Denise is the Founder and CEO of a charity, Reach Out 2 Kids.Denise is the Founder and CEO of a charity, Reach Out 2 Kids. < Back Denise Stephenson Specialisms: Allyship, Social Mobility, Race Diversity and Inclusion Denise is the Founder and CEO of a charity, Reach Out 2 Kids Ltd (ROK), which she started as a non-profit social enterprise ten years ago, following her passion for being an agent of change in the fields of race diversity & inclusion and social mobility. Denise was nominated in 2018 as one of London’s 50 Trailblazers of the Future by BAME2020, who in turn were nominated by Campaign Magazine as one of the Top Ten Trailblazers for Change 2018. Denise is also a Planning Lawyer, with more than 20 years post qualification experience. As a lawyer, Denise is a proficient negotiator and communicator and has been quoted as being a leader in her field and ‘very responsive and dedicated.’ As a child of Jamaican parents from a working class background and having suffered from prejudice and racism in her legal career, Denise has lived experience of the very issues she seeks to change. She is also very mindful of the mental health issues that often arises as a result of continued racism and discrimination. Denise is proficient in public speaking and has given talks and more recently been advising companies on their strategies for engaging more diverse and inclusive recruitment methods. info@speakerscollective.org BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION Submit Thanks for your speaker request and we will be in touch soon.

In May 2024, I began my 'park benching' initiative where I sit on different on park benches across London with a simple invite: "Come join me for a chat". In May 2024, I began my 'park benching' initiative where I sit on different on park benches across London with a simple invite: "Come join me for a chat". < Back Lara Philippart Specialisms: Mental health, mental health advocacy, male mental health, suicide, body image In May 2024, I began my 'park benching' initiative where I sit on different on park benches across London with a simple invite: "Come join me for a chat". Having dealt with mental health difficulties from a young age myself, I wanted to open-up the mental health conversation among Londoners. With suicide statistics at an all-time high, why are we still struggling to talk about it? In doing park benching, I’ve met over 100 incredible people who have kindly shared their stories with me. I've discussed everything from suicide, life-changing accidents, healthcare visibility in Nigeria, anxiety-induced teeth loss and generational trauma to Parisian pastries, ghosting, gallery hopping, periods and motor racing. You name it – I’ve (probably) discussed it! The aim of my initiative is to combat mental health stigma and to make people feel less alone. By documenting these conversations on my @thatparkbenchgirl Instagram account, I hope to reinforce the importance of creating space for others without fear of judgement. My interest in mental health comes from both research and hands-on experience. For my master’s degree in public health, I explored how appearance-editing apps like ‘FaceTune’ can affect women’s mental health and self-perception, which sparked a deeper interest in the relationship between digital culture and wellbeing. Since then, I’ve worked closely with people facing complex health challenges, including supporting patients at a private online chronic pain management clinic specialising in medical cannabis, where I carried out suicide risk assessments and helped put support plans in place for those at risk. More recently, qualifying as a Mental Health First Aider has strengthened my ability to support people who open up about their mental health, always with empathy, space and best practice in mind. Alongside my professional work, I volunteer with several men’s mental health charities where I’ve co-delivered talks to high-profile organisations such as Hugo Boss and written blog posts on a range of mental health topics. My experience within the mental health field continually reinforces this is the space I want to grow in. info@speakerscollective.org BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION Submit Thanks for your speaker request and we will be in touch soon.

