Speakers

Susan Day is a dedicated educational leader and the passionate Chief Executive Officer of Connect Solutions Group, based in Nantwich. She spent over 20 years working in schools as a teacher and senior leader, where she championed inclusive practice and supported countless students with additional needs. During this time, she gained her Qualified Teacher of the Visually Impaired (QTVI) accreditation, further deepening her expertise and direct work with visually impaired learners. 
 
Under Susan’s leadership, Connect Solutions Group - comprising Connect Design and Connect Training - has flourished. Connect Design is well known for its production of accessible and inclusive materials, including Braille, large-print, audio, tactile diagrams, accessible PDFs and e-Files - supporting inclusive assessment in education and driving accessibility in the corporate sector. The group works with the majority of awarding organisations to deliver high-quality modified formats for assessment materials across all stages of education.
 
Susan is deeply committed to pushing boundaries nationally, actively taking part in assistive technology development aimed at promoting independent learning across schools in the UK. She has led the creation of national guidelines to ensure assessment files work seamlessly with assistive technology, establishing standards that support both learners and awarding bodies. She is the Acting Chair of the UK Association of Accessible Formats (UKAAF) and has also chaired the UKAAF Exams Group, keeping accessibility at the forefront of the national conversation and embedding the needs of learners into every stage of the process. In addition, she serves as a director of a large multi-academy trust in Cheshire, contributing her expertise to strategic decision-making and governance.
 
Beyond this, Susan plays a pivotal role in shaping wider policy and standards. She contributes to the Access Consultation Group at Ofqual, engages with several All-Party Parliamentary Groups - including those on Skills & Employment, Assistive Technology, and SEND - and serves on a Department for Work and Pensions national task group. 
 
Her expertise and insight have been sought and published widely, including in The Times and Forbes, where she has written and contributed on education, accessibility, and inclusion. 
 
Alongside her professional life, Susan is married with four teenage children, including twin boys, and life is always busy. She enjoys travelling and sharing new experiences with her family and holds a strong belief that all young people should be given the life chances to thrive and to grow in confidence and independence. 
 
Fuelled by her guiding principle - “Everyone can” - Susan’s unwavering belief in inclusive opportunity shapes every part of her work. She champions inclusive practices not just within Connect but across organisations, advocating passionately for environments where individual potential is recognised and celebrated.