Diversity, Inclusion and Equality Speakers
Ashley John-Baptiste
An RTS-nominated BBC broadcast journalist, Digital Senior Reporter for BBC News and inspirational Speaker, Ashley has an extraordinary story of overcoming a troubled childhood to study at Cambridge, one of the world’s best universities. Ashley was taken into care at the age of two and moved between foster families and children’s homes. Ashley tells the story of his disjointed upbringing, the importance of never giving up in the face of adversity and overcoming discrimination, in an uplifting, inspirational and often humorous way.
Charlie Martin
Charlie is an inspirational and thought provoking speaker with a unique story. The first transgender professional racing driver in a predominantly male dominated sport, Charlie is a pioneer of transgender and LGBTQ+ inclusivity in sport.
Hayley Barnard
Hayley Barnard is a respected thought leader in organisational equity, diversity and inclusive leadership. Working with some of the best known brands in the world, she has shaped their strategic approach to diversity and inclusion and built inclusive leadership capabilities. Her aim is to support them to leverage the power that improved diversity and inclusion can have on their people (especially engagement and retention), their customers and ultimately their bottom line.
Helen Frewin
A Business Psychologist, Executive Coach and Speaker, Helen believes that people achieve amazing things at their best, thriving, feeling confident and having the necessary skills. Helen delivers keynote, motivational speeches and executive coaching on topics such as Diversity and Inclusion, Leadership, High Performing Teams and Resilience.
Jodie Hill
Jodie Hill, a qualified barrister and solicitor, is the founder of Thrive Law, the first UK law firm that prioritizes wellbeing, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Jodie has won numerous awards for her innovative approach to law, co-founded The Case Law Portal, and is a law lecturer, a Law Care Champion, and the Chair of This is Me Yorkshire.
Jodie is a passionate advocate for mental health and diversity and inclusion, campaigning for Mental Health First Aiders to be mandatory in all workplaces. She regularly appears on national and regional media as an expert on employment law, mental health, discrimination, and EDI matters.
Joze Piranian
Joze Piranian is a lifelong stutterer turned Forbes featured Global TEDx Speaker on Inclusion and Resilience. Joze avoided speaking for more than 25 years out of the fear of being judged for being different. Joze has now delivered hundreds of stand-up comedy and speaking engagements about Inclusion and Resilience at leading corporations around the world including Tesla, Dell and Diageo.
Kate Richardson-Walsh
Kate is the most capped female hockey player in her country’s history and was captain of GB women’s hockey teams for 13 years. An inspirational and charismatic leader, she has been widely credited for helping build the incredible team ethos and commitment that drove the GB team to a nail-biting victory at the Rio Olympic Games. In winning gold Kate also made history in other ways, becoming one half of the first same sex married couple to win an Olympic medal playing in the same team. A popular Speaker for Pride month and International Women’s Day, Kate speaks about Teamwork, Cohesion, Identity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Katie Neeves
Katie Neeves is a transgender speaker who helps organisations with diversity and inclusion by providing trans awareness training and inspirational speaking in an entertaining way, using humour to break down barriers.
Matt Ellison
Matt Ellison is a highly sought-after, entertaining and thought-provoking transgender speaker. His life experience as a trans man continues to fascinate and inspire audiences of all kinds in both private and public sectors across the U.K. and internationally. His insights on transformation and change, as someone who has made such a huge and fundamental change himself, apply to everyone in all areas of professional and personal life. Matt tells his incredible story with messages around discrimination, resilience, change, LGBT, diversity and inclusion.
Nicolas Hamilton
Born with Cerebral Palsy, Nicolas was initially a wheelchair user. He endured years of gruelling, painful training so that by the age of 17 he could walk completely unaided. A huge achievement in itself, but this was just the first part of his unwavering determination to become a professional racing driver. Nicolas has established himself as a potential future champion, an achievement in any context, but even more so for someone who was told as a child that he would never walk. Nicolas shares his inspirational story and his belief that your ambition is limited only by your attitude. Nicolas’ speaking topics include: Achieving against all odds, Overcoming adversity, Motivation, Teamwork.
Preethi Nair
Preethi Nair, author of Gypsy Masala, is a keynote speaker, writer and entrepreneur whose incredible story motivates audiences all over the world. Social entrepreneur Preethi pioneered a global business from her bedroom and now inspires and empowers audiences on the ability of overcoming obstacles, diversity, story telling and the art of possibility.
Russell Thackeray
Dr Russell Thackeray is an expert at helping organisations to get the best out of their employees. As a business psychologist, certified coach, trainer and renowned speaker, Russell speaks about building a Transgender life and addresses how the personal costs and the sacrifices within this community can help all of us become more empathic, confident, resilient and accepting.
Shaka Hislop
Footballing legend, commentator and analyst for ESPN, Shaka Hislop is a social entrepreneur and speaker on Racism, Diversity and Inclusion. Shaka, started his professional footballing career in 1992 when he made over 466 first-team appearances over a 15-year period. A graduate of Howard University, Shaka is a founding member, patron and Honorary President of anti-racism organization ‘Show Racism the Red Card’, the UK’s leading anti-racism educational charity, Shaka helped to establish the organisation 25 years ago after being the victim of racist abuse whilst out with his wife in Newcastle.
Tim Campbell
A passionate and recognised advocate of inclusion, Tim is a successful businessman and entrepreneur who was awarded an MBE in 2012 for his services to Enterprise Culture. With a focus on, Education, Apprenticeships and Empowerment, Tim is an accomplished and professional motivational business speaker.