Meet the Team

Fil supports organisations and individuals to deliver technology solutions which enhance life, learning and communication. His commitment to professionalising the role of the Assistive Technologist led to joining with the other directors to form PAAT. Fil has a Masters (Distinction) in Educational Assistive Technology. He has provided consultancy and training in assistive technology to a wide range of education and healthcare organisations. Fil manages the TechAbility service and has previously delivered Assistive Technology services and support Beaumont Specialist College, The BRITE Initiative, Inclusive Technology and Seashell Trust.

Dawn began her career in further education and has held senior leadership positions in specialist colleges. She was previously Vice Principal at Portland College and later Principal & CEO at Landmarks College, where she led whole-organisation improvement, curriculum development and behaviour support initiatives. This background gives her a deep understanding of the educational, social care and employability challenges faced by disabled people.

Dawn is the UK Network Development Co-ordinator for the Karten Network, where she supports organisations cross-sectorally (education, health, adult social care and third sector) to use technology effectively to enhance learning, communication and independence for disabled people. She works closely with Karten Centres across the country, sharing best practice, encouraging innovation and helping organisations maximise the impact of assistive and digital technologies as they continue to evolve. Through this work, Dawn recognised the need to raise standards in Assistive Technology service delivery, and to this end was motivated to establish the Professional Association of Assistive Technologists.

Known for her pragmatic leadership, insight and commitment to inclusive practice, Dawn regularly engages with education colleagues and sector stakeholders to promote effective support strategies and improve opportunities for disabled people. Her work continues to influence policy and practice in specialist education, underpinned by a strong belief in equitable access to learning, independence and employment pathways.

I am an Emeritus Professor at the Open University specializing in digital inclusion, participatory R&D, accessibility, and effective support practices. I joined the Assistive Technology community in 1987 when I began working in health and social care settings to support adults with learning disabilities to use BBC microcomputers. Since those early days, I have focused on developing a range of professional development pathways, tools and resources for AT practitioners, including the first interdisciplinary Masters in Assistive Technology at King College, London. I am particularly passionate about supporting practitioners to gain the skills, confidence and competence they need to enable those they support to make informed decisions about whether and how they want to use Assistive Technology. I also believe that it is important for the Assistive Technology community to come together to agree standards of good practice. This is why I set up PAAT with Dave, Dawn and Fil and I am looking forward to more Assistive Technologists joining us in our mission.

Dave is Head of Assistive Technology at Leonard Cheshire Disability, a national adult social care charity supporting people across a broad range of disabilities. Over the past six years, he has led the development of the organisation’s Assistive Technology (AT) provision, scaling it from a single pilot site in Cheshire to a network of regional hubs delivering national AT support.

He is committed to raising quality standards and promoting best practice in assistive technology within the adult social care sector, where representation and consistency have historically been limited. He sees his involvement with PAAT as key to this expansion and professionalisation.

From previous careers, Dave brings more than 30 years’ experience in senior IT leadership roles across e-commerce, telecommunications, and manufacturing, with a strong track record in technology management and leading business and cultural change.