Dr Tom Nicholson is a prominent neurodiversity expert, having delivered talks and training to over 100,000 people on the subject. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Mental Health Nursing at Northumbria University, specialising in mental health nursing and neurodiversity. His talks, training, and consultancy work help teams within corporate, health and social care, and educational organisations to understand their role regarding neurodiversity and how to better support their neurodivergent staff, stakeholders, and clients.
Diagnosed with ADHD at 5 years old, Tom’s educational qualifications include a Bachelor’s Degree from Newcastle University and a Bachelor’s and PhD from Northumbria University. Having always worked in the mental health sphere, Tom moved from an NHS community mental health nurse, mental health first aid speaker, Tom has been an Assistant Professor of Mental Health Nursing at Northumbria University since 2017. Winning the Heath Award for Nursing Excellence, Tom is dedicated to educating people about ADHD so that no other child has to undergo the traumatic educational journey that he has had to experience. He also serves as the Neurodiversity Champion for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion across Nursing, Midwifery & Health at Northumbria University.
Tom has contributed to a wide number of academic papers and works, and is a regular guest on various podcasts, including BBC Sounds' 'It's Too Loud in Here', 'All Aboard ADHD', 'NeurodiversiTEA', and more. He has also spoken at numerous events, such as the global ADHD Conference in 2024 and 2025, the British Sociological Association Medical Sociology Conference twice, the 2025 Neurodiversity and Entrepreneurship Conference, and the 2026 International Neurodiversity Conference in the UAE.
Committed to improving confidence among teams, Tom is keen to educate on what neurodiversity really means, improving retention, productivity and wellbeing of neurodivergent staff, and creating cultures that work for different brains without the performative and tokenistic tick-boxing. A seasoned speaker shedding an honest light on neurodiversity and changing the story of neurodivergence in the workplace, Dr Tom Nicholson is the perfect addition to a multitude of diversity, wellbeing and mental health events.
Dr. Tom Nicholson's official speaker topics are listed below:
- Changing the Story of ADHD
- Working with Neurodivergent Clients
- The Science of ADHD, Autism, and AuDHD
- We Are All a Little Bit ADHD Right? Understanding the Realities of ADHD in the Workplace
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
Feedback from In-Person Events:
"I wanted to thank you on behalf of all the team. We have all reflected on how much it challenged our thinking." - Emma, Advanced Occupational Therapist, Cumbria, Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
"Tom has been an incredible source of knowledge for our audiences here at Seed Talks. His lectures on ADHD & Autism have been extremely well received, and we get great feedback about them. I also find Tom an absolute pleasure to work with!" - William, Founder of SEED Talks
“A massive thank you for all your help and participation today, what an absolutely fantastic event! There were so many interesting points discussed, and I’ve already had lots of informal feedback about how great the event was and how insightful the topics discussed were” - Briallen, Underwriter at Beazley, Neurodiversity Panel discussion
"Thank you so much for joining us at yesterday’s webinar. I would like to start this email with a big thank you for your courage and bravery in sharing your lived experience with our Instructor Member community:
“Dr Tom was an excellent speaker. His lived experience is thought-provoking and moving. This was really helpful for me as an instructor, for my workplace and personal life. “
“Really informative. It’s making me think about how I can develop my approach and facilitation style to be more inclusive. It is also going to help me with some personal relationships too!”
“Tom is an excellent speaker, and his story resonated with me personally - such a lot of insights for those wanting to understand more about ADHD”" - Webinar for Mental Health First Aid Internal Trainers
"After attending the neurodiversity training session, I wanted to take a moment to share my feedback. The training was incredibly insightful and impactful.
I appreciated the practical examples and strategies provided during the session. These real-world applications will be extremely useful in creating a more inclusive environment in our workplace.
The interactive elements of the training, such as group discussions and activities, were particularly beneficial. They allowed for a deeper understanding. The expertise and passion for the subject were evident throughout the training. Your ability to connect with the audience and address our questions and concerns was greatly appreciated.
Overall, the neurodiversity training was an amazing experience that has equipped me with valuable knowledge and insight. I am confident that this training will have a positive impact on our organisation and help us better support neurodiverse individuals." - S., Enhanced Care Pathway Service Manager, County Durham Drug & Alcohol Service
“Thank you so much for the training, staff have raved about it ever since, and the feedback was consistently good - not just that you were a good trainer but that you actually helped them to understand things they hadn’t before” - Amie, Lead trainer at Lasting Threads Care home
- 2025 - Contributed to another academic paper, 'The WISE Room: An Innovative Multisensory Space for Self-Regulation and Immersive Support for Neurodivergent Students'
- 2024 – Facilitator of the Navigating Neurodiversity at Northumbria panel
- 2024 – Invited to speak at an event for Seed Talks
- 2024 – Speaker at the ADHD UK Global Conference
- 2024 – Invited to speak on the All Aboard ADHD podcast
- 2024 – Invited to speak on The ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Podcast
- 2024 – Recipient of the Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy
- 2023 – Delivered a presentation at BSA Medical Sociology Conference
- 2017 – Assistant Professor of Mental Health Nursing, Northumbria University
- 2017 – Plenary Speaker, Mental Health First Aid
- 2016 – Community Mental Health Nurse, NHS Foundation Trust
- Guest Lecturer at Durham University
How to hire Dr. Tom Nicholson
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Dr. Tom Nicholson 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.
