Adam Gonnerman

 About eleven years ago, I read a book on Positive Psychology that, at the time, had nothing to do with program management or technology delivery. One idea in particular stayed with me: the notion that some people are simply born more prone to depression, that they “did not win the cerebral cortex lottery.” The framing was direct and compassionate. It suggested that for many individuals, depression is not a failure of discipline, mindset, or effort, but a biological predisposition shaped by genetics and brain chemistry. That insight fundamentally changed how I viewed both mental health and human performance. Professionally, it shifted how I interpreted behavior on teams. Before that, I might have unconsciously attributed low energy, pessimism, or withdrawal to disengagement or attitude. Afterward, I became far more careful about separating observable outcomes from assumed intent. I learned to ask more questions, create psychological safety in one-on-ones, and normalize conversatio...

In May 2020, I founded Uberlândia Development Initiatives (UDI) to support the community of Shopping Park in Uberlândia, Brazil—an under-resourced neighborhood of roughly 40,000 residents in a city of more than 680,000. While Uberlândia is a regional hub with a strong university system, public transportation, and economic opportunity, Shopping Park developed for decades without consistent access to basic infrastructure such as sanitation, asphalt, and nearby services. I was particularly moved by the work of Centro de Formação Comunitário São Francisco de Assis (Estação Vida), a community center serving more than 150 children daily with meals, tutoring, sports, music, and life-enriching programming. I established UDI to raise the center’s profile internationally and create a secure, structured way for supporters in the United States and beyond to contribute. I dedicated significant time to forming the nonprofit, navigating the legal process to obtain 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in Dece...