New Disability Chairs at UCL

Indie Beedie (Senior Student Success Officer) and Dr Eleni Markou (Lecturer, CenTraS), will join Professor Vanessa Diaz to chair these disability equality groups. Please read on to learn about Indie and Eleni, and their plans for their disability work at UCL.

Indie Beedie

I am a Deaf British Sign Language User who has worked at UCL since 2011 in a variety of different roles both in academia and professional services. I have been a member of DESG since 2020 and I am currently a Senior Student Success Officer in the Student Success Office where one of our target groups is disabled students. I am keen to raise the profile of disability equity work at UCL for staff and students, to move away from the deficit model, and to work with other equity groups to create a more equitable, accessible, and inclusive environment at UCL.

Dr Eleni Markou

I have been a part-time lecturer at CenTraS for many years and am SELCS Disability Champion. I strongly believe that UCL is on the right track about promoting disability, but there is still a lot of work to be done. As a disabled woman myself, I am keen to encourage understanding of how everyone can contribute to creating a culture of equality, as well as recognising the value of individuals. We need to become more visible, and I believe in direct contact with those that have needs and requirements, those that can contribute to this cause, and enabling those that can bring excellence to the organisation.

Michele Farmer, who has been Chair of DESG and Enable for several years, has come to the end of her term and will be stepping down from the role. She will also be leaving UCL, and we want to thank her for her considerable contributions to helping disabled people over the years and wish her all the best for the future.