Founder of Cysters

Neelam Heera-Shergill is a decolonising health advocate committed to the collective liberation of communities often missing from mainstream discourse. Her work centres those pushed to the margins of research, policy and care, ensuring they are not simply included but positioned as leaders, knowledge holders and architects of change.

Neelam is the CEO and founder of Cysters, an award winning charity working at the intersection of reproductive justice, racial justice and health equity. What began through her own experiences of PCOS, Endometriosis, PMDD and miscarriage has grown into a national movement challenging health injustices embedded within colonial systems, caste oppression, misogyny and structural racism. Through Cysters, Neelam advances reparative approaches to healthcare by shifting power, funding and authorship towards grassroots communities. Her leadership spans co producing national research, shaping policy conversations and building partnerships with universities, NHS bodies and funders who are serious about structural change.

She is known for bringing creative community disruption into institutional spaces, challenging extractive engagement and advocating for lived experience as expertise. Her work recognises that decolonising health is not symbolic work. It requires redistribution, accountability and long term investment in those at the sharpest intersections of inequality. Neelam’s leadership has been recognised with the Pride of Britain and Point of Light awards. As a TEDx speaker and trusted voice in maternal and reproductive justice, she continues to build spaces rooted in dignity, solidarity and transformative change.

Author of "Unheard", Doctor, Researcher & Activist

Dr Rageshri Dhairyawan is a doctor, researcher and writer. She qualified in 2004 and is an NHS Consultant in HIV Medicine at Barts Health NHS Trust and Deputy Director of the SHARE Collaborative for Health Equity, Queen Mary University of London.

Her clinical work, research and advocacy focus on improving health equity, particularly at the intersections of gender and ethnicity. Rageshri was winner of the ‘Campaigner for Health Equity Award’ at the 2025 Women of the Year Awards.

She has held numerous national charity and policy positions and regularly works with patient organisations. She is currently Chair of the British HIV Association Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Group, chairs the steering group of 4M Mentor Mothers CIC and is a medical advisor to NAZ. Rageshri is a Wellcome Collection x Spread the Word non-fiction awardee and author of Unheard: The Medical Practice of Silencing (Trapeze, 2024) nominated for the Bread and Roses prize for Radical Non-Fiction. She has also contributed an essay to to the anthology No One Talks About This Stuff (Unbound, 2024).

Women’s Health Speaker | Educator | Advocate Founder of SAE Empower Coaching

Sahir is a Women’s Health Educator, Advocate and Speaker. The founder of SAE Empower Coaching and The Menopause Rebrand. She coaches women globally, empowering them to invest in their health and understand that health is the most lucrative investment they will ever make.

Through her work, Sahir supports women to move from surviving to thriving by rebuilding their confidence, strength, energy and sense of self. Through her SAE Empower Method, she combines mindset, movement and holistic wellbeing to support women through menopause, midlife, endometriosis, burnout, identity shifts and the often-unspoken realities of women’s health. Her approach is rooted in both professional expertise and lived experience.

After years of living with severe endometriosis, adenomyosis, multiple health collapses, and being dismissed in her pain, six months ago Sahir underwent major surgery, including a hysterectomy, extensive endometriosis excision and bowel surgery, which placed her into surgical menopause. She is now rebuilding again physically, emotionally, energetically and brings a deeply honest understanding of what it means to begin again when life changes your body, your confidence and your identity.

Through her speaking, coaching and online platforms, Sahir reaches a global community of over 50,000 women, creating honest conversations around menopause, identity, resilience and women’s health.

Sahir is passionate about breaking stigma around menopause and women’s health, especially in communities where these conversations are often silenced and cloaked in shame. Her message is clear: it is never too late to prioritise your health, rebuild yourself and become the woman you were always meant to be.

Consultant Breast Surgeon, Senior Lecturer & Pioneer

Dr Raghavan Vidya is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham and Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. She is recognised for her contributions to breast surgery, breast cancer treatment, surgical education, and innovation in oncoplastic breast reconstruction.

A graduate of the University of Madras, India she completed postgraduate training in General Surgery before moving to the UK for advanced academic research. She earned an MD (Research) from the University of Edinburgh for her work on aromatase inhibitors in breast cancer treatment.

