Wendy has a passion and drive both professionally and personally to improve children and young people’s mental health by working with parents, families, and communitiesWendy has a passion and drive both professionally and personally to improve children and young people’s mental health by working with parents, families, and communities < Back Wendy Minhinnett Specialisms: Parent Carer Peer Support, Coproduction, Working with CYPMH services Wendy has a passion and drive both professionally and personally to improve children and young people’s mental health by working with parents, families, and communities. Wendy loves developing ideas for creative engagement and believes whole heartedly in cocreating, she loves using her creative skills to help others. Wendy is a parent who has had a personal journey of supporting her daughter with mental health issues. This experience led Wendy to set up Rollercoaster Parent Support Project which was delivered in partnership with Tees, Esk and Wear Valley Trust (TEWV) based in County Durham. The project ran for 9 years promoting a parent led, professionally supported model and won a National Positive Practice in Mental Health Award in 2017. Wendy has been involved in a variety of initiatives locally and nationally to promote the role parents can play in improving children and young people’s mental health. She worked as the Parent lived experience lead at the Charlie Waller Trust for 6 years which involved helping other areas set up parent carer peer support, developing the PLACE National Network and co-developing the first national parent carer peer support training. She is a parent co-author for MindEd for Families, has worked as a parent/carer representative for the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, Royal College of Psychiatrists and has held a variety of PPV roles in NHS England. Wendy has worked on a number of projects to develop resources for parents and carers which include This May Help Film Project and The Getting Through Guides. Wendy was awarded a BEM in 2022 for services to parents of children with mental health needs and has cowritten a chapter on parent involvement for the book: Participation in Children and Young People’s Mental Health Wendy lives in County Durham with her daughter and grandog Minnie! She loves family time, cuppas, cake, reading and is learning how to meditate. 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

Mia is a childhood sexual abuse survivor and a lived-experience speaker with over 10 years of experience working alongside professionals, children, and young people. Mia is a childhood sexual abuse survivor and a lived-experience speaker with over 10 years of experience working alongside professionals, children, and young people. < Back Mia Lockley Specialisms: Childhood sexual abuse, Mental health, The CPS and how it is failing women and girl Mia is a childhood sexual abuse survivor and a lived-experience speaker with over 10 years of experience working alongside professionals, children, and young people. She lives with Bipolar Type II and complex PTSD, and uses her lived reality to bring honesty, depth, and challenge to conversations around mental health, trauma, and systems of care. Mia has delivered keynote speeches on mental health, including the realities of living with complex trauma and Bipolar Type II, mental health service failures, and the long-term impact of being unheard. She also speaks powerfully about the injustice system, sharing how she was failed twice by a system meant to provide justice, and offering critical insight into how children continue to be overlooked and let down. She has designed and delivered creative, unique workshops that support professionals working with children and young people, and has co-created resources with children to promote creativity and open conversations around feelings, worries, and emotional wellbeing. Mia has also developed resources specifically for young survivors of abuse. Mia talks about the childhood sexual abuse iceburg analogy that highlights how much of a child’s experience remains unseen, unrecognised, and unsupported, challenging adults and professionals to look beyond the surface. She is also the author of Tilly Tells, a children’s book developed with hopes of supporting children through understanding, expression, and safety. She hopes for Tilly tells to develop in 2026 and eventually become a free resource for children. In addition, Mia is a member of the Samaritans Lived Experience Advisory Board for self-harm and suicide prevention, contributing her insight to shape safer, more compassionate responses. Mia’s work centres on truth, creativity, and advocacy, amplifying the voices of children and survivors while challenging systems to do better and make the world a better place for survivors and those living with mental health challenges. 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

Simon is a dedicated and experienced educational leader with a deep commitment to neurodiversity inclusion and improving the workplace experiences of all teachers. Simon is a dedicated and experienced educational leader with a deep commitment to neurodiversity inclusion and improving the workplace experiences of all teachers. < Back Simon Preston Specialisms: Neurodiversity inclusion Simon is a dedicated and experienced educational leader with a deep commitment to neurodiversity inclusion and improving the workplace experiences of all teachers. With a strong background in teaching, educational leadership, and management, Simon has spent over two decades honing his skills and knowledge in this field. His passion for neurodiversity inclusion led him to pursue an MBA in Educational Leadership and Management, which he completed with distinction in 2022. This experience not only enhanced his leadership skills but also deepened his understanding of effective management strategies within an educational context. Driven by his desire to make meaningful contributions to the field, Simon is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education at Oxford Brookes University. His research focuses on exploring how educational leadership, management, and administration impact the lived experiences of neurodivergent teachers when compared to their neurotypical peers. By shedding light on this topic, Simon hopes to drive positive change in educational settings and advocate for the needs and experiences of neurodivergent individuals. Simon is passionate about driving change and fostering inclusive environments where every student and teacher can thrive. 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

