Stop Holding Back team

Who we are

Built by people who understand the real cost of holding back.

The SHB team brings lived experience, public speaking, practical coaching, and a shared belief that people who stutter deserve support that works in everyday life.

Trustees and advisors

The people behind SHB.

A small team with a direct mission: help people who stutter stop shrinking their lives around fear.

Lived experience

The people leading SHB understand stuttering from the inside, so support starts with recognition rather than theory.

Practical progress

Coaching, public speaking, employment insight, and charity experience all point toward confidence in real situations.

Community first

The mission is simple: help people who stutter stop shrinking their lives around fear and find people who get it.

Meet the team

People with skin in the game.

Each profile brings a different kind of experience, but the same commitment: practical support that helps people move forward.

Ayo Paradis Adesanya

Trustee and co-founder

Ayo Paradis Adesanya

Ayo has helped numerous people who stutter all over the world as a speech coach, combining personal development with a whole-person approach to communication.

His background as a UK railway signal technician shaped a practical understanding of communication under pressure, safety-critical decisions, and staying present when the stakes are high.

Ayo is also a web developer and avid content writer, bringing SHB a mix of coaching, technical, and creative experience.

Chris Jackson

Trustee and co-founder

Chris Jackson

As a covert stutterer, Christopher's speech held him back in ways many people around him did not see. He often felt he came across as disengaged, careless, or rude when the reality was much more complex.

After years of struggling to get his first interview after university, Chris went on to co-found a recruitment company that helps other people find employment.

His work with SHB is shaped by that same belief: with the right mindset and support, people can stop letting fear decide what opportunities they pursue.

Ruban Pillai

Co-founder and public speaking advocate

Ruban Pillai

Ruban has stuttered since the age of four and focuses his energy on empowering others with similar experiences while raising awareness of a low-profile speech disability.

His work has included talks at University College London, Birmingham University, the University of Law, and Deutsche Bank, alongside appearances on ITV News and BBC London radio.

Ruban is active in Toastmasters International, where he has won contests, chaired events, and mentored new members on their public speaking journey.

James Redhead

Advisor

James Redhead

James has worked in the charity sector for 25 years as a consultant, finance director, trustee, and fundraising advisor to large charities.

He brings deep experience in helping small charities make a meaningful impact and has a close personal connection to SHB's mission as someone with a stammer.

The wider room

SHB works because people see themselves in each other.

The team matters, but the community is the force around it: speakers, mentors, friends, and people learning to take up more space in everyday life.

Stop Holding Back community members sitting together at an event
Stop Holding Back speakers presenting on stage
An audience watching a Stop Holding Back presentation

Next step

Ready to stop holding back?

Tell us what support would help you most and the SHB team will point you in the right direction.