People First
Dialogic Action CIC is a non-profit, values-based organisation, with a neurodivergent-majority board of directors with unique and dynamic skillsets, who each take an active role in the running of the social enterprise. Each is eligible to take part in the business, vote at general meetings and be eligible for selection of activities. Strategy is influenced and guided by a steering group, community members, clients and participants. We strive for directors, members, volunteers and employees to be representative of the general population. Practising staff meet up regularly for supervision, development and research.
Jonathan Drury
Jonathan is the creator of Autism Dialogue Approach®. With a rich and varied background informing his practice, including formal coach training, eastern and western philosophy and spiritual discipline, socially engaged art and living in intentional communities. Jonny views his work and that of the Dialogica team as agents of social recovery and the unfolding of potential toward true human unification and fulfilment. He works on coaching, facilitating, writing, consulting and training for autism, neurodiversity and mental health. He is currently writing the Autism Dialogue Handbook for a major publisher.
Managing Director
Kate Salinsky
Kate is an experienced training manager with a demonstrated history of working in the health wellness and fitness industry. Skilled in Coaching, Conflict Resolution, Executive Coaching, Team Building, and Public Speaking, she worked as a training manager and counsellor in the voluntary sector for 20 years managing a team of trainers to design and deliver accredited training to people working in substance misuse, counselling and mediation. Kate is experienced at ensuring the quality of training and achieved recognised status with national organisations for the qualifications she designed and delivered.
Training Director
Dr. Hanne De Jaegher
Hanne is a philosopher of cognitive science, studying the role of social interaction processes in subjectivity and intersubjectivity, particularly in the autism field, and has proposed the theory of participatory sense-making: ‘This enactive approach to intersubjectivity investigates how we move together while we interact with each other (including speaking), and how this influences how we understand each other and the world, together.’ Hanne is associate professor at University of Basque Country, Associate Editor for Frontiers in Psychology, Cognitive Science and a Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies Scholar, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
Research Director
Jackie Elliott
Jackie is an EMCC accredited Coach-Mentor (Senior Practitioner), expert teams, women and executive’s coach and a performance-driven Business Transformation leader, with 30 years experience in IT leadership, and an author. Jackie’s approach is best described as dialogic and inclusive in co-creating change, and unlocking the authentic potential in individuals, teams, and organisations. She has held multiple Business Operations and HR Leadership positions, at UK and EMEA level, most recently as Head of Organisational Development for T- Systems Limited.
Director (NE)/supervision
Nick Russell
Nick is Academic Skills Advisor at Sheffield Hallam University. He is highly motivated, people orientated and impact focused. At work a consensus builder always looking to develop new links and partnerships.
When not working Nick enjoys recurve archery shooting, board games and working on his lego city.
(Director/support facilitator/advisor)
Helen Silverwood
Helen has a great passion for fairness, equality and neurodiversity, and special interests in autism and empowerment. She has pursued these goals and interests for several years within the fields of employment, criminal justice, health, social care and education, providing advocacy, advice, group facilitation, training, coaching, teaching, mediation, care and support. Her vocational qualifications include Understanding Autism, Equality & Diversity, Independent Advocacy and Mediation Skills. Her academic qualifications are in the field of Social Sciences, in which she specialised in cultural studies and semiology. When not in her day jobs she writes short stories, articles relating to autism, and personalised poetry for special occasions.
(Director/advisor)
Holly Judge
Holly is a Research Analyst at the National Autistic Society and a highly motivated and innovative consultant, researcher and evaluator. She is passionate about social change and diversity, with areas of expertise including autism, neurodiversity, disability, mental health, charities, support for young people and families and criminal justice. Holly is a speaker at national and international events and experienced in hosting seminars, planning and conducting research, managing fieldwork teams, conducting interviews, coding text and summarising data.
(Director/research advisor)
Amina Drury
Amina has been teaching Yoga and Meditation for 7 years and has a special focus on Diversity and Inclusion. She has worked with a wide range of people, and enjoys taking a flexible, person-centered approach to teaching. As a neurodivergent person she enjoys exploring how Mindfulness can be adapted to accommodate anyone and everyone! Amina is training as a Psychotherapist for Children and Young People to gain a deeper understanding of the kinds of challenges people face and how to take a holistic approach in addressing those challenges. In her spare time, she enjoys being in nature, doing creative activities, and researching topics of interest.
Mindfulness for Autism facilitator