Department for Work and Pensions

Ambassadors

Read background on each of the 12 Ambassadors selected to support disabled people's User Led organisations (DPULOs).

 

The Ambassadors

Aidan Toomey

Aidan started his career as an Access Officer with Chester City Council working on projects specific to the disability community and improving Chester as an accessible city. He then worked at the Disability Rights Commission on web and software access projects. In addition he has a background in training and teaching on D/deaf equality. Aidan is currently employed with the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Areas Aidan covers

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Barry Ginley

Barry is a highly motivated, focused and proactive leader, with excellent influencing skills. These have been developed whilst working at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London where he works as Head of Disability and Social Inclusion. Barry leads on strategy and policy development, ensuring the V&A becomes an inclusive place to work and visit.

Areas Barry covers

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Lynne Turnbull

Lynne is a dynamic, innovative leader who has the ability to envision and create positive outcomes for disabled people. As Chief Executive Officer for Cheshire Centre for Independent Living, a highly regarded DPULO, she will bring extensive experience, skills and passion to the role of Ambassador.

Areas Lynne covers

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Mark Baggley

Mark is the Chair and founder of Choices and Rights Disability Coalition in Hull and East Riding. He has been involved in disability rights for 25 years, has experience in independent living, housing and management and wants to ensure that DPULOs are strengthened and increased.

Areas Mark covers

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Mike Adams

Mike is the Chief Executive of ecdp, a Disabled People’s User-led Organisation in Essex, and previously held senior management roles at the Disability Rights Commission and the National Disability Team for higher education. He has six years non-executive director experience at an acute hospital and is currently a non-executive director at a publicly listed private company involved in the social care sector.

Areas Mike covers

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Oliver Wood

Oliver is a Governor of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust and a Director of Tyneside Mind. He has been involved in the disability movement for ten years. He believes inclusion works and will embed this and a commitment to the social model of disability in his role as Ambassador.

Areas Oliver covers

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Rachael Wallach

Rachael works for the London Borough of Lewisham, commissioning and developing services for disabled children and their families. She is committed to enabling disabled people to achieve the same outcomes as their non-disabled peers. Since graduating from the National Graduate Development Programme for Local Government she has managed frontline services, developed borough-wide strategies and delivered transformation programmes.

Areas Rachael covers

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Sue Rickell

As a Disability Consultant working in Disability and development for 30 years, Sue applies her leadership, training and facilitation skills to empower Disabled People and those who support them. She hopes her experience in the voluntary and statutory sectors will enable her to support DPULOs within their communities.

Areas Sue covers

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Tess McManus

As one of Inclusion London's Strategic Development Officers, Tess delivers infrastructure support to London's DPULOs. She has over 20 years’ experience as a trainer and consultant within grass roots DPULOs, and has an in-depth understanding of the strengths of these organisations as well as the challenges faced within the sector.

Areas Tess covers

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Tina Jones

Tina currently manages an emerging DPULO called Listen not Label – a pan-disability organisation that has a community involvement infrastructure and is developing a Volunteer Peer Support service. Tina has previous experience in managing a more traditional DPULO and has worked for a Local Authority as the Disability Officer, including leading on the creation of their Disability Equality Scheme. Tina hopes to bring her current and previous experiences to the Ambassador role.

Areas Tina covers

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Tom Hendrie

Tom is currently working on the delivery of Equality Act Training, the development of a CIL and a Social Enterprise controlled by disabled people in his local area, working with a consortium of several DPULOs. He hopes to bring his skills from local government supporting DPULOs and his experience as an activist in the disability movement to his role as an Ambassador.

Areas Tom covers

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Other areas

If the area you work in isn’t mentioned above, please contact the ODI Business Performance Team

Page last reviewed: 16 May 2012

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