Our Office Team
One of the things that makes ADD-vance special is that all of our team members are parents of neurodivergent children. We are unique in bringing a parent’s perspective and pragmatism to our work while all team members are qualified and trained in their specialist area, to ensure that all our services are provided to a high professional standard.
Bridget Livesey
Specialist Autism and ADHD Trainer & Coach
EHCP Specialist
Bridget is mother to three amazing, unique young men who all have diagnostic combinations of autism and ADHD. Over the past two decades, Bridget has developed substantial understanding and appreciation of these conditions, and brings her experience and expertise to bear in her role as Specialist Autism/ADHD Coach and Trainer. Bridget is a clear and empathic communicator, born from her first career in journalism, and brings compassion and care to her work with both parents and professionals. Bridget is particularly passionate about supporting parents in building on their skills, understanding and ability to support their children through the use of proven and well-tested strategies.
Bridget has a particular interest in SEN law. She is a trained IPSEA adviser and helped launch the government’s Independent Support programme in Hertfordshire in 2014, at the time of the SEN law reforms. This programme helped parents navigate the introduction of Education, Health and Care (EHCP) processes. Since the closure of the programme in 2018, Bridget brings her EHCP knowledge and expertise to parents as an Independent SEN Adviser, drawing on her extensive SEN legal training and also her own personal experiences as a parent of children with an EHCP.
Debbie Wood
MBA(Exe), BA(Hons)
Chief Executive Officer
Debbie is a passionate believer in the importance of local charities and the benefits they provide to individuals and families. She has devoted her whole career to working in the Hertfordshire voluntary sector in agencies that support people to fulfill their potential. The work of ADD-vance and the impact it makes inspired her to join the team in 2020, where she feels she has been given the privilege of leading the charity into its next phase of success. Outside work, Debbie is a busy mum to her two children and when she is not being their taxi driver, she loves to bake anything with chocolate in.
Jennie Rayson
MSc (Hons)
Neurodiversity Services Manager
Jennie has spent most of her career as an Economist in the Civil Service working in many different areas. She took a career break in 2016 to focus on family and having benefited from ADD-vance courses has recently joined ADD-vance as the Neurodiversity Services Manager. Outside of work Jennie is an avid tennis fan and has a very cuddly dog!
Gillian Wilson
CGMA
Finance Manager
Laura Connor
BSc (Hons)
Marketing and Events Lead
Laura is a brand specialist with over twenty years experience in the broadcast industry. Starting her career in television production at the BBC, her specialism in Childrens content took her into Brand Management for BBC Studios where she successfully oversaw BAFTA winning kids franchise brand Hey Duggee, among others.
Laura has first hand experience of ADD-vance’s services. Combining this knowledge with her professional experience, she is an advocate of educating parents and professionals in recognising neurodivergence in children and young people, helping them live their best lives.
Sarah Hennessy
Social Media Officer
Sarah lives in Welwyn Garden City with her husband and daughter, although she is originally from East London. After working in admin jobs for money brokers and accountants in the City of London for 11 years, she took a break in 2001 to get married and raise her daughter. Sarah was involved with Spectrum Girls (before it became part of ADD-vance), looking after emails and admin, and arranging social events for members.
Sarah loves travel, reading, film and going to the theatre. Her whole family are passionate about football, Sarah and her daughter are members at Tottenham Hotspur and love to go to games together. After volunteering for ADD-vance for 6 months in 2021, Sarah now looks after all of our social media.
Andrea Horne
BSc (Hons)
Training Administration
With two teenage children (and a cat!) keeping her on her toes, Andrea’s motivation to work with ADD-vance comes from her desire to see families like her own supported to thrive. Having joined ADD-vance in 2013, Andrea is determined to ensure that we get all our processes and systems in the best possible shape to help us efficiently and effectively support our members. Drawing on her experience of working in account management and keen eye for innovation, she is always on the lookout for new ways to improve our back office support to keep everything up to date. When she is not knee deep in statistics and reports, Andrea loves to travel the world with her favourite adventures being in the U.S.
