Dr Audrey Allwoods

Audrey Allwood is a powerful voice on diversity and inclusion and an expert on Caribbean migration. As an anthropologist, author and researcher, she studies inter-generational kinship and genealogy, as well as belonging and legacy in British society. Audiences of Audrey’s speaking events benefit from her knowledge and come away with a newfound understanding of British history. She has been an anthropologist since 2008 and has more than 25 years of experience. Audrey has an exceptional academic background and was a visiting research fellow at Goldsmiths University of London, later becoming an associate lecturer. Today, she is a popular addition to diversity and inclusion-themed events.

In local government and public services, Audrey worked in housing, drug misuse, mental health, and advocacy, graduating from senior management and consulting. As a speaker, she combines her decades of experience working in social services, municipal governments, and non-profit groups with her academic background to highlight the many challenges we face in the UK. She focuses on the intersection between diversity, wellbeing and mental health, to supply a solutions-led approach.

In 2018, Audrey completed a collaborative project on Caribbean Mothering with Goldsmith University that addressed intergenerational communication and social adaptability. Similarly, she contributed to an ABC radio broadcast about Caribbean migration in Brixton. The TEDx Talk speaker has the knowledge, experience and passion to discuss such complex topics at events, evidenced by her Blueprint for All talk for Black History Month.

After getting her PhD in social anthropology, Audrey collaborated with MIND, one of the biggest charities in the UK, to provide coaching sessions for young homeless people in the UK. In addition, her ‘Walk with Audrey’ service, which Certitude, the national mental health group, supports, helps people struggling with their mental health. As a certified Mindful Meditation practitioner, wellbeing is a topic close to Audrey’s heart; she regularly discusses techniques for better mental health at events, opening audiences’ eyes.

Audrey isn’t new to keynote speaking, she famously spoke at the Home Office Windrush Celebration Day, delivered programmes with Croydon BME Forum and conducted Drug Awareness Training Workshops. She is a rare speaker who delivers a unique perspective on British legacy, the Windrush Generation and social issues.