Speakers

Jessica Chantler

Thinking in Harmony: Opera and the Myth of Left Brain vs. Right Brain

Jessica is a Chartered Financial Planner who holds the highest qualification in her profession and runs her own financial planning firm just outside Truro. She is a regular contributor to national financial publications and, in a field long dominated by men, Jessica has built a thriving business centred on clarity, empathy and helping people make confident decisions about their financial future. Alongside her work in finance, Jessica is an award-winning opera singer and classical musician. Having lived in both worlds, she has discovered that analytical thinking and creative expression are not opposites, but powerful partners.

Lerryn Clare

Designing for Dopamine: What ADHD Reveals About Creativity

Lerryn is the co-founder of The Academe, an award-winning organisation focused on confidence, self-awareness and human potential. She specialises in neurodivergence-informed coaching and training, helping individuals and organisations create neuro-inclusive environments where people can thrive. A psychology graduate and former further and higher education lecturer, Lerryn combines academic insight with practical, real-world application. Late diagnosed as autistic and ADHD, she understands first-hand how easily confidence can be undermined by misunderstanding and the wrong environment. Her work focuses on helping people see ADHD not as a deficit, but as potential that can flourish when the environment is designed to support it.

Jamie Honeybourne

Dragging me back to Authenticity

Jamie Honeybourne is an emotional intelligence trainer, international keynote speaker, professional actor, and one half of an award winning comedy double act. After thirty years performing on stage and screen, he now helps leaders and teams communicate with confidence, presence, and authenticity. Jamie blends the tools of acting, storytelling, humour, and EQ to transform how people show up in the moments that matter most. In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, his work champions the human skills that will always matter: connection, empathy, self awareness, and the courage to speak up, stand out, and shine.

Alethea Lawton

Puzzles, Not Perfection: Redefining Creativity

Alethea Lawton is a professional creative, coach, and consultant whose work spans writing, creativity coaching, spiritual support, art, and music. She takes a person-centred approach to everything she does, meeting people where they are and supporting them to discover their own way of doing. After suffering a stroke, she had to rethink how her brain processes information, emphasising process over perfection. She now brings this perspective into all her work, encouraging others to create for the sheer joy of it. She is currently writing a book based on her recovery journey.

Musarrat Maisha Reza

Micro Moments, Macro Change: The Power of Belonging

Professor Musarrat Maisha Reza is a multi-award-winning Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences and Health Equity at the University of Exeter whose work sits at the intersection of biomedical sciences and social justice. Her sector-leading work challenges systemic barriers in healthcare, advancing anti-racism, decolonisation, and building inclusive cultures. Driven by a belief that belonging is fundamental to excellence, she co-invented the Belonging Game, an innovative tool helping individuals build meaningful connections. Beyond academia, Professor Reza has championed youth leadership and social change on global stages including the United Nations and UNESCO. She previously served as Chair of the Commonwealth Students` Association, amplifying the voices of students across 54 countries. At Exeter, as an elected Senator and Councillor, she shapes institutional strategy, while working nationally through the Medical Schools Council Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Alliance to advance inclusive medical education. Through her transformative work, she invites us to reimagine how inclusion and belonging can be designed and cultivated within communities.

Rujuta Singh

Profound Silliness: Why Doing Utterly Pointless Things Might Just Save Us

Rujuta Singh is the creator of The Great Silliness Project, a year-long, community-powered exploration into the profound impact of doing utterly pointless things on purpose. Founder of Solved Together, a London-based business transformation and innovation studio, she is one of the top 1% of facilitators globally, a qualified executive coach, expert in neuroscience-based collaboration, design thinking, Lego Serious Play, and the somewhat alarming art of clown facilitation. During a personally difficult year, she discovered what kept her afloat: unexpected, joyful moments of pure silliness. Through her newsletter Profound Silliness, she documents intentional absurdity and the accidental wisdom inside it.

