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Speakers List

Speakers Collective is a lived experience speaker community delivering impactful talks and social impact projects that challenge stigma, discrimination, and inequality. CREATE IMPACT WITH US Become a member Book a Speaker INCLUSIVE DESIGN First name Last name Email Your Phone Number About Your Event or Project Speaker or Persons Requested Date picker Event Type Select Event Type Address Submit GET IN TOUCH SPEAKER & PROJECT ENQUIRIES 250+ LIVED-EXPERIENCED MEMBERS Adrian Ellis Adrian Garcia Aishat Idris Alex Willumsen Alice Hewson Alison Blackler Allison Furlong Amanda Millar Amber Napthine Amelie Abass Amit Kalley Amy Butterworth Andrea Knowles Andrew Grundell Andrew Jeffery Andrew Jenkins Andrew Pain Andy Bishop Andy Caress Andy Williams Angela Samata Anita Guru Anna Allerton Anu Verma Asif Noorani Load More TALKING ABOUT WRITING ABOUT When Your Baby Cries in Public: Autistic Parenting, Noise and Overwhelm International Fathers’ Mental Health Day 2026: How Are You Actually Going, Dad? AI Roundtable: Humans in the Loop and Finding Balance in an AI-Driven World OUR CLIENTS

Shuvra Deb is a former barrister and international litigation attorney turned keynote speaker, confidence coach and workplace wellbeing specialist.Shuvra Deb is a former barrister and international litigation attorney turned keynote speaker, confidence coach and workplace wellbeing specialist. < Back Shuvra Deb Specialisms: Trauma, PTSD & Post-Traumatic Growth, Resilience Under Pressure, Mental, Health, Wellbeing in the Workplace, Confidence & Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Mental Fitness for High-Performing Professionals, Climate Resilience & The Human Impact of Climate Change, Navigating Major Life Transitions, Authentic Leadership & Purpose Shuvra Deb is a former barrister and international litigation attorney turned keynote speaker, confidence coach and workplace wellbeing specialist. After spending seventeen years practising law across England, the Caribbean, and the Channel Islands, Shuvra understands first-hand the pressures of high-performance environments. Her legal career demanded resilience, clear thinking and calm decision-making under intense pressure - but it was surviving Hurricane Irma in the British Virgin Islands in 2017 that transformed her understanding of what it truly means to be resilient. Following the hurricane, Shuvra developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Her recovery became the catalyst for a complete change in direction, leading her to combine her legal background with professional coaching, resilience training and mind-body approaches to help others navigate adversity with greater confidence and self-belief. Today, Shuvra speaks internationally on resilience, trauma recovery, mental wellbeing, confidence and post-traumatic growth. Her talks blend powerful storytelling with practical, evidence-informed strategies that audiences can immediately apply in their work and personal lives. Drawing on both lived experience and professional expertise, she helps individuals and organisations better understand stress, overcome self-doubt and build lasting inner resilience. Alongside keynote speaking, Shuvra delivers workshops for legal professionals and corporate organisations, coaches individuals through periods of change, and is the creator of the Mental Reset Method™, a practical framework for managing anxiety, negative thinking and performance under pressure. Whether speaking to leadership teams, professional services firms or conference audiences, Shuvra leaves people with renewed perspective and energy, practical tools and the confidence to move forward with greater clarity and purpose. First name Last name Email Your Phone Number About Your Event or Project Speaker or Persons Requested Date picker Event Type Select Event Type Address Submit BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION

