Biography
Shirley has an MSc in Social Administration from Columbia University in New York (1985) and a BA and Social Work qualification from the University of Bradford (1978).
Shirley began her career as a social worker in the London Borough of Ealing. She was Director of Fundraising for the Muscular Dystrophy Group from 1986-9 and then spent two years as a Management and Development Consultant before returning to New York, where she remained until 1999.
While in America, Shirley worked in the field of specific learning disabilities, leading the National Centre for Learning Disabilities and the Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities. She contributed to public policy in this arena through the creation of the National Summit on Learning Disabilities and authoring the 1996 book, ‘Learning Disabilities: Life Long Issues’.
Shirley joined Dyslexia Action as CEO in 2000. Under her leadership the organisation has become the leading provider of dyslexia services in Europe.
Shirley works widely in the education sector in the UK. She was on the National Council of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which is the public body that looks after all post 16 education in England (except universities). She was the chair of the Equality and Diversity Committee of the LSC and of their Voluntary Sector Strategy Group from 2002 until 2008. She is an advisory board member of the National Literacy Trust , an advisory board member of the ‘No One Knows’ project at the Prison Reform Trust and a member of the Third Sector Taskforce at the Department of Work and Pensions. ( 2008-09)
Shirley was awarded a CBE for her contribution to education in the 2009 New Year’s Honours List.
Read Shirley's Blog Publications Learning Disabilities: Life Long Issues; Paul Brookes 1996
Official Reports Contributing evidence to the Education and Skill Select Committees 2004 report on Special Educational Needs
Hidden costs to the nation of unrecognised dyslexia; Dyslexia Action 2004
Contributing evidence to Sharon Hodgson MP’s SEN (Information) Bill
Media Contacts For media contact: 01784 222 312 / 07841 672 040
Photo credit: Peter Dazeley