TedxBanbury announce two more inspiring guests

Karen is the founder of Parents Talking Asperger’s CIC, a Christian faith-based, award-winning voluntary support group for parents of children and young adults with Asperger’s Syndrome (High Functioning Autism).

Karen will present her speech with colleague, PTA Director Lisa Bhanu, at the sponsored event.

TEDxBanbury lead organiser Karen Baldry, said: “This announcement comes hot on the heels of our first speaker – Dave Earle – being unveiled last Friday.

“Karen and Lisa are inspirational ladies and are doing amazing work in our community every single day. We can’t wait to hear their talk at the event.

“Having Karen and Lisa on board cements another great partnership for TEDxBanbury - a high profile event that will showcase our town and speakers within it on a global stage.”

Karen Irvani has a son who lives with Asperger’s Syndrome (a form of autism)/ADHD/Tic Disorder.

She founded the award-winning Parents Talking Asperger’s (PTA) in 2012 to give emotional and practical support to other families who have to cope with autism, which can be both challenging and rewarding. Karen says that autism means being wired differently, not “wrongly”.

Since Karen set up the Facebook page, “Parents Talking Asperger’s” seven years ago, PTA now has a virtual community of nearly 1000 members, primarily in north/rest of Oxfordshire with regular contributors from around the world. PTA also receives family referrals from the National Autistic Society, other autism charities and Special Educational Needs’ (SEN) professionals from local schools.

Until 2014, Lisa was a group account director in a digital marketing agency. With the birth of her son, she started working in the education sector as a teaching assistant in a primary School.

She soon discovered that she had a passion for helping those children with special educational needs such as autism, dyslexia, ADHD and learning difficulties.

This coincided with her own son being diagnosed with autism spectrum condition, aged 4.

Lisa also worked at Banbury & Bicester College as a Study Coach, supporting young adults with special educational needs.

In 2016 Lisa met her now business partner, Karen, at Parents Talking Asperger’s and together in January 2019 they took the group from voluntary organisation to a Community Interest Company.

The first ever Tedx event will take place in February 2020. for more info visit http://ted.com.