Nikita Thakrar

Dance with Your Dharma: Creativity as the Bridge from Chaos to Clarity

Nikita Thakrar is an author, educator, and founder of Journey from Karma to Dharma™. With over two decades of experience in creative arts and holistic wellbeing, she integrates movement, mindfulness, and spirituality to help people reconnect with their true purpose. Nikita`s journey began as a Kathak dancer and studio owner before a major life transition led her to explore deeper forms of healing and personal transformation. Today, she guides individuals and organisations through programmes, retreats, and talks that blend ancient wisdom with modern insight. Nikita`s work inspires audiences to embrace creativity as a pathway to clarity, resilience, and aligned living.

Richard Woods

What Fills My Cup

Richard Woods is the Managing Director of Cornwall`s Rewind Radio, leading the station with passion, experience, and a strong commitment to local broadcasting. He is dedicated to delivering great music, engaging content, and meaningful connections with listeners across Cornwall. Under his leadership, Cornwall`s Rewind Radio has grown as a trusted and vibrant voice in the community. Richard is known for his enthusiasm, professionalism, and love of radio, helping to shape the station`s identity and success. As Managing Director, he combines strategic vision with a personal touch, ensuring Cornwall`s Rewind Radio remains at the heart of Cornwall's community and always being the friend in the corner.

Naabil Khan

Naabil Khan is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Exeter who embodies the spirit of activism and advocacy within the healthcare and medical education spheres. Her remarkable contributions span across various mediums, from hosting the enlightening podcast "Very Junior Doctors" to spearheading the creation of the impactful website, "Skin For All," and founding the insightful newsletter, "Future Dr." With a fervent dedication to diversifying the medical curriculum and promoting representation and diversity in healthcare, Naabil has left an indelible mark on both local and national platforms. She has spoken passionately at esteemed institutions such as the British Medical Association (BMA) Student Conference, the University of Exeter, and TEDxNHS in London, captivating audiences of hundreds with her experiences and insights on decolonizing healthcare and addressing racial inequities in medical education. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed, as evidenced by her recognition as a finalist for the Bright Network Impact Awards and her receipt of prestigious accolades such as the 2023 BMBS Citizenship and 2024 Racial Justice in Medicine prize from the American Medical Students Association.

Sophie Lang

Sophie Lang is the co-founder and director of Lang Llewellyn & Co, one of Cornwall's largest independent property agencies. Born and raised in the small Cornish communities of Flushing and Falmouth, Sophie's journey has been shaped by a deep connection to Cornwall's culture and values. Overcoming and facing significant personal challenges, including a panic attack disorder that left her housebound for three years, Sophie has built a thriving business in a traditionally male-dominated industry. She led a successful management buyout to align the agency with her vision of community-focused values, prioritising investment in staff, local projects, and charitable initiatives. A passionate advocate for women in business, Sophie is committed to inspiring young people to pursue success without leaving Cornwall. Balancing her role as a business leader and mother of two young children, she uses her personal story to motivate others to embrace challenges and turn fear into a source of strength. Sophie's dedication to her community and industry has solidified her reputation as a role model in the Cornish entrepreneurial landscape.

Fatma Sabet

Fatma Sabet is a British-Egyptian academic dedicated to designing social transitions toward health equity. With a passion for resilient and just food systems, she blends academic expertise with hands-on experience as an embodied food systems designer. As a social entrepreneur, she created Shillingford Organics Farm School in Exeter, Southwest of England, which connects school and higher education students with sustainable farming and local food practices. In 2019, Fatma was awarded an ESRC Doctoral Scholarship, launching the UK's first sustainable school food evaluation study. Her research pioneered a planetary health framework for school food systems, integrating social, environmental, and economic assessments through a multi-disciplinary approach. Committed to creative, participatory methods, she advocates for research that drives real-world impact. Beyond academia, Fatma has shaped food policy at regional and national levels. She chairs the Devon Food Partnership School Food Working Group and sits on the National Advisory Board for Public Food Procurement. Her work spans food security, climate justice, and agroecology, driving change both locally and globally.