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Carly Steel is a neurodiversity consultant, educator and keynote speaker specialising in autism, ADHD, masking and inclusive practice. As an autistic and ADHD professional herself, Carly combines lived experience with extensive professional expertise to deliver honest, practical and thought-provoking insight into neurodivergence and mental health. Widely recognised for challenging outdated narratives around autism and ADHD, she is the CEO and Founder of Rise As We Are CIC and the founder of Carly Steel Consultancy. Through her work, Carly empowers organisations, educators and individuals to build more inclusive environments where neurodivergent people can thrive authentically.
Carly’s career in education and specialist support began in 2010 as a Further Education SEN Tutor at Homefield College Limited, where she provided one-to-one and group support for young adults with learning difficulties. Equipped with a Master’s degree in Autism, a PGCE and leadership qualifications, she quickly established herself as a passionate advocate for inclusive education. In 2013, Carly joined MacIntyre as a Community Learning Facilitator before progressing into a range of leadership and specialist roles. She later worked as an Autism Specialist Teacher at Birchwood Special School and Programme Coordinator at MacIntyre, developing expertise in supporting autistic learners and creating accessible educational pathways.
By 2014, Carly had also become Executive Director of New Leaf Triangle CIC, further expanding her influence across specialist education and community support. In 2016, she progressed to Curriculum Manager at MacIntyre before later becoming Head of Education at New Leaf Triangle CIC in 2022. Building on years of frontline and strategic experience, Carly founded Carly Steel Consultancy in 2023, providing specialist training and consultancy around neurodiversity, inclusion and wellbeing. In 2025, she launched Rise As We Are CIC, a community interest company focused on empowering neurodivergent individuals and promoting authentic inclusion. Carly has also contributed to publications including Good Autism Practice Journal and Autism Parenting Magazine, while currently writing a book exploring authenticity, masking and belonging in neurodivergent women.
Carly is hired as a speaker for her rare ability to combine professional expertise with deeply personal lived experience. Having spoken at conferences, webinars and major events including the Autism & ADHD Show, she delivers talks that are both emotionally resonant and practically valuable. Her sessions encourage audiences to rethink assumptions around neurodiversity, mental health and belonging, while providing actionable strategies for creating supportive and inclusive cultures. Through her authenticity and insight, Carly leaves audiences with a deeper understanding of what true inclusion really means.
“Thanks so much for an informative webinar. We have gained a lot of insight and received some great advice. Really grateful for your time.”
“Carly is an incredible and trusted advocate and speaker for our autism events. Her approach is thoughtful, person-centred and she is able to bring her own lived experience to her talks, which ensures that the audience really engages with the practical advice and strategies she shares. Carly is incredibly open in sharing her own life stories and we see how much that resonates with our audiences of parents, carers, teachers and other professionals. Carly has also managed the Distressed Behaviour clinics at the Autism & ADHD Show, providing practical advice and support for attendees of the Show. The feedback we received from the people using the clinics has been extremely positive. I would not hesitate to recommend Carly as a speaker, autism specialist, educator, and mentor.”
“I attended Carly’s Unmasking Together Group and it was incredible. Carly made me feel so seen, understood and safe. The group was welcoming and a true safe community space to share. Carly is so knowledgeable and openly shares her own experiences which has helped me understand myself so much better. Thank you Carly for all the work you do!”
“Carly is a very empathic coach. As a coach myself, I know what I expect from a coach. Her expertise, combined with lived experience, made the knowledge and tools she shared that much more powerful. In this group setting, Carly created a positive and safe space for everyone to share, ask questions, and connect with one another. I found the course very insightful and have already made progress in some of those areas I chose to target. I cannot recommend her highly enough. Thank you, Carly.”
“Carly’s training on Autism was incredibly insightful and engaging. She has a deep understanding of autism, not just from a theoretical perspective but also in a way that truly validates the experiences of autistic individuals. Her approach is compassionate, knowledgeable, and practical. I came away from the training feeling more informed and confident in my ability to support autistic students effectively. I would highly recommend her training to anyone working in education or support roles. Any young person who has the opportunity to work with Carly is incredibly lucky to have her guidance at such a pivotal point in their life. Her ability to help them navigate their autism with understanding, validation, and practical strategies is truly invaluable. She not only educates but also empowers, making a lasting impact on both the students she supports and the professionals she trains.”
“Carly came and delivered training in both ADHD awareness & Understanding Autism, with my team. These were very useful sessions, allowing for practical in-depth personal experiences to be shared along side proven strategies to implement and try. Additional there was a vast array of practical resources for staff to both try, observe, use themselves and learn from. Carly was both knowledgeable and approachable making this a highly successful team training day. I would definitely recommend asking Carly to come along and share with your team or group.”
“I hope you’re having a good week. Thanks again for your recent on autism in girls. 86 people attended and we had 100% satisfaction rate. We received lots of great feedback too: ‘Amazing webinar, Carly is so knowledgeable, insightful and so easy to listen to’. ‘Thank you so much Carly, so clear, understandable and very relatable! I am hoping to support my teen daughter better who is undiagnosed (siblings have ASD/Adhd) diagnosis’. ‘Really good to have someone who has personal experience talking about the topic. Content was really relevant and good amount of detail’. ‘Very useful especially the periods as I’m trying to manage response as my Daughter doesn’t like blood in real life’. ‘My second webinar with Carly. Your knowledge and own experiences are so useful and comforting to listen to. Delighted I have found you!”
The Mental Health Speakers Agency has been one of the UK’s leading bureaus for emotional wellbeing experts since 2020. We supply speakers for corporate and public events across the world, and cater to both in-person occasions and online webinars. Our roster includes athletes, psychologists, celebrities and more, to ensure that audiences of all demographics receive tailored, impactful mental health guidance.
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