Ashley Ryan

Leading one of the largest and most successful employment support teams in the UK, Ashley is responsible for an income of £12 million and 150 employees. Her team supports more than 7,000 people who have learning disabilities or barriers to work to develop their employment skills.

Ashley joined Enable more than a decade ago and has worked in a variety of roles before her appointment as the Director of Enable Works in 2021. An innovative leader, Ashley heads up a dynamic and thriving department, with a reputation for excellence and a proven track record of success in pioneering innovative and inclusive programmes which support people to achieve well paid, sustainable careers.

One of the many projects she leads is the award-winning ‘Stepping Up’ programme, which, to date, has been delivered in 75 schools across the country, achieving a 98% positive destination rate for learners with learning disabilities.

Crucial to the success of Enable Works is the ongoing support the team provides to employees and employers to boost job retention with more than 560 paid roles secured in 2022/23. The team directly supports employers to adjust workplaces in practice while providing mentoring to employees with disabilities.