Dr Vidya is actively involved in surgical training and mentorship and currently serves as the Royal College International Surgical Training Programme Lead for Breast Surgery. She has authored educational ebooks and textbooks on breast reconstruction and surgical training and is a regular faculty member at national and international scientific meetings.

She also serves as Honorary Secretary and Trustee of the Association of Breast Surgery and Associate Director of Genomics in the West Midlands, where she has supported the integration of genomics into clinical practice while promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in genomic medicine. With over 160 peer-reviewed publications, her work focuses on advancing breast cancer treatment, oncoplastic breast reconstruction, genomics, clinical research, and innovation in surgical training.

Consultant Urological Surgeon

Tina is a Consultant Urologist at University Hospital North Midlands. After completing undergraduate medical training in Nottingham in 1999, Tina went on to undertake her basic and higher surgical training in the West Midlands. During this time, she was awarded a Doctorate (MD) from the University of Warwick for her research work looking into the role of obesity-related hormones in prostate cancer. Her work from this has been presented at national and international meetings, as well as being published in highly respected journals.

Her clinical practice covers all aspects of general urology, and is Clinical Lead for Female and Functional urology at UHNM, and has a particular interest in the management of dysfunctional voiding, urinary incontinence, bladder pain and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). She has introduced surgical procedures such as Prostatic Urolift and Sacral Neuromodulation to the Trust, and works collaboratively with urogynaecological and colorectal colleagues locally and regionally.

Tina is developing pathways with microbiology and pharmacy colleagues to provide a multidisciplinary approach to managing recurrent UTIs, to provide a wider variety of treatments for this condition which can have a significant impact of the lives and wellbeing of those affected by it. She was recently awarded a research grant to undertake a study looking at improving the effectiveness of a commonly used UTI preventative agent, and plans to start recruiting patients soon. Her research interests also include biopsychosocial management of chronic bladder pain.

Read more about the ‘Hidden history of UTI’s in Asian women’ here. At AMBERfest Tina will be leading a workshop to discuss UTI’s within Asian community and some practical steps to consider.

Founder and Director of Learn Science Together

Workshop on The Science of growing up: talking to your children about relationships and health.

Kiran Sethi is the Founder and Director of Learn Science Together Limited, an education organisation dedicated to supporting students, empowering parents, and improving outcomes in science education across the UK.

With over thirteen years of experience as a secondary school science teacher and Head of Chemistry, Kiran brings a clear and honest perspective on the realities of the classroom. She has worked with students from diverse backgrounds, shaping her belief that every young person can succeed with the right support.

Through her work, Kiran addresses a growing challenge: too many students are falling behind due to gaps in the system, including teacher shortages and limited access to high-quality support. Her organisation provides tuition, parent guidance, and community-focused initiatives designed to bridge these gaps.

As an Asian woman, Kiran understands the cultural dynamics that can shape family life, including high expectations, academic pressure, and unspoken challenges around communication and wellbeing. She is passionate about creating spaces where these conversations can happen openly and constructively.

At AMBERfest Kiran will be leading an evidence-informed workshop led by an experienced science teacher, helping mums confidently talk to their teenage daughters about puberty, periods, relationships, consent, sexual health and emotional wellbeing. The session combines scientific insight with practical, culturally sensitive guidance to support open and healthy conversations at home.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, NHS

Surinder Kaur is a dedicated mental health professional with over three decades of experience in the NHS, specialising in mental health since 1988. She became a Registered Mental Health Nurse in 2001 and has since pursued an impressive educational journey. Surinder has been a qualified Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT) for more than 15 years, with recent years dedicated to providing psychological therapies within a specialised service for individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis. Her approach emphasises working holistically, including individuals aged 14 and above, their families, and key influencers in their lives. Having recently completed the Feeling Safe Programme at Oxford University, Surinder is now working toward her EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) accreditation, further expanding her therapeutic skillset. Her passion for mental health shines through in her varied and impactful work.

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but learning how to manage it can significantly improve your overall well-being. At AMBERfest Surinder will lead an interactive workshop that will introduce a range of evidence-based coping strategies, helping you understand what works, when to use it, and why sometimes it doesn’t work.