Michelle Howard (Vice Chair)

I am a 44 year old C6 complete lesion, having become paralysed at the age of 16.  I live in Swindon, where I worked for 6 years as a Solicitor specialising in personal injury work.  I am a past Chair of the Law Society's Group for Solicitors with Disabilities and am also a Trustee of Inspire.  I currently work as Chair of NHS Swindon overseeing the strategic direction and governance of the NHS, and have responsibility for the annual spend of some £250m of public money.  I have learnt a great deal about leading a large organisation since becoming an NHS Chair and am pleased to have the opportunity of using these skills for the benefit of SIA.  I am committed to the financial securement of existing services to SIA members, and ultimately to developing these further to ensure that they can be accessed by as broad a diversity of SCI people as possible.