Oluwatosin Adekeye is currently Deputy Director Clinical Psychology at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Shika Zaria in Nigeria. He has taken part in several participatory research studies including COUNTDOWN (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine) (2016–21) and at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) as consultant on the wellbeing disability project (2023–24). He is currently the Principal Investigator Nigeria for the HOPE project funded by Leprosy Relief International through Effect Hope.
Lena Morgon Banks is an Associate Professor of Disability Research at the International Centre for Evidence in Disability (ICED) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Her research primarily focuses on disability, social protection, and poverty.
Mark T. Carew is an Assistant Professor at ICED at LSHTM. He is currently Process Evaluation Lead for the Programme for Evidence to Inform Disability Action (PENDA), a UK government-funded consortium examining ‘what works’ to achieve disability inclusion in low- and middle-income countries.
Nick Corby is a Director of Impel, a leading inclusive development consultancy. Nick has more than 25 years’ experience in international development; in that time, Nick has developed a deep understanding of and expertise in multiple thematic areas, including education, health, livelihoods, infrastructure, and child protection, including in fragile and emergency settings. Nick has also been a trustee of Sense International for several years.
Diana Dalton is the Deputy High Commissioner and Development Director at the British High Commission in Kenya. Prior to this, she held leadership roles for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in the UK and overseas, including heading up Gender and Equalities, Global Science and Research, and the United Nations and Commonwealth Department as well as Country Representative for the UK’s £250m per year development operation in Bangladesh. Before joining the UK civil service, Diana worked in the INGO sector, including running the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Myanmar and Thailand programme, and holding the position of Global Communications and Advocacy Manager for the International Save the Children Alliance.
Narayan Das is a development economist, Professor of the Master of Development Studies programme, and Senior Research Fellow at the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), BRAC University, Bangladesh. He leads the Economic Development Cluster of BIGD. Narayan has a PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California at Berkeley. He has published extensively, including in top economics journals on poverty and labour market issues. His research focuses on poverty analysis, quantitative analysis of development policies, and impact assessment of social programmes and labour markets.
Jo Dempster is a Senior Safeguarding Specialist at UNICEF UK, where she focuses on developing inclusive safeguarding frameworks. Over the past eight years, she has worked as a consultant on the Disability Inclusive Development (DID) programme with Sightsavers, contributing to multi-country initiatives that advance safeguarding practices for people with disabilities. Jo’s expertise centres on youth voice and disability-inclusive safeguarding, with extensive experience working internationally and across the UK. Jo has authored resources for the Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub (RSH) on disability-inclusive safeguarding, sharing critical learning and evidence to strengthen safeguarding and protection mechanisms globally.
Emily Eldred is a mixed-methods researcher at LSHTM. Her work focuses on the epidemiology of violence against children, and violence prevention and response within schools. Emily’s main research interests include how behaviour change interventions can prevent violence against children, addressing inequities within violence prevention and response, and promoting the inclusion of children with disabilities within violence prevention efforts.
Chris Elliott is Head of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) for the Inclusive Futures programme at Sightsavers. With 17 years of experience in MEL and programme management, he has worked across disability inclusion, mine action, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education, nutrition, and disaster risk reduction. His career has spanned diverse contexts across East and Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, bringing extensive field experience to evidence-based programming and learning approaches.
Liz Ewen is Head of Impact and Influencing at Sense International where she has worked for over 16 years, supporting teams in East Africa, Peru, Romania, and South Asia to implement programmes to support the inclusion of children and adults with deafblindness and multiple disability. Liz has a background in education which included a year spent designing and delivering teacher training programmes and teaching in a government primary school in Tanzania. Liz is passionate about inclusive, rights-based, sustainable development.
Pascale Hall is multilingual, being fluent in English, French and Portuguese with 13 years of international development experience both in the UK and overseas. Pascale uses her languages to successfully build positive relationships to work with and manage people, projects and partner organisations on monitoring, evaluation and learning, project cycle management, strategic oversight, disability inclusion, women’s and girls’ rights, advocacy, governance and health.
