Carly Steel is a neurodiversity consultant, speaker and educator specialising in autism, ADHD, masking, burnout and inclusive practice, particularly for girls and women. As an autistic and ADHD (AuDHD) professional herself, Carly combines lived experience with extensive professional knowledge, and is known for delivering honest, practical and thought-provoking talks that challenge outdated narratives around neurodivergence and mental health. Audiences leave with practical takeaways that last well beyond the applause.
Carly has worked across education, SEND, alternative provision and leadership roles for many years. With a Master's degree in autism, a PGCE and leadership qualifications including a Level 5 Certificate in Leadership and Management, she has built extensive expertise. Starting her career as a Further Education SEN Tutor at Homefield College Limited in 2010, she provided 1:1 and group support to young adults with learning difficulties. In 2013, Carly joined MacIntyre, where she served as a Community Learning Facilitator, and later worked as an Autism Specialist Teacher at a Special School. Continuing to develop her career, in 2016, she became the Curriculum Manager at MacIntyre, leading the education provision for young people with a wide range of additional needs. Alongside her role at MacIntyre, Carly was appointed Executive Director of New Lead Triangle CIC in 2014, before becoming the Head of Education at the company, where she combined her strategic leadership skills with hands-on delivery.
In recent years, Carly founded Carly Steel Consultancy to offer flexible support for autistic individuals, families, educators and organisations through mentoring, training and strategic consultancy. In 2025, she became the CEO and Founder of Rise As We Are CIC, where her mission is to build spaces where neurodivergent people feel understood, empowered and connected. Her work focuses on helping people move beyond survival and masking, towards authenticity, wellbeing and belonging. Sharing her expertise, her work has been published in the Good Autism Practice Journal and the Autism Parenting Magazine, and she is currently writing a book exploring authenticity, masking and belonging in neurodivergent women.
A renowned speaker, Carly has spoken at conferences, webinars and training events, including the Autism & ADHD Shows and is particularly recognised for her engaging, emotionally resonant and neuroaffirming approach. She speaks openly about burnout, identity, inclusion, behaviour, belonging and the hidden experiences of neurodivergent people within education, workplaces and wider society. With her background spanning mainstream and special schools, alternative provisions and community programmes, her approach is grounded in professional knowledge and lived experience as an AuDHD adult. Her passion for helping individuals access the right support for them makes her a compelling keynote speaker for audiences worldwide.
Carly Steel's official speaking topics are listed below:
- Neurodivergence in Girls and Women
- Masking, Burnout, Identity, and Authenticity
- Reclaiming Self-Worth, Belonging and Sustainable Ways of Living
- Autism, ADHD, AuDHD and the Pressure to Perform in Modern Society
- Executive Functioning, Overwhelm and Navigating Everyday Life
- Neurodivergent Wellbeing, Mental Health and Burnout Prevention
- Being a Neurodivergent Employee, Leader or Business Owner
- Creating More Inclusive, Sustainable and Psychologically Safe Workplaces
- Understanding Distress in Neurodivergent Children and Young People
- Moving Beyond Behaviour-Based Approaches in Education and Care
- Barriers to Attendance (Emotionally Based School Avoidance), Alternative Provision and EOTAS
- Creating Inclusive Educational Environments
- Supporting Families, Schools and Organisations to Better Understand Neurodivergence
- The Impact of Societal Expectations, Masking and Systems on Neurodivergent Lives
Official Feedback From In-person & Virtual Events:
"Lived experience, great presenter, passionate, knowledgeable" - Gemma
"Really informative webinar about a parent's guide to understanding Autism and ADHD together. Carly was so knowledgeable, and it definitely helped having her personal input regarding autism and adhd" - Lee
"Thanks so much for an informative webinar. We have gained a lot of insight and received some great advice. Really grateful for your time." - David
"Carly is an incredible and trusted advocate and speaker for our autism events. Her approach is thoughtful, person-centred and she is able to bring her own lived experience to her talks, which ensures that the audience really engages with the practical advice and strategies she shares. Carly is incredibly open in sharing her own life stories and we see how much that resonates with our audiences of parents, carers, teachers and other professionals. Carly has also managed the Distressed Behaviour clinics at the Autism & ADHD Show, providing practical advice and support for attendees of the Show. The feedback we received from the people using the clinics has been extremely positive. I would not hesitate to recommend Carly as a speaker, autism specialist, educator, and mentor." - Kate
