Meet the team
Sadie Gillett
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Sadie is a thought leader in neurodivergence with a focus on autism. With over 25 years of experience working with autistic young people, their families and schools, she brings a wealth of expertise to Think Different Consulting. Sadie is supervised by Kieran Rose, The Autistic Advocate.
Sadie founded Think Different Consulting after teaching in special schools, mainstream schools and specialist facilities, followed by her role as Brighton and Hove Council's Autism Lead for Education. As a parent to two neurodivergent teenagers, she brings both professional and personal understanding to her work, and is highly skilled at connecting with neurodivergent children and young people.
Sadie has a strongly neuroaffirmative ethos and is passionate about positive autistic identity. She challenges conventional approaches to curriculum, ensuring content and delivery are truly neuro-inclusive, with social communication and sensory preferences supported through strengths-based approaches. Her firm belief that environments and attitudes are the key to creating neurodivergent-friendly schools means she focuses on changing minds, spaces and thinking to make education work with young people, not against them.
Sadie works with the University of Sussex on research led by the autistic community and co-created the Just Right programme, now used in all 65 of Brighton and Hove's mainstream schools and three special schools. Sadie regularly collaborates with neurodivergent thought leaders to ensure her practice evolves with changing narratives around autism and ADHD. She sits on national research projects, delivers training across sectors and advises neuroaffirming alternative provision settings, such as Oaks Rise, helping shape inclusive practice at a systemic level.
Sadie has co-authored the following two papers:
Glass, D., Gillett, S., & Yuill, N. (2024). How can we do authentic co-construction with autistic secondary pupils? Health Education Journal - link here
Glass, D., Kinchin-Frost, H., Milton, R., Ferrell, A., Gillett S., Inclusive PSHE Teaching in Secondary School - Guidance for teachers July 2024 - link here
Sadie is also a director of My Ace Space (MAS), a new sensory and emotional self-awareness and self-regulation programme. MAS focuses on environmental adaptations and empowering young people and their families to understand and embrace their unique sensory preferences and needs. All TDC clients have free access to the parent training, resources and app for young people. Sadie is a minority shareholder in My Ace Space.
Charlene Mann
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Charlene supports the Think Different Consulting team with daily administrative and operational tasks. She also supports with developing processes, writing policies and ensuring best practice. She has a degree in Combined Social Science, an NVQ level 3 in Business Administration and many years’ experience in customer service, customer relationship management, data and administration.
Charlene is autistic and has two autistic sons. When her eldest was first identified as autistic, neurodivergence became her hyper-focus, and she remains driven to help neurodivergent children and families.
Charlene first encountered Think Different Consulting when she needed support for her youngest son. Having experienced the benefits for her own family, she now feels passionate about working for an organisation that is helping to give families the voice and knowledge they need to get the right level of support for their children within the education system.
Before joining Think Different Consulting, Charlene worked for a charity that supports children who are in hospital and their families. In this role she was an inclusion champion, specialising in neurodiversity.
Tori Cherry-Downes
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Tori is an experienced educator, qualified ADHD coach and passionate advocate for neurodivergent children, young people and their families. Having worked across educational settings, she has extensive experience supporting children with a wide range of neurodivergent profiles and understands both the strengths and challenges they can experience within education.
It was through teaching that Tori discovered her passion for working alongside neurodivergent young people. Since then, she has continued to develop her expertise across ADHD, autism, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), selective mutism and attachment, enabling her to provide compassionate, individualised support that is rooted in understanding each child's unique profile.
As a qualified ADHD coach, Tori has worked with families where children, parents or both are neurodivergent. She believes that when people understand how their brains work, they are better equipped to build confidence, develop practical strategies and embrace their unique strengths. As a neuroaffirmative mentor for TDC (Think Different Consulting) she is collaborative, neuroaffirmative and strengths-based.
Tori's professional expertise is complemented by both her lived experience of neurodivergence and her experience as a parent. These perspectives have deepened her understanding of the joys, challenges and complexities that neurodivergent individuals and families can experience. They inspire her commitment to helping others feel understood, valued and empowered to recognise and celebrate their unique strengths. She is passionate about creating opportunities for children and young people to develop a positive sense of identity, build confidence and thrive as their authentic selves.
Danny Annaly
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Before joining Think Different Consulting, Danny was a primary school teacher and school leader for 30 years across Brighton and Hove. He has a National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination from Chichester University, loves working with families and is passionate about developing people's understanding of neurodiversity.
In the first half of Danny’s teaching career, he specialised in mathematics and led on the development of primary mathematics across the local authority. In his most recent role, Danny was Deputy Headteacher and Special Needs Coordinator (SENCO) at St Luke's Primary School in Brighton. Here, Danny worked hard to put inclusion at St Luke's centre and supported everyone involved in the school to develop an understanding of neurodiversity.
The role gave Danny a clear understanding of the challenges faced by the families of autistic and neurodivergent children in the current system. It was while working as a SENCO that Danny became aware of the important work Think Different Consulting was doing to provide independent support for families to navigate the education system, and he is now a proud contributor to this mission.
As a Neuroaffirmative SEND mentor, Danny is committed to helping young people develop a positive understanding of their autistic identity, something that is essential for building self-esteem and well-being.
Danny’s mother and brother are autistic, which both informs and is informed by his professional experience.
Louise Hayter
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Louise is an experienced teacher and SENDCo in Nursery and Primary educational settings and has worked with children who are unable to attend school. She has also worked as a SEND advisor for social care and Early Help, specialising in supporting colleagues working with children and families with neurodevelopmental presentation or diagnosis. She is an NHS autism and mental health trainer (qualified through the Anna Freud Foundation) and a mental health first aider. Within school settings, she qualified as an Autism Lead teacher in Brighton and Hove.
At Think Different Consulting, Louise focuses on EHCP reviews and supporting our professional report writing process.
Louise is a mum to three boys, one of whom has ADHD and Tourette Syndrome. She is passionate about ensuring neurodivergent children are well understood and supported so they can engage in a meaningful education that works for them and brings them both success and happiness.
Tilly
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Tilly can come and join your young person for mentoring sessions at the TDC office. She enjoys showing off all the tricks she can do (especially if you give her treats!). Tilly loves a cuddle and is very good at helping young people to feel relaxed, regulated, affirmed and connected.
Tom Bernard
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Inspired by the TDC ethos, and using this to positive effect within his own family, Tom has taken on an unpaid role to provide technical direction and lead graphic design and branding. Tom was also diagnosed as autistic in his 40’s.