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Disabled Consultants & Researchers

Disabled Consultants

Sandra Alland

Monochrome portrait illustration of San. They’re a white person in their 40s wearing black glasses, and with a silver hoop eyebrow piercing. Their shoulder-length hair is up in a messy bun with some wisps hanging down. They’re looking slightly to the side with an almost-smile

Writer, editor and interdisciplinary artist.

Sandra creates multimedia literature with integrated access. Recent works: zine ‘Sore Loser... on queer disabled grief’ (with Etzali Hernández; Disability Arts Online); and essay ‘Writing from the Groin: How Non-disabled CisHet Monied White People Lock Themselves into Mediocrity’ (Birds of Paradise). San co-edited Stairs and Whispers: D/deaf and Disabled Poets Write Back (Alland, Barokka, Sluman; Nine Arches).

Website: www.blissfultimes.ca
Twitter: san_alland

Khairani Barokka

Monochrome portrait illustration of Okka, an Indonesian woman with short hair and earrings, wearing a short-sleeved dress. She’s lying on her front, looking down, concentrating on something

Writer, artist, editor.

Khairani is a Minang-Javanese writer, artist and editor from Jakarta, based in London, whose work is presented widely internationally. She is Editor of Modern Poetry in Translation, co-editor of Stairs and Whispers (Nine Arches), and her latest book is Ultimatum Orangutan (Nine Arches), shortlisted for the Barbellion Prize.

Website: www.khairanibarokka.com
Twitter: mailbykite

Penny Batchelor

Monochrome portrait illustration of Penny, a white woman smiling with a glint in her eye. She’s wearing a top with a slightly ruffled neckline, and has straight hair in a bob with a side parting

Author.

Penny writes psychological thrillers with secrets, lies and lots of twists! Her debut My Perfect Sister was longlisted for The Guardian's Not The Booker Prize 2020 and her second is Her New Best Friend. She is co-founder of the Thriller Women blog www.thrillerwomen.co.uk and a columnist for The Bookseller.

Website: www.pennybatchelor.co.uk
Twitter: penny_author

Jen Campbell

Monochrome portrait illustration of Jen, a thirtysomething white woman, smiling. She is wearing large, thick-framed glasses and a wig with a fringe, hair flowing down over her shoulders

Bestselling author and award-winning poet.

Jen has written ten books for adults and children; her most recent titles include The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers, and The Girl Aquarium. She is also a disability advocate and reviews books in print, online and on the radio.

Website: www.jen-campbell.co.uk
Twitter: jenvcampbell

Jamie Hale

Monochrome portrait illustration of Jamie, a white person with short hair and a beard, and wearing a t-shirt. Their head is on a wheelchair headrest

CRIPtic Arts Founder.

Jamie Hale is a multidisciplinary artist and the founder and Artistic Director of CRIPtic Arts. Jamie created CRIPtic Arts to improve access for deaf and disabled people across the industry through research, training and upskilling, while also offering development and showcasing opportunities.

Website: www.jamiehale.co.uk
Website: www.cripticarts.org
Twitter: JamieRHale

Jeda Pearl

Monochrome portrait illustration of Jeda, a mixed-race woman with a warm smile. She has long brown curly-frizzy hair that frames her face and flows down over her shoulders

Scottish–Jamaican writer and artist.

Jeda’s work often traverses the ‘in-between,’ exploring belonging, disability, secrecy and survival. She’s been published/commissioned by Black Lives Matter Mural Trail, New Writing Scotland, Not Going Back to Normal, Tapsalteerie, Shoreline of Infinity, Rhubaba, Collective and Peepal Tree Press.

Website: www.jedapearl.com
Twitter: JedaPearl
Instagram: jedapearl

Maud Rowell

Monochrome portrait illustration of Maud, a woman with long straight dark hair with a fringe. She’s looking off to the side with a slight smile, contemplative

Freelance journalist and writer based in London.

Maud read Japanese at the University of Cambridge, before training in journalism. Since going blind aged 19 while travelling in South Korea, she’s made it her mission to educate and inform others about the realities of sight loss. She also loves to travel, and is a keen amateur painter, film photographer and mixed media artist.

Twitter: maud_rowell
Instagram: maud.rowell
Instagram: Japan travels: where.birds.wont.go

Helen Sedgwick

Monochrome portrait illustration of Helen, a white woman who’s smiling slightly. She has long hair framing her face and flowing over her shoulders

Author.

Helen Sedgwick is an author of literary fiction, science fiction and crime. Her novels include The Comet Seekers, The Growing Season and The Burrowhead Mysteries trilogy, and she was awarded the Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship in 2021.

Website: www.helensedgwick.com
Twitter: helensedgwick
Instagram: helensedgwickauthor
Facebook: HelenSedgwickAuthor

Bea Webster

Monochrome portrait illustration of Bea, a mixed race person with long dark hair framing their face and flowing over their shoulders. They have long eyelashes, a septum nose ring, and they’re wearing lipstick, giving a slight pout, exuding glamour

Actress, theatre-maker, aspiring playwright and access consultant.

Bea graduated with BA Performance in British Sign Language and English at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She was a Best Actress nominee in The Stage Debut Award 2019 for her role of Kattrin in Mother Courage and Her Children.

Bea believes in supporting deaf people and has done work to promote BSL in the theatre world, and to raise awareness in how theatre industries can work with deaf professionals.

Casting Profile: www.spotlight.com/1712-4534-0648
Twitter: bea_p_webster

Elspeth Wilson

Monochrome portrait illustration of Elspeth, a white person with long hair. They are smiling vibrantly over their shoulder

Scottish writer and poet.

Her work has been shortlisted for the Canongate Nan Shepherd prize and Penguin’s Write Now editorial programme, and she is currently working on her poetry collection. Her work has been published in The Moth, Poetry Wales and Channel magazine.

Website: www.elspethwilson.co.uk
Twitter: Elspethwriter

Researcher

Cat Mitchell

Striking monochrome portrait illustration of cat, a white woman who has a long straight fringe, and long wavy hair flowing down over her shoulders. She has wide eyes, is wearing glasses, and has a slight smile

Lecturer in Publishing and the Programme Leader for the Creative Writing and Publishing BA at the University of Derby.

Cat Mitchell previously worked in the publishing industry, including four years at Penguin Random House. She is currently researching disability in publishing, and in 2021 published the Access Denied report, which investigated barriers for disabled job seekers and employees in the industry.

Twitter: CatMitchell17