Mehnaz is a speaker, trainer and trauma-informed practitioner who helps people better understand themselves, one another, and the systems we all exist within.Mehnaz is a speaker, trainer and trauma-informed practitioner who helps people better understand themselves, one another, and the systems we all exist within. < Back Mehnaz Laryea Specialisms: Trauma-Informed Practice, Psychological Safety, Neurodiversity, Late Diagnosis, Immigration, Identity, Belonging, Inclusion, Systemic Barriers, Meaningful Change, Lived Experience, Advocacy, Human-Centred Systems, Burnout, Masking, Recovery, Empathetic Leadership, Curiosity, Compassion Mehnaz is a speaker, trainer and trauma-informed practitioner who helps people better understand themselves, one another, and the systems we all exist within. Drawing on professional experience across the charity, public, education, and humanitarian sectors, alongside her lived experience as a first-generation South Asian immigrant and a late-diagnosed neurodivergent woman, Mehnaz's perspective has been shaped by navigating the intersections of race, immigration, neurodiversity, culture, and the modern workplace. These experiences inform her storytelling and her belief that understanding people means looking beyond behaviour to the stories they carry, the experiences that have shaped them, and the systems they have had to navigate. Her talks explore the intersection of trauma, identity, culture, and systemic barriers, helping audiences recognise how these experiences influence the way we live, work, learn, and lead. Through honest storytelling, behavioural insight, and practical reflection, she creates spaces where complex experiences can be named, understood, and explored with curiosity rather than judgement. Whether speaking to organisations, employee networks, universities, or community groups, Mehnaz encourages audiences to move beyond asking, "What's wrong with this person?" and instead ask, "What has shaped this experience, and what might help?" She delivers remote keynote talks, interactive workshops, training sessions, and webinars, leaving audiences with a deeper understanding of themselves, one another, and the systems they navigate - alongside practical tools to recognise barriers and create more inclusive workplaces, communities, and cultures. info@speakerscollective.org First name Last name Email Your Phone Number About Your Event or Project Speaker or Persons Requested Date picker Event Type Select Event Type Address Submit BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION

Rachael Welford is a qualified EFT practitioner, meditation teacher, sound therapist, speaker and host of the Things I Wish I'd Known podcast.Rachael Welford is a qualified EFT practitioner, meditation teacher, sound therapist, speaker and host of the Things I Wish I'd Known podcast. < Back Rachael Welford Specialisms: Self-Trust, Mental Health, Burnout, Anxiety, PTSD, Trauma, Suicide Awareness, Depression, Long Covid, Chronic Illness, Sober Curiosity, Subconscious Rewiring, EFT Tapping, Meditation, Mindfulness, Sound Therapy, Boundaries, People-Pleasing, Overthinking, Behaviour Change, Workplace Burnout, Stress, Performance, Emotional Resilience, Sustainable Productivity, Workplace Wellbeing Rachael Welford is a qualified EFT practitioner, meditation teacher, sound therapist, speaker and host of the Things I Wish I'd Known podcast. Her mission is to help people sort their heads out, rebuild self-trust and live fully, so that on their deathbed they say "f**k me, that was fun," not "I wish I had". A life without regrets. That's the work. Her central idea is this: self-trust changes everything. The better you know and trust yourself, the better you live, work, love and lead. Drawing on her own experience of burnout, PTSD, anxiety and recovery, and over 4,700 clinical hours working with clients, Rachael makes complex psychology simple, practical and, according to people who've sat in her sessions, surprisingly funny. Audiences leave not just feeling inspired but knowing exactly what they're going to do next. Her work has taken her into organisations including Rightmove, TikTok, Spotify, British Airways, Havas, Shell and Weetabix. She is the author of Review. Release. Renew. and has been recognised by Time Out as one of London's leading alternative therapists. info@speakerscollective.org First name Last name Email Your Phone Number About Your Event or Project Speaker or Persons Requested Date picker Event Type Select Event Type Address Submit BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION

