“I hope we continue to innovate with, invest in, and actively include adults with disabilities so that they can reach their full potential as vibrant contributors to our society.”

When Paulina Paras, MBA ’24, arrived at Stanford, she knew exactly what she wanted.

“I came to business school to pivot professionally into the disability space, and not just as advocacy or an extracurricular activity,” says Paras, who has been involved in the disability community throughout her life. “Stanford encouraged me to take an entrepreneurial mindset to the disability area, dreaming up new solutions and approaches for the industry.”

Paras’ passion for the disability community grew out of the care she had for her younger sister, Lorena, who has intellectual & developmental disabilities that present much like autism. Growing up, Paras assumed a role of equal parts sibling and caregiver, which meant not only teaching Lorena sign language as a communication tool so that they could play games together, but also spending time helping Lorena with homework, reminding her of appropriate behaviors, and guiding her through her daily routines. 

Paras’ activism extended beyond the home. Starting as early as high school, she built an after-school sports program for students with disabilities in her neighborhood. During her first job at Bain, she created a disability affinity group that supported 500+ employees nationwide who either had a disability or were a caregiver to someone that did.

At Stanford GSB, Paras pioneered efforts to create the school’s Disabilities and Caregiving Club, a community for both individuals with disabilities (visible or invisible) and caregivers alike.

“Creating this community is one of my proudest accomplishments at Stanford,” says Paras. “I hope that by growing this community and spotlighting the vibrant stories of its members, we can attract more students with disabilities and de-stigmatize the disability and caregiving experiences.”

#DisabilitiesMonth