Sazzd Kabir is a seasoned disability inclusion professional with nearly 20 years of experience in programme design, training, advisory support, and multi-stakeholder engagement. As Development Manager at the Centre for Disability in Development and In-Country Lead for Sense International Bangladesh, he has led initiatives in inclusive education, disability sensitisation, skills for persons with deafblindness, and homebased support for children with multiple disabilities. Rooted in rights-based approaches, he works with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, government, and international actors to deliver inclusive, sustainable programmes. His expertise spans strategic planning, capacity building, and policy advocacy.
Sanu Khimbaja is a dedicated disability rights advocate with over 17 years of experience in the disability sector in Nepal. He currently serves as a Project Manager at the National Federation of the Deaf Nepal (NDFN). His work focuses on enhancing communication access and inclusion for persons who are deaf and deafblind. Throughout his career, Sanu Khimbaja has been deeply committed to promoting inclusive education, rights-based approaches, and quality services for children and young adults with deafblindness and high support needs. His passion lies in building systems that empower individuals with disabilities to communicate, learn, and participate fully in society.
Hannah Kuper is the Co-Director of ICED at LSHTM and co‑founder of the Missing Billion Initiative. She is an epidemiologist by training, and her main focus is on health and healthcare access of people with disabilities in low and middleincome countries. She is a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Global Research Professor.
Daryl Lloyd led the Disability Inclusive Development Inclusive Futures programme for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) from 2018 until it ended in 2026. He has been a member of the UK Governmental Statistical Service since 2005, working on road traffic, casualties and vehicles, housing, transport relating to the London Olympic Games, multilateral effectiveness and, most recently, disability inclusion. He holds a PhD in economic geography and spatial modelling and undertook postdoctoral research on the spatial patterns of British surnames.
Anne MacKinnon has for the last seven years led two Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) research programmes: the Programme for Evidence to Inform Disability Action (PENDA) and the Assistive Technology AT2030 programme. She also leads the disability-inclusion pillar of the Artificial Intelligence for Development (AI4D) programme. She previously held policy roles in disability inclusion and migration as well as working in business management, and learning and development. Prior to joining government, Anne was a learning and development manager for the Scottish Prison Service and served as an Officer in the Royal Navy.
Islay Mactaggart is an Associate Professor in Disability and Global Eye Health working across ICED and the International Centre for Eye Health at LSHTM. Islay has a particular interest in improving methods to collect, analyse, and interpret population data on disability and impairments and on using these to challenge inequities in health and wellbeing.
Manisha Maharjan is Project Manager for the Disability Inclusive Development Inclusive Futures education project at Humanity & Inclusion Nepal. She has over ten years of experience in child rights, disability rights, inclusive education, and project management, leading programmes focused on systemic reform, teacher training, and community-based support for children (including children with disabilities). Previously, she worked with national and international organisations on child protection, education, and governance programmes in Nepal. She holds an MBA and a Master of Public Management, and her research interests include inclusive systems strengthening, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and the intersection of disability, gender, and education policy.
Sarah Marks is a Research Fellow at ICED at LSHTM, with expertise in research, policy, and digital health in disability, child health, and malaria. Sarah currently leads two cluster randomised controlled trials under PENDA in Nigeria and Uganda, alongside a part-time PhD on access to family planning for women with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries. Her career spans research across sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, including five years in the NGO sector.
Lisa Morris is a learning consultant for the development, human rights, and environmental rights sectors. Her experience spans capacity strengthening, qualitative research, learning design, learning analysis, learning strategy, and broader MEL. She has an MSc in Human Rights from the London School of Economics, and a BSc in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Birmingham.
Amina Nasiru is a hearing-impaired and disability rights advocate. She is an active member of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and currently serves as Women Leader. A student of Entrepreneurship at the Kaduna State University, she also holds leadership roles with the Nigeria National Association of the Deaf. With lived experience as a deaf person, she brings unique insight into the barriers faced by persons with disabilities. Amina strives to promote inclusive development policies, advocates for sexual and reproductive health rights for girls and women with disabilities, and engages in community advocacy, awareness campaigns, and capacity‑building programmes.
Josephine Njungi worked in the humanitarian and development sectors for 15 years before transitioning to action research and learning in 2016/17 following completion of her MA in Power, Participation and Social Change at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex. She facilitates and supports participatory action, knowledge generation, and learning for organisations, community groups, and partnerships for social change. She believes that action learning and research are frames that support transformative social change across all themes/sectors. As a practitioner and intellectually curious learner, she intentionally and consciously positions herself to learn from those around her to better support, design, and adapt research processes.
