Neurodivergent Star of the Year

Lee Chambers is an award-winning Black, Autistic psychologist, radio host, & entrepreneur. He is a leading voice on disability, male allyship & race in the workplace. In 2014 an illness left Lee unable to walk. After regaining his mobility, he used this pivotal experience as inspiration to launch Essentialise, an innovative wellbeing & inclusion agency. His nominator said “Lee’s authenticity is contagious. Uplifting, inspiring & empowering others to learn, align & collaborate is his true ikagi.”

Kit Taylor is a disabled journalist who is focused on injustice & telling the stories of those whose voices often go unheard. Whether that’s through their roles in journalism or charity PR, or their lobbying for better representation on & off screen. Kit is also one of the youngest members on the BBC Children in Need advisory board. They work with national news outlets on stories about disability & inclusion, ensuring that disabled voices are included in a way that isn’t patronising or othering.

Atif Choudhury is a dyslexic social entrepreneur with a background in economic justice & disability inclusion. He is the Co-founder & CEO of Diversity & Ability, & Zaytoun CiC, the world’s first Fairtrade Palestinian olive oil cooperative. He is an adviser to the WHO rapid assistive technologies board & is a trustee for Disability Rights UK. He is described as “a warm, caring & kind man. Welcoming, inclusive & thoughtful. Quick to share the limelight that being a leader can bring. Generous with his team & open to his community.”

Gavin Higgins. Described as ‘boldly imaginative& a ‘a talent to watch’ Gavin is one of the most exciting talents of his generation. He has become one of the country’s leading composers despite facing economic & health barriers. At 8 he started to develop painful facial tics & was diagnosed with TS & OCD. Gavin realised that when he played music his tics & obsessive thoughts would abate; so he began to use music as therapy. He is a passionate advocate for making music accessible for all & has recently made a documentary with Radio 3.

Dr Shae Wissell is a dyslexic & dysgraphic, researcher, advocate, entrepreneur & podcast host. She is Director of social enterprise re:think dyslexia & the Founder/ Chair of the Dear Dyslexic Foundation. She is also a practicing Speech pathologist with a Doctorate in Public Health. Her research focuses on the lived experiences of adults with dyslexia in Australia, highlighting social inequalities in healthcare, education, employment, relationships, & well-being.