John Junior is a British mental health activist and Psychology student dedicated to challenging stigma and transforming how society responds to people experiencing mental health struggles.John Junior is a British mental health activist and Psychology student dedicated to challenging stigma and transforming how society responds to people experiencing mental health struggles. < Back John Junior Specialisms: Suicide, mental health, intersex, grief, addiction, cptsd, ocd, anxiety John Junior is a British mental health activist and Psychology student dedicated to challenging stigma and transforming how society responds to people experiencing mental health struggles. He is an activist, not an influencer, he doesn’t chase fame or money. He chases one thing saving lives. Sharing his lived experience, he speaks openly about suicide, mental health, intersex, grief, addiction, identity, and recovery, offering hope to those facing their darkest moments. Born intersex, John faced identity struggles alongside suicidal thoughts and self-harm from a young age. After the sudden death of his father, he attempted suicide through an overdose and was resuscitated. In that moment, he said to the resus nurse, he didn’t want to die, he wanted the pain to stop. That realisation became a turning point, inspiring him to transform his pain into purpose and dedicate his life to helping others so no one feels alone. Over time, John discovered that supporting others also helped him heal. Guiding people through their struggles allowed his nervous system to recover after therapies that hadn’t worked. In 2019, he founded John and Charlie’s Journey , a mental health movement centred around Charlie, a teddy duck who comforted him in his darkest hours. Together, they have met people from all walks of life, including individuals actively planning to end their lives. Thousands have been supported in person, with millions more reached through television and social media. What began as a coping mechanism became a national campaign encouraging open conversations, reducing judgment, challenging stigma, and normalising adults carrying teddys or plushies. John’s work has reached millions worldwide. He has appeared on Sky News , co-created and shared his suicide story on the BAFTA-nominated series Hollyoaks IRL , and campaigned to get 380,000 people off NHS waiting lists and into complex therapy. His on-going campaign to make all UK Police mental health first aid trained. A practising Buddhist, John incorporates mindfulness, meditation, and reflection into both his personal life and to others. He brings a unique perspective on identity, resilience, and overcoming obstacles, shaped by his experiences of loss, diagnosis, and activism. Every morning, John reminds himself, and the people he meets: "You are loved. You are wanted. You are needed. The mood is temporary." Through John and Charlie’s Journey , he continues to challenge stigma, inspire hope, and save lives. The root cause of our suffering is when we think, when we stop thinking, that is when happiness starts to bloom, we find peace. 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

As a Speaker and modern storyteller, Jay (She/Her) has been building connections with feet in two different worlds.As a Speaker and modern storyteller, Jay (She/Her) has been building connections with feet in two different worlds. < Back Jay Wood Specialisms: Ecology and Racism, Decolonization, Anti-Racism, LGBTQ+, HR Practices, Creativity, Storytelling and Indigenizing Spaces Storytelling is an ancient tradition that brings knowledge and new ways of thinking to transform spaces, places, and hearts. Indigenizing is not simply adding content to ideas that already exist, but rethinking current frameworks and learning from past relationships to lands, culture, and communities. As a Speaker and modern storyteller, Jay (She/Her) has been building connections with feet in two different worlds, one as an HR Professional and the other as a learning Annishinaabe woman. Along with her HR experience, Jay brings a specialization in Change Management and Learning & Development. She strives to empower people to find and tell their own stories, learning through connection to others and to the land. 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