Charles Odol is a Technical Advisor at Sightsavers supporting Inclusive Education programmes in the East, Central, and Southern African countries. He has extensive teaching experience of learners with disabilities at different levels of education. Charles holds a master’s degree in Development Studies from St Pauls University, Limuru, Kenya and has worked in a number of projects focusing on teacher professional development and learner support.
Elizabeth Ogutu is a graduate and a dedicated peer researcher and a freelancer with a passion for impactful research and knowledge sharing. She brings valuable insight through her work, driven by curiosity and commitment to excellence. With her flexible freelancing role, she collaborates across diverse fields, contributing innovative ideas and practical solutions. Elizabeth is committed to empowering communities.
Monday Ojonugwa Okwoli is a seasoned Disability Inclusion Advisor at Sightsavers Nigeria with over 20 years of experience. He advocates for disability rights, focusing on accessible health, education, and economic development. Monday’s expertise includes disability rights advocacy, reproductive health rights, and inclusive policy development. He promotes inclusive policies and practices for equal opportunities, particularly for women and girls with disabilities. Working with Sightsavers, Monday contributes to disability inclusion in Nigeria, aligning with the organisation’s vision of equal participation for persons with disabilities in society. His work emphasises reasonable accommodation and inclusive environments for diverse needs.
Abdur Rakib is a Senior Partnerships Manager at the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Previously, he served in global and Asia regional roles at ADD International for over five years, focusing on disability inclusion. He also worked with United Purpose (formerly Concern Universal) as a Programme Coordinator, managing projects on organisational development and humanitarian response. With over two decades of experience in the development sector, Rakib is passionate about disability inclusion and diversity, and he has consistently integrated these principles into programme design and implementation.
Beth Richard is Product Manager for Content Accessibility at Elsevier. She previously worked until July 2025 in the Publications Team at IDS as Senior Publishing Editor, managing the day-today production of the IDS Bulletin.
Brigitte Rohwerder is a Researcher in the Participation, Inclusion and Social Change research cluster at IDS. Her current work mainly focuses on themes of social justice and inclusion, particularly disability inclusion in low-income contexts, using participatory methods. Her research interests include disability stigma, forced displacement, and marginalised groups’ experiences of conflict, crises, and humanitarian response.
Sara Rotenberg is a Research Fellow at ICED at LSHTM, where she leads and supports disability-inclusive global health trials across sub-Saharan Africa through PENDA. Sara serves on the Lancet Commission on Disability and Health and the World Health Organization’s Technical Advisory Group on Workforce Competency Standards. A Rhodes Scholar, she holds a DPhil from Oxford and a BS in Global Health from Georgetown, graduating magna cum laude.
Amba Salelkar is the Senior Manager for Programs and Impact at the International Disability Alliance (IDA), where she leads initiatives on movement strengthening, inclusive development, and accountability. She previously worked at the Equals Centre for Promotion of Social Justice in Chennai, focusing on disability law and policy reform in India led by Organisations of Persons with Disabilities. Amba holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, and is a Chevening Gurukul Fellow. Her research interests include leadership, organisational strengthening, and access to justice for persons with disabilities.
Nathaniel Scherer is an Assistant Professor at ICED at LSHTM. He is a mixed-methods researcher conducting disability and mental health research in low- and middle-income countries. He holds an MSc in Global Mental Health from LSHTM and King’s College London, and a PhD in disability research from LSHTM.
Gayatri Sekar is Senior Officer, Learning and Community Engagement at the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and works on learning products built through community engagement. Coming from southern India with lived experience of psychosocial disability, Gayatri applies a decolonial approach to inclusive research and learning, the production and dissemination of knowledge, and community engagement in the global South.
Tom Shakespeare is Professor of Disability Research at LSHTM, having previously worked at the University of East Anglia, World Health Organization (WHO), and Newcastle University. His books include The Sexual Politics of Disability (1996, Continuum) and Disability Rights and Wrongs (2006, Routledge).