"I have just been on a webinar with Carly, the presentation was super intersting and helpful. Carly was a really good presenter and I look forward to watching more. Thank you" - Stacey
"I attended Carly's Unmasking Together Group and it was incredible. Carly made me feel so seen, understood and safe. The group was welcoming and a true safe community space to share. Carly is so knowledgeable and openly shares her own experiences which has helped me understand myself so much better. Thank you Carly for all the work you do!" - Jessica
"Carly is a very empathic coach. As a coach myself, I know what I expect from a coach. Her expertise, combined with lived experience, made the knowledge and tools she shared that much more powerful. In this group setting, Carly created a positive and safe space for everyone to share, ask questions, and connect with one another. I found the course very insightful and have already made progress in some of those areas I chose to target. I cannot recommend her highly enough. Thank you, Carly." - Leigh
"Carly’s training on Autism was incredibly insightful and engaging. She has a deep understanding of autism, not just from a theoretical perspective but also in a way that truly validates the experiences of autistic individuals. Her approach is compassionate, knowledgeable, and practical. I came away from the training feeling more informed and confident in my ability to support autistic students effectively. I would highly recommend her training to anyone working in education or support roles. Any young person who has the opportunity to work with Carly is incredibly lucky to have her guidance at such a pivotal point in their life. Her ability to help them navigate their autism with understanding, validation, and practical strategies is truly invaluable. She not only educates but also empowers, making a lasting impact on both the students she supports and the professionals she trains." - Alice
"Just attended the Webinar with Carly on Parents Guide to Autistic Burnout - Carly was so knowledgeable, she talks from experience, which is invaluable. Carly managed to present so much information to us in an hour and a half with useful links, websites etc. It was so relatable, easy to understand, so valuable and so beneficial, I learnt so much and have so much to take away to continue my learning in supporting my child." - Julia
"Carly came and delivered training in both ADHD awareness & Understanding Autism, with my team. These were very useful sessions, allowing for practical in-depth personal experiences to be shared along side proven strategies to implement and try. Additional there was a vast array of practical resources for staff to both try, observe, use themselves and learn from. Carly was both knowledgeable and approachable making this a highly successful team training day. I would definitely recommend asking Carly to come along and share with your team or group." - Paul
"Carly is absolutely amazing & extremely knowledgeable. I loved the course, I’ve learnt so much in a very supportive environment. Highly recommend!" - Helen
"I hope you’re having a good week. Thanks again for your recent on autism in girls. 86 people attended and we had 100% satisfaction rate. We received lots of great feedback too: 'Amazing webinar, Carly is so knowledgeable, insightful and so easy to listen to'. 'Thank you so much Carly, so clear, understandable and very relatable! I am hoping to support my teen daughter better who is undiagnosed (siblings have ASD/Adhd) diagnosis'. 'Really good to have someone who has personal experience talking about the topic. Content was really relevant and good amount of detail'. 'Very useful especially the periods as I’m trying to manage response as my Daughter doesn't like blood in real life'. 'My second webinar with Carly. Your knowledge and own experiences are so useful and comforting to listen to. Delighted I have found you!"
- 2025 - Keynote speaker at the Autism & ADHD Show
- 2025 - CEO & Founder of Rise As We Are CIC
- 2023 - Autism Specialist Consultant at Carly Steel Consultancy
- 2022 - Head of Education at New Leaf Triangle CIC
- 2016 - Curriculum Manager at Maclntyre
- 2014 - Executive Director at New Leaf Triangle CIC
- 2014 - Programme Coordinator at Maclntyre
- 2014 - Autism Specialist Teacher Key Stage 3 at Birchwood Special School
- 2013 - Community Leading Facilitator at Maclntyre
- 2010 - Further Education SEN Tutor at Hoefield College Limited
How to hire Carly Steel
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Carly Steel for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