Emily Nuttall is a trainee counsellor who’s just completed her Level 3. She’s an expert by experience, advisory board member for Eating Disorders, lived experience lead for the King's Transitions eating disorders youth intervention project.Emily Nuttall is a trainee counsellor who’s just completed her Level 3. She’s an expert by experience, advisory board member for Eating Disorders, lived experience lead for the King's Transitions eating disorders youth intervention project. < Back Emily Nuttall Specialisms: Eating Disorders, Gambling Addiction, Masking, Neurodiversity, Suicide, Mental Health, Disability, Trauma, Self Harm Emily Nuttall is a trainee counsellor who’s just completed her Level 3. She’s an expert by experience, advisory board member for Eating Disorders, lived experience lead for the King's Transitions eating disorders youth intervention project. An inspirational speaker, trainer, and project worker, an inspiring individual who’s overcome many adversities with her lived experiences of anorexia, depression, self-harm, anxiety, autism, traumas, disabilities, suicide, emotional abuse, homelessness, gambling addiction and family breakdowns. She works, coaches, speaks, trains, and delivers projects as an expert by experience in the areas of neurodiversity, autism, eating disorders, self-harm, suicide, disabilities, education, gambling addiction and trauma, with many organizations. These include the States of Guernsey Autism, Mental Health, Education and Eating Disorder Services for both children and adults; Beat, the UK eating disorders charity; Freed; Peace Pathway, Guernsey; and UK Mind; Orri, Ellern Mede, Samaritans; Self Injury Support, Guernsey Mobility Let’s Go, Grassroots Suicide Prevention; EDAC; EDCRN; Kings College, Maudsley, and other NHS trusts; CEDS; PEDS; SWEDA, Family Action, Reflective Gap, Autism Bedfordshire; Action for Children; Birmingham University; Bournemouth University. She also delivers projects and training independently with her Motivate the Mind Business in these areas. Emily’s a co-author of 14 books, a volunteer, disability sports coach and mentor with several services, communities and charities, empowering and inspiring long-lasting change, being a voice for the unheard and giving hope that even in the most darkest of journey’s and challenges that may be faced or the experiences we go through, we can rise, grow and become stronger. info@speakerscollective.org BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION Submit Thanks for your speaker request and we will be in touch soon.

Hi, I’m Samantha – aka The Period Princess. I’m a professional speaker, coach, and educator specialising in menstrual wellness and neurodiversity, and I’m a proud Autistic ADHDerHi, I’m Samantha – aka The Period Princess. I’m a professional speaker, coach, and educator specialising in menstrual wellness and neurodiversity, and I’m a proud Autistic ADHDer < Back Samantha Garstin Specialisms: Neurodivergence, Autism, ADHD, Hormones, Menstrual Wellness, PMDD, Perimenopause Hi, I’m Samantha – aka The Period Princess. I’m a professional speaker, coach, and educator specialising in menstrual wellness and neurodiversity, and I’m a proud Autistic ADHDer. I support women and people with periods to understand their cycle, energy, and nervous system – and I work with organisations and events that want to have more informed, human conversations about menstrual health at work and beyond. Diagnosed with autism and ADHD at 43, a lot suddenly made sense – including why I’d spent years advocating for better menstrual education and fairer systems (social justice has always been my thing). Hormones influence how we think, feel, and function far more than we’re taught, particularly for neurodivergent people. In 2020, learning how to work with my cyclical energy rather than against it was a turning point. What started as a personal coping strategy during autistic burnout became a way of understanding my energy and emotions that I could actually live with, and it quickly grew into a passion for helping others do the same. Now, as a certified Menstrual Wellness Educator, I offer talks, workshops, keynotes, panels, and training – both online and in person. Whether I’m speaking about menstrual wellness, neurodivergence, or the intersection between the two, my sessions are relatable, evidence-based, and educational, with a sprinkle of humour. They’re grounded in lived experience and packed with tangible takeaways people can actually use in their own lives. info@speakerscollective.org BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION Submit Thanks for your speaker request and we will be in touch soon.

Andy is a Principal Academic in Psychology at Bournemouth University, where his teaching and research focuses on mental health. Andy is a Principal Academic in Psychology at Bournemouth University, where his teaching and research focuses on mental health. < Back Dr Andrew Mayers Specialisms: Mental Health, Maternal Mental Health, Fathers’ Mental Health Andy is a Principal Academic in Psychology at Bournemouth University, where his teaching and research focuses on mental health. Andy is also a mental health campaigner and educator, with a particular expertise in perinatal mental health (for mothers and fathers). He is Patron for Dorset Mind and works with many other local and national charities. He also acts as a perinatal mental health advisor to organisations across the UK. Andy has spoken about mental health at many national conferences and has appeared frequently on local and national radio and television. His campaigns have taken him into UK Parliament to urge better support services for mother and fathers. He has worked in perinatal mental health for more than 17 years. In the last 5 years, that worked has extended beyond mothers to also include fathers. He jointly leads the UK element of International Fathers Mental Health Day. info@speakerscollective.org BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION Submit Thanks for your speaker request and we will be in touch soon.

