Governance

Neil had a highly successful 40 year career in the Leisure and Hospitality industry. Since 2014 he has followed a portfolio career focussed on his keen interest in promoting Social Justice through equal opportunities in Health, Housing and Education. He is Chair of Clarion Housing, the UK's largest Housing Association, Chair at Nottingham Trent University and Chair of the Finance Committee at healthcare charity Sue Ryder, in addition to his work with Ambitious about Autism.

Bob is a partner at global law firm DLA Piper, having chaired the firm’s international corporate practice from 2015 to 2022. He has lived experience of autism and has been actively engaged in various aspects of the work of Ambitious about Autism for a number of years.

Michael is a solicitor and Senior Legal Counsel at TalkTalk. Before this Michael spent over 10 years in national and international private practice advising businesses on a wide variety of matters, giving him a wide breadth of experience to draw upon. Michael was Vice-Chair of his local primary school board of governors. As a parent of a child of Autism Michael understands the challenges that still exist in seeing that all children have access to the opportunities they need to learn and thrive. When he has a free moment he is either lost in a good book or out trail running (slowly).

Joanna was part of the initial proposer group for The Rise School. Joanna is a corporate lawyer and is also a Trustee of The Foundation Years Trust. She is also involved in various outreach projects in East London.

Andy has spent his working life in education and training. He completed his teacher training at Manchester University and began his career as a secondary school English teacher, before moving into further education by joining Manchester College. His first senior management role was as Director of Widening Participation at Oldham College and he went on to be Vice Principal of Blackpool and the Fylde College.  

He has since served as Principal of four colleges: Hertford Regional College, the College of Haringey Enfield and North East London (CONEL), City and Islington College, and most recently City of Bristol College.  

As Principal of CONEL he was involved in the partnership which established the first Ambitious College campus. He is a UCAS Trustee and Chair of the Board of UCAS Media Limited. Andy has a degree in English from Cambridge University, and a PGCE and Diploma in Management Sciences from the University of Manchester. 

Mary has been retired for over seven years from the role of Principal at St. Joseph’s Specialist Trust, a residential special school and college with 52-week residential provision and three lifelong supported living houses, for children, young people and adults with communication difficulties and autism. She was a trustee of St. John’s School and College for the last three years and now begins her second term as LA governor at Woodlands School in Leatherhead.

For over 20 years, Mary also worked several times each year for the National Autistic Society helping accredit schools on their practices related to autism. Mary completed a Masters in Educational Management and later worked for six years, part-time, on a PhD that was incomplete due to the time allowed expiring. Mary was also awarded a Farmington Millenium Award from Harris Manchester College, Oxford. These three awards all worked towards a single project which involved walking meditation and its benefits for young people on the autistic spectrum, in particular using the Chartres Labyrinth, which she laid out at St. Joseph’s and to this day still exists for students and staff to access. During this time Mary presented a number of papers and workshops most notably in Haifa, Israel at a Spirituality and the Whole Child Conference.

Eduardo is a senior partner at DPI LLP a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on Africa which currently manages private equity funds totalling some $1.9 billion. Eduardo has been in the private equity industry for over 25 years, and he has extensive experience as a director on boards of directors, and their sub-committees, including those of publicly listed companies. 

Eduardo is a chartered accountant and trained at KPMG in South Africa. He holds a BSc (Med) (Hons) (Medical Biochemistry) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting, both from the University of Cape Town.  

Eduardo has four children one of whom is autistic and has learning difficulties.

Helen has been a Trustee of Ambitious about Autism for just over a year. She is currently a Senior Civil Servant in the Department of Health and Social Care. Prior to that she worked in the Cabinet Office Covid Task Force. Helen was diagnosed autistic five years ago.

“I thought then that being autistic was a total barrier to career progression as I couldn’t see any openly autistic senior civil servants. Recent national crises have given me progression opportunities so now I’m attempting to be the open autistic role model I lacked myself. I do that by being an active campaigner in the public sector for more understanding of autism and acceptance of autistic colleagues.”  

Helen’s aim is that all civil servants should know that they are almost certain to have autistic colleagues, and that all autistic civil servants should feel confident being themselves at work.

Laura has 18 years of experience in education. She is the Team Around the School Manager for Surrey County Council. The Team works closely with schools, Council services, Health services, the Mental Health Alliance and the voluntary sector to ensure that the additional needs of children and young people are met at the earliest opportunity.

Laura has an autistic son who attends The Rise School. She has direct experience of the barriers children, young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their families encounter with accessing services. She is passionate and motivated to bring about positive change. As a parent, she is invested in removing barriers, promoting inclusion and being a champion for children and young people.

Ana is a partner at Maples Teesdale, and has over 20 years experience in commercial real estate law. She is also Head of ESG, and Co-Head of EDI at her firm. Ana is passionate about greater diversity in the commercial and legal spheres, with a particular focus on gender, socio-economic factors, and neurodiversity. Ana is a member of BE:News, ESG Editorial Advisory Board, and a committee member of Real Estate Women. She is recognised as a leading individual in ESG in the Legal500 Green Guide and, because of her EDI work, was named as one of the "Women Changing the Face of Real Estate - Power Women 2023" in Bisnow's prestigious annual list.

Ana has lived experience of autistic young people and the particular challenges they and their carers face in securing high quality education, career and post-educational opportunities. Through her work and her personal experiences, Ana had been a supporter of Ambitious about Autism for a number of years, and was delighted to have the opportunity to become involved in the charity.

Mark is Director of Finance and Administration at the Barrow Cadbury Trust, a charitable foundation committed to bringing about socially just change. He is a chartered accountant with over 35 years of experience in the charity sector, including a number of years working in overseas development and disability. He is the parent of a young adult with autism and has been involved with several local organisations working directly with young people with social and communication difficulties including autism.

Angela was born in a mining town in Nottinghamshire and was only the second person in her family to go to University; studying American and English Literature at the University of East Anglia. After graduating, Angela taught English to Italian students for the Summer and then spent several fun and frivolous years selling fine Havana cigars on Old Bond Street, Angela moved into the world of HR, initially in Retail before moving to Ofsted, where she eventually became Head of Employment Relations and Policy.

In 2007, Angela moved to Mencap, one of the UK’s largest charities, to take up a Head of HR role.  Angela has several family members who live with learning disability and autism and Mencap provided both a great role and the chance to make a positive impact for the 1.5m people living with a learning disability in the UK.

In 2013, Angela was appointed the Exec People Director role at Mencap. After 13 years at Mencap, Angela joined Citizens Advice as their Executive Director of People in November 2021.

Angela is mum to Maxwell, 11, aspiring astronaut,who is autistic. Angela is hugely excited to have joined Ambitious About Autism School Trust Board which has such a profound impact on the young people and children it serves directly, alongside leading systemic change in the fight to champion rights, campaign for change and create opportunities for autistic children and young people.