Social Mobility Speaker
Want a social mobility speaker who can talk in a refreshingly honest and humorous way? Book Toni to deliver a “From Council House via Corporate to Comedy” session for your team today.
As someone with direct experience of creating significant change throughout her life, including while working at one of the world’s largest technology organisations, Toni is perfectly placed to inspire conversation and positive action within your business.
Delivered in a direct, engaging manner, Toni uses her social mobility story to inform online and in-person talks that provoke immediate audience response and work extremely well for Women’s Networks, Social Mobility Networks and Diversity & Inclusion initiatives. She is also frequently requested as a motivational speaker for GCSE and sixth form students.
Want to check out Toni’s storytelling style in written form? Head on over to the blog where you’ll find scenes from her early life that celebrate her working class origins – including the time when a maths class turned into an unexpected musical extravaganza…
Talks and topics
Challenging University
The value of expanding your talent pool – based on her popular podcast!
A little bit about Toni...
Toni was born into a working-class family in Basingstoke in 1975. The eldest of four children, she and her family lived on a large council estate and she can vividly recollect the sense of community as well as the impact of redundancy and right-to-buy on the lives of those around her during the ‘70s and ‘80s.
When Toni was 14, her dad died leaving the family reliant on benefits and sparking a chain of events that would have lifelong repercussions. In the four years that followed, Toni scraped her GCSEs and was a birthing partner to her mother, twice. Living in an environment that social services described as “chaotic and showing signs of neglect”, Toni decided that she wanted a different life to the one that was predicted for her.
Today, thanks to a second chance at education, positive female role models and a 20 year career in IT including 10 years at Microsoft, Toni finds herself in what could be described as a “middle-class bubble” and it’s not always comfortable. Using her writer’s eye and comic timing, Toni helps bring to life the challenges and opportunities that exist for organisations to better tackle the intersectionality that is inherent in poverty.
Alongside informing her speaking and stand up, Toni uses her experiences to deliver workshops on how to embrace change even when it feels risky. She is also a sought-after ghost writer by senior technology leaders who want to project a more humorous, human voice online and on-stage.
Giving Back
Toni often delivers talks for free to secondary schools in the state sector. To talk to her about this, email [email protected]
She also showcases and signposts organisations that help young people experience disadvantage and social exclusion via her Challenging University Podcast which you can check out on Spotify via the button below 👇👇