Dr Mark Deeks is an international and TedX professional speaker, educator and musicianDr Mark Deeks is an international and TedX professional speaker, educator and musician < Back Mark Deeks Specialisms: Music for wellbeing, men’s mental health, workplace wellbeing, baby loss Dr Mark Deeks is an international and TedX professional speaker, educator and musician, passionate about fostering creativity and harnessing the power of music to improve wellbeing, engagement, performance and mental health. Mark is seamlessly able to combine his passions (for piano, heavy metal and group singing!) and knowledge of music together with his passions for creativity and mental health. His enthusiasm for his subject, along with his personal story, make him an infectious speaker and host. He has appeared on as the guest expert for BBC’s Children in Need Big Singalong, as well as on BBC Radio 4, BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Newcastle, Times Radio, and has been featured in publications as varied as The Guardian, and Metal Hammer. 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

Kathleen Helm is a trainer, speaker, coach and founder of Think Kinetic - a social enterprise dedicated to raising awareness and promoting inclusivity for Neurodivergent, Disabled, LGBTQIA+, and lower socio-economic communities.Kathleen Helm is a trainer, speaker, coach and founder of Think Kinetic - a social enterprise dedicated to raising awareness and promoting inclusivity for Neurodivergent, Disabled, LGBTQIA+, and lower socio-economic communities. < Back Kathleen Helm Specialisms: Neurodiversity, ADHD, Autism, LGBTQ+, Non-Binary, Mental Health, Chronic Pain, Social Mobility Kathleen Helm is a trainer, speaker, coach and founder of Think Kinetic - a social enterprise dedicated to raising awareness and promoting inclusivity for Neurodivergent, Disabled, LGBTQIA+, and lower socio-economic communities. As a late-diagnosed Autistic ADHD-er, multi-disabled, working class and queer entrepreneur they combine the wisdom of lived experience and intellectual curiosity with fearless authenticity grounded in community. They have featured on Sky News discussing late diagnosis of ADHD and medication and are politically active, particularly in their role as an ADHD UK Ambassador. 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

I am a disability awareness trainer and public speaker on the topic of diversity and inclusionI am a disability awareness trainer and public speaker on the topic of diversity and inclusion < Back Sarah Petherbridge Specialisms: Diversity and Inclusion training and consultancy. I am a disability awareness trainer and public speaker on the topic of diversity and inclusion ("D&I") from a disability angle. I draw on my experience of working as a professional with a disability in a corporate environment for various accountancy firms. I was born profoundly deaf and communicate by way of hearing, lipreading, some BSL and intelligent guesswork! I rose to the challenge of becoming a very experienced senior manager with a profound deafness in a large global organisation, EY. While I was at EY, I helped set up an employee network called Ability EY which at the time of my departure had over 500 members. This network provided support to people working at EY with disabilities/abilities/impairments/conditions including mentoring and coaching. We also provided awareness training to help EY become more inclusive for people with disabilities and collaborated with various operational strands of the business e.g. recruitment and IT, to ensure that such processes were inclusive and accessible as possible. As the Co-Chair of Ability EY, I also took part in several public speaking engagements both internally and externally to promote disability awareness and collaborated with other strands of D&I such as race and gender to cover intersectionality. I have been nominated for and won awards for our work as Co Chair of Ability EY. Outside of EY I am continuing with public speaking roles and open to provide disability awareness training in helping companies become more inclusive for people with disabilities. This training would complement any D&I training rolled out by HR managers/directors or D&I leaders as it is based on real life experience and personal stories. I would like to speak to any CSR managers or HR professionals as well as D&I leaders that want to create an inclusive workplace. I am also an active disability advocate challenging organisations, public spaces and companies to be accessible as possible for people with hearing loss e.g. captions at local cinemas and theatres. 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

