Andi Knowles
Elite Keynote Speaker | DEI Strategist | Nurse-Turned-Change-Maker
Get to know Andi
Diagnosed, wrongly, with a serious illness in 2010 alongside two other Black women in under an hour, Andrea uses her voice to spotlight the systemic injustices woven into the fabric of UK healthcare. Her story of being dismissed in A&E despite dangerously high troponin levels, and only receiving a heart diagnosis a year later, has become a rallying cry for equity and compassionate, patient-centred care.
She is the founder and Director of Staff Equality Networks, a consultancy that empowers organisations to supercharge their staff networks, embed inclusive leadership, and measure what truly matters. Her signature “ABC Approach” (Advocate, Believe, Challenge) is fast becoming a national standard for how allies can move from good intentions to transformative action.
Public speaking experience
Andrea has delivered speeches at the Windrush Centre (2023), Croydon BME Forum’s Black History Month Celebrations (2024), and a range of NHS Trusts, universities, and local government EDI forums.
With multiple national speaking engagements booked for 2025 and a book deal currently in progress, her work continues to shape the national dialogue on inclusion and health equity.
Andrea identifies proudly as a queer person of colour and is a passionate advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, a rare and courageous voice within Black communities, where stigma often silences queer identities. Her advocacy builds bridges between marginalised experiences and centres intersectionality as essential to justice.
She currently serves as a Trustee for All 4 Inclusion CIC and Black Beetle Health CIO and is a judge for the 2025 Queer Student Awards. Her intersectional lens brings authenticity, urgency, and clarity to every stage she steps onto.