It has been quite a season for awards news, and I wanted to take a moment to share what has been happening and say a proper thank you to everyone who has been part of it. But I also want to be honest about how it has all felt, because I think that honesty matters.
Imposter syndrome is something I have spoken about publicly for years, and I co-founded International Imposter Syndrome Awareness Day because of how profoundly it affects so many of us. I am not immune to it myself, not even slightly. Every time a nomination comes in or a win is announced, there is a voice that pipes up and says “are you sure they meant you?” So everything I share here comes with that backdrop.
In March, I was accepted into two categories at the National Diversity Awards 2026: Positive Role Model for Gender and Positive Role Model for Disability. These awards have a special place in my heart because they celebrate grassroots community impact, not just professional achievement. That someone took the time to nominate me in both categories means more than I can easily put into words. The public vote is still open, and if you would like to support my nomination, you can do so at nationaldiversityawards.co.uk. You will need your email address and a few words about why you are nominating me.
Also in March, I was nominated for three categories in The Women’s Awards 2026 for the West Midlands: Outstanding Female Disability Awareness Champion, Outstanding Female Entrepreneur and Outstanding Woman in STEM. The West Midlands is my home, and regional recognition like this matters to me because it reflects the work being done right here in the community I live in.
Then in April, I found out that I had won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Security and Safety Entrepreneur Awards, sponsored by Ajax Systems and held at the NEC Birmingham. I was not able to attend in person, and when the news came through, I was completely overwhelmed. A Lifetime Achievement Award. I still find those words difficult to absorb. The imposter syndrome was particularly loud that day, and I had to consciously remind myself that I was allowed to feel proud of it.
Also in April, I was nominated for the SheCanCode Power Up Awards 2026 in the Diversity Advocate of the Year category, which recognises individuals who have made a significant contribution to diversity in tech. Given how much of my work centres on neuroinclusion and belonging in cyber security, this one felt particularly fitting.
And then last month, I was named in The Independent Impact 50 for 2026, which recognises the most impressive independent PR and communications practitioners working in the UK today. My inclusion was for the awareness raising work I do around the growing cyber threat and the safe, secure, responsible and ethical use of AI. That combination is so central to everything I do, and to have it recognised in this way was genuinely touching.
None of this happens in isolation. Every nomination and every win reflects not just my own work but the people I have had the privilege of working alongside, the communities I have been part of, and the individuals who took time out of their day to put my name forward. That means more to me than the awards themselves.
And if imposter syndrome whispers at you too, I hope this is a small reminder that you are allowed to be proud of what you have built.
