Samantha Elandary has worked exclusively with individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's and related disorders since 1999, and for our first episode of 2026, she joins the show to talk with James about her work. She is the founder of the Parkinson Voice Project, and she shares how she built a non-profit from her kitchen table, explains the difference between speaking with intent versus automatic speech, and gives some tips for those who are starting their own disability-focused business.

For our final episode of 2025, Mai Ling and James revisit some of the highlights from the past year of excellent guests. They go over the top takeaways from all of the exceptional leaders who have appeared on the show to share their expertise and experience with our community. This great retrospective will remind you of all the great info we've heard and perhaps entice you to re-listen to some of your favorite shows from 2025.

Dr. Rachel Khasky-Levy is our guest for today's episode of Xceptional Leaders. She is the CEO and co-founder of The Babel Group, and she brings her passion for connecting technology and clinical practice to this conversation with Mai Ling. They discuss the necessity and value of wearing multiple hats in a startup, encourage the listener to go ahead and ask the "dumb" questions, and comment on the fact that sometimes leaders need to blaze a new trail. Don't miss this informative chat with Dr. Levy!