Following his grounding in anthropology (London School of Economics) Asif’s career as a researcher, planner and innovator spanned Europe and far east Asia.  Following his grounding in anthropology (London School of Economics) Asif’s career as a researcher, planner and innovator spanned Europe and far east Asia.   < Back Asif Noorani Specialisms: Diversity and Inclusion, Transformational Change Following his grounding in anthropology (London School of Economics) Asif’s career as a researcher, planner and innovator spanned Europe and far east Asia. This has been fertile ground for cultivating cross disciplinary skills in behaviour change, imaginative problem solving and compelling storytelling. Asif co-founded Epiphany Productions in 2005 on the premise that everybody’s secondary business is showbusiness; using the principles of film-making in all they do. This includes his part in Cabinet Office’s CMTA scenario planning sessions, as Digital Democracy Champion for the Speaker’s Commission, content creation for global professional service leaders, author of two Digital Transformation guides (published with Wincanton PLC), strategic advisor for diversity and inclusion leaders, coaching CEOs on their personal and business stories and running UNSPOKEN creative thinking training sessions. Epiphany supports public and private sector organisations in their transformation challenges. Epiphany has a positive social action commitment with a number of days each year allocated to causes they support. Asif has been a trustee of the leading non-formal education charity UK Youth, is a fellow of the RSA and ambassador/volunteer for the sub-Saharan charity Action through Enterprise. 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

Senior healthcare leader with 25+ years’ experience in mental health across NHS and voluntary sectors. Senior healthcare leader with 25+ years’ experience in mental health across NHS and voluntary sectors. < Back Jane Boland Specialisms: Suicide Prevention, Mental Health, Risk Mitigation and Safety Planning. Investigations and Learning Events Senior healthcare leader with 25+ years’ experience in mental health across NHS and voluntary sectors. Proven ability to deliver strategic growth, service innovation, and measurable outcomes. Nationally recognised expert in suicide prevention and risk management. Skilled in governance, stakeholder engagement, and leading multi-site operations. Committed to influencing policy and improving patient safety at scale. 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

Marcus is a multi award winning motivational speaker having spoken at over 100 national and international conferences and events. Marcus is a multi award winning motivational speaker having spoken at over 100 national and international conferences and events. < Back Marcus Thomlinson Specialisms: Mindset, Confidence, Mental Health, Public Speaking Skills Marcus is a multi award winning motivational speaker having spoken at over 100 national and international conferences and events. Marcus’s fascinating story of personal & business triumphs over tragedies has inspired his formula for success, the Key Mindset System. His challenges began when, despite running an award-winning financial services business, he was diagnosed as suffering from chronic stress and given 18 months to live. Luckily, he began learning the techniques of mind management and mindfulness which opened up a path to a more holistic and fulfilling version of success. He now shares his inspirational journey and is writing his first book; The Cheat Codes For Life 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

Joy is the founder and CEO of an award-winning Suicide Crisis Centre in the U.KJoy is the founder and CEO of an award-winning Suicide Crisis Centre in the U.K < Back Joy Hibbins Specialisms: Suicide Prevention, Mental Health Crisis Care, Trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress and Dissociation Joy is the founder and CEO of an award-winning Suicide Crisis Centre in the U.K. which has attracted international recognition, including from the Ministry of Health in New Zealand. She is also the author of suicide prevention books and has regularly contributed to television, radio and national news programmes. She has spoken at numerous national suicide prevention conferences. Joy set up the Suicide Crisis Centre in 2013 to provide a different approach from that of psychiatric crisis services. She experienced suicidal crisis herself in 2012 after a traumatic experience and was placed under the care of psychiatric services. She was named in the Queen’s New Year Honour’s List in 2019, receiving the British Empire Medal for her services to vulnerable people. In 2018 she received the Janey Antoniou award which celebrates “extraordinary achievement in fighting stigma and discrimination and bringing about change”. The charity that Joy runs also provides a Trauma Centre which focuses on early intervention to help prevent people from experiencing a suicidal crisis. She speaks regularly on the subject of trauma and has been a headline speaker at a national trauma summit. 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

