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Built by Disabled People, for Disabled People
We ensure no one has to navigate workplace barriers, advocacy, or leadership alone.
The National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (NADSN) is a collaborative “super network” that connects and represents disabled staff and their networks.
By providing a platform for our members, we transform individual experience into collective strength and create a shared voice that influences change across institutions and at a national level.
Who We're For
NADSN exists for disabled staff across the UK and beyond.
Whether you’ve just disclosed a condition and don’t know where to turn, you’re leading a network at your institution, or you’re working to build something better for others, this is a space for you.
Many people come across NADSN at moments of uncertainty, frustration, or isolation. What they find here is connection, understanding, and a community that is actively working to remove the barriers they face.
Our Purpose
To connect, represent, and amplify the voices of disabled staff across the UK, ensuring individual networks have the collective strength and national platform they might not have alone.
Our Story
Creating a National Movement
In late 2013, Dr. Hamied Haroon began exploring the idea of creating a nationwide association of disabled staff networks, particularly within higher education institutions (HEIs). Inspired by the “network of networks” model launched by the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) for BME staff networks, Hamied envisioned an umbrella organisation that would:
Connect disabled staff networks across institutions and regions
Foster collaboration
Share best practices and learning
Coordinate national events and initiatives
Strengthen the collective voice of disabled staff
Following discussions with colleagues and leaders in the sector, the concept quickly gained support.
Our Aims and Objectives
Our work is shaped by our members and grounded in lived experience.
Together, we aim to:
Advance disability equity and campaign for the support of disabled staff networks in the workplace.
Advance disability equity and campaign for the support of disabled staff networks in the workplace.
Challenge stereotypes and promote a positive image of disabled people by endorsing the Social Model of Disability and eliminating the deficit/medical model.
Raise awareness of non-visible impairments, ensuring inclusion of people whose conditions/differences are hidden.
Organise and deliver accessible events that can bring disabled staff and allies together.
Support relevant research projects, policies, and guidance for disabled staff, managers, HEIs, FEIs, and Government agencies.
Provide opportunities for the personal and professional development of disabled staff within an HEI/FEI setting.
Identify high-profile disabled staff at HEIs and FEIs as role models.
Link with disabled students, particularly at postgraduate and doctoral levels.
Maintain a website with information, resources, documents, blogs, and useful links for disabled staff in accessible formats.
Attract sponsors and hosts for conferences and special-interest meetings.
NADSN continues to evolve through the voices of its members, ensuring disabled staff are not only supported, but heard, connected, and represented.
Our Membership
Membership is open to disabled staff networks, groups, and fora from HEIs and FEIs and the public sector across the country, as well as individuals and other organisations that support disability equity.
Current members include organisations across:
UK Higher Education institutions
Further Education institutions
International higher education organisations
Healthcare organisations
Police forces
Disabled people’s organisations
Companies and public sector bodies
This diverse membership bolsters NADSN’s ability to share knowledge and strengthen disabled staff networks across sectors.
Goverance
Meet Our Directors
NADSN is a Community Interest Company and operates to provide benefits to the community it serves. The Directors are Dr. Hamied Haroon, Jacquie Nicholson, and Stuart Moore.
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Dr. Hamied A. Haroon
Chair & Co-Director
Hamied is a proud life-long Disabled Mancunian of Pakistani heritage, a husband and father of two. Hamied works at The University of Manchester where he gained his PhD in 2005 and helped to establish the University’s Disabled Staff Network in 2007 becoming its first Chair. He is currently a Senior Technical Specialist and Research Fellow in MRI Physics and in 2026 was appointed as the University’s Academic Lead for EDI Disability.
Hamied delivered the Annual Disability Lectures at the University of Cambridge in 2018 and the University of Oxford in 2021. He has served on the Royal Society’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee since 2021 and on the Snowdon Trust’s Masters Scholarships Selection Panel since 2023. He was also a Judge for the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 2021-2024 and the Nature Awards for Inclusive Health Research 2022-2024. In July 2025, Hamied was presented with The University of Manchester President’s first ever General Distinguished Achievement Award and Christabel Pankhurst Medal. Later in 2026, Hamied will feature in a new children’s book called “Scientists Making a Difference”!
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Jacquie Nicholson
Vice Chair, Co-Director
Jacquie is a Disabled Scottish campaigner and activist who has worked in mental health in the third sector and higher education for over 30 years. While working at the University of Edinburgh she helped to establish The University’s Disabled Staff Network becoming its first Convenor.
Jacquie is currently an Associate Lecturer at the Open University teaching on the Undergraduate Nursing Degree. She has contributed to books, articles, research and conferences centring disabled people’s voices, shaping inclusive policies in the UK higher education sector and internationally. She currently Chairs the International Research Advisory Board for Disability Matters, a 6 year pan-national programme of disability, health and science research led by University of Sheffield. Jacquie is registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.
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Stuart Moore
Vice Chair, Co-Director
Stuart is a specialist in equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), with experience across the public sector. His early career included roles at the Cabinet Office and the Equality Challenge Unit, which established his expertise in organisational culture, workforce equality and policy development, laying the foundation for his later leadership positions.
At Health Education England, Stuart provided strategic leadership on embedding inclusive practices across education and workforce policies policy. In 2019, Stuart joined NHS England as lead for the NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES), providing leadership to advance disability inclusion across the NHS workforce. He later became regional head of equality for the South-East.
Stuart is a published researcher and is a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Arts and the Institute of Equality and Diversity Practitioners.
NADSN has a Patron Professor Anna Lawson (University of Leeds), and the Steering Committee continues to be drawn from NADSN membership.
Our Steering Committee Roles
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Secretary
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Treasurer
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Engagement and Communications Lead
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Intersectionality Leads
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Subgroup Leads and Co-Leads
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International, National, and Regional Leads and Co-Leads
Members of the Steering Committee serve two-year terms and work together to support all NADSN activities.
The NADSN Community
Nations, Regions, and International
Regional leads support local hubs across the UK and internationally. These local hubs aim to make it easier for members to physically meet up and work together on issues specific to their local area.
You can contact your nearest Regional Lead to join your Regional Hub.
Regional Leads and Co-Leads:
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North West: Lykara Ryder and Mona Patel (Manchester Metropolitan University)
North East: Vacant
Yorkshire and Humberside: Richard Knight (York St John University) and Ruth Knight (York St. John University)West Midlands: Dr Shaukat Ali (University of Wolverhampton)
East Midlands: Emma Nadin (Loughborough University)
East of England: James Hill (Cranfield University)South West: Dr Kelly Pickard-Smith (SW Academy Health Science Network)
South East: Professor Yota Dimitriadi (University of Reading) and Dr Melanie Thornley (University of Greenwich)
London: Ashok Jashapara (Royal Holloway University, London)
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Andrew Crosbie (Scottish Qualifications Authority)
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Vacant
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Angela Getty (Ulster University)
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Professor Nancy Hansen (University of Manitoba)