is for the heart of the individual. It's something that I have innately sought - to stick up for the underdog and to stick up against bullies since I was a kid on the playground.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received came from my current employer, who is a legal guardian to over 50 Nebraskans and has served as an attorney in over 500 guardianship cases. When I first started this role, I was very conscientious of individuals who might disagree with me and say something overly harsh, and I would feel like I needed to defend myself. She told me that my character and the way that I behave and the work that I do will speak more to the people who are in my circle and to the public than the comments of one person who was disgruntled at the time. She said don't let that one person stop you from doing the good work that you're doing, even if it means that you have to ruffle some feathers sometimes.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think it would be to don't underestimate the power of combined compassion and intelligence. I think when you combine the two, you can really make things happen in a way that only women can. The deep perspectives and emotional intelligence that women generally seem to carry is an incredible skill in the disability realm, and you combine that with the confidence in your own intelligence and your ability to advocate for others, and being confident in what you know, what you see, what you hear, and what you feel. That can really guide you in this industry to make the decision that carries the most integrity for the individuals that we serve.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest challenge that I see, and the one that I'm most passionate about, is changing the narrative to a positive outlook on disability advocacy. Behavior is something that all humans have - we all have our motives, and diversity and neurodiversity is a part of the human experience. The more we become comfortable talking about it, the more assistance we can provide. I think that the veiled inability or veiled politeness to not talk about these things causes a barrier for disabled individuals to get the accessibility and assistance that they need. In terms of opportunity, one of the beautiful things about this community and getting into it is that it starts exactly where you are today. Every time you see a child in the supermarket who's having a meltdown, you don't know what exactly is going on in their day, but being understanding and not sticking to societal norms and just making space for people to be different in your everyday life is the biggest opportunity you can really take advantage of in the disability community. As much as we in the professional field can do for these individuals, what will really make a difference is what everyone does every day to include disabled individuals into our space in a respectful way and value their contribution to society, because diversity is our strength.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think understanding is the first one. It's so often that we want to listen to people with the intent to solve, but I think understanding where they come from and sympathizing and empathizing first is always best, because you prioritize the individual. Trust is something that I value immensely, and honesty. And good work ethic.