Neurodivergent speaker, bestselling author, founder and personal leadership mentor
David Good turns a story of chronic pain, isolation, and rebuilding into practical teaching for people who need courage, connection, self-leadership, and the skills to do difficult things.
He built International Friend Connection into a global community for lonely, shy, and neurodivergent adults. Now he helps audiences, leaders, clinicians, families, and professionals move from insight to real-world action.
Presidentially recognized community founder, speaker and bestselling author. His work has reached 40,000+ people across 50+ communities worldwide. The memoir is an Amazon #1 Bestseller in Business Diversity & Inclusion.
Hero image placeholder
To use your own image, save it next to this HTML file asimages/hero-image.jpg.
Selected Attendee of the 70th Commission on the Status of Women
Recognized, featured, and invited by
Recognition
Speaking and community leadership
Featured on television
Recognized across the political spectrum
A letter from a Democratic president. An honor from the foundation started by a Republican president. The same volunteer work.
“On behalf of the American People, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to you for your volunteer leadership, and I encourage you to continue to answer the call to serve. The country is counting on you.”
Declared a Point of Light honoree by the foundation started by President George HW Bush.
A line from David's friend Perry Knoppert
“Some people are not broken. They were never included in the designed straight line.”
Perry Knoppert
Founder, The Octopus Movement
Organizations have brilliant people who are underconnected, misunderstood, or quietly burning out.
Families have adult children who are intelligent, sensitive, and capable, but still isolated.
Clinicians can identify the pain, but clients still need safe real-world practice, structure, and a bridge between insight and action.
David's work lives in the gap Perry named.
Evidence, not theory
David did not just study belonging. He built rooms where people came back, volunteered, led, dated, healed, and helped the next person through the door.
That is not a support group. That is infrastructure.
The story behind the work. Out now.
David's story moves from chronic pain and isolation to building a global community, speaking before the Meetup board, and being selected for the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. It's an Amazon #1 Bestseller in Business Diversity & Inclusion and a #1 New Release in both Autism and Disability. Every format is available now.
Work with David
David’s main work is building International Friend Connection. Private mentoring is intentionally limited and reserved for families, founders and executives who are ready to invest seriously in a capable adult’s growth.
David speaks on courage, belonging, isolation, neurodivergent leadership and the real-world conditions that help people act, connect and contribute.
Invite David to Speak ›David accepts a small number of private mentoring clients. This path is for founders, executives and families who can make a serious investment in helping a capable young adult build courage, connection, structure and real-world momentum.
Ask About Private Mentoring ›For clinicians, community leaders, podcast hosts and media professionals who want a grounded conversation about belonging, self-leadership, autism, chronic illness, isolation and rebuilding a life.
Request a Conversation ›Trusted by leaders, clinicians, and community builders
Leadership, community, media, clinical support, and neurodivergent belonging all point to the same pattern: David builds what other people only talk about.
Featured media
Selected interviews, talks, and appearances from media and community partners. David is available for keynotes, interviews, panels, and events.
Speaker. Author. Founder. Personal leadership mentor.
After losing his software development career to chronic pain and disability, David rebuilt his life by doing the one thing he could still do: showing up for people who needed somewhere safe to belong.
In 2014, he founded what became International Friend Connection, a global network of communities for shy, lonely, socially anxious, and neurodivergent adults. What began as one Meetup group in Michigan grew into a movement reaching more than 40,000 members across more than 20 countries.
David has personally led thousands of events and helped develop more than 100 volunteer leaders. His work has been recognized by Points of Light, the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, Meetup, media outlets, and Cultural Autism Studies at Yale.
People are not broken because they struggle to belong. Often, they need the right room, the right tools, and someone who understands how hard the first step can be.
Next step
Whether you are planning an event, producing a show, looking for a referral option, or trying to help an adult child take the next step, tell David what you are trying to accomplish.