Jon is an award-winning social impact innovator, entrepreneur and mental health campaigner with over 25 years’ experience at the intersection of digital innovation, mental health, and community building.Jon is an award-winning social impact innovator, entrepreneur and mental health campaigner with over 25 years’ experience at the intersection of digital innovation, mental health, and community building. < Back Jon Salmon Specialisms: Mental Health Advocacy, Neurodiversity & Dyslexia, Social Impact Innovation, Digital Transformation & Community Building, Artificial Intelligence and Social Impact Jon is an award-winning social impact innovator, entrepreneur and mental health campaigner with over 25 years’ experience at the intersection of digital innovation, mental health, and community building. He is the co-founder of social impact agency Byte Entertainment and Co-CEO of Speakers Collective , a lived-experience-led not-for-profit supporting more than 200 speakers who use storytelling, education and advocacy to drive change. Jon has designed and delivered impactful campaigns and community strategies addressing isolation, bereavement, youth mental health and local empowerment. His work spans partnerships with organisations from FIFA and The Royal Foundation to NHS England , as well as grassroots initiatives including Local Trust’s Big Local programme . After losing his father to suicide as a teenager and later being sectioned with stress and depression, Jon speaks openly about his lived experiences to help end stigma and encourage conversations that can save lives . He also shares his story of living with dyslexia, once a source of shame, now a source of strength and which has shaped his creativity and career. A passionate advocate for neurodiversity, Jon champions inclusion across communities , corporates and campaigns, working with everyone from local networks to global platforms. |In addition to his work in mental health and social impact, Jon is developing expertise in artificial intelligence and has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence from the Moonmax AI Advertising Course , recognising his commitment to exploring how AI can be harnessed for positive social change. 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

Natasha Rhone is an occupational psychology specialist, trainer and founder of Every Wellbeing, a consultancy focused on improving how organisations understand and support their workforce.Natasha Rhone is an occupational psychology specialist, trainer and founder of Every Wellbeing, a consultancy focused on improving how organisations understand and support their workforce. < Back Natasha Rhone Specialisms: Workplace wellbeing and organisational culture, neurodivergence at work, psychological safety, work related stress, invisible challenges in the workplace, leadership and employee experience Natasha Rhone is an occupational psychology specialist, trainer and founder of Every Wellbeing, a consultancy focused on improving how organisations understand and support their workforce. Her work centres on the workplace factors that shape employee wellbeing, performance and engagement. Natasha speaks about the realities many employees experience at work, including work related stress, neurodivergence, invisible challenges and the gap between organisational policies and everyday employee experience. Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience, Natasha brings a practical and psychologically informed perspective to conversations about workplace culture, leadership behaviour and employee wellbeing. Her work encourages organisations to look beyond surface level initiatives and examine the structural and cultural factors that influence how people work and feel within teams. Natasha regularly delivers talks and training for organisations on workplace wellbeing, neurodivergence at work, psychological safety and creating environments where employees can perform well without compromising their wellbeing. Through her work, Natasha challenges organisations to rethink how workplaces are designed and managed, helping leaders better understand how people actually function at work and what is needed to create healthier and more effective working environments. 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

Sonay Erten is a lawyer, ADHD coach, speaker and neurodiversity advocate specialising in ADHD, autism, burnout and inclusion within professional environments.Sonay Erten is a lawyer, ADHD coach, speaker and neurodiversity advocate specialising in ADHD, autism, burnout and inclusion within professional environments. < Back Sonay Erten Specialisms: Neurodiversity and workplace inclusion; neurodiversity in the legal profession; mental health and burnout; neurodivergent relationships; neurodivergence, pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood Sonay Erten is a lawyer, ADHD coach, speaker and neurodiversity advocate specialising in ADHD, autism, burnout and inclusion within professional environments. Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience, her work explores what happens when neurodivergent people try to navigate systems that were not built with them in mind. After spending over eight years in the legal profession, Sonay now works with individuals and organisations to create more neuroinclusive workplaces and cultures. Her work particularly focuses on the experiences of neurodivergent professionals, especially within high pressure environments such as law. Alongside her coaching and speaking work, Sonay co-hosts the Divergently Married podcast, where she speaks openly about neurodivergent relationships, communication, identity and family life. Since becoming a mother, she has also begun speaking and writing more openly about pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood as a neurodivergent woman, including the sensory, emotional and identity challenges that are often overlooked in conversations around parenting. Sonay speaks candidly about late diagnosis, masking, burnout, anxiety and the pressure many neurodivergent women feel to appear as though they are coping. Her talks aim to create understanding, challenge stereotypes and help people feel less alone in their experiences. Sonay delivered a TEDx talk, TEDx Beckenham “Embracing ADHD and autism isn’t a burden, it’s a gift”, and is known for her honest, relatable and engaging speaking style which combines warmth, humour and practical insight. 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

