nasen LIVE 2025 - Speakers and Panellists

Alison Betts is a Whole School SEND National Coordinator, with nasen, bringing a wealth of experience from her extensive career in education. She has served as a class teacher, nurture teacher, SENCO, Deputy Headteacher, Head of a maintained Nursery School, and Head of Inclusion for Exeter Children’s Federation. Since 2016, Alison has been a resolute board member of nurtureuk, driven by her passion for enhancing the educational and life opportunities for children from deprived or difficult backgrounds.

Her commitment to supporting children with social, emotional, and mental health challenges led her to become a Specialist Leader in Education for regional teaching school hubs. In this role, she has played a key part in leading the Professional Community for SEND, advocating for and implementing nurturing principles in educational settings. Alison's first hand experience with the positive impact of nurture in education underscores her dedication to fostering environments where all children can thrive.

Alison Parr has excelled in various educational roles, including as a  mainstream secondary teacher, Director of PGCE at Keele University, and Executive Headteacher at Blackfriars Academy, where the academy achieved 2 Outstanding Ofsted inspections under her leadership. Currently, as the Regional Lead for Whole School SEND in the West Midlands, she significantly advances inclusive education. Her international impact includes lecturing postgraduate programs in India and Thailand. As an Education Consultant for the Shaw Education Trust, she continues to drive inclusive practices for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), showcasing her unwavering commitment to education and leadership.

André Skepple, MSc (Applied Medical Microbiology, Kingston University London), is the Founder & CEO of FullSpektrum®, the company behind ‘akilii’—an AI-driven personal co-pilot designed to identify needs, enhance executive function and emotional regulation for neurodivergent learners of all ages.

Inspired by his own experiences with dyspraxia and dyslexia and (undiagnosed) ADHD, André leads the development of akilii’s adaptive AI tools, which deliver personalised prompts, task management support, self-generating reports (including EHCPs) and real time emotional check ins for students with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, and Dyspraxia. Through co-development partnerships with Local Authorities, Multi-Academy Trusts, colleges, and various organisations, he designs, co-ordinates and oversees pilots of trauma informed, tech enabled personalised interventions that measurably improve engagement and individual learning outcomes.

A former applied life scientist, volunteer supplementary schoolteacher and mentor, and SEND pupil, André champions active, evidence based learning strategies that integrate seamlessly with existing SEND provision. As a policy advocate and UK Parliament lobbyist with regards to the Autism (Early Identification) Bill, he also advises education leaders, MPs, lead professionals and NGOs on SEND reform, service transformation digital inclusion, and equitable practices, sharing insights at APPG events, various podcasts, and national conferences, including nasen LIVE.

At nasen LIVE 2025’s ‘Preparation for Life’ conference, André will join the panel ‘The use of technology to promote independence and learning’, showcasing learnings from the research & development of FS:One and akilii from the last five years, and outlining a scalable vision for AI powered SEND support solutions that empowers every learner in school, at home, and in the workplace.
 

Geraldene Codina is a Professor of Inclusion and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (ISEND) at the University of Derby. She has 25 years’ experience working in the field of inclusion and SEND, first as a teacher and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) and then in Higher Education (HE). As part of Geraldene’s HE role, she leads the University of Derby’s ISEND Research Cluster. In collaboration with an excellent team, including those with lived experience of disability, Geraldene has led/leads a number of government-funded projects, including the: nasen Action Research and Lesson Study for ISEND project, Opportunity Area Derby SEND Peer Challenge Project, and the Change Programme East Midlands Young People’s Assembly. Geraldene’s publications, in the main, focus on including children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in employment and education. In 2025 Geraldene was appointed as a commissioner for the cross-bench think tank Policy Connect, the focus of her work being on those not in employment, education or training (NEET) and closing the disability employment gap.

Ginny has been teaching longer than she hasn't. She has been a Headteacher, Senior Manager and Class teacher, teaching all ages in the Primary age range. Working to support SENDCOs and teachers across special, primary and secondary schools, Ginny is able to bring experience, wisdom and common sense to an area that can sometimes get bogged down in jargon and paperwork.

Ian is an independent consultant with over a decade’s experience developing content, managing projects and delivering innovative services in the not–for–profit, commercial and education sectors.

