Advocacy has always been woven into the way I lead and the way I live. Whether in social care or disability inclusion, I believe in speaking when it matters, using lived experience to inform decisions, and contributing to conversations that can shape better outcomes for others.
Social Care Advocacy
Much of my advocacy work sits within the social care sector, where I use practical, frontline experience to challenge assumptions and influence decision-making.
I serve as a Non-Executive Board Director for the Kent Integrated Care Alliance (KICA), representing care providers across Kent. My role spans the full breadth of social care: residential and nursing homes, domiciliary care, supported living, mental health services and policy-level discussions.
Through this work I contribute insight on workforce pressures, training, funding challenges and operational issues that affect providers and the people they support. The focus is straightforward: improving understanding, strengthening practice and ensuring the realities of care delivery are reflected in wider system planning.
Disability Inclusion
Advocating for disability inclusion is equally important to me. My lived experience gives me a particular perspective on accessibility, leadership and the barriers disabled professionals can face. I use my platform to challenge assumptions, encourage better practice and promote the value of disabled leadership across sectors.
Organisations such as the Lilac Review have helped bring these issues into sharper focus, and through these networks I support work aimed at improving opportunities for disabled founders. This aligns closely with my own commitment to creating environments where ambition is not limited by circumstance.
I continue to explore ways of extending this advocacy, including future work with the Muscular Dystrophy Society to strengthen mentoring and support for people navigating disability in business and employment.
Why Advocacy Matters
Advocacy, for me, is not about how loudly you speak. It is about clarity, responsibility, applying experience where it can make a meaningful difference, and challenging injustice when it appears.
Contributing to Sector Change
Non-Executive Director, Kent Integrated Care Alliance (KICA), representing care providers across Kent and contributing to workforce, training and funding strategy at system level.
Judging panellist: Great British Care Awards | Kent Care Awards | Care Talk Summer Awards. Active in identifying and recognising sector excellence.