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About the event
Our opening session, hosted by Do-IT Solutions and Lexxic with Professor Amanda Kirby as chair, sets the stage for Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2026.
This event sets us up to start to move beyond awareness to advocate for equity and meaningful organisational change, examining the legal, economic, and human dimensions of neuroinclusion.
Panellists
Professor Amanda Kirby | Event Chair
Amanda is Founder and CEO of Do-IT Solutions, an internationally recognised tech-for-good company providing neurodiversity screening and web-based support tools across education, employment, justice and emergency services. A medical doctor and Emeritus Professor at the University of South Wales, she is also Honorary Professor at Cardiff University and Visiting Professor at Trinity College Dublin.
A qualified GP with a PhD in neurodiversity and emerging adulthood, Amanda has authored 10 books and over 100 research papers. An award-winning thought leader and government advisor, she combines professional expertise with lived experience to champion neurodivergent talent in society and the workplace.
Ben Branson
Ben Branson, Founder, Farmer & Inventor, spent 39 years not knowing his brain worked differently.
In that time, he pioneered the global non-alcoholic drinks movement with Seedlip, the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit, taking it from his kitchen to 35 countries, 30 US states & 7,500 of the best bars, restaurants & hotels in just 3.5 years. He continues to lead & shape how we drink with innovations including Sylva, the first distillery & maturation labs making aged non-alcoholic spirits.
Ben’s autism diagnosis in 2022 led to creating The Hidden 20% 🟢, an award-winning neurodiversity charity, podcast & 250k strong community on a mission to include every mind using media, research & advocacy.
Ben’s inspiring story charts the extremes of addiction, institutionalisation & abuse through to proof a different brain, properly understood, can change the world.
Polly Rowe
Polly is an accomplished senior leader with over a decade of experience across the charity and skills‑development sector, bringing a strong track record in communication, relationship building, and transformative programme delivery. Currently at the City & Guilds Foundation, she is dedicated to expanding opportunities for people facing barriers to skills and employment. The City & Guilds Foundation has partnered with DoIT Solutions over the last four years on their Neurodiversity Index.
Polly also serves as a Trustee for The Recruitment Junction, championing second chances and purposeful work for those with criminal convictions. Polly channels her passion for neurodiversity into creating a more inclusive world whilst navigating parenting a neurodivergent child.