David Gray-Hammond is a multiply neurodivergent author and professional from the South East of England. David Gray-Hammond is a multiply neurodivergent author and professional from the South East of England. < Back David Gray-Hammond Specialisms: Neurodiversity, neuroqueer theory, mental health, substance use, systemic oppression of neurodivergent people David Gray-Hammond is a multiply neurodivergent author and professional from the South East of England. He has been sober from drug and alcohol addiction for several years, and draws on his experience as a neurodivergent addict in recovery in much of his work. He is a founding member of the Autistic Substance Use Network, and is well known in the Autistic community for his neurodiversity content under the pseudonym "Emergent Divergence". He has extensive professional experience supporting the wellbeing of Autistic people, particularly those with complex mental health needs and those experiencing systemic discrimination. His academic work is largely focused on Autistic drug and alcohol use as well as neuroqueer theory and how it can inform our vision for a more inclusive future. He is a father who wants the world to be kinder to his children than it was to him. In his free time he enjoys playing the video game "Destiny 2" and watching Sci-Fi and horror films. info@speakerscollective.org BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION Submit Thanks for your speaker request and we will be in touch soon.

Speakers List

Katherine Baldwin is a mental health and wellbeing speaker, TEDx speaker, relationship expert and author Katherine Baldwin is a mental health and wellbeing speaker, TEDx speaker, relationship expert and author < Back Katherine Baldwin Specialisms: Mental Health, Wellbeing, Burnout, Eating Disorders, Addictions, Healthy Relationships, Self-Love, Overcoming Trauma to Thrive Katherine Baldwin is a mental health and wellbeing speaker, TEDx speaker, relationship expert and author who shares her own struggles with and recovery from burnout, breakdown, addictions and eating disorders to inspire and empower people to reach their full potential while staying happy, healthy and well, and to support organisations to reduce the burden of poor mental and physical health. A former foreign correspondent and news journalist for Reuters, Katherine hit rock bottom with an eating disorder, alcohol abuse, work addiction and burnout while travelling the world with British prime ministers and reporting from Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament. That experience taught her that peak performance without self-care comes at a huge personal and professional cost. Combining gripping personal testimony with tried and tested wellbeing tools and science-backed strategies, she motivates people to prioritise their mental and physical health before they hit the wall and burn out. Her talks promote honesty, vulnerability and self-care as the keys to a happier, healthier workforce, reduced absenteeism, higher performance, effective teamwork and greater resilience and creativity. Runner Up and Highly Commended at The Speaker Awards 2024 for Positive Impact, Katherine is trusted by global organisations to deliver impactful talks that normalise mental health conversations and break taboos and to offer effective tools and fact-based strategies to support people to make positive change. Past clients include Cisco, AVEVA and Sage. The author of ‘How to Fall in Love’, a guide to forming healthy relationships with oneself and others, Katherine also works as a trauma-informed relationship coach, supporting people to understand how their past sabotages their present and to break free from unhealthy patterns, in their personal and professional lives. Katherine shares from the heart and her vulnerability, authenticity and actionable insights on a broad range of mental health topics leave a lasting impact on her audiences. Besides speaking on burnout, addictions, imposter syndrome, stress and anxiety, Katherine also delivers talks on neurodiversity, having received an ADD diagnosis in her fifties, on creating psychological safety and on building diverse and inclusive workplaces. Katherine’s message also lands powerfully with young people, and she has a track record of delivering impactful talks to schools and universities. info@speakerscollective.org BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION Submit Thanks for your speaker request and we will be in touch soon.

Sarah is a freelance Kindness Cheerleader and Communications Specialist.Sarah is a freelance Kindness Cheerleader and Communications Specialist. < Back Sarah Browning Specialisms: Kindness, Hope, Wellbeing Sarah is a freelance Kindness Cheerleader and Communications Specialist. She believes in the power of kindness and inspires others to believe in it too. Sarah teaches people to notice kindness in the world around them. Because when you see kind, you feel better. And when you feel better, you perform better (whatever that means in your context). Sarah founded the Time for Kindness wellbeing programme in early 2021. She was inspired to do so after an afternoon of reflection while sitting on the bank of the River Thames near her home in Berkshire. That day she realised how important kindness is to her and how she believes there’s actually a lot of it around, we just don’t talk about it enough – yet. But when we do talk about it, we feel positive and hopeful about the world, something that we all need for our mental health and wellbeing. With a 20+ year career in communications she decided to help people benefit from the hope and positivity by telling stories of everyday kindness. She has since expanded the programme to include talks and workshops to combine: the inspiration and energy of sharing kindness stories with practical habits to make that hope and positivity part of people’s daily lives. Her communications background helps her to convey the messages of why kindness matters at an individual and collective level. So her talks are equally relevant for personal wellbeing and growth, and for improvements in business outcomes that stem from employee wellbeing and connection. When you see kind, you feel better. And when you feel better, you perform better. info@speakerscollective.org BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION Submit Thanks for your speaker request and we will be in touch soon.