Motivated by and building upon his personal experience of autism, Ian has 
researched, written, edited and tested training resources across a range of SEND–
related subjects. These include supporting young people to access further education, improving accessibility online and in the workplace, and developing person–centred educational provision. During the course of his career, he has also been responsible for managing the operations of a training and consultancy service which grew to reach 90,000 people per year across the United Kingdom and internationally.

J Grange is a 23 year old internationally recognised public speaker, entrepreneur and neurodiversity advocate. Diagnosed with ADHD and Dyspraxia, J uses his lived experience to inspire change and promote inclusion on a global scale.

J has collaborated with many prestigious organisations such as McCains, Trustpilot, UNESCO, Metro Bank, Harvey Nichols and the United Nations.

J was a finalist for The National Diversity Awards 2023, is part of the mayor of London’s violence reduction unit and has featured globally in the media including on BBC News, Channel 5 and France 2

Joe Fautley is an Autistic and neurodivergent advocate with over 10 years of experience in a variety of personal lived experience advocacy and professional training work for Autism, neurodiversity and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). He currently works full time at the National Children’s Bureau.

Katherine Solomon originally joined The Bell Foundation in 2014 as an Associate, and became the Foundation’s Training Manager in 2017. Prior to joining Bell, Katherine spent two years working as a primary school teacher and then seven years in academic management. She has worked as a teacher trainer in the UK and overseas. She holds PGCE Primary, CELTA and DELTA qualifications and has recently completed an MA in Applied Linguistics and ELT.

Kierran Pearce is the lead for the Multi-Schools Council (MSC). Kierran has 17 years’ experience of working within SEND education, teaching in two special needs schools, becoming a SEND governor at his former Secondary school and creating the MSC model which is now a full-time role funded by the local authority. Kierran’s passion for SEND education is driven by his work in special education and young people expressing their desire for better awareness within society.

Libby started teaching in 2007 in South Gloucestershire. She became a SENCO in 2011 and has been a Deputy Head across a Federation of Schools. She is now Strategic Lead for Inclusion across a Trust of Schools and Deputy Regional Lead for Whole School SEND. Libby is passionate about supporting staff and settings to create a robust inclusive offer for all children. She has led on the development of three Enhanced School Based Provisions as part of mainstream education and has worked and supported other schools to support them in the development of a similar model. Libby is also a Lead SENCO for a Cluster of 24 schools within South Gloucestershire. This involves working with a range of external services, the LA, SENCOs and staff from the early years through to the secondary phase. She has done various outreach work and is involved in undertaking SEND reviews of schools. 
 

Lorretta started at nasen in August 2020 during the process of implementing a new membership structure, customer relationship management system (CRM) and website. As Website and CRM Officer, she works collaboratively with teams across the organisation to meet our charitable and financial objectives.

Lorretta is responsible for publishing and managing events, resources and news on our websites. She also collects and analyses member data by developing reports and dashboards for use across the organisation. Lorreta ensures that that the websites and CRM are operating effectively and securely. She also analyses website traffic and responds to member feedback, comments and queries.

As nasen enters into it’s next 5-year strategy, there are lots of exciting opportunities to improve our CPD offering to members, which she enthusiastically supports.

Mary is a qualified SENCO and QTVI with over 25 years’ experience in teaching, learning, and leading on SEND and Inclusion in both mainstream and specialist settings. She is currently Deputy at CENMAC, a London-based outreach and advisory service supporting children and young people with a range of needs and disabilities to access the curriculum and communication. With a specialist focus on assistive technology, she works across education to help remove barriers to learning and support inclusive practice. Known for her calm, confident approach, she combines strategic insight with practical support to enable schools to create more inclusive environments.

Matt has worked within the Education IT sector for 18 years at all levels, striving to provide staff and students with a safe, secure, and engaging digital landscape to leverage the opportunities and potential the digital world offers for learning and development. He has a keen focus on support delivery, security, connectivity, devices, and automation. Matt regularly blogs at mattian.co.uk and hosts a podcast, "Edtech People," which explores all angles of how people are impacted and are being impacted by technology within education.

Natalie is an Independent Education Consultant, specialising in SEND and school improvement.

