Mr John McDonald
Nominee Profile
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
John McDonald is an award‑winning disability inclusion leader whose work is reshaping how organisations understand, support, and celebrate disabled people, particularly those with hidden and neurological disabilities. As Founder of Eagles Wings Consultancy and creator of AccessACity, John transforms lived experience into practical, systemic change across the UK.
He works with local authorities, NHS trusts, education providers, and employers to dismantle barriers and build cultures where disabled people can thrive. His frameworks, training, and governance tools are now used regionally and nationally, improving outcomes for individuals who are too often unseen or unsupported.
John is known for bringing clarity to complex systems and challenging outdated thinking with compassion and strategic insight. His thought leadership, including his widely recognised statement “Fragmented systems produce broken results”, has become a call to action for more joined up, person centred support.
Beyond his consultancy, John champions unpaid carers, disabled entrepreneurs, and people navigating trauma, poverty, or exclusion. He uses his platform to amplify voices rarely heard and to ensure inclusion is not just a slogan but a lived reality.
John’s work changes lives, shifts culture, and inspires hope. His leadership continues to influence policy, practice, and community empowerment across the North East and beyond.
He works with local authorities, NHS trusts, education providers, and employers to dismantle barriers and build cultures where disabled people can thrive. His frameworks, training, and governance tools are now used regionally and nationally, improving outcomes for individuals who are too often unseen or unsupported.
John is known for bringing clarity to complex systems and challenging outdated thinking with compassion and strategic insight. His thought leadership, including his widely recognised statement “Fragmented systems produce broken results”, has become a call to action for more joined up, person centred support.
Beyond his consultancy, John champions unpaid carers, disabled entrepreneurs, and people navigating trauma, poverty, or exclusion. He uses his platform to amplify voices rarely heard and to ensure inclusion is not just a slogan but a lived reality.
John’s work changes lives, shifts culture, and inspires hope. His leadership continues to influence policy, practice, and community empowerment across the North East and beyond.