Dorodi Sharma has 16 years of experience working with national and international organisations, with and within the UN on disability inclusion. She has played key roles in several high-level advocacy interventions with the UN, bilateral organisations, and governments, which have led to advancing inclusion in policies and programmes. She has led inclusive development projects pioneering UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities-based programming and managed teams in South Asia and Africa. She holds a master’s degree in communication and journalism.
Jacqui Shepherd is Global Technical Lead for Inclusive Education at Sightsavers based in the UK but working across education projects in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Originally a teacher, then teacher trainer, she is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Sussex where she was a lecturer and researcher on disability-inclusive education. Her PhD was on the experiences of learning-disabled, autistic young people in transition to further education. She works independently as a disability inclusion consultant.
Rejaul Karim Siddiquee is a socio-legal researcher, human rights activist, disability rights advocate and public interest lawyer at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. He has worked in different capacities with several rights and justice organisations, including Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Bangladesh, International Disability Alliance (IDA), BlueLaw International, and Maxwell Stamp PLC. He is the co-author of several books and articles on disability rights. He won the Acumen Fellowship (2020) as a change maker in Bangladesh and is a juvenile chronic arthritis survivor who has multiple disabilities.
Veronica Stapleton leads the education portfolio for Sightsavers, supporting staff in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. She works in projects across all education phases, specialising in disability-inclusive education in mainstream schools. Veronica was a primary school head teacher for 11 years and has lived and worked in multiple contexts outside the UK. She has a particular interest in primary and early childhood education and how children with disabilities can be supported to access a relevant and meaningful, quality education.
Cathy Stephen is a global technical lead with over 20 years’ experience working across Africa and South Asia, specialising in Social Behaviour Change (SBC), gender, disability inclusion, and participatory programme design. In her role at Sightsavers, she leads evidence-based, participatory approaches to promote inclusive health and education and reduce stigma faced by people with disabilities in all their diversity. Her previous roles have included advisory positions at Plan International UK, the Liberia WASH Consortium, and World Vision International, where she led regional learning, capacity building, and technical guidance. She has led and contributed to several global publications and guidelines on inclusion.
Stephen Thompson is a social scientist who has worked across the disciplines of geography and international development since 2007. He is a Research Fellow in the Participation, Inclusion and Social Change research cluster at IDS. His research mainly focuses on the themes of disability inclusion and social justice. He is particularly interested in participatory methods. His doctoral thesis focused on the social and economic impact of avoidable blindness and visual impairment in Mozambique.
Johannes Trimmel is Programme Director, Disability Inclusive Development, Sightsavers, leading the team managing the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office-funded Disability Inclusive Development Inclusive Futures programme. In the past 20-plus years, his focus in international development has been disability rights and inclusive health systems – amongst others as Director Advocacy at the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and Director for International Programme Support and Policies at Light for the World. Past voluntary roles include President of CONCORD (European NGO Confederation, 2014‑20), Member of the Universal Health Coverage 2030 Civil Society Advisory Group (2017-20), and Chair of the International Disability and Development Consortium (2005-10).
José María Viera is a globally recognised leader in disability rights and inclusive development, with more than 25 years’ experience shaping policy, strengthening movements, and advancing disability-inclusive development worldwide. As Executive Director of the International Disability Alliance (IDA), he leads a global network representing over 5,000 Organisations of Persons with Disabilities across 182 countries, ensuring that the leadership and priorities of persons with disabilities inform global development agendas. Grounded in his lived experience as a person with a disability, his leadership is driven by a commitment to turning global commitments into tangible change.
Claire Walsh is currently the Deputy Programme Director of the Disability Inclusive Development (DID) programme at Sightsavers. Previous roles focused on monitoring, evaluation, and learning and organisational change. She has close to 20 years of experience working in the international development sector across West and East Africa and India, Bangladesh, and Nepal on disability inclusion, education, health, and livelihoods programmes. She holds a master’s degree in Public Policy from Simon Fraser University, Canada.
Maria Zuurmond has a PhD in Disability and Global Health, and more than 30 years of experience in working in the international development sector. She started her career working overseas in Indonesia in education, and then later worked in Ecuador on various health promotion programmes. Over the last 20 years she has combined working in the INGO sector with an academic role. This included working for 12 years at ICED at LSHTM, firstly as a Research Fellow and then later as an Assistant Professor.