TEDxNewbury

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Huma Mirza

  Huma is a teacher who leads English and reading in primary education. Shaping the future through school improvements and curriculum, with a focus on creating meaningful inclusive learning experiences. Her work is driven by a belief that human connection sits at the heart of great teaching. Drawing on her experience as both an educator and a mother of four, including children with SEND, she brings both professional insight and personal understanding to her leadership. She champions inclusion and belonging, ensuring every member of the school community feels valued. She has led professional development supporting staff to refine their practice and deliver high-quality teaching. She has contributed to wider educational conversations through radio and public speaking and led the organisation of the first primary-focused conference in Manchester. Her work centres on one key idea: that the future is not something we wait for, it is something we build, every day, in our classrooms.

• Leon Mitchell

  Leon is a BAFTA Connect member, a popular British children's and teen author, and a multi-award-winning director. His work is driven by a deep fascination with the human story, underpinned by his academic background, which includes an MSc in Psychology from the University of Wolverhampton and a BA (Honours) from Guildford. As an author, Leon channels this focus into two key areas. The first is cinematic adventures for tweens and teens, infusing science fiction, fantasy, and magic with explorations of human psychology. The second is imaginative short stories designed to entertain young minds, spark curiosity, and inspire creativity. This unique fusion of narrative and psychology is built on a highly successful career in directing, which garnered 51 awards and 18 nominations. His creative projects have been featured prominently across major UK broadcasters—including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, and Sky—broadcast live on BBC Radio, and have reached Number 1 on the Apple Film Chart.

• Sharon Bennett Connolly Bennett Connolly

  Sharon Bennett Connolly is a British historian, best-selling author, and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She holds a BA Honours Degree in History, Business, and Law. Sharon has been fascinated by history for over 40 years. She writes the popular history blog, History, the interesting bits and co-hosts the podcast 'A Slice of Medieval'. Sharon regularly gives talks on women's history, for historical groups, festivals and in schools; her book 'Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest' is a recommended text for teaching the Norman Conquest in the National Curriculum. She is a feature writer for 'All About History' and 'Living Medieval' magazines and her TV work includes Australian Television's 'Who Do You Think You Are?' Sharon will share a fascinating historical talk that also gives deeper insite into where we are going.