Chris Frederick is a passionate mental health advocate and expert on Black suicide prevention.Chris Frederick is a passionate mental health advocate and expert on Black suicide prevention. < Back Chris Frederick Specialisms: Suicidal Ideation, Black Mental Health Chris Frederick is a passionate mental health advocate and expert on Black suicide prevention. Drawing from his own lived experience and nearly two decades spent across Asia, Chris brings a unique global perspective to his work. As the Principal Investigator for Project Soul Stride, Chris is committed to integrating personal narratives into transformative mental health practices. A dedicated speaker and writer, Chris connects with audiences on issues ranging from mental health equity to the power of community-driven solutions. Known for his compelling storytelling, Chris weaves in his love of Star Wars as 'The Mental Health Jedi,' making him a dynamic public speaker. info@speakerscollective.org BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION Submit Thanks for your speaker request and we will be in touch soon.

Dave James is a professional speaker, coach, and event host who brings honesty, humour, and presence to conversations about mental health and happiness.Dave James is a professional speaker, coach, and event host who brings honesty, humour, and presence to conversations about mental health and happiness. < Back Dave James Specialisms: Speaking honestly about men’s mental health, anger, happiness, and communication Dave James is a professional speaker, coach, and event host who brings honesty, humour, and presence to conversations about mental health and happiness. A former healthcare professional and TEDx speaker, Dave draws on his own lived experience of men’s mental health challenges - including his journey with anger - alongside his background in mindfulness, comedy, and coaching. Dave speaks openly about resilience, identity, and the pressures men face in today’s world. His sessions combine personal story with practical tools, helping audiences to: * Talk more openly about mental health and wellbeing * Understand and manage anger in healthy, constructive ways * Build resilience and self-awareness * Communicate with confidence and presence * Embrace authenticity in life and work Dave also coaches leaders, educators, and students in communication skills, using his own frameworks and his How to Be a Happy Human approach. This mix of lived experience and practical tools makes his talks both relatable and actionable. Known for his warmth and ability to connect deeply with audiences, Dave creates spaces where people feel safe to listen, reflect, and share. At the heart of what he does is creating a space to experience all life has to offer, and to talk openly about where we are, so that we can find happiness, build stronger connections, and create the changes we want to see. info@speakerscollective.org BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION Submit Thanks for your speaker request and we will be in touch soon.

Dee is a high performing Watch Manager in the UK Fire Service, dedicated to helping others and serving the community in a job she believes is an honour to hold. Dee is a high performing Watch Manager in the UK Fire Service, dedicated to helping others and serving the community in a job she believes is an honour to hold. < Back Dee Matthews Specialisms: Leadership, overcoming adversity, mental health, domestic violence Dee is a high performing Watch Manager in the UK Fire Service, dedicated to helping others and serving the community in a job she believes is an honour to hold. An early privileged life came to an abrupt halt when she got caught up in a military coup in Russia at age 15. The trauma and sexual violence she encountered had a devastating effect on her life leading to mental health struggles and eventually becoming homeless. Twenty years ago, she spent her nights cold and hungry stealing food from bins ...it would have been easier to give up, but she fought for a better life. Now she is a confident woman, a wife and a mother of 5 incredible children, with a house and a career she loves. A career which she views as a privilege to be there to help people at their most vulnerable, on their worst days … making decisions that contribute to saving lives. She has 15 years’ experience in the emergency services, receiving commendations whilst in the police force for her team’s actions when an officer was attacked in the line of duty and in the fire service for her actions in saving the life of a woman trapped in a fire. With compassion and cohesion as her main drivers, she leads her team with a passion for leadership and for encouraging development. When they can’t see their own potential she sees it for them, believes in them until they learn to believe in themselves. She works with dedication and commitment, recently achieving top place on the Watch Commander promotion process across Hampshire Fire Service and holds the highest scores ever achieved. In her spare time, she facilitates leadership and empowerment courses for the Fire Service and is studying through the Open University to get a degree and further her education. That girl terrified and alone, sleeping in the bushes in the local park has not just survived but is living an amazing life and making a difference every day. We cannot control what challenges life throws in our path but with faith and belief we can realise that we do not need to be a victim, that we are all warriors. After years of feeling ashamed of her past it is now her mission to share her story. With her characteristic warmth and openness, she aims to help others realise that the past may shape you but doesn’t have to define you …. We all have the potential to choose our own destiny. info@speakerscollective.org BOOK A SPEAKER OR GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFORMATION Submit Thanks for your speaker request and we will be in touch soon.