ABOUT ME
Hi, I'm Emily, an Accessibility Consultant and Journalist, living in Glasgow.
After volunteering at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, I was invited to Rio de Janeiro by the British Consulate to speak on the importance of access and inclusion ahead of the 2016 Games. Whilst there, I was offered a role as Accessibility Consultant for MetroRio, the underground transport system for the city. Over the next two years, I advised on modernisations of existing stations, conducted risk assessments, trained staff and worked with architects to create plans for an accessible transport line to the Olympic Park.
Now an accessibility consultant in the UK with IAAP and NRAC qualifications, I am Head of Accessibility and Inclusive Design at Mima, and have most recently worked with Heathrow Airport to update their Access and Inclusion Standards for passengers and staff. Amongst other projects, I am currently working with the National Railway Museum as the accessibility consultant for their Vision 2025 Masterplan.
I frequently present and write on disability issues, having fronted several documentaries for BBC Three and written for the Guardian, the Independent and Telegraph Travel. I authored the Lonely Planet Guide to Accessible Rio de Janeiro, endorsed by the International Paralympic Committee and available to download by athletes, tourists, and locals alike ahead of the 2016 Games.
A wheelchair user myself, I have also worked with Enhance the UK to manage their Undressing Disability campaign, championing the right for disabled people to have access to sexual expression. I am also an experienced Disability Awareness Trainer.
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If you'd like to collaborate on a project, hire me as a speaker or just have a chat - please do get in touch!
WHO I'VE WORKED WITH
TESTIMONIALS
‘In my closing speech at the Paralympic Games in London I talked about Emily. The Games, she said ‘had lifted the cloud of limitation’ for people with disability.’
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- Lord Sebastian Coe
'Emily has worked under my supervision as an Accessibility Consultant in MetrôRio, having visited all stations and their surroundings, suggesting forms of improvement, deployment of new equipment and technologies, directing new ways for us to provide not only accessibility, but moreover, dignity and autonomy.
Besides all her knowledge and experience in the field, Emily gave me daily lessons of dignity, courage, perseverance, determination and self-esteem. Her kindness, intelligence and sense of humor, made working with her a source of great joy, always inspiring and motivating.'
- Vivaldo Rangel, Gestor de Acessibilidade, MetrôRio. www.metrorio.com.br
'After talking to her for 15 minutes I knew I had found someone really special. I sent Emily out to run some training that very week without even having met her as I knew she would run the most engaging session with warmth and passion, and I was right, she did!
Emily is an extremely valued and a core member of the Enhance the UK team, we can't really remember life without her! On a very personal note I want to thank Emily for all her time and hard work and for always doing me proud as the founder of our wonderful charity.'
- Jennie WIlliams, Founder and CEO of Enhance the UK wwww.enhancetheuk.org
We first met Emily in 2014 when she was asked to come and review us by the company that provided us with our accessible wet room. Once you have met Emily, you will then understand why we have invited her back more than once since. She gave us open and frank advice about what we had done and what we still needed to do and have since done.
Emily is without a doubt one of the nicest people I have ever met because she is able to communicate on all levels and is open to any new experience you can throw her way. Not only this, she has established an outstanding network, so she is definitely the person who, even if she can’t do it or does not know the answer she knows a man who can or does – and she will always share that information!
To know Emily is to love her – there is no “side” to her, just a willingness to help and learn and improve the world around her. I wish there were more like her.
- Sasha Ayres, Mollett's Farm Suffolk www.molletts.com
Emily was the keynote speaker at our biennial Retail Conference where 300 people attended. Her talk was delivered passionately and articulately, and every person in the room was moved (many to tears!)
Overall Emily is an incredibly talented, enthusiastic and professional young woman to work with, and I highly recommend her for motivational speaking events, filming and writing.
- Victoria George, Scope www.scope.org.uk
Emily and I worked together on developing the Inclusivity Standard for the whole of the Heathrow Airport estate - landside, airside, public, staff, deliveries, etc, and including transport links to public transport hubs in London.
Not only was it a good project to be involved in, it was also a very pleasurable one. Client and consultants worked as one, and Emily was a leader amongst leaders. Great sense of humour, great worker, and great presenter. Persistent, honest, inquisitive and knowledgeable. I hope we can work together again.
- David Warren, Jacobs www.jacobs.com
I worked with Emily over a period of about 18 months on a large, complex piece of accessibility work in a heavily regulated environment.
Not only did she get to grips with the project incredibly quickly, she understood the importance of including a range of views and experiences. Her work ethic is amazing, her experience vast and she brings a balanced view that is incredibly valuable for work in this field.
Added to that, she is an absolute joy to work with and I cannot recommend her highly enough.
- Sara Marchant, Heathrow Airport www.heathrow.com
Emily is the dream collaborator. When my team coordinated with Emily to deliver a workshop, she was very thorough, always prepared and on time, if not ahead of schedule! She is a gifted storyteller and a brilliant facilitator who challenges audiences to think deeply about accessibility and belonging.
Connect with Emily and you’ll be sure to come away with new ideas and a smile—her good energy is contagious!
- Mary Silvia, SeriousFun Children's Network www.seriousfun.org