Visionary Annual Conference Speakers 2025

Darren Harris, Adversity Alchemist

Darren Harris, dual Paralympian, Adversity Alchemist and multi-award winning speaker, trainer and coach, gives leaders and teams the psychological tools to better prepare for and respond to challenges.
His list of achievements and accolades include:
• England’s highest capped male footballer, with 157 appearances.
• 10 × World and European medallist.
• Spoken to over ½ million delegates in 7 countries, since 2013.
• Delivered 300+ programmes for corporate, educational and charitable organisations.
• Fellow of the Professional Speaking Association (FPSA), a designation held by less than 12 percent of professional speakers.
• Co-author of Amazon bestseller Transforming Your Life.
• Recipient of an Honorary Doctorate for Outstanding Public Service.
• Magical mathematician, pocket psychologist, and moonlight musician.

Eleanor Southwood MBE, Director of Impact and External Affairs, Fight for Sight

Ellie will be your host for the panel discussion.  Ellie joined Fight for Sight in 2023 following a career spanning the public private and non-profit sectors. For ten years – until May 2024 – she was an elected Councillor in a large London Borough. For 8 of those years she held various roles on the Council’s Cabinet, with responsibilities including environmental services, jobs and economy, and housing, where she oversaw the building of the first council homes in decades. She is passionate about good quality, equitable local services.

Ellie is a former chair of the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) where she led the organisation through a statutory review by the Charity Commission, financial transformation and significant modernisation. She currently chairs Habinteg Housing Association, which specialises in accessible and adaptable homes across England.

Ellie’s early career included several public policy and consultancy roles, including in organisational change, campaigning and public service transformation.

Ellie is blind and lives in North West London.

Jo Milne, Founder, Cure Usher Syndrome

Jo Milne is a passionate advocate for people living with Usher syndrome – the genetic condition causing both hearing and sight loss that she lives with. In 2014 she underwent a cochlear implant operation which gave her the ability to hear for the first time. Her story was picked up by the world’s media and the clip of her implants being switched on was viewed by more than 12 million people.

She has dedicated her life to raising awareness and supporting those living with Usher syndrome and their families, accelerating research through the charity she founded – Cure Usher Syndrome.

As a life-long campaigner fighting for meaningful change, Jo continues to empower her audiences with her own personal journey of resilience, determination, and commitment to provide a voice for all those touched by inequality and injustice.

Robbie Crow, Strategic Disability Lead, BBC

Recently recognised as one of the three most influential disabled people in the UK, Robbie is the BBC’s Strategic Disability Lead. He is responsible for disability inclusion across its entire current and potential workforce.

Before joining the BBC, Robbie worked in policy at the Scottish Government and chaired its disabled staff network. Robbie has held roles in the public and voluntary sectors and in the NHS, and previously led a national children’s charity as Chair for 6 years.

As a life-long disabled person, and multi-award winning disability inclusion expert, he’s a passionate advocate of the Social Model of Disability. You can follow Robbie on LinkedIn.

Amit Kalley, Founder, For Working Parents

Amit is the founder of For Working Parents, a company that helps organisations become more inclusive for their working parents and employees. A former Deputy Headteacher, Amit uses his experience and his training as an ICF Coach to create an environment in the workplace that is more empathetic and human and where parents and carers can thrive both at work and at home.

Amit focuses particularly on the digital world and helping parents decode online language, manage screentime, understand social media dangers, and keep their children safe online through building positive relationships and asking the right questions.

Amit’s LinkedIn profile and Instagram page provide regular digital advice and guidance for parents and his recent periodic table of emojis went viral, with schools and organisations from around the world requesting copies of it to share with their communities.

Amit also speaks publicly about his own personal story, having lost his mother to ovarian cancer, becoming a parent to a daughter born with three holes in her heart, and being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.

Facebook/Instagram/TikTok: @forworkingparents

LinkedIn: @AmitSinghKalley

Charlotte Speedy, Director of Communications and Influencing, Guide Dogs UK

Char has worked in PR and comms roles in both agency and in-house environments, specialising in consumer and purpose-led campaigns. She has worked on high-profile campaigns for Honda Racing F1, Save the Children, UNHCR and Virgin Media.

She led the comms team at Dogs Trust for eight years before joining Guide Dogs in 2020 where she directs external, internal and influencing comms with a focus on showcasing the charity’s broader services beyond their iconic dogs through impactful media and partnership work.

Outside of work when not running after three children, she can be found running by the Thames – very slowly despite her name!

Helen Donkin, Head of Marketing, Henshaws

Helen is Head of Marketing at Henshaws, a charity supporting people living with sight loss and a range of other disabilities. With over a decade of experience in the charity sector, she brings a unique perspective shaped by roles in fundraising, marketing, and events, including running the world’s largest crime writing festival.

Now studying for a master’s as an AI Data Specialist, Helen combines academic knowledge with frontline experience to explore how AI can be applied ethically within the sector. At Henshaws, she champions a ‘human-in-the-loop’ approach to AI, using tools to improve efficiency while protecting authenticity and accessibility. With a passion for making AI practical, inclusive, and responsible, Helen encourages open dialogue, ethical education, and the careful application of new technologies across charity communications and wider use cases.

Sarah Kidner, Head of Communications and External Affairs, Fight for Sight

For over 25 years Sarah has worked as a magazine editor, writer, and head of content. Sarah’s experience spans the commercial, charity, and not-for-profit sectors, including AbilityNet, British Heart Foundation and Which?.  In her first role at PC Pro, 30-years ago, Sarah wrote ‘futures’ articles about the potential and pitfalls of AI and articles about robotics.

Sarah leads the comms and external engagement teams at Fight for Sight and joins us at the conference to host the panel discussion on Thursday 25 September.

Sarah Watson, Head of Innovation, The National Lottery Community Fund

Sarah Watson is Head of Innovation at The National Lottery Community Fund, working in a small Innovation Unit that supports the Fund to deliver its strategy. The Unit approaches all its work through the Curb Cut effect, working with historically underserved communities and those most in need. Focusing on the strategy’s missions and commitments through an equity lens, the Unit is delivering on a range of projects with internal and external partners, including the development of AI. Working collaboratively, the Unit has supported the development of internal AI Principles and Policies, is experimenting with small proof of concepts to support grant making, and works across the sector to share learning and collaborate, including through an annual AI Funders Festival.