Guest:
Cailyn Ann Teague (Penn State, J.D. ’24) serves as a Deputy County Attorney at the Pima County Attorney’s Office in Tucson, Arizona. A lifelong ambition to prosecute led her to earn her law degree from Penn State Law, where she also emerged as a visible advocate for neurodiversity, drawing on her own experience as a person diagnosed with autism to shine light on unique strengths within the legal profession. In 2025, she co-authored a commentary in the New York Law Journal titled “The Strengths of Neurodivergent Lawyers” alongside Tanya R. Kennedy, Associate Justice of the First Department of New York’s Appellate Division, underscoring her commitment to promoting inclusion and broadening the conception of legal talent. In her prosecutorial role, Teague brings analytical rigor, a clear sense of justice, and a personal mission to diversify the profession. She actively mentors aspiring lawyers with autism, spotlighting how difference can become asset, not impediment, in the pursuit of law.
Episode Transcript:
DESHNA NAGAR: If I asked you to name an example of cultural identity, what would come to mind? Race? Religion? What about autism? I’m Deshna Nagar with 12 Degrees on WPSU. A big part of this degree is staying connected to our own identities and staying curious about perspectives different from our own. I'm here with Cailyn Ann Teague. Cailyn’s a graduate of Penn State Law and currently serves as a deputy county attorney in Tucson, Arizona. She's also autistic. She wants to encourage the next generation of autistic students and remind Neurotypicals that autism is a vibrant culture we can all learn from and embrace. Cailyn, part of why you work to spread awareness about autism is to show people that you can do what you can do because of autism, not in spite of it. What part of your identity as an autistic person have made you especially well-suited for the work that you do now?
CAILYN ANN TEAUGE: My focus helps a lot. So currently I'm a prosecutor, so I have a caseload of 485 cases. So, my focus really helps me to be able to handle that big of a caseload. And then I have a good memory. So, either having the case summer memorized or for in the middle of a trial, to be able to have my facts without having like a script. I believe it's also your choice to be open about your autism, and I'm curious as to how that's affected your relationships with colleagues. So, for me, that helps either a story, discussion or have a level of awareness. Because when I was growing up, I didn't know I was autistic. It caused some social problems, especially with not being able to read social cues very well, or people's faces or sarcasm or tone. So, telling people that were telling you to be very, very direct helps set reasonable expectations.
DESHNA NAGAR: Have there been any moments where it wasn't well received?
CAILYN ANN TEAUGE: No. Generally, it's pretty well-received. And so sometimes there's a miscommunication, like where they hang you to be very direct and clear. Some people mistake being direct and clear for being harsh or very intense. Like please be directing clear, but also maybe be nice.
DESHNA NAGAR: Are there any questions you wish people would ask you or stop asking you about being autistic?
CAILYN ANN TEAUGE: There's no question I wish people would stop asking me because I feel like if people don't know about something, they're more likely to be judgmental of, hey, there's a very big scary label there, versus be curious of what that label or of what that neurodiversity might mean. What might mean for each person, and then for what question I wish people would ask me. I don't know. I just want people ask for questions, honestly.
DESHNA NAGAR: Well, I have one question for you.
CAILYN ANN TEAUGE: Yes.
DESHNA NAGAR: And I know you can only answer this for yourself, not the entire autism community. But there's a push for person first language. So, person with autism versus autistic what do you prefer?
CAILYN ANN TEAUGE:I prefer identity first. So, for me I'm not a person with autism. I am autistic.
And how can neurotypical individuals move beyond just awareness to truly and engaging with autism as a culture?
CAILYN ANN TEAUGE: I love this question. For me, it's interacting with people that are neurodiverse. It's having these difficult conversations. Allowing yourself to be uncomfortable and vulnerable helps everyone grow.
DESHNA NAGAR: That was Cailyn Ann Teague, an autistic attorney and alumna of Penn State Law. Talking about neurodivergent culture and how engaging with it can strengthen our cultural degree of openness. This conversation is part of 12 Degrees, a program and podcast from WPSY and the Penn State Nese College of Nursing. Learn more at wellness-dot-psu-dot-edu. I’m Deshna Nagar, WPSU.
[END OF TRANSCRIPT]
This is a clip from a longer conversation. To listen to the full episode, visit: