Theme: Conversation Starters

A wide range of speakers, on engaging topics that will make you laugh, cry and kiss your blues goodbye.

West Sussex County Council
County Hall, West St
Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1RG
United Kingdom

Alison Knowles

Therapist

Alison Knowles trained to be a cognitive hypnotherapist purely out of interest in the subject. It interested her so much she then trained in NLP and then CBT and so it went on, giving her an extensive toolbox of techniques and schools of thought to help her help just about anyone who came to her clinic. Just about anyone except children. Alison realised all her training, the language and the science behind it was way beyond a child’s capacity to understand and to be fair most adults too! So, simplicity is the key. By using the Ollie concept, we can help kids leave unwanted emotional baggage behind as they grow into adults. The true power of this model is that it is strength focused, rather than being a therapy model that tells you what you should do, it asks you what you think you could do and gives you the tools to make the changes that best suit you as an individual. As Ali says “some therapies give you fish, the Ollie model teaches you how to fish! “

Ben Anyasodo

Digital Technology Strategy

Ben is a Human Factors/Usability Expert, currently consulting for the UK Government in Digital Delivery User Research – applying human-centred design principles to digital system design. Before this, Ben worked in the Human-Machine Interface Group at Jaguar Land Rover as a Research Specialist , having led many Digital Technology Strategy Projects in the Global Dealer Operations space previously. Ben has been active in the area of research into Digital Experience & Technologies with focus on Human-Machine Interaction, Usability/User Experience, Cognitive Ergonomics and Psychological aspects of Design. He led key work packages with the Human Centred Design Institute at the Brunel University in a collaborative research project. Ben was one of the speakers at the 2016 World Usability Congress in Austria, where he explored the Future Challenges in Automotive UX. Ben completed an undergraduate degree in Physics & Applied Physics at the Federal University of Technology in Nigeria.

James Dyke

Associate Professor of Sustainability Science

Dr James G Dyke is an Associate Professor of Sustainability Science within Geography and Environment at the University of Southampton. I model the Earth system in order to try to understand how it works and how humans interact with it. I joined the University of Southampton in 2011 based in the Agents, Interaction and Complexity group within Electronics & Computer Science. My main role was as a tutor and then Acting Director of the Institute for Complex Systems Simulation Doctoral Training Centre. I transferred to Geography & Environment in August 2014. My previous job at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry was centrered around the Helmholtz Alliance project Planetary Evolution and Life that was coordinated by the German Aerospace Agency. I am still a member of the NASA Astrobiology Focus Group Thermodynamics, Disequilibrium and Evolution.

Lindsay Maclean

ielevate

Lindsay Maclean created the ielevate communication method in 2006, designed primarily to enhance confidence in the workplace. Successfully used by such well-known corporations as Arcadia Group, Cath Kidston, Reiss, Asos.com, Aurora, Karen Millen and Norton Rose Fulbright. The ielevate method teaches participants how to communicate effectively and fulfil their potential – skills that will have a positive impact on any situation, in and outside of the workplace. Lindsay has dedicated the last 20 years to learning and personal development, gaining a tapestry of qualifications and experience in the UK and abroad. She runs dynamic workshops at UK and international schools, helping students learn to do well in their exams. She’s currently writing a book based on her work, and continually loves to expand her horizons.

Nick Kalargeros

Engineer

Nick Kalargeros is a specialist engineer creating simulations which help the motor industry protect not only car occupants in a crash, but the unfortunate pedestrian or cyclist too. After beginning his career in aerospace and automotive manufacturing, Nick began to use his simulations to improve car safety. His instinct to protect those outside yet preserve a cars beautiful proportion was a smart hunch – it’s now embedded in many vehicles and Nick won the Henry Ford Award in 2006 for his innovations. Through creating realistic simulations, Nick became interested in the rhythms and patterns which emerge. Outside work, and in a quest to better understand himself and his health problems, he turned this awareness to other human behaviour. While in his professional life, Nick continues to protect people in car crashes, he is increasingly passionate about helping people protect their bodies and minds from our modern world.

Peter Maule

Civil Service

Peter was born and educated in Portsmouth, Hampshire. He joined the Hampshire Constabulary as a Police officer from school, where he remained until his retirement 30 years later. He gained experience in investigations, interviewing and supervision as a detective and supervisor in one of the busiest Cities in the south. On leaving the force, he read for an Honours degree at Southampton Solent University in Fine Art Valuation. On completing, Peter set off for an independent 6 months trip around the world with his wife. On his return he joined the Civil Service, gaining further skills in labour market intelligence and customer service. He is a married man with two adult children and a Grandson and lives in Hampshire. He is an avid walker and is a Walk Leader for a British company specialising in British and European walking. His other hobbies are antique glass collecting and Pilates.

Winston Ben Clements

Speaker

Winston Ben Clements was born with a condition known as Brittle Bones disease, medical term Ostegenesis Imperfecta. An obvious characteristic is his small stature and his use of a wheelchair, which does not tell the story of the frequent and painful bone fractures that disrupted much of his childhood. Nonetheless, Winston graduated with BSc Honours in Computer Science and has built up a successful Technology career, working primarily within Management Consulting and the Financial Services. In addition to this, Winston is the Founder of an online platform known as “Positive Spin UK” with a mission of “Creating a world where nobody feels limited in what they can achieve.”