nEURODIVERSE VOICES CONNECT

Saleh elmasri

Business and Community Partnerships Representative

Saleh Elmasri is the founder and director of Opera Cafe and brings extensive experience in business development, operational leadership and strategic growth across both finance and hospitality sectors. Throughout his career, he has focused on building inclusive, people-centred environments and believes that diverse perspectives are essential to innovation and success.

Alongside his entrepreneurial work, Saleh is passionate about creating greater opportunities for neurodivergent individuals within business and employment settings. As an Advisory Board member for Neurodiverse Voices Connect CIC, he offers strategic insight and guidance to help organisations reduce barriers, strengthen inclusive practices and recognise the value and strengths that neurodivergent people bring to workplaces and communities.

JIEDI LEI

Clinical Psychologist and Research Representative

Dr. Jiedi Lei is a clinical psychologist and Paul Foundation Research Fellow at the Centre for Emerging Minds Research, University of Oxford. Jiedi’s work centres around centring the voices of autistic and neurodivergent children and young people and their families to support wellbeing and enhance quality of life.

Her research focuses on adopting Positive Psychology approaches to understand how personal strengths can support resilience and enhance wellbeing in young people, and supporting the care system around autistic and neurodivergent young people to adopt strengths-based approaches. Jiedi is also interested in understanding mechanisms of change to better adapt mental health interventions, improving quality of care for autistic and neurodivergent young people.

ALEX RICHARDSON

Autism Advocate and Lived Experience Representative

Alex Richardson is an autistic adult in his late 20s who is passionate about promoting autism through a positive and strengths-based lens. Having received strong support from family and friends throughout his life, Alex understands both the challenges neurodivergent individuals can face and the importance of acceptance, understanding and community.

Alex is proud to be autistic and uses his lived experience to raise awareness and challenge misconceptions around autism. Through social media and media appearances, he openly shares his journey in the hope of encouraging greater inclusion and understanding for autistic people.

Alongside his advocacy work, Alex is employed, enjoys keeping active through running and going to the gym, and has a love for music festivals and theme parks. As an Advisory Board member, he brings valuable lived experience insight, positivity and a strong voice for autistic adults and young people.

LEANDRA HAMBLIN

Neurodivergent Advocate and Parent Representative

Leandra Hamblin is a passionate neurodivergent advocate with lived experience of ADHD and as a parent of autistic and ADHD children. She brings both personal and family perspectives and through her work at SENtipede, a project she founded, she has a deep understanding of the challenges, strengths and day-to-day realities experienced by neurodivergent children and their families.

Leandra is committed to promoting greater awareness, acceptance and inclusion for neurodivergent communities. She believes in recognising and celebrating individual differences while also advocating for better understanding and support across education, healthcare and wider society.

kerri dempster

Research Inclusion and Lived Experience Representative

Kerri Dempster is passionate about making research more inclusive, accessible and representative of diverse communities. Through her work, she engages with a wide range of communities to help ensure the voices of patients, the public, parents and carers are heard when shaping health and social care research, services and decision-making.

As a neurodivergent person with lived experience of dyspraxia, Kerri brings valuable insight into the challenges and barriers people can face when accessing support and receiving diagnoses, while also recognising and championing the strengths that neurodivergent individuals bring. Her work focuses on helping ensure that research, treatments and diagnostic approaches are meaningful, inclusive and effective for everyone.

denise chung

Education and Wellbeing Representative

Denise Chung brings over 15 years of experience supporting neurodivergent children, young people and adults across both community and mainstream educational settings. Passionate about inclusion, wellbeing and nurturing individual strengths, Denise is committed to creating safe, supportive and understanding environments where every person feels valued and able to thrive.

Her experience includes working as a teaching assistant, 1:1 support worker, mental health and wellbeing first aider, and neurodiverse classroom lead within a mainstream primary school setting. Denise has supported the development and delivery of tailored approaches to learning and communication, including Attention Autism, Makaton, Widgit communication aids and relationship-based support approaches designed around individual pupil needs.

Known for her warmth, kindness and positive outlook, Denise believes strongly in recognising the strengths in every individual and meeting people with patience, compassion and understanding. As an Advisory Board member, she brings valuable frontline insight from education, wellbeing and community support to help shape inclusive and supportive initiatives for neurodivergent families.

alex lau-zhu

Clinical Psychologist and Research Representative

Dr Alex Lau-Zhu is a Clinical Psychologist and academic researcher leading the Reimagine Lab as part of the Oxford Centre for Emerging Minds Research at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on improving psychological interventions for young people through approaches that are informed by both trauma and neurodiversity.

Alongside his academic work, Alex works clinically within a specialist trauma team in CAMHS at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, supporting children and young people with complex mental health needs. He has over a decade of experience working within the field of neurodiversity across both research and clinical practice.

Alex is passionate about bridging the gap between research, clinical services and lived experience to help create more compassionate, accessible and effective support for neurodivergent young people and families. As an Advisory Board member, he brings valuable expertise in mental health, trauma-informed practice and neurodiversity research.

kay louise aldred

Education, Faith and Community Representative

Kay Louise Aldred has worked in education, pastoral care, and leadership since 1996, holding a First-Class BA (Hons) in Theology from Durham University and a PGCE. She spent 20 years in senior roles in secondary education before moving into consultancy and development work.

She has completed postgraduate study in counselling and theology, alongside extensive training in wellbeing, somatic practice, and coaching, and is a published author and editor.

Kay specialises in relational, human-centred approaches across neurodiversity, bodymind diversity, and EDIB, grounded in trauma- and nervous system-informed practice.

Kay is multiply Neurodivergent and as an Associate at Neurodiverse Connection Ltd, she works across sectors to deliver strategy, training, and resources that improve outcomes for Neurodivergent communities, informed by both research and lived experience.