Our Mission
We believe in creating a world designed with neurodiversity in mind.
Our work is driven by our passion for equity. Having both come to understand our neurodivergence only in adulthood, we each grew up without the awareness, inclusion and tools that are so vital for positive development. We understand personally the disadvantages faced by so many in society when appropriate supports are not provided.
We both entered our advocacy work out of a place of need, having faced exclusion in education, workplaces, and cultural spaces due to our neurotypes. Our individual backgrounds are varied within the neuro-inclusion world – Connor's career focussed on user experience and marketing, while Lydia comes from a corporate HR background – meaning we have the combined personal and professional insights to share best practice across a range of industries, re-contextualising for greatest impact.
We're motivated to promote change that benefits all, knowing that creating equitable access for neurodivergent people has a positive impact for everyone. We believe that by supporting organisations to identify areas of need, implement solutions, and innovate inclusion, we can see progression towards a world where everyone can participate in, contribute to, and enjoy all aspects of society.
Our work is driven by our passion for equity. Having both come to understand our neurodivergence only in adulthood, we each grew up without the awareness, inclusion and tools that are so vital for positive development. We understand personally the disadvantages faced by so many in society when appropriate supports are not provided.
We both entered our advocacy work out of a place of need, having faced exclusion in education, workplaces, and cultural spaces due to our neurotypes. Our individual backgrounds are varied within the neuro-inclusion world – Connor's career focussed on user experience and marketing, while Lydia comes from a corporate HR background – meaning we have the combined personal and professional insights to share best practice across a range of industries, re-contextualising for greatest impact.
We're motivated to promote change that benefits all, knowing that creating equitable access for neurodivergent people has a positive impact for everyone. We believe that by supporting organisations to identify areas of need, implement solutions, and innovate inclusion, we can see progression towards a world where everyone can participate in, contribute to, and enjoy all aspects of society.
Our Values
Driving Meaningful ImpactHelping build a neuro-inclusive world by driving meaningful impact for organisations across our core industries
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Centring Lived ExperiencePutting neurodivergent people front & centre, amplifying marginalised voices, and fairly valuing and compensating all contributions
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Playing to Our StrengthsWorking where we know we can make a difference by playing to our strengths and utilising our platforms to create change
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Connor Ward
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Connor’s work in neurodiversity began through public speaking and sharing his lived experience of neurodivergence online, with the aim of helping people better understand the experiences of the autistic individuals around them. What began as a personal effort to increase empathy quickly grew into a thriving online community, where Connor found himself regularly engaging with thousands of neurodivergent people and their supporters.
Through these conversations, combined with his volunteering with the National Autistic Society and his studies in design, equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I), and neurology, Connor developed a well-rounded understanding of neurodivergent experience from both lived and professional perspectives |
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Building on this foundation, Connor moved into training and consultancy. His training work focuses on guiding organisations from limited or outdated understandings of neurodivergence towards a modern, practical and human-centred perspective. Alongside this, Connor is particularly passionate about developing new approaches that help organisations better understand neurodivergent experiences and embed accessibility into the way they design products, services, and workplaces.
Rather than retrofitting accessibility into existing systems, Connor advocates for designing things properly from the start. If something does not work for neurodivergent people, he believes it likely was not working as well as it could for anyone.
Career Highlights
- Connor sat on the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training Steering Group for NHS England, helping shape the national mandatory training programme on autism and learning disability for health and social care professionals, reaching approximately one million learners.
- Since 2018, Connor has worked closely with the Autism and ADHD Show, curating stages focused on lived experience speakers. Over the years, he has coached hundreds of neurodivergent speakers to develop their confidence and communication skills, while also broadening representation within the speaking community. He also shares his own insights with thousands of attendees annually.
- From 2020 to 2025, Connor consulted with Brain in Hand, where he helped develop their co-production approach to building their coaching platform. This work contributed to the organisation winning a Burberry British Diversity Award in 2023, and Connor also received his first collaborator credit on a published research paper through the project. He also supported them to win £3.6m in grants to continue the work of supporting neurodivergent people.
- Connor regularly contributes to national and international media, using his expertise to help audiences better understand neurodivergence and lived experience. He has appeared across television and radio, including segments with BBC, ITV News, Channel 4, Sky News, and Al Jazeera.
- Connor currently serves as an Access & Inclusion Champion for UK Parliament. In 2025, he was invited to give evidence to the House of Lords select committee reviewing the Autism Act to help transform future policy.
Rather than retrofitting accessibility into existing systems, Connor advocates for designing things properly from the start. If something does not work for neurodivergent people, he believes it likely was not working as well as it could for anyone.
Career Highlights
- Connor sat on the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training Steering Group for NHS England, helping shape the national mandatory training programme on autism and learning disability for health and social care professionals, reaching approximately one million learners.
- Since 2018, Connor has worked closely with the Autism and ADHD Show, curating stages focused on lived experience speakers. Over the years, he has coached hundreds of neurodivergent speakers to develop their confidence and communication skills, while also broadening representation within the speaking community. He also shares his own insights with thousands of attendees annually.
- From 2020 to 2025, Connor consulted with Brain in Hand, where he helped develop their co-production approach to building their coaching platform. This work contributed to the organisation winning a Burberry British Diversity Award in 2023, and Connor also received his first collaborator credit on a published research paper through the project. He also supported them to win £3.6m in grants to continue the work of supporting neurodivergent people.
- Connor regularly contributes to national and international media, using his expertise to help audiences better understand neurodivergence and lived experience. He has appeared across television and radio, including segments with BBC, ITV News, Channel 4, Sky News, and Al Jazeera.
- Connor currently serves as an Access & Inclusion Champion for UK Parliament. In 2025, he was invited to give evidence to the House of Lords select committee reviewing the Autism Act to help transform future policy.
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Lydia HarrisLydia Harris is an award-winning Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Specialist and neuroinclusion consultant, recognised for her impactful work advancing accessibility and equity for neurodivergent individuals across the workplace and wider society. With a strong blend of strategic leadership, technical expertise, and lived experience, Lydia has become a trusted voice in shaping inclusive environments that enable people to thrive.
Lydia served for 5 years as a DE&I Specialist within a global accountancy firm, where she led the design and delivery of the organisation’s entire neurodiversity agenda. As the sole DE&I practitioner, she built the company’s Neurodiversity Network, authored its Neurodiversity Policy, and developed a comprehensive neurodiversity strategy from the ground up—embedding inclusive practices across a workforce of over 2,000 employees. Her work directly supported employees through tailored coaching and guidance, while also influencing senior leadership and HR functions to adopt more inclusive, evidence-based approaches. |
Her expertise is further strengthened by her strong analytical capability, leading on organisational DE&I data collection, survey design, and reporting to drive measurable change and accountability. Her work consistently translates complex concepts into accessible, actionable insights for diverse audiences.
Career Highlights
- From 2022 to 2025, Lydia volunteered with the National Autistic Society as a Young Ambassador, supporting national campaigns, media engagement, and content development. She has since continued to collaborate with the NAS as a volunteer and freelance contributor.
- Lydia is qualified as a Neurodiversity Workplace Needs Assessor (Level 4), and has completed over 25 Workplace Needs Assessments, providing practical, person-centred recommendations that enable neurodivergent individuals to perform at their best
- Lydia currently serves as an Access & Inclusion Champion for UK Parliament. In 2025, she was invited to give evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee reviewing the Autism Act, where she contributed her expertise to national discussions on improving outcomes for autistic people.
- Lydia's has received formal recognition for the impact of her neuro-inclusion work at Cooper Parry through accolades including a High Commendation from the Business Disability Forum’s Disability Smart D&I Professional Award and special recognition awards in inclusion for Cooper Parry from the Inspiring Workplaces Awards.
- Lydia is an experienced speaker and trainer, having contributed to podcasts and panel discussions by the ICAEW, spoken at the Autism & ADHD Show since 2023, and designed and delivered in-house training for small-group workshops, large-scale organisational sessions, and e-learning programmes at Cooper Parry.
- In 2025, Lydia joined Connor in working for the Autism & ADHD Show, co-ordinating the lived experience speaker stages. Her analytical and logistical capabilities enabled her to streamline processes and enhance the existing accessibility for neurodivergent speakers.
Career Highlights
- From 2022 to 2025, Lydia volunteered with the National Autistic Society as a Young Ambassador, supporting national campaigns, media engagement, and content development. She has since continued to collaborate with the NAS as a volunteer and freelance contributor.
- Lydia is qualified as a Neurodiversity Workplace Needs Assessor (Level 4), and has completed over 25 Workplace Needs Assessments, providing practical, person-centred recommendations that enable neurodivergent individuals to perform at their best
- Lydia currently serves as an Access & Inclusion Champion for UK Parliament. In 2025, she was invited to give evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee reviewing the Autism Act, where she contributed her expertise to national discussions on improving outcomes for autistic people.
- Lydia's has received formal recognition for the impact of her neuro-inclusion work at Cooper Parry through accolades including a High Commendation from the Business Disability Forum’s Disability Smart D&I Professional Award and special recognition awards in inclusion for Cooper Parry from the Inspiring Workplaces Awards.
- Lydia is an experienced speaker and trainer, having contributed to podcasts and panel discussions by the ICAEW, spoken at the Autism & ADHD Show since 2023, and designed and delivered in-house training for small-group workshops, large-scale organisational sessions, and e-learning programmes at Cooper Parry.
- In 2025, Lydia joined Connor in working for the Autism & ADHD Show, co-ordinating the lived experience speaker stages. Her analytical and logistical capabilities enabled her to streamline processes and enhance the existing accessibility for neurodivergent speakers.