Dr Shani Dhanda

Disability Inclusion Specialist, Social Entrepreneur and Broadcaster

Judge

Shani is a multi-award-winning disability inclusion specialist, thought leader, social entrepreneur, and accomplished broadcaster. She’s driven change by establishing Diversability, the Asian Woman Festival, and the Asian Disability Network, all dedicated to combating global social inequality.

Over the past year, Shani has engaged with over 100 clients, igniting global audiences as a keynote speaker and inclusion consultant. Her impact resonates globally, with accolades including recognition as one of the sixteen most influential women in leadership, an Inspirational D&I Leader, a Changemaker to watch in 2022 according to CEO Magazine, and BBC’s 100 Women Laureate of 2020. In 2022, she secured six awards and honours for her unwavering activism and dedication to disability inclusion.

Shani’s influence extends to LinkedIn, where she became the face of their inaugural TV advert in 2019/2021 and ranked among the top 1% of influential LinkedIn members in the UK. Her reach expands to the screen, featuring in the Netflix series “Time to Eat,” premiering on the BBC, featuring in the ONS Census 2021 campaign, and even making a guest star appearance in EastEnders.

Within the broadcasting industry, Shani has swiftly risen to prominence, contributing and hosting segments on shows like Rip off Britain, addressing pressing issues impacting the disability community. Her presence extends to This Morning, Loose Women, Jeremy Vine on 5, and Sunday Morning Live. In the past year, Shani has been a powerful advocate for gaining further welfare support for disabled people during the cost-of-living crisis. Her expertise and insights are sought after by prominent news outlets, including Channel 4 News, Good Morning Britain, ITV News, and Sky News, among others.

Shani is more than a voice for change; she’s a catalyst. She initiated an event management internship program tailored for disabled people and successfully inspired major event agencies to follow suit. Her steadfast commitment to disability inclusion is underscored by her involvement in seven executive and advisory roles and her ambassadorship for five disability organisations.

“Disability inclusion that isn’t intersectional is like a puzzle missing vital pieces – it can never truly reflect the beauty and complexity of humanity.”

Q&A

Dr Shani Dhanda

What advice would you give someone submitting a nomination for the Disability Power 100?

As a role model, what advice would you give a disabled person at the start of their career?

How has your work impacted the disabled community or raised awareness about disability issues?

What are your future goals or aspirations in your field or in disability advocacy?

What do you do to switch off and have fun?

What or who brings you joy?

Do you prefer dogs or cats?

What is the one thing you would change if you could?

What barriers do you think still need to be addressed to improve the lives of disabled people?

useful links

Dr Shani Dhanda

areas of expertise

Business, Charity, social enterprise, Community, Cross Sector, Disability Advocacy, Education, Employment, Equality, Health and wellbeing, Publishing, Social Media influencing, Television, radio, podcast, Transport, travel

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