Frances Akinde is a neurodivergent educator, speaker, podcast host and author with over 20 years of experience across primary, secondary, special, and local authority education.
She is a qualified SENCO and former headteacher of a secondary special school for learners with autism and associated difficulties. Until recently, Frances worked as a Local Authority SEND Inspector and Adviser, alongside running her own consultancy and coaching practice.
After discovering her own neurodivergence and hearing impairment in 2022, Frances has combined her lived experience with her professional expertise to advocate for genuine inclusion in education and the workplace. She is an Assistive Technology Trainer, Workplace Adjustments Assessor, and Anti-Racist Schools Coach for Leeds Beckett University’s CRED Award, as well as co-founder of the BAMEed SEND Hub.
Through her consultancy, Frances provides training, coaching, and advisory support on inclusive practice, intersectionality, and leadership. Her first book, Be an Ally, Not a Bystander, published in 2024, empowers educators to take meaningful action towards allyship, and her upcoming title, Intersectionality, Race & SEND: Conversations for Advocacy and Change, will be released in 2026.
Frances is passionate about helping others build inclusive environments where every learner and educator can thrive and truly belong.