Meet the woman putting the Black Country on the map for inclusion

Born and raised in the Black Country, Tania Gerard is shaking up boardrooms and breaking down barriers with a mission to make the working world work for everyone. From local roots to the global TEDx stage, she’s proving that neurodivergent voices don’t just belong, they lead.

Tania is the founder of Tania Gerard Digital UK, a consultancy helping companies, from small local businesses to national names like the NHS, Greene King and Swim England, support and celebrate neurodivergent talent. As a neurodiversity trainer, accessible marketing consultant, TEDx Speaker and ADHD UK Ambassador, she uses her lived experience to transform how organisations treat both employees and customers.

But the journey wasn’t always straightforward.

“I spent years thinking I was just ‘bad at adulting,’” she laughs. “I couldn’t understand why I found focus so difficult or why I burned out so quickly in typical workplaces. My autism diagnosis changed everything, it gave me the tools to stop masking and start building a life that actually works for me.”

That turning point led her to launch her consultancy, develop a strategic framework called IMPACT, and begin working with companies to build more inclusive marketing practices and workplace cultures. Her work combines business strategy with deep empathy and practical insight.

Earlier this year, Tania delivered a TEDx talk titled "Accessible Marketing: A small shift for big impact", earning praise for its honest delivery and powerful message. She highlighted how seemingly small, accessible tweaks in how we communicate and design services can open doors for thousands of people and how inclusion doesn’t have to be complex to be effective.

“Growing up in the Black Country gave me grit, humour and a deep sense of community,” she says. “Now I want to help others feel that same sense of belonging, wherever they work or live.”

Tania is also the host of the fast-growing podcast ADHD Founders Unfiltered, where she and her co-host discuss living with ADHD as well as inviting other neurodivergent entrepreneurs about the highs, lows and hilarious moments of running a business when your brain doesn’t always follow the rulebook.

Her work has attracted attention far beyond the Midlands. She’s spoken at national conferences including Nottingham Digital Summit, Create Leicester and Digital Women Live, and was named one of Alt Marketing School’s 100 Marketers to Watch. She’s been featured on BBC Radio, in Freelancer Magazine, and is regularly invited to speak about workplace inclusion and accessible marketing strategy.

“It was great to have Tania as part of our journey to inclusion, it's always a pleasure to work with her and incorporate her thoughts into our FY25 strategy” said a senior representative from Greene King. “She brings clarity, empathy and humour to a topic many people are afraid to explore.”

Despite her growing reputation, Tania remains deeply rooted in her local community and proud of where she comes from.

“I want young people in the West Midlands to see that there’s no one right way to work, communicate, or succeed. If you feel different, that’s not a flaw. That’s your gift to the world.”