Atif Choudhury, CEO of Calling All Minds, a leader dedicated to creating positive social change. Atif has extensive experience working on development projects across the UK, the Middle East, and Asia, and is a board member of Disability Rights UK. He co-founded Zaytoun CiC and Calling All Minds, organisations rooted in equity and inclusion, and currently advises global institutions such as the UN World Food Programme and the WHO Rapid Assistive Technologies Board. Drawing on both his professional expertise and personal lived experience, Atif brings a unique and powerful perspective on dismantling barriers, creating safe spaces, and embedding inclusive practices that benefit all.

Hazel Lim is an AuDHDer, autism specialist, community leader, and the Founder and Director of Chinese Autism CIC (CACIC), the UK’s first culturally specific autism organisation supporting Chinese-speaking communities. With over a decade of experience across community, training, and advisory settings both in the UK and internationally, her work sits at the intersection of neurodiversity, culture, language, and social justice.

Grounded in lived experience and academic training, Hazel champions neuro-affirming, strengths-based, and culturally responsive approaches that centre inclusion, intersectionality, and real-world impact. She is widely recognised for producing the UK’s first English–Chinese bilingual autism booklet and for leading work that empowers families while equipping professionals across the education, health, and community sectors to move beyond labels toward understanding.

Hazel is a member of the Welsh Government Neurodivergence Ministerial Advisory Group and a committee member for BBC Children in Need Wales. Her leadership and unwavering commitment have been nationally recognised, including the UK Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award, UK Chinese Woman of the Year, and multiple national honours for humanity, autism and inclusion.

Ria Lina is a Filipina comedian, actress and writer. She is the only Filipina comedian in British stand up and has a BSc in Experimental Pathology, an MSc in Forensic Science and a PhD in Virology under her belt, so it’s not only Ria’s comedy that’s highly intelligent. A regular pundit on Sky News, BBC News, Times Radio and TalkRadio, Ria is in demand for her scientific insight, confident delivery and biting wit.

Throughout her stand-up career Ria has taken five shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with her work tackling topics such as autism, topical news and racial identity. Her career stretches from stage and screen, to radio and the occasional ukulele – all in a unique style described by ‘The Scotsman’ as ‘fearless, provocative and very funny’.

A prolific writer, Ria has written for the Ladyboys of Bangkok ‘Fantasy & Feathers’ and ‘Glamorous Amorous’ tours, and wrote and acted in ITV2 comedy sketch show ‘Meet the Blogs’. She has also written and presented her own Channel 4 documentary that revealed the truth behind the myths that surround East Asian women in Britain.

Pete Wharmby is an autistic and ADHD speaker, writer, tutor and parent, who is working to improve autism acceptance in society by sharing insights and experiences of autism to the widest possible audience.

He has spoken at many conferences and events, often as the keynote speaker, on topics such as autism in education, the experience of autistic students and teachers, the importance of monotropism and special interests, ADHD and much more. Organisations he has worked with include The National Autistic Society, Uber, and Warner Bros TV UK. He is also an autistic parent to a (possibly – as yet undiagnosed) autistic child. He has written two books on the autistic experience – What I Want to Talk About (2022) and Untypical (2023).

Tumi Sotire, a British-born Nigerian with Dyspraxia, is the founder of The Black Dyspraxic, a platform dedicated to championing intersectionality within neurodiversity. A multi-award-winning advocate, Tumi has received the prestigious Mary Colley Award from the Dyspraxia Foundation and has been recognised as Dyspraxic Advocate of the Year by A2i. He is the author of the chapter “Race and Neurodiversity: Understanding Intersectionality and Privilege – My Story” in Reimagining Race in Psychology. Tumi is also an accredited Clean Language Coach and an associate with Genius Within, using coaching to empower neurodivergent individuals. Known for his advisory roles with organisations such as the Centre for Neurodiversity at Work and Neurodiversity in Business, he is a leading voice in driving inclusion and empowerment within neurodiverse communities.

Dr Venessa Swaby (h.c) is an award-winning autistic advocate, lived-experience speaker, author, content developer and community leader. Awarded an honorary doctorate in 2024, she is the Founder and Director of A2ndVoice CIC, a not-for-profit organisation specialising in family-focused autism support across the lifespan. Also breaking down barriers for under-represented and racialised communities. She is also the Founder of Autism Thrive Services Limited, delivering consultancy, training and advocacy.  Venessa is an Associate and Group Education Coordinator with Autism Central, led by the Anna Freud Centre and commissioned by NHS England.  She is a mother of three young adults, all with ADHD, two of whom are autistic, grounding her work firmly in lived experience.