Profile

When I was in school, I often felt unsure of myself. I did not know I was dyslexic until my A levels, and I found out I am AuADHD much later. Before that, I often felt confused about why I struggled with some things, and I sometimes felt stupid because I could not explain what was going on in my own mind. Finding out the truth felt like a weight lifting, because I realised there was nothing wrong with me at all.

I felt very average at school and I did not have a plan for my future. Geography was the subject that kept me curious. It helped me understand the world in a way that suited my mind and showed me that there are many different paths you can take. You do not need to know your final destination right away.

I have slowly learned more about myself, I enjoyed being outdoors, running, walking and playing badminton. I like comedies, and I try new things just to see what fits. Last month I helped friends renovate their yurt business and last year my and my husband walked the full length of Hadrians Wall. These moments helped me build confidence and find out who I was.

Now I am thirty one, a senior advisor in the Environment Agency, and the co chair of a network that supports neurodiverse people across eleven organisations in DEFRA. I never thought little Lizzy would get here, but I followed what I valued, which is helping people feel seen heard and valued. My Geography degree opened the doors I needed and helped me understand myself.

If you are reading this and you feel unsure or lost, please remember that your story is only just starting. You do not need to get everything right at once. You will discover who you are by trying things and giving yourself time. Your place in the world is out there, and you will find it in your own way. I hope my profile helps you in some way, even if it is just a little bit of reassurance ❤️

In my job I help people in the Environment Agency understand why change is happening and what they need to do next. I support staff so that new processes and ways of working feel clear, simple and manageable for everyone. At the moment I am supporting a project to create a new National Operations Centre, called the NOC. This centre will bring very senior incident response staff together so they can coordinate the Environment Agency’s national response to major incidents like flooding and waste fires. My role is to help the changes needed for this project land in an accessible way, to make sure staff feel supported as things develop, and to help the new people entering these roles become confident and effective.

My work also includes a lot of acronyms. The NOC has roles like NOM, NIRO, ISO, LOGO, NBC, NTA and NDM, each one describing a different job in incident response. When I worked in the NHS there were also loads of acronyms, so from my experience the adult world cannot get enough of them. It is definitely something to get used to in working life.

Alongside my main job, I also have a voluntary role as the co chair of the Neurodiversity Network across eleven organisations in DEFRA. In this role I create events, coordinate resources, coach and support staff, mentor people and advocate for neurodiversity across the business. My aim is to build a community where neurodiverse people feel seen, heard and valued.

I start my morning with breakfast and a walk with my dog Wilma. Sometimes we play herding games or practise not chasing cars. When I log on, I check my emails, clear my inbox and reply to Teams messages. I do my admin tasks, like time recording, then have a quick chat with my work bestie so we can plan our day and help each other stay sane at work.

Most days I join important calls where I talk to people, build relationships and help them understand the changes happening in the Environment Agency. I give advice on how ideas can land in the best way and I work with colleagues in communications and project teams to design clear and simple messages. I also respond to questions from the Neurodiversity Network and have regular meetings to keep our support work moving.

Every Friday I set aside time for my development, and at the moment I am learning about benefits management. I fit this in between calls and my day job. I always make time for a lunch break, and on some days I work flexibly so I can go to aqua fit or the gym.

I always log off on time so I have a good boundary between work and home. In the evening I have dinner, go for a walk with Wilma and go for a run. I like winding down with TV, and at the moment I am watching I am a Celeb, and recently caught up on Squid Game and Married at First Sight. Sometimes I travel for work, but most days I work from home.