Lucy Thompson is a compassionate international medical tattoo artist expert and the visionary founder of the UK's first mastectomy tattoo charity, The Nipple Innovation Project and a proud TEDxNHS Speaker. Lucy Thompson is a compassionate international medical tattoo artist expert and the visionary founder of the UK's first mastectomy tattoo charity, The Nipple Innovation Project and a proud TEDxNHS Speaker. < Back Lucy Thompson Specialisms: Womens health after cancer, medical/nipple tattoos & tattoo related topics, body confidence after cancer Lucy Thompson is a compassionate international medical tattoo artist expert and the visionary founder of the UK's first mastectomy tattoo charity, The Nipple Innovation Project and a proud TEDxNHS Speaker. Since 2017, she has been a dedicated advocate for enhancing the quality of post-mastectomy tattoo services for the breast cancer community. With her innovative, artistic and safe technique, Lucy empowers individuals who have undergone reconstructive surgeries to embrace their bodies and feel whole again with realistic areola tattoos. Through her Training School; Areola Academy, she shares her expertise as a traditional tattoo artist since 2013 with students around the world, fostering a new generation of skilled medical tattoo practitioners. In addition to her educational efforts, Lucy has developed her own Pharmaceutical Pigment Set and is the first tattoo artist to of partnered with the NHS to provide this high-quality treatment free of charge to patients in need. She is committed to expanding access to this service across the UK through the charity’s directory of artists, ensuring that no one has to endure the loss of a nipple twice through receiving semi permanent nipple tattoos. Lucy is committed to talking about post mastectomy tattoo options and breaking down the stigma around conversations including 'nipple talk' Lucy's dedication and empathy are at the heart of her mission to support and uplift the breast cancer community to reclaim their bodies after losing so much to cancer. Lucy is a BUPA registered artist & works with multiple private health insurance companies over the years and has proudly partnered with Bradford NHS Teaching Hospitals offering her services to their patients through NHS funding. info@speakerscollective.org First name Last name Email Your Phone Number About Your Event or Project Speaker or Persons Requested Date picker Event Type Select Event Type Address Submit BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION

Vikki is a speaker whose work sits at the intersection of identity, confidence and lived experience.Vikki is a speaker whose work sits at the intersection of identity, confidence and lived experience. < Back Vikki Feltham Specialisms: Identity, Cancer, Facial difference, visible difference, confidence, resilience, mental health. Vikki — Identity, Resilience & Visible Difference Advocate. Vikki is a speaker whose work sits at the intersection of identity, confidence and lived experience. After being diagnosed with head and neck cancer and undergoing life-altering surgery that removed her nose, she found herself rebuilding not only her face, but her entire sense of self. What began as a medical crisis became a profound exploration of identity, visibility and personal power. She speaks openly about the emotional and psychological landscape of facial difference — the fear, the loss, the rebuilding, and the quiet courage it takes to be seen again. Her message is grounded, warm and deeply human: identity is not fixed, confidence can be rebuilt, and resilience is often quieter than people imagine. Vikki’s talks explore: Reclaiming identity after illness, trauma or major life change Confidence as an internal practice, not a performance Navigating visible difference in public, work and relationships Raising awareness around head and neck cancer and the realities of reconstructive journeys The role of style, storytelling and self-authority in rebuilding a sense of self Her approach blends honesty with hope, offering audiences both practical insight and emotional resonance. Vikki’s story challenges assumptions about beauty, bravery and belonging, showing that resilience looks different on every face — and that reinvention is always possible. info@speakerscollective.org First name Last name Email Your Phone Number About Your Event or Project Speaker or Persons Requested Date picker Event Type Select Event Type Address Submit BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION

Chloe is a 21 year old, multi-award winning mental health activist who uses her lived experience of mental health issues to raise awareness of living as a young person with mental illness.Chloe is a 21 year old, multi-award winning mental health activist who uses her lived experience of mental health issues to raise awareness of living as a young person with mental illness. < Back Chloe Hawryluk Specialisms: Mental Health, including Youth Mental Health, Feminism, Sexual Harassment, Young People in Politics, Working Class Activism Chloe is a 21-year-old, 3x multi-award winning activist who uses her experience of growing up as a working-class child who suffered with her mental health and sexual harassment to raise awareness and advocate for change. Having done various appearances on national press outlets such as ITV and BBC News, Chloe has over 5 years of public speaking experience, where she hopes to use her lived experience to reduce the stigma regarding mental illness, particularly as a young person, and increase the prevalence of working-class people in media. Located in Birmingham, she has recently graduated from the University of Liverpool, where she studied BA Politics, and is an incoming MPhil Politics and International Studies Candidate at the University of Cambridge. info@speakerscollective.org First name Last name Email Your Phone Number About Your Event or Project Speaker or Persons Requested Date picker Event Type Select Event Type Address Submit BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION

Danielle Bridge is Interim Chief Executive at Black Minds Matter UK, which is a charity connecting Black individuals and families with free mental health services with professional Black therapists to support their mental health. Danielle Bridge is Interim Chief Executive at Black Minds Matter UK, which is a charity connecting Black individuals and families with free mental health services with professional Black therapists to support their mental health. < Back Danielle Bridge Specialisms: Mental Health, Intersectionality, Anxiety, Child Survivor of Domestic Violence, Childhood trauma. Race and Mental Health Danielle Bridge is Interim Chief Executive at Black Minds Matter UK, which is a charity connecting Black individuals and families with free mental health services with professional Black therapists to support their mental health. She is also the award-winning Founder and CEO of ABC Life Support CIC (Community Interest Company), a Social Enterprise First Aid Training organisation that delivers physical and mental health first aid training across the UK. She is the host of ‘It Is What It Is’ the Podcast as well as a speaker on the importance of psychoeducation in the community as well as empowering others to overcome stigma which in turn normalises the mental health conversation. Danielle often talks about her own lived experience of poor Mental Health, specifically around the Pandemic experience and how therapy has helped her recovery. info@speakerscollective.org First name Last name Email Your Phone Number About Your Event or Project Speaker or Persons Requested Date picker Event Type Select Event Type Address Submit BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION

Rosie Baggs has founded ND Experiences UK to foster awareness, understanding and support for neurodiversity. Rosie Baggs has founded ND Experiences UK to foster awareness, understanding and support for neurodiversity. < Back Rosie Baggs Specialisms: Neurodivergence and Mental Health Rosie Baggs has founded ND Experiences UK to foster awareness, understanding and support for neurodiversity. Rosie has been recognised as an Expert by Lived Experience by the NHS and given training to organisations like West Sussex Police. She also presents events where she and other professionals offer educational, practical strategies. She offers a relatable insight into neurodivergence showing although there are extreme challenges we can thrive, life is big enough for all of us. A confident, humorous public speaker with a personable, emmersive approach. info@speakerscollective.org First name Last name Email Your Phone Number About Your Event or Project Speaker or Persons Requested Date picker Event Type Select Event Type Address Submit BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION

Sarah Jane is a senior philanthropy consultant and writer who specialises in connecting high net worth individuals to social justice causes. Sarah Jane is a senior philanthropy consultant and writer who specialises in connecting high net worth individuals to social justice causes. < Back Sarah Jane O'Neill Specialisms: Domestic Abuse, Lived Experience, Intergenerational Trauma, Philanthropy for 'unpopular causes' Sarah Jane is a senior philanthropy consultant and writer who specialises in connecting high net worth individuals to social justice causes. Her entrepreneurial and emotionally intelligent approach has provided her with a track record of delivering tangible results for high profile charities and campaigns for over 15 years, in areas such as homelessness, early years education, mental health and LGBT rights. In addition to her experience as a practitioner, she has a Masters in Philanthropic Studies where she received a distinction for her dissertation - the UK’s first primary research study into why major donors are not making transformational gifts to female domestic abuse services and what might unlock these opportunities. As a child survivor of domestic abuse, she brings lived experience to this subject and is particularly interested in the roles of shame, othering, personal responsibility and patriarchal control. Sarah Jane trained as an actor at the Oxford School of Drama and her knowledge and interest in theatre and performance have been influential throughout her career. She regularly writes and speaks about philanthropy, and blogs at The Flâneuse Diaries, which is dedicated to her other passions of travel and memoir. info@speakerscollective.org First name Last name Email Your Phone Number About Your Event or Project Speaker or Persons Requested Date picker Event Type Select Event Type Address Submit BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION