Practical training that improves confidence, psychological safety and inclusion
Meet Our Directors
In March 2025, Collectively Diverse was incorporated as a Community Interest Company (C.I.C.), marking a significant milestone in our journey to create a more inclusive and understanding society.
As a C.I.C., all our profits will be reinvested into outreach, education, and training, ensuring accessibility and affordability for those who need it most. Our mission is to benefit neurodivergent individuals, their families, educators, employers, and community groups through tailored training, workshops, and initiatives. We are committed to fostering inclusivity, increasing understanding of neurodiversity, and supporting mental health and wellbeing.
Behind Collectively Diverse C.I.C. are three individuals passionate about driving change and empowering communities. While Liz leads the organisation in its day-to-day operations, Christine and Tom provide invaluable strategic support as non-executive directors, offering their professional expertise and lived experiences to guide our mission.
Chief Executive and Founder
Liz Day
Liz (she) is an experienced trainer and facilitator, passionate about mental health, neurodiversity, and cultivating a safe environment for all. She began her career as a teacher with a specialism in PE, drawing on her background as a former county-level gymnast and lifelong love of sport. This shaped her inclusive teaching approach and continues to influence her work today—sport remains central to her identity and wellbeing.
Transitioning into communications, Liz contributed to high-profile projects such as the successful London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid, focusing on community engagement and stakeholder relationships. This developed her skills in building trust, fostering collaboration, and facilitating meaningful initiatives.
Over the past decade, Liz has specialised in neurodiversity and education, working with award-winning businesses, families, schools, and national charities, including the British Dyslexia Association. She combines her personal and professional insights to share strategies for creating inclusive living, learning, and working environments. Liz regularly appears on BBC Radio 5 Live.
In 2024, Liz completed a master’s in psychology at the University of Exeter, with her thesis exploring mental health literacy in young people. This academic achievement and her practical expertise ensure her training is evidence-based and highly relevant. Liz’s engaging style and commitment to empowerment make her a trusted advocate and leader in mental health, education, and neurodiversity.
Non-Executive Director
Tom Stockley
Tom (he/they) is an artist, writer and facilitator with over a decade of training and experience in the youth, community and creative sectors. He is a Creative Fellow of the University of Exeter and a UK New Artists Cultural Leader, as well as producing work for UNESCO, Natural England, the British Ecological Society, BBC Arts and the Tate. Tom passionately believes that young people and adults who are marginalised (particularly around neurodiversity, disability and LGBTQ+ identity) have a huge creative potential when offered the right support, and has developed a range of skills to enable this through his roles in care homes, community groups, youth centres and schools. He divides his time between delivering creative projects across the UK, local youth work and caring for a menagerie of animals and humans at home.
Non-Executive Director
Christine Peden
Christine (she) lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and two teenage children. With nearly 30 years of teaching experience, she has dedicated over 20 years to her current school in Essex, where she has served as Headteacher for over a decade. She is also the named SENDCo, Deputy Safeguarding Lead, and the Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead. Passionate about making a difference in children's lives and education, she strives to prepare them for their next steps.
Leading an inclusive school, Christine supports a diverse student population, including a higher-than-national percentage of pupils receiving Pupil Premium (PP), those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and those with Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs).
Outside of work, she volunteers as a Tawny Owl at Brownies, helps her son run an U7 football team, serves as the secretary of his football club, and assists with scoring at her daughter’s netball games.