She develops and delivers a wide range of training and support to all staff in schools and multi-academy trusts.

She is an associate for national organisations nasen, Whole Education, Forum Strategy and Leadership Matters.

Natalie is the author of The Perfect SENCO and The Teacher’s Guide to SEN and co-author of Beyond Boundaries: Leading Great SEND Provision across a Trust.

Paul spent over 20 years as a special educational needs teacher, school leader and advisor in both mainstream and special education settings.

As an educator his focus has always been on two key groups of young people; those with social and emotional difficulties, and those who are neuro-diverse – and on the significant overlap between the two.

Samantha Baines is a multi-award winning actress, comedian, author and broadcaster. She has presented on The One Show, BBC Morning Live and RIP Off Britain. She hosts the smash hit podcasts The Divorce Social and Silly News. After seven years of stand up comedy, two sell out Edinburgh runs and a UK tour she’s proven her comedy chops but these days her comedy is via social media, books or speaking events. She has made appearances on appearances on ITV’s Loose Women, Sky News and Andrew Neil’s This Week or you may recognise her for her acting roles in Netflix’s The Crown, Call the Midwife, Silent Witness and Magic Mike Live (directed by Channing Tatum). She is a BAFTA member and a regular contributor on BBC radio stations.

A deaf activist and hearing aid wearer, Samantha is the author of two children’s books with deaf protagonists; the award-winning Harriet Versus the Galaxy (which she also voices on Audible) and Bloomsbury Education book: The Night the Moon Went Out as well as new bestselling non-fiction book Living With Hearing Loss and Deafness: a guide to owning it and loving it.

Samantha has spoken at the House of Commons, Edinburgh International Book Festival, British Film Academy, LBC, ITV News, National Museum of Scotland, BBC News, Royal National Institute for Deaf People charity summit, Just So Festival, Exeter University, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, BBC Radio 2, Ravensbourne College, Birkbeck University, BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio 4 and disability networks across the country.

Sanum Khan is an Assistant Headteacher in Buckinghamshire and has worked in selective, non-selective, single sex and co-education schools in the County. Her main teaching subjects are RS and PSHCE and she currently leads on student Personal Development. Sanum also leads on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with a particular focus on antiracism and inclusive classroom pedagogy. She regularly delivers CPD and has written for Sec-Ed, Facing History and Ourselves UK and Schools Week. She believes that true inclusion is achieved by considering the full child and all of the children in our care and that we must build relationships to understand learners and their life experiences.

During her sixteen years in mainstream secondary education, Sarah has worked as Literacy Lead, Specialist Provision Lead (cognition and learning) and SENDCO. Sarah has Specialist Leader in Education status, an MA in Education and is a Specialist Assessor. Sarah has a particular interest in supporting children and young people with cognition and learning needs access an ambitious curriculum. Sarah also has experience with low incidence needs, leading two resourced provisions for children and young people with sensory impairments. Sarah is passionate about improving inclusion and access in mainstream settings and joined the Whole School SEND team in 2021. She is currently the Assistant Principal, SEND, at The King’s Academy in Middlesbrough.

Dr Tim Coulson CBE has been a headteacher, local authority director of education and Regional Schools Commissioner at the Department for Education. He led the National Numeracy Strategy and since 2017 has been Chief Executive of Unity Schools Partnership, an academy trust in the east of England with 40 primary, secondary and special schools. He has recently joined the Department for Education RISE team. 

Unity Schools Partnership is determined to develop the expertise to work with all children, including with all the various vulnerabilities that some children face. The trust has opened four special schools and is approved to open two more. In the last five years, specialist provision has been established in the mainstream schools and further expansion is planned for an additional 60 places this coming September. The trust has five specialist senior school improvement directors with a mixture of headteacher and senior local authority experience. 

From starting out her working life as a design engineer, Zoe re-trained and worked as a secondary maths teacher for over 20 years in the Northeast of England. Spending roughly half her career in mainstream and half in specialist settings, she has delivered the national curriculum from P-levels to A-levels to a wide variety of learners. Having worked for nasen (National Association for Special Educational Needs) for the past 4 years, her specialism is supporting learning without need for diagnosis and she is passionate about learning being accessible for all