Suzi Payton is a neurodivergent (AuDHD, Tourette's, OCD) creative and multi-passionate trail blazer! Suzi Payton is a neurodivergent (AuDHD, Tourette's, OCD) creative and multi-passionate trail blazer! < Back Suzi Payton Specialisms: ADHD, autism, Tourette's, Neurodivergence, Mental Health in the workplace Suzi Payton is a neurodivergent (AuDHD, Tourette's, OCD) creative and multi-passionate trail blazer! Recently named one of the UK’s most influential and dynamic female entrepreneurs, Suzi Payton, uses her passion, skill for finding the funny, and own experiences as an Autistic ADHDer to change the way society views those who are neurodivergent. Through a delicious blend of comedy and coaching, and armed with a winning combination of ADHD, autism, Tourette's and mild OCD, Suzi uses her lived experience to educate audiences, businesses, charities and organisations. She shows people how they can support their friends, clients or colleagues to thrive, and not just survive. Using her background in education (she was a secondary school teacher for 17 years) and her experience in comedy and improvisation (Suzi is a regular on the comedy and improv circuit), Suzi offers a unique insight, which she has shared with the likes of NHS England, American Express and The YMCA. Suzi is available to talk about the following: Neurodivergence in the workplace Neurodivergence in relationships Late diagnosis of Neurodivergence Celebrating neurodiversity Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mental Health in the workplace Job related burn-out for the Neurodivergent How improvisation can improve everyone's life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xzrTUc5Z7s 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

Hilda has not only survived a childhood of domestic violence and a feeling of not belonging but has used adversity, creativity and the power of positive psychology to thrive.Hilda has not only survived a childhood of domestic violence and a feeling of not belonging but has used adversity, creativity and the power of positive psychology to thrive. < Back Hilda Kalap Specialisms: Mental Health, Health & Wellbeing at home & workplace, Trauma, Body Confidence, Diversity & Inclusion, Healing through Creativity Hilda has not only survived a childhood of domestic violence and a feeling of not belonging but has used adversity, creativity and the power of positive psychology to thrive. Overcoming PTSD, low self-esteem and living with bipolar, Hilda’s career spans over 20 years as a communications director and humanitarian campaigner including a stint working for the Red Cross where she was involved in a global campaign to ban landmines spearheaded by Princess Diana. Hilda is the Managing Director of Recovery Devon, a mental health community interest company. She uses her role to champion the voice of lived experience in how mental health services are created and delivered and to reduce the stigma around mental health. She believes prevention is key and enjoys teaching individuals and communities ways of looking after not only their mental health but their physical, emotional and spiritual health too. She is the author of three picture books and a memoir and uses writing and other forms of creative expression as a means of self-empowerment and healing. Hilda is also the UK Ambassador for the Empowerment through Spoken Word Poetry initiative. She is frequently featured on podcasts, radio shows, blogs and social media. 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

I was diagnosed with ADHD as a 48-year-old adult. I somehow slipped through the school system's invisible net in the 1980s and 90s.I was diagnosed with ADHD as a 48-year-old adult. I somehow slipped through the school system's invisible net in the 1980s and 90s. < Back Timothy Short Specialisms: Mental Health and Wellbeing, Neurodiversity, Living with Genetic Illness, Politics, Education. I was diagnosed with ADHD as a 48-year-old adult. I somehow slipped through the school system's invisible net in the 1980s and 90s. I also have Behcet's Disease, a rare autoinflammatory condition, that became a problem for me in my early 20s. Having to negotiate normal life with these two conditions and the health system has been difficult. I am interested in wellbeing and have been hosting a podcast on the issue for 4 years. I hope to help as many people as possible. I am the Director of a Community Interest Company that makes podcasts with vulnerable groups on community issues. I have also been doing a local politics podcast this year and have both taught and studied politics. I was a teacher for 25 years, and although I did well at school, I find it hard to see so many people being failed by the current system. 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

