Team members

Meet our awesome team

AJ Brown

Behaviour Support Assistant

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

Emma Williams

Emma comes with both professional and personal experience of autism. She has a keen interest in enabling people to reach their full potential and develop skills in their local community, particularly in the area of employment and training. She is excited about the development of the Futures programme.

Erin Jones

Assistant Head Teacher

Fran Snell

Senior School Administrator, Portfield School

Gemma Cowley

Speech and Language Therapist

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.

Jessica Harris

Speech and Language Therapist

Julie Catanach

Director of Education

Kate Barrall

Futures Lead

Kath Galley

Deputy Head Teacher

Kirsten Readhead

Occupational Therapist, PCST

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

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 Stratton

Futures Coach

Nicky Edwards

Assistant Head Teacher

Owen Harrold

Futures Coach

Paula Rufete

Futures Coach

Paul Kniveton

Interim Head of Adult Services

Poonam Jina

Speech and Language Therapist

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.

Sue Hamilton-White

Art Psychotherapist

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.

Meet the team

We have an amazing team of people at Autism Unlimited. Their dedication, passion and care shine through in every aspect of their work. Each individual makes a big difference to the lives of the people they support and we couldn't do it without them.

We don't just have people in our team, we also have some furry friends!

Equal Opportunities
Learn more
Home Page
Learn more