Celia Chartres-Aris is a multi-award winning Disabled Government special advisor, campaigner and lobbyist, researcher, policy and legal expert, founder and investor advocating for the improvement of Disability equity and human rights. Celia has received multiple awards recognising her work including being named The Most Influential Disabled person in the UK 2024, on The Global Diversity Leaders list, a Global Future Young Leaders Scholar UK Delegate, and named as the most influential Disabled person changing law and policy. As a SPAD (Government Special Adviser for Disability and health), Celia works around the world with national, British Territories, and international Governments in policy and strategy development, legislative design and performance, lobbying, unit management and implementing international Disability law. Celia has founded several disabled-led organisations focused on the development and advancement of policy, ensuring that Disabled people are at the heart of legislation and consultation across the globe. The work Celia has done has been internationally recognised by organisations such as Forbes, The Financial Times, Metro and BBC. As a senior specialist researcher, lobbyist and policy designer Celia’s ground-breaking work, including authoring and leading numerous policy papers and academic writings, has been used to create legislation, included in Government consultations, and used by elected officials in reviews, papers and Government inquiries. Celia works across the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors with organisations, charities and Governments, advocating, designing new legislation and policies, and amending existing legislation and policies, for the improved equity of representation, inclusivity, accessibility, participation and opportunities for Disabled people. Over the years this has included working with brands such as; Cola, Apple and Linkedin, and partnering with national and international Governmental bodies such as; The House of Lords, The European Union, The United Nations, British Territories, Westminster and Downing Street. As an entrepreneur Celia is the Co-founder of the first policy unit in the UK which focuses on putting Disability at the heart of Westminster, Access2Funding which brings together the global investment market and is implementing inclusive practices across the deal flow, significantly improving opportunities and participation for disabled entrepreneurs, and Disabled By Society which through speaking, consultation, policy and strategy development, and training is tackling head-on the discrimination of Disabled people, educating, spreading awareness and amplifying the diversity of the Disabled voice, regularly speaking to and advising organisations and charities around the world, such as; Virgin, NHS, UCL, Amazon, and British Banking. As an investor, Celia has supported and guided countless disabled led entrepreneurs, and sits on a number of organisational boards as a champion for inclusion and accessibility. Passionate about politics, policy and representation, Celia is actively involved with a number of organisations and campaigns aimed at increasing the democratic elected representation of Disabled people at both local and national levels of policy creation. With a background in law specialising in Human Rights, Celia actively campaigns around the world for the protection and implementation of Disability law. Alongside being an advocate for inclusive law and policy, Celia is an active campaigner for Disability rights as a Linkedin ‘Top Voice’. Celia has orchestrated a number of highly successful campaigns including the successful reinstatement of The Secretary of State for Disability, implementation of United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Disabled Persons and House of Commons Disability debates. Celia was born with multiple disabilities as a result of a rare and terminal genetic condition; Loeys-Dietz Syndrome, and lives everyday with multiple organ failure, she has never known her life without her Disability, and takes pride in her Disabled identity, working hard to break down systematic ableism, discrimination, and archaic stereotypes about the talents, potential, and ability of Disabled people.
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