Maxine Frances Roper is a writer and speaker. Maxine Frances Roper is a writer and speaker. < Back Maxine Roper Specialisms: ADHD, Dyspraxia, Mental Health, Suicide Bereavement, Co-production Maxine Frances Roper is a writer and speaker. She started her career in media and journalism and moved into copywriting and communications work within the charity sector following multiple experiences of suicide loss. She is the co-author of ‘Finding the Words’, a guide to supporting someone bereaved or affected by suicide, a member of the National Suicide Prevention Alliance (NSPA)'s Lived Experience Network, and an Ambassador for Suicide&Co, who provide pay-what-you-can counselling for people bereaved by suicide. Maxine has also used her lived experience to promote better understanding and support for neurodivergent adults. Her first book, a survival guide for dyspraxic and ADHD women, is due for publication in 2024. Her first novel ‘Catch A Moving Train' is due out on submission within the next year. Maxine is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a former Trustee of the Dyspraxia Foundation. 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

Liv is an entertainment industry marketeer, formerly co-Managing Director of Island Records and now Head of Marketing at a West End theatre production company.Liv is an entertainment industry marketeer, formerly co-Managing Director of Island Records and now Head of Marketing at a West End theatre production company. < Back Olivia Nunn Specialisms: Mental Health, Perinatal OCD, Anxiety, Music , Burnout, Creativity Liv is an entertainment industry marketeer, formerly co-Managing Director of Island Records and now Head of Marketing at a West End theatre production company. Her 13 year career in the high level, record label culture within the music industry, has provided her great insight and advice, on how to manage stress and burnout ,in often difficult work environments. Liv is also founder of the Mumswithoutmums network and 24hrsinWoodStreet project. Liv has personal lived experience of grief and trauma, having lost her mum to stroke when she was only 13 and her mum only 43. This experience shaped the person she has become and led her in 2020 to found the MumsWithoutMums community, which forges relationships, connection and shares education around parental loss. She hosts monthly insta lives with diverse guests ,discussing the likes of parenting without your parent, how to navigate grief, mental health in general and neurodiversity. Liv's 24hrsIn Wood Street project is a burgeoning idea, which will be spotlighting 24 people in the local borough and providing insight into the 24hrs of their day via filmed pieces. The goal is to enable us all to show more compassion and awareness to each other ,with regard to what may be happening in our worlds and with our mental health. Liv hopes to work with brands, charities and to scale and roll the initiative out across London. Liv really wants to champion greater mental health awareness , support and especially in the perinatal space. 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

Sammi Ford is a multi award-winning and published writer, poet, photographer and keynote speaker who has appeared at venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, the National Exhibition Centre and the London Etcetera Theatre and for organisations such as the National Association of Writers in Education and the National Neurodiversity Shows. Sammi Ford is a multi award-winning and published writer, poet, photographer and keynote speaker who has appeared at venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, the National Exhibition Centre and the London Etcetera Theatre and for organisations such as the National Association of Writers in Education and the National Neurodiversity Shows. < Back Sammi Ford Specialisms: Mental Health, Neurodiversity, Late Diagnosis, Autism, ADHD, Business, Leadership, Female Entrepreneurship, Creativity, Creative Writing, Wellbeing, Masking, Eating Disorders, Addiction Sammi Ford is a multi award-winning and published writer, poet, photographer and keynote speaker who has appeared at venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, the National Exhibition Centre and the London Etcetera Theatre and for organisations such as the National Association of Writers in Education and the National Neurodiversity Shows. She has appeared on national television, radio, and podcasts, presented masterclasses and conducted workshops on mental health and creative writing, online and in person, at national events and festivals. Sammi is a qualified linguist, entrepreneur and veteran Royal Air Force officer with over 30 years of experience within industry as a business founder and managing director. Her responsibilities have included the global procurement and logistics of all UK rotary spares during international conflict, and roles such as the military escort to the Austrian Chief of Defence Staff. She is uniquely placed to share her expertise in international commerce and business management alongside personal stories of her battles to overcome adversity and fight for equality. Diagnosed late in life with autism and ADHD, following a mental health crisis during perimenopause, Sammi champions the strengths of neurodivergence and is passionate in helping others to overcome their own challenges. She is a personable communicator who has worked within the corporate sector, in schools and for voluntary organisations and charities, touching all ages and walks of life. Her business acumen, creative flair and first-hand experiences make for a unique blend of knowledge which she crafts together into a compelling and heartfelt delivery which inspires and connects with her audiences. Sammi’s prominent voice is highly sought after for her dynamic and inspiring talks, performances and training classes in creative self-expression. 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