Meet the training team

Felicity is a Programme Manager for Employ Autism. She manages a team to deliver information advice and guidance to autistic young people applying for a work experience placement. Felicity provides information and advice to employers to design their work experience placements, adapt their recruitment process and support employers throughout internships.

Felicity has wide-ranging expertise in project management, customer service and delivering presentations and training.

Find out more about Felicity by reading her one page profile.

Gil has worked for many years in HR and has got a special interest and experience in learning, training, and skills development.

He successfully designed and delivered the Face-to-Face Befriending training service at Scope UK, aimed at parents of disabled children in five East London boroughs who accessed the service for emotional support in coming to terms with their child's diagnosis. He also implemented Positive Action programmes at some London local authorities, bringing a diversity of approach in the recruitment and promotion of talents in some London local authorities as well as in the Fire Service.

Find out more about Gil by reading his one page profile.

Sophie’s background is in research and education, with a particular interest in increasing pupil and staff well-being in schools. Sophie has worked closely with autistic pupils in primary schools, helping to individualise education plans to cater to each learner, using her own experience as an autistic person to guide her practice. Prior to becoming a teacher, Sophie worked in research and analysis in both the academic and private sector. 

Sophie is responsible for the delivery of training products and consultancy services at Ambitious about Autism. She is passionate about raising the understanding of autism, particularly in education and work settings, in order to promote the strengths of autistic people of all ages. Sophie’s experience as a teacher of both neurodiverse and neurotypical children drives her to create a more inclusive world for all.  

Sophie spends her spare time volunteering as a rock-climbing coach to young people, walking in the mountains, visiting miniature and model railways or building her own. She also enjoys meditating, cooking and reading. 

Find out more about Sophie by reading her one page profile.

Cath’s background is in engineering and technical roles, and they have also worked on gender equality projects for women in science, engineering and technology.

Cath is an experienced autism and employment consultant and trainer and has worked with employers and employees nationwide as a specialist optimising autistic people’s strengths at work since 2014. Cath also speaks at conferences and events, and regularly contributes to articles and interviews to promote the recruitment, retention and progression of autistic people in the workplace. Cath was diagnosed autistic in 2015 and has an adult autistic child.

In their spare time, Cath enjoys advocacy and building peer support networks for adults to bring together autistic autism professionals, parents, jobseekers, creatives, artists and other professionals to address some of the shortfalls in the support available around diagnosis, accessing healthcare and services and generally living well as an autistic person. Cath is a passionate about their work, bringing communities together and bridging the gaps between parents, autistic adults and support professionals.

Find out more about Cath by reading their one page profile.

Jodi is an experienced specialist teacher who has taught a range of neurodiverse pupils in various specialised settings, both in school and the home. Jodi believes that everyone should have access to their full potential and works hard to identify routes to ensure this happens. This has led her to be involved in both planning and implementing pupil-centred curriculums. She has also collaboratively designed pupil profiles, support plans, and well-being strategies with autistic young people and parents. Jodi currently works as a part-time year 6 teacher in a school supporting pupils with moderate learning difficulties alongside her role as a Training Consultant at Ambitious about Autism.

In addition to teaching, Jodi has led summer camps for neurodiverse children in America. She also has an interest in academia and has begun to complete her masters in autism at the University of Birmingham. She is particularly passionate about supporting neurodiverse young people's self-advocacy and empowerment. This is something she has embedded into her own practice through enabling pupil voice and has seen the benefit from. She aims to support others in doing the same. 

Find out more about Jodi by reading her one page profile.

Justin has worked in the field of autism since 1993, starting at a school for autistic children before moving into providing employment support and advice, where he has continued to work ever since. He has worked for a variety of disability organisations and has many years experience of delivering training, advice and guidance to employers and autistic job seekers on all aspects of autism awareness, recruitment, and adjustments in the workplace.

Justin has a wealth of experience in understanding the skills and attributes that autistic people can bring to the workplace.

Find out more about Justin by reading his one page profile.