Team members
Meet our awesome team
Alex Wigmore
Futures Coach
Andy King
Andy has spent 40 years in retail and brings a range of commercial and business experience which he hopes will benefit the charity and enable it to achieve its goals. Andy has a daughter living with autism so has lived experience and is passionate about enabling children and adults to fulfil their potential.
Angie Lawrence
Futures Plus Education lead
Anna Hewitt
Head Teacher at Portfield School
Carly Bourton
Talent Partner
Carly Marchant
Dance Movement Psychotherapist
Carol Mccoll
Assistant Head Teacher
Charley Martin
Senior Talent Partner
Corné Van Deventer
Work Experience Coordinator
Donna Wearn
HR and Training Director
Erin Jones
Assistant Head Teacher
Fran Snell
Senior School Administrator, Portfield School
Gemma Cowley
Speech and Language Therapist
Guy Deterding
Guy joined Autism Unlimited as a trustee in 2024. After a long career in IT, he is keen to bring his experience to bear in benefiting the charity. He is passionate about working to grow the charity and maximise the support it can deliver for neurodivergent adults and kids.
Harry Redknapp
Ambassador - Football Manager and TV pundit Harry joined the charity as our first Ambassador in 2015. Committed to helping us to raise our profile, Harry launched the Interactive Room at Portfield School.
Hugh Dampney
Hugh's aspirations for Autism Unlimited are to support the staff to ensure that the people we support continue to be well looked-after, and develop their potential as far as they can.
Jacki Goldsmith
Head of Therapy
James Brazier
James is enthusiastic, empathetic and proactive in his approach, and his vision for Autism Unlimited is to support the charity externally and help Autism Unlimited to grow in both stature and size.
James Sturman
Trustee - With over 30 years of finance and management experience I would like to take this skillset and use for the benefit of the charity and the young people it helps in order to achieve its goals and ambitions.
Jan Thurgood
Jan joined Autism Unlimited as a Trustee in July 2022. She brings experience of autism though her career in children's and adult social services and her personal life. She is passionate about enabling children and adults to fulfil their potential and about providing the best possible support and development opportunities to staff.
Julie Catanach
Director of Education
Kaleem Baig
Kaleem is passionate about system-wide interventions in health, education and social care to improve the quality of services. Kaleem is a Medical Doctor with extensive experience working in the NHS and private healthcare as a Consultant Psychiatrist and has held various clinical and leadership roles. He has a specialist interest in Autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management and the Chartered Management Institute.
Kate Barrall
Futures Lead
Kath Galley
Deputy Head Teacher
Leah Bran
School Counsellor, PCST
Lesley Longstone - Chair of Trustees
Trustee - Lesley brings a range of policy experience in children and young people’s issues, including education, health and youth policy. She has substantial board experience through her work with another charity working with autistic people, and having been Chief Executive of a regulator in the health sector is familiar with the highly regulated environment within which Autism Unlimited operates. Most importantly, she cares deeply about every child, young person and adult having the opportunity to enjoy life to the full.
Lisa Margetts
Music Therapist, PCST
Madeleine Patel
Receptionist at Portfield School
Marlizanne Gouws
PBS Practitioner
Mary Redcliffe
Mary became a part of Autism Unlimited in July 2024, bringing with her more than two decades of HR experience in both retail and financial services. She resides in Christchurch with her husband and two children. Mary is committed to leveraging her expertise to help the Autism Unlimited team thrive and contribute to the charity’s goals. She is passionate about creating an environment where all team members and young people can flourish and reach their potential.
Matt Egan
Futures Coach
Megan Saunders
PBS Practitioner
Melanie Foster
I am very much looking forward to contributing to the valuable work of Autism Unlimited and taking on the role of trustee. I began my career as a special educational needs teacher in Inner London and continued my passion in leading SEND within both Local Authorities and Charities. I have been part of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism as Eduction Development Lead with the National Autistic Society and a member of the The National Special Educational Needs and Disability Forum attended by the DfE. I have always been passionate about people and purpose and committed to social justice to enable all students to feel valued, safe and secure. I live in Hertfordshire, and although semi-retired, continue to work with schools and Local Authorities, particularly focusing on developing autistic provision. When I am not working, I love spending time with my family.
Mia Dawes
Occupational Therapist
Michelle Howard
Michelle joined Autism Unlimited as a Trustee in 2024. An experienced Solicitor, Michelle has spent nearly 30 years working as a Non-Executive Director across NHS/Social Care Organisations. Michelle has been paralysed from the chest down since the age of 16. She has recently relocated back to Dorset having lived and worked in Wiltshire for over 30 years. Michelle is looking forward to contributing to ensure that every young person is given the tools they need to reach their goals and explore their full potential.
Michelle Stratton
Futures Coach
Nicky Edwards
Assistant Head Teacher
Owen Harrold
Futures Coach
Paula Rufete
Futures Coach
Poonam Jina
Speech and Language Therapist
Samara Stephens
PBS Practitioner
Sam Thomson
Futures Coach
Shelly Garland
Futures Coach
Siún Cranny
CEO
Sophia Grech
Ambassador - Internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano opera singer Sophia is one of our Ambassadors. Diagnosed with autism at the age of 45, Sophia is passionate about raising understanding and awareness of autism.
Tilly Larment
Futures Manager
Tim Bowden
Learning Facilitator
Tom Errington
Futures Coach
Tony Rudd
Ambassador - Impressionist and comedian, Tony Rudd, became one of our Ambassadors in 2020. Tony was diagnosed with Asperger’s aged 55 and is passionate about embracing autism and the creativeness it can bring. Tony manages a radio station for children with disabilities alongside his career in the public eye.
Zoe Davies
Futures Administrator
