World Mental Health Day Special 2023

Zoe is one of the founders of This Can Happen. She is also the founder of Employees Matter, the largest provider of employee engagement seminars and webinars in the UK.

Anita has always been intrigued by the human mind, which led to her completing a master's degree in Occupational Psychology. Anita has since worked in Leadership, Learning and Organisational Development for nearly 20 years with experience spanning across various sectors including FMCG and Professional Services at organisations such as Deloitte and Coca Cola European Partners. She now uses her experience to deliver effective solutions as part or her consultancy and is a qualified coach. Anita is a public speaker who delivers sessions on topics around mental health, infertility and grief, intersecting with her experience as a South Asian woman. Anita has been on a personal journey with mental illness where she was diagnosed with Complex PTSD after an initial in patient stay at a psychiatric hospital. She has since been raising awareness around mental health to break the stigma in the workplace. Anita is a Trustee for the mental health charity, My Black Dog and a published poet.

I’ve been in my advertising career for over 20 years now and somehow made a half-decent career out of it, however I tried to fit into a mould I simply didn't fit in for too long, resulting in a mini-breakdown in front of one of my fairly intimidating bosses (which they took really well). After a series of crises on and off for another 10 years, it wasn't until I was 36 that I finally crashed and burned but was lucky enough to have an angel of a mental health first aider where I worked, who did everything they could to get me in front of a psychiatrist. I was eventually diagnosed with ADHD and related Anxiety. Nothing has been fixed overnight, but I certainly know how to live in my own skin better now. I'm like a born-again evangelist with my discovery! I want to make the symptoms and paraphernalia of being neurodiverse as normal as life's everyday occurrences and break down the taboos for the betterment of those in the workforce today, and the future. I also love a deep chat out of nowhere and cherish the 121s with random folk all over, to hear more about their mental health journeys also. I’m now a public speaker and advocate in this space, and enjoy appearing on podcasts, webinars, panels, events etc.

James works as Senior Marketing Officer for Hertfordshire Mind Network, a mental health charity. He is a published author of a book called 'Befriending My Brain' - a memoir about his experiences with psychosis and schizoaffective disorder. James is very passionate about getting his mental illnesses more coverage and awareness in the workplace and reducing the stigma. He has also made appearances on many podcasts, as well as blogs, articles, radio and television.

Miki’s career has encompassed everything from firmware to application space. Her last nine years have had a Security focus as a Security Researcher for Intel, working on Secure Development Lifecycle, and as a Product Security Expert for Open Source Software. She is a writer and an award-winning Public Speaker on technical subjects, Diversity & Inclusion, and other social topics. Miki serves as a Board member of Portland Women in Tech (PDXWIT), Staff of Women Who Code PDX, and Staff member for Diana Initiative. Miki is also civic-minded; she serves as an elected Director for the local Fire District and is a former Trevor Chat crisis counselor. In her spare time, she raises and shows Irish Wolfhounds in the Coast Range of Oregon.