Today we’d like to introduce you to Lizzett Cuervo-Losas.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m a first-generation Cuban-American educator, executive function coach, and founder of Chispa. For over 15 years, I worked as a special education teacher in New Jersey, and I kept seeing the same pattern: incredibly capable students and adults struggling with organization, time management, and follow-through, then blaming themselves for it.
My own ADHD diagnosis later in life brought so much clarity. It helped me reframe years of frustration and realize I wasn’t broken—I needed better tools and systems that matched how my brain works. That experience changed not only how I saw myself, but how I support others.
I created Chispa—“spark” in Spanish—because I wanted to spark skills, confidence, and hope in people who feel stuck or overwhelmed. Through coaching, workshops, and speaking, I help adults, educators, students, and families build practical executive function strategies they can actually use in everyday life.
I also serve as Director of Community at Circle Match, where I work closely with the founder and leadership team to support student and family engagement and help underrepresented students access top colleges.
Today, my work sits at the intersection of education, neurodiversity, and empowerment. I’m passionate about helping people move from shame and survival mode to clarity, confidence, and action—with support that is practical, culturally responsive, and rooted in real life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all—it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.
Because I have ADHD, I didn’t start with a perfectly paved business plan. In the beginning, I felt like a kid in a candy store—excited by so many ideas and career paths at once. The vision was there, but focusing on one step at a time was hard.
Another challenge was helping people understand executive function. Many still viewed ADHD as just a discipline issue, or would dismiss it with comments like, “Everyone has that.” That was difficult, especially because I was still navigating my own journey and unlearning a lot of internalized doubt and gaslighting.
But those struggles became part of my purpose. They pushed me to build deeper empathy for myself and for others, and they sparked a real passion for sharing a more hopeful, practical, and less overwhelming message around ADHD.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What I do is help people turn overwhelm into action. I’m an executive function coach, educator, speaker, and founder of Chispa, where I support students, adults, educators, and families with practical skills like time management, planning, organization, prioritization, and follow-through.
I specialize in making executive function support real and usable in everyday life—not just theory. A lot of people, especially in Latino communities, were taught to see ADHD as a discipline problem. I see it differently. I lead with empathy, education, and systems that actually work for different brains in real contexts: school, work, home, and life.
I’m known for translating complex brain-based concepts into language people understand quickly, and for helping people stop shaming themselves and start building tools that fit who they are. That’s where real change happens.
What I’m most proud of is the impact—watching people go from “I’m failing” to “I finally understand how to work with my brain.” I’m also proud of helping expand community-based college access work through my leadership at Circle Match and supporting first-generation families along the way.
What sets me apart is the combination of lived experience, classroom experience, and coaching strategy. I’m not just teaching this—I’ve lived it. I was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, and that journey shaped everything about how I serve others. My brand name, Chispa, means “spark” in Spanish, and that’s exactly the mission: we spark skills, we spark confidence, and we spark change—until that light bulb goes off and people start showing up differently in their own lives.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was very social, curious, and full of energy. I loved thrifting, riding my bike, roller skating, talking, and making people feel included—I’ve always loved people.
In school, my personality was definitely bigger than my report card. I talked a lot (which got me in trouble), and I didn’t always get the best grades, but I had a lot of fun—especially in high school. It was good old-fashioned, clean fun, and I was always involved in something.
I auditioned for everything: cheerleading, flag twirling, baton twirling, talent shows, even the modeling club. Honestly, I got a lot of “no’s.” Year after year, I didn’t get picked for a lot of things—but I kept showing up anyway.
Looking back, that says a lot about me. Even before I understood my ADHD, poor working memory, or executive function challenges, I had this goal-directed persistence. I didn’t overthink rejection—I just kept going. Very “Dory from “Finding Nemo” energy: just keep swimming.
That resilience became a huge part of who I am and how I help people now.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chispaefc.com/
- Instagram: @chispaefc
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzett-cuervo-losas
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chispaefc_adhd
