Event summary

Join the Centre for Leadership and Empowerment (CLE) for an inspiring fireside chat with Dr Deborah Lawson, a celebrated and multi-award-winning disability advocate. Dr Lawson will share insights from her journey, her advocacy work, and her vision for empowering people with disabilities in today’s world. As a renowned voice in disability rights, she will offer perspectives on breaking barriers, driving inclusion, and building accessible environments that foster growth and opportunity for all. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the most influential voices in the field!

Speaker biography

Dr Deborah Lawson is a wheelchair user, and a multi-award-winning Disability Advocate recognised as one of the most influential disabled changemakers in the UK. After becoming disabled, Deborah was shocked by the exclusion and discrimination disabled people face in every aspect of life. Determined to reduce these barriers for others and create lasting change, she has dedicated her life to advocating for a more inclusive society. Her significant, wide-reaching, and long-standing contributions to EDI have improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of disabled people nationwide. Deborah’s impact spans healthcare, retail, fashion, housing, community, disabled rights, policy reform, accessibility improvements, transforming attitudinal barriers, peer support, disability awareness training and resources, and promoting inclusion through children’s literature.

Over two decades, Deborah has advocated for thousands of disabled people and their families. She’s transformed thousands of buildings, organisations, and events nationwide, enhancing accessibility and facilities for countless individuals. She’s tackled attitudinal barriers through comprehensive training programs in over 600 large stores. As a former stylist who worked with world-renowned photographers, her accessible fashion guidance is used in over 500 major stores, and she provided in-depth resources to thousands more, ensuring widespread adoption.

She’s a member of the Regional Stakeholder Network, reporting to the government on policies affecting disabled people. Deborah is also a judge for numerous national and global awards and serves on various panels, including the Housing Ombudsman. She has spoken at official local government events, on the BBC and to audiences of over 1500.

Regularly featuring in the media as a ‘trailblazer,’ an ‘extraordinary woman who has done amazing things,’ and a ‘kind, strong, exceptional role model,’ Deborah also closely works with local government on all aspects of disability awareness. She chairs a council advisory group, improving accessibility for thousands of disabled residents, focusing on reviewing consultations and policies, enhancing council services and communications, increasing disability awareness, creating guides, and making events, transport, businesses, and outdoor spaces more accessible.

Thousands of businesses use Deborah’s resources and reports, and the council has distributed her disability awareness guide to over 12,000 households. This winter, Deborah is also releasing a children’s book called Damson’s Friendship Wish, which promotes inclusion and encourages kindness and self-acceptance. A portion of the profits from sales will be used to donate copies of the book to ensure as many children as possible can benefit from its positive message.

Deborah collaborates with Oxford University’s Centre for Research Equity, addressing health inequalities through more inclusive practices, and serves on its Governance Board. She’s a member of the Trial Steering Committee for the largest worldwide COVID-19 therapeutics trial and a committee member and co-applicant for an upcoming major study seeking treatments for individuals at risk of respiratory illness, aiming to improve health outcomes for thousands of disabled individuals.