Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

We would both like to express our heartfelt thanks to the women and men, neurodivergent and neurotypical, entrepreneurs, members of the support systems and academics, from around the world, who gave up their valuable time to tell us about their experiences, discuss key issues, challenge our thoughts and help us think through just what would make things better. We take the opportunity here to thank everyone to whom we spoke over the 18 months during which the research for the book was completed, while acknowledging that any potential errors that may have crept into the book are ours and ours alone.

In alphabetical order, we therefore would like to thank: Anastasia Hatzivasilou, Andy Trung, Anne-Marie Head, Catriona Stewart, Chandra Embuldeniya, Charlotte Valeur, David Copus, Dilma de Arauja, Elif Bezal Kahraman, Eva Kasperova, Helen Beddow, Jasmine Ghibli, Jude Morrow, Keith Gill, Kelly Bron Johnson, Laura McConnel, Laurel Herrman, Marcia Brissett Bailey, Michelle Garnaut, Nancy Tsang, Nathalie Roberts and her daughter Emma Roberts, Nicola Patterson, Nigel Lockect, Rachel Wesley, Rob Edwards, Sadykova Jyldiz, Sam Warner, Sarah Taylor, Sasha Boersma, Saskia Vossenberg, Sharon Mavin, Siena Castellon, Stephanie McKendry, Susan Frenk, Theo Smith, Tom Cooney, Vicky McGrath, Wanda Deschamps and Will Wheeler. We also thank the members of the Global Woman's Enterprise Policy Group.

Our particular thanks go to Catriona Stewart, who has provided inspiration, food for thought and raised insightful and challenging questions, beginning with our original collaboration on the peer mentoring programme before the idea for the book was even born. Huge thanks to Susan Frenk, Principal at St. Aidan's College of the University of Durham, for her constant support. The initial discussions about the book with the publisher took place at the College. We are also deeply grateful to the group of mentors and mentees that participated in the peer mentoring programme. Their openness and willingness to share their thoughts and ideas, both in the classroom and outside the formal part of the programme, was both inspiring and humbling. We are especially grateful to Jasmine Ghibli, whom we first met during the SWAN Peer Mentoring Programme, and who made an invaluable contribution to the book. Jasmine is an inspiration and an articulate, strong role model who has created her own opportunities. In her contributions to this book, she has written frankly about some of her early challenges and how she has grown in confidence and resilience. And we would also like to express our gratitude to Wanda Deschamps, Founder of Liberty Co. Canada, who was instrumental in putting us in touch with a wider group of individuals with stories to share. The book is the richer for it.