A trio of second place awards at the Disability Power 100 for Global Disability Innovation Hub founders & colleagues
GDI Hub co-founders and colleagues are nationally recognised for their work in the Disability Power 100 list – receiving second place across three categories.
Professor Cathy Holloway, Dr Vicki Austin and Anna Landre were each awarded second place in their respective categories during the Disability Power 100 finalist awards last night, 8th November 2023. Two members of the Disabled Leaders Network, Kyle Jordan and Kimberley Burrows were further recognised for their work in Education and Visual Arts, Fashion and Design.
The Disability Power 100 recognises the most influential disabled people in the UK for their achievements and ambition in breaking the stigma around disability to create a more accessible and inclusive world for all.
The Disability Power 100 plays a role in changing society by recognising the strengths and talents of disabled people who are pioneers, changemakers and influencers.
We couldn’t be prouder of our colleagues and co-founders who have been awarded second place in the following categories:
- Professor Catherine Holloway in Science and Engineering
- Dr Vicki Austin in Community Advocate
- Anna Landre in Politics and Law
Professor Cathy Holloway
Professor Cathy Holloway is our co-founder and academic director, developing the thinking behind ‘disability interactions’ which underpins much of our work at GDI Hub. Disability interactions is an approach that considers the design of technology with disabled-people which emphasises user-centred design and systems-thinking alongside impact measurement.
Cathy’s work and research has led to over 200 papers, developing a substantial portfolio of work that drives much of our real-world practice. Cathy writes about her own personal journey to founding the hub, her experience of disability and her reflections on being nominated as DP100 finalist in this thought-provoking piece on LinkedIn titled "Leadership. Power. Disability."
Vicki and I are both on this year's Power100 list, which is poignant as when we first met and started growing GDI Hub, we joked about writing a book entitled How to Change the World Whilst having a Breakdown. I think together, we have changed the world a little bit; history can judge if or how, but I hope it is for the better.
Dr Vicki Austin
Dr Vicki Austin is our co-founder and CEO at GDI Hub. After leading the Paralympic Legacy Programme for the Mayor of London in 2012, Vicki joined forces with Iain McKinnon and Cathy Holloway to found GDI Hub in 2016, to continue to push for and test innovative means to create a more just world.
GDI Hub has now reached nearly 30m people, in more than 40 countries, working with 70+ partners around the world through AT2030 funded by UK Aid. Vicki has been part of leading this change, and pushing for better – advocating for disability rights and social justice at various global governmental levels and movements.
In this heartfelt piece on LinkedIn, Vicki writes about how she felt on knowing she had been nominated as a finalist in the DP100.
I'm honoured to be included among such giants of our movements. Also to everyone I've worked with in this brilliant sector, who taught me how to keep going and where to give my energy.
Anna Landre
Anna is a disability justice and rights practitioner whose work focuses on the implementation of law into real-world impact on the lives of disabled people. Anna is currently a researcher and PhD candidate with us at the Global Disability Innovation Hub, where she is exploring creating a global Disabled Peoples Organisation map and knowledge-sharing platform.
Anna additionally has extensive experience in the humanitarian sector and works as the Global Research and Response Lead at The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies, a disability-led disaster response organization that works in crises globally, particularly in the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Ukraine.
Anna reflected on the DP100 awards last night;
The best part of the Power 100 is getting to meet more than one hundred amazing disabled people working to push our movement forward in every field imaginable. These are the spaces where important conversations happen that will lead to even more collaboration and change!
GDI Hub team feel deeply proud and honoured to be led-by and working alongside such compassionate, dedicated, and ambitious people.
Congratulations to all.
Background to the DP100
A fifth of the UK’s population has a disability or impairment, however, there is very little recognition of successful and influential disabled people. Disabled people are more likely to be unemployed, and the gap is widening, and until we change the public perception of disability, to recognise strong, successful, influential people who are leaders in their field, this gap will continue. According to government figures the disability employment rate has increased by 9.2 percentage points from 43.4% in July to September 2013 to 52.6% in July to September 2022.
Previous winners of the Disability Power 100 number one spot have included comedian and presenter Alex Brooker, campaigner and peer Baroness Jane Campbell, BBC disability journalist Nikki Fox.
The 100 finalists were selected by an independent judging panel chaired by Andrew Miller MBE from more than 1,500 public nominations. Full details of this year’s finalists can be found on www.disabilitypower100.com.
The top 10 and all-important top spot, will be announced on 8 November from The Drum, Wembley. To receive updates please follow Shaw Trust on socials X; Insta;
LinkedIn or contact Powerlist@shaw-trust.org.uk to attend or cover the event.
#DisabilityPower100 #DemandTheChange