As a speaker, Rebecca brings a rare combination of corporate credibility and human honesty. As a speaker, Rebecca brings a rare combination of corporate credibility and human honesty. < Back Rebecca Foreman Specialisms: Domestic Abuse, lived experience, mental health, workplace awareness, communication, homelessness As a speaker, Rebecca brings a rare combination of corporate credibility and human honesty. She speaks on domestic abuse in the workplace, the hidden cost of silence, mental health and resilience, workplace communication and the systemic failures that leave vulnerable people without a voice or a route out. Her talks are delivered with warmth, candour and the kind of clarity that only comes from having lived it. Through Going Unbroken, she works with corporate employers, HR and people teams, and organisations to develop policy, deliver training and build cultures where people feel safe enough to speak up. She is a passionate advocate for making workplaces the one place that can change everything for someone in crisis. Rebecca's sessions are honest, evidenced and delivered with a deep respect for the audience. 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

John is a mental health advocate, public speaker, and writer whose work has appeared on Channel 4 and the BBC. John is a mental health advocate, public speaker, and writer whose work has appeared on Channel 4 and the BBC. < Back John Servante Specialisms: Suicide, Bipolar Disorder, Mental Health, Stigma, Shame, Media, Representation, Representations of Mental Illness in the Media, Toxic Masculinity John is a mental health advocate, public speaker, and writer whose work has appeared on Channel 4 and the BBC. John has delivered speeches and workshops to organisations including the Home Office, the London School of Economics, St. John Ambulance, and Royal Mail. John is currently a National Plenary Speaker for Mental Health First Aid England. After almost ending his life at university, John has used humour and heart to speak out about the ways in which our society shrouds mental health issues in stigma and shame. He has given talks from both a lived experience perspective and as a writer working in TV and film — where he continues to crusade for better representations of mental health! 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

Experiences of numerous bereavements in childhood and early adulthood led Lou to develop an understanding of how to effectively help and support others manage adversity. Experiences of numerous bereavements in childhood and early adulthood led Lou to develop an understanding of how to effectively help and support others manage adversity. < Back Lou O'Connell MBE Specialisms: Mental health, wellbeing, late diagnosis ADHD in women Experiences of numerous bereavements in childhood and early adulthood led Lou to develop an understanding of how to effectively help and support others manage adversity. Her journey has seen her serve 28+ years in the British Army (including 4operational tours), volunteering with several charities and training in many therapeutic modalities. In 2015 Lou was awarded an MBE in the Queens New Year's Honours list for her work with bereaved military families. This award simultaneously embarrasses her and validates her priorities and choices made along the way. In the summer of 2021, Lou qualified as a mental health nurse with First Class Honours during the global Coronavirus pandemic. Spending a bit of time with the NHS before moving into Higher Education to support university students navigate their studies alongside diagnoses of mental health conditions. Towards the end of 2022, after about a year of navigating menopause, Lou received an educational diagnosis of ADHD. This was a surprise at the time, however, it soon started to feel as if a number of pieces of her life were starting to fit together. Since this time she gone on to received a medical diagnosis, trained as an ADHD coach and is in the process of writing a book aimed at supporting other late diagnosed women. This is the book she wished she could have read at the beginning of her journey to learning about how to navigate her life with this new found knowledge. Throughout all of her careers she has supported a diverse range of client groups, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, bereaved children and adults, military personnel, university students and young people at risk of offending. Lou believes that we all have gifts to give the world. Regardless of whatever has happened in our lives, we deserve to thrive in life, not just drag ourselves through each day. Her style has been described as "a breath of fresh air, honest, straight-talking, down to earth, humorous yet compassionate (and sometimes a bit sweary)". When not studying or working, you can find her out walking. with the love of her life her chocolate Sprocker Spaniel Spud. 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