Jennifer Mould
Office Administration
Jen first connected with ADD-vance after attending workshops and receiving support when the team visited her son’s nursery. She found the journey overwhelming and had little knowledge of neurodivergence before her son’s diagnosis. The ADD-vance workshops made a big difference by giving her family knowledge and helping them feel supported. Now, she’s passionate about helping other families feel supported on their own journeys.
She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and son, loves spending time with family and friends, and finds swimming a great way to relax.
Donna Bullock
Helpdesk Manager
Donna lives in Hertfordshire with her 3 children and chocolate lab and cocker spaniel. She first became aware of ADD-vance in October 2018 when she attended ADD-vance workshops and received parent coaching whilst her son and daughter were on the pathway to getting their Autism diagnosis.
Donna has a foundation degree in Early Years and Early Years SENDCo training. She is passionate about children/young people having their needs met and parents having their thoughts and feelings listened to. Donna has joined ADD-vance to offer families the advice and support that she valued so much at the beginning of her journey, to help with day to day battles and for parents/young people to know they are not alone.
Sam Angell
Helpdesk Support
Sam lives in Hatfield with her husband and 2 of their 5 beautiful boys and is neurodivergent herself. She loves spending time with her family, singing and living life to the full.
Sam was first introduced to ADD-vance when she had coaching for her family and has been navigating the SEN world for the past 25 years. She is passionate about supporting parents/carers of neurodivergent children and sharing the knowledge she has gained over the years to support them on this journey.
Sarah Edun
Helpdesk Support
Having qualified and worked in the beauty industry for over 20 years, Sarah’s passion has always been centered at the heart of helping and she has volunteered with many organisations in the past including ADD-vance. Sarah is an enthusiastic individual whose only child, (in her words “her favourite child”) motivates her to keep going and he was the reason why she changed her career to focus on the wonders of the Neurodiverse World.
Hollie Khaladj
Helpdesk Support
Hollie comes from an employment support background, working on various Hertfordshire based employment projects, aimed at supporting neurodivergent individuals and their families to overcome barriers and improve personal prospects and family dynamics.
Hollie has her own neurodivergent child and understands the rollercoaster of emotions and challenges that parents/carers of neurodivergent children face daily. Hollie was first referred to ADD-vance by the Senco at her daughter’s school and found she massively benefitted from the 6-week parent mentoring course, which led her to join ADD-vance to help other parent/carers access the support available.
Claire Proud
Helpdesk Support
Claire joined ADD-vance with a need to make a difference to families in Hertfordshire. Married for 27 years, and mum of two children now in their teens and a young adult, she remembers how emotional and isolating the journey is at times parenting a neurodivergent child. She is passionate about being there for other parents experiencing a similar journey and by providing support and advice, she wants families to see that they are not alone. Claire loves spending time with her family and friends, retail therapy is her downfall, spa days are a must and long walks with her dog Bear is her daily exercise.
Amanda Rodgers
Helpdesk Support
Amanda came into contact with ADD-vance when she first suspected her son was autistic. She made use of the helpline (thanks Lisa!) and joined one of the 6 week courses, both of which proved invaluable in supporting her through those early years. Amanda has joined to provide that same support to other families – she knows first hand how isolating and overwhelming the journey can be, and also the relief and reassurance in talking to others in the same situation. ‘
Outside of work, she spends lots of time playing roblox and mario cart as her son’s special interest has influenced the whole family!
Catherine Ainsworth
Volunteer
Catherine was first inspired to volunteer when she attended the 6 week parent Time Out course and the rest, as they say, is history. Catherine’s background in digital marketing and being Yorkshire in no way prepared her for the trials and tribulations of life as the parent of neurodivergent kids but like so many others has found that you become an expert pretty quickly! Catherine works behind the scenes on website improvements and other marketing projects.
