About Kelly Challis
Systems thinker, coach, educator, neurodivergent expert with 15+ years
Trusted and impactful
★★★★★
How I got here
I spent my early career as a teacher and trainer in education, noticing the same pattern over and over: practitioners were doing their best, but they were missing the framework to make sense of the complexity in front of them. They had strategies but lacked structure. They wanted to support neurodivergent learners but didn't understand how neurodiversity actually works.
That's what drew me to systems thinking.
Systems thinking gives you a lens to see patterns, understand complexity, and design interventions that actually stick. It's not about more strategies - it's about a different way of thinking.
Now, I work with both individuals and organisations. With individuals, I help them understand themselves and move forward with clarity and confidence this can be through coaching or assessment.
With organisations, I help them build cultures where neurodivergent people don't have to mask or fight the system - they can thrive as they are.
My Work, Simplified
Neurodiversity Training for Organisations
- Half-day workshops to multi-session programmes
- Build knowledge, language, and systems
- Leadership coaching for culture change
- Goal: sustainable systems you can maintain independently
1-to-1 Coaching for Individuals
- Explore your neurodiversity and how it shows up at work
- Navigate career transitions with clarity
- Build confidence and practical strategies
- Goal: move from "what's wrong?" to "what's right for me?"
- Comprehensive diagnostic assessment
- Understand your cognitive profile
- Formal diagnosis if applicable
- Gateway to coaching or organisational understanding
All three are rooted in the same philosophy: neurodiversity isn't a problem to fix. It's a dimension of human experience that, when properly understood and supported, becomes a genuine strength.
My Qualifications & Experience
Formal Qualifications:
- Qualified Teacher - Expertise in adult learning, behaviour change, and how people develop
- ICF-Registered Level 5 Coach - Trained in deep listening, powerful questioning, and creating psychological safety. This is serious professional coaching, not advice-giving.
- Level 7 Systems Thinking Qualification - Including strategic management and systems design. This is what underpins all my work.
- Assessment Practising Certificate Holder - Trained in standardised diagnostic tools.
- Associate Member - Dyslexia Guild and Praxis Pro
Experience:
- 15+ years supporting individuals and organisations through change
- Education sector: Schools, trusts, and educational institutions
- Health & social care: NHS, charities, social services
- Corporate: Businesses and public sector organisations
- Hundreds of individuals: Through coaching, training, and assessment
Personal:
- Systems thinker at heart - I see patterns and connections others miss. That's how I design interventions that actually work.
- Lifelong learner - Constantly exploring the intersection of neurodiversity, systems thinking, and human development.
How I Think About This Work
Neurodiversity Is Not a Problem
Neurodiversity is a natural variation in how brains are wired. ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia - these aren't deficits or disorders. They're different ways of thinking, learning, and processing the world. Some neurodivergent traits are challenges; many are genuine strengths when the system is designed for how that person actually works.
The Real Problem Is Systems, Not People
Most struggles neurodivergent people face aren't because there's something wrong with them - it's because the system (school, work, relationships, environment) is designed for neurotypical brains. When the system fits the person, everything changes.
Understanding Changes Everything
When you understand how a neurodivergent brain works - not just that it's different, but why things are hard and what conditions make that person thrive - everything shifts. Shame turns to clarity. Struggle turns to strategy. "What's wrong with me?" becomes "How do I set myself up to succeed?"
Sustainable Change Requires Building Capacity
My job isn't to be the expert who comes in and fixes things. It's to build knowledge, language, and systems in you or your organisation so that the progress sustains without me. You should walk away more capable, not more dependent.
Systems Thinking Is the Key
Nothing exists in isolation. A neurodivergent person's challenges at work aren't just about them - they're about the job, the team, the culture, the systems, and how all of those interact. Understanding those connections is how you design real, lasting change.
Testimonials from people I've worked with
"Coaching with Kelly has been transformational. Kelly provides a highly psychologically safe space and asks intelligent, thought-provoking questions. I've developed a range of strategies that are meaningful and have made a world of difference."
- Claire, Clinical Senior Team Lead
"Kelly made my son feel totally at ease. We received a very detailed report from Kelly, and would recommend 100%. Many thanks for your hard work 👍👍"
-Jo H Parent
Beyond the work
When I'm not coaching, training, or assessing, you'll find me:
- Thinking about systems, I have shares in Post-It notes
- Writing on Substack about neurodiversity and systems thinking
- Reading - currently enjoying reading about creativity and squiggly careers.
- Spending time with family especially in the mountains.
- Exploring how systems thinking applies to everyday life including coaching high jump!
Ready to Work Together?
Whether you're interested in training for your organisation, coaching for yourself, or just want to explore what's possible, I'd love to hear from you.
Learn More
Want to get to know my approach before reaching out?
- Read my book- Systems of Support in Education Settings- Building Inclusive Learning Environments
- Check the blog- Articles on neurodiversity, coaching, and systems thinking
- Read my Substack- Weekly reflections and insights
- Follow on LinkedIn Updates and professional insights