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About the event
The transition from school to post-secondary education can be challenging experience for just about anyone! Not only does it present a completely new environment, but there are lots of new people to meet and routines to adjust to.
So how can neurodivergent students, parents, educators and college professionals make this transition a success?
Join us for an exciting panel discussion where we will explore:
Students personal experiences of navigating the educational system
Positive examples of adjustments to assessments and coursework
Our advice for academic staff to create a supportive environment
Common pathways to providing adjustments and support
Establishing channels in institutions so that neurodivergent students can have a voice in various aspects of college life
We hope that this panel will foster a deeper understanding of the unique needs and contributions of neurodivergent students and inspire further action towards creating a more inclusive and equitable system.
Please note that our events are not being recorded, to encourage our participants to speak openly about their personal stories and experiences.
Pete Quinn | Event Chair
Founder & Consultant Pete Quinn Consulting Ltd, College Fellow at Derwent College University of York and Guest Lecturer Education University of Hong Kong.
Pete founded this Consultancy following a career spanning nearly 20 years in student support, as a specialist in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and Neurodiversity at the Universities of Oxford Brookes, Oxford and York.
Since 2016 Pete has undertaken projects with Durham University (whole institution Health & Well-being Strategy and current Disability Service benchmarking project), Middlesex University (Inclusive Curriculum Framework Development), HESA (Wellbeing Strategy), Greenwich (Student Wellbeing and Support Services review) and University of Edinburgh (Disability Services review ).
Current projects include with the University of Bristol Neurodiversity Staff Network and a Research Project with a University of Oxford Doctoral Training Centre focussing on the experience of disabled and neurodiverse doctoral students in the Life Sciences
Carole Jean Whittington
CEO, Burnout Restoration Strategist, Mind Your Autistic Brain
Carole Jean Whittington is the Founder of Mind Your Autistic Brain. Her company is one of the largest and only 100% Autistic ADHD owned and staffed Accessibility and Neurodiversity consulting firms in the world.
Carole Jean uses her unique solutions The UnVeiling Method and The Neurodiverse Communication Ecosystem to help companies, teams and individuals, with minds of all kinds, authentically connect and thrive.
Jennifer Butler Williams
Service Delivery Manager – NW PA One Stop, Equus Workforce Solutions
Jennifer has been working with individuals to help them pursue meaningful career paths over the past 16 years, beginning in higher education and presently in labor and industry. She specializes in building communication skills and change management. Jennifer is pursuing a post master’s certificate in psychology from Northcentral University.
Her family includes a spouse, three younger humans, two cats and a dog who all support her unconditionally. She serves on the Autism Society Board of Directors in Northwestern Pennsylvania and is an advocate in the national workforce industry to educate on the benefits of neurodiversity in the workplace.
Sara Rankin
Professor at Imperial College London
Professor Sara Rankin FRSB has a first-class hons degree and PhD in Pharmacology from Kings College London. Having undertaken postdoctoral work at UCSD and CRUK she joined Imperial College London in 1995 where she is now Professor of Leukocyte and Stem Cell Biology. She is currently working in the field of Regenerative Pharmacology.
Throughout her Scientific career she has been committed to societal engagement that promote diversity and inclusion in science. She has won awards for Leadership, Collaboration and Innovation in Societal Engagement and has worked collaboratively on projects ranging from science pop-up shops, to the first National Black Graduates Career Conference.
Prof Rankin is dyslexic and dyspraxic and her most recent project “2eMPower” seeks to make STEM accessible for students with learning disabilities throughout their education.
She was featured by Royal Society in an on-line feature “celebrating scientists with disabilities”
Amelia McLoughlan
Network Director of Disabled Students UK
Amelia has extensive experience leading disabled students and in representation which spans volunteer, elected and staff support roles. She has pursued disability advocacy, activism, and training design while maintaining a solutions-led approach. She currently works in the policy space across both the education and higher education sectors, alongside her DSUK portfolio. Amelia holds qualifications in Anthropology and Paleopathology, with a special interest in the intersectional nature of disability and its relationship to society throughout time.