The Team
Who We Are
Johanna Graham
Founding Director
Johanna Graham (AuDHD) is a creative, entrepreneur, and mother with a fierce dedication to empowering neurodivergent children and families. As both a neurodivergent individual and the parent of a neurodivergent child, she understands deeply the challenges of navigating systems that weren’t built for every kind of brilliance.
With a strong background in creative arts and holistic wellbeing, Johanna brings a unique blend of compassion, clarity, and action to every project she touches. She has founded, funded, and successfully run multiple wellbeing-focused ventures. A trained singer, yoga teacher, and sound therapist, she integrates creativity and embodiment into everything she offers. Johanna’s exceptional organisational skills, visionary drive, and love for community into creating a nurturing sanctuary where neurodivergent children are not only supported but celebrated. Her gift lies in bringing people together, turning ideas into impact, and building spaces where everyone feels seen and valued.
Kate Spenceley
Director & Extra Needs lead
Kate is founder of Citizen Checkers CIC, a values-led organisation dedicated to creating more equitable systems for neurodivergent people. With a strong background in community engagement and advocacy, Kate brings a deep understanding of the barriers individuals face in education and wider society, along with a commitment to reimagining what inclusive learning can look like.
In her leadership, Kate combines strategic thinking with a hands-on, collaborative approach. She is dedicated to building learning environments that centre neurodivergent voices, challenge exclusionary practices, and foster genuine belonging.Her approach is relational, reflective, and rooted in lived experience. She is passionate about creating affirming spaces where neurodivergent children and their parents feel seen, supported, and empowered. As a teacher of philosophy, creative writing, and drama, Kate will bring creativity, critical thinking, and emotional literacy into the heart of the curriculum.
Clare Savage
Self Care-Parent Support
Clare Savage is a proud wife and mother to two amazing neurodiverse teenagers, and considers it the deepest honour to walk this path alongside them. Her family’s journey has included mainstream education, specialist provision, EOTAS, and now home education, where her daughter has successfully completed her GCSEs. This lived experience has given Clare a deep understanding of both the struggles and the joys of finding a way forward that truly fits.
Alongside her lived and experience of navigating a Neuro-inclusive household, Claire brings over 30 years of professional practice in holistic wellbeing, spanning reflexology, aromatherapy, kids yoga, and ceremonial spaces. At the heart of her work is nervous system regulation, offering safe ground for children and parents to thrive.
NILU is privileged to welcome Clare’s warmth, wisdom, and gifts into the team, she will be a corner stone in creating an environment where children can flourish as their authentic selves, and supporting parents to find strength and solidarity.
Lyndsey Gayle
Learning Facilitator
Lyndsay is a warm, gentle, compassionate, nature-loving mum and trauma-informed counsellor for adults. She is passionate about creating spaces where people feel safe to be authentically themselves and prioritises autonomy at the heart of her work with an underpinning of knowledge of nervous and sensory systems and regulation.
Lyndsay’s love of the natural world has been with her since childhood, and she has facilitated outdoor or nature-based and forest school–style groups for children. She values an approach that is flexible, curious, adaptable, and child-led, meeting each individual where they are.
Lyndsay proudly navigates life in a neurodivergent family with complex and often conflicting needs, and understands the challenges of the SEND system, all of which strengthens her advocacy and fuels her commitment to NILU’s vision of inclusive, nurturing spaces where every person can flourish as their authentic self.
Simone Yeomans
Education Coach & Learning Facilitator
Simone Yeomans is a devoted mother of two neurodivergent boys, aged fifteen and five. Being ADHD herself, home is full of play, music, creativity, and outdoor adventures, with animals and nature adding to the lively, nurturing environment. Her eldest has chosen home education, and Simone brings this same spirit of curiosity and hands-on learning to her work with other families. With a Diploma in Childcare and Education (Level 3) and over a decade of experience in schools, nurseries, and home settings,
She has extensive training, including Paediatric First Aid, Child Protection Advance, epilepsy care, administering medication, food safety and The Neuro-profiling tool qualification and child psychology (Level 4).
Simone brings imaginative play experiences to children and families across the region. Known for her intuition, patience, and ability to keep every child’s needs on her radar, she creates safe and joyful spaces where children can grow in confidence and connection. NILU is truly delighted to welcome Simone’s experience, talents, and wholehearted dedication to the team. Her presence enriches the community, ensuring that children feel supported as their authentic selves and that families feel included and uplifted.
Please get in touch if you are passionate about joining our team