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About the event
Kassiane Asasumasu coined the terms neurodivergent and neurodivergence, circa 2000. According to Asasumasu, these terms refer to people "whose neurocognitive functioning diverges from dominant societal norms". She intended for the terms to apply to a broad variety of people, not just those with neurodevelopmental differences such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. She emphasised that neurodivergent and neurodivergence should not be used to exclude people, but rather to include them, stating: "Neurodivergent explicitly and loudly includes mental illness (or psychiatric disability for those who prefer that term)".
For Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2025, Charlie Hart introduces a panel of new voices to NCW who will shine a light on their lived experiences of acquired neurodivergence.
This is a free online event via Zoom.
Charlie Hart (she/they) | Event Chair
Keynote Speaker, Director of Ausome Charlie Ltd
Charlie Hart, also known as ‘Ausome Charlie’, is a professional speaker with a 20-year background in HR Analytics. Charlie is multiple-neurodivergent (Autistic, ADHD, Complex PTSD). She speaks about neurodiversity acceptance and inclusion, and intersecting identities, specialising in the ‘double rainbow’ intersection: LGBTQIA+ and Autistic.
Combining neurodivergent lived experience with HR expertise and inclusion best practice, Charlie delivers engaging, impactful talks infused with humour and authentic autistic quirkiness. Not just another happy flappy neurodiversity evangelist, Charlie speaks of dark clouds and silver linings, of strengths and challenges, with pragmatic takeaways that smash the anti-woke backlash.
Casey Rogers (he/they)
Casey | 40 | Non-Binary | Pansexual
A trained mechanic with a wealth of life experience, I’m passionate about connecting with others and making a positive impact. Diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, BPD, and DID, I embrace every
part of who I am and use my journey to uplift those around me. Friendly, outgoing, and always ready to help.
Tanya Adkin, MA (she/they)
Assistant Social Worker and Independent Academic
Tanya Adkin is an Autistic (PDA) and ADHD professional supporting independent social workers around autism and neurodiversity. She works frontline ensuring that best possible outcomes are acheived for Autistic people and their families using both professional and lived experience.
Tanya has a master’s degree in autism studies and works as an independent academic, most recently co-founding the Autistic Substance Use Network (ASUN) to advance research into the topic of Autistic experiences of Substance Use.
Katie Munday (they/them)
Community researcher
Katie is disabled, queer, Autistic and living the dream.
They have worked with disabled people in the youth and early years sectors for over 10 years. They are a community researcher exploring healthcare inequity for both transgender and disabled people.
They have published on Autistic people’s experiences of cancer services, substance use services, and gender identity healthcare. Katie has just started their PhD exploring health and social care inequities for transgender and gender diverse Autistic adults living in the UK.
Ollie Roscoe (He/Him)
Ollie is a mental health professional that working in intersectional fields of Neurodivergence, LGBTQIA+, Spiritual Wellbeing and Addiction. Ollie is Autistic and developed Functional Neurological Disorder, an acquired Neurodivergence, in the summer of 2023, significantly affecting his mobility, dexterity and cognition.
David Gray-Hammond (he/they)
Independent Academic and Independent Advocate
David Gray-Hammond is an Autistic, ADHD, and Schizophrenic man in recovery from addiction (now approaching 9 years sober). He has extensive experience working with Autistic people with complex mental health needs, and regularly provides training to authorities and healthcare trusts.
He has written several books, the most recent of which A Guide to Autism and Psychosis was a best seller in it’s amazon category. All of his work is informed by his lived experience.