Disruptor For Good 

On 6th March 2025, the Northern PoWEr Women Awards will once again shine a spotlight on the trailblazers, changemakers, and pioneers driving progress across the North. As one of the most prestigious celebrations of gender equality and innovation, the awards recognise those making a lasting impact in their industries and communities. This year, we’re partnering with BT Group to bring you the Disruptor For Good category to honour individuals who are challenging the status quo, breaking down barriers, and creating positive, meaningful change. From tackling social injustice to transforming industries, these disruptors are redefining what’s possible, proving that bold action and fresh thinking can shape a better, more inclusive future. Last year saw Nicola Wood take home the win for her inspiring work across the hair loss community. Here’s a rundown of the incredible disruptors earning a nomination this year.  

Here’s a rundown of the 2025 Finalists: 

Yasmin De Nardo 

Yasmin De Nardo is a trailblazer in driving equality and diversity within the tech industry. As Head of Connected Technology Academy at KPMG UK, she is committed to breaking down barriers in gender equality, social mobility, and career accessibility for underrepresented groups. Her leadership extends beyond her role, with board memberships at WILD Digital, Maggie’s Cancer Centres, and Yorkshire Dance, as well as her work as a School Governor, all reinforcing her mission to create inclusive opportunities. With a career spanning NHS Digital, Accenture, Channel 4, and more, Yasmin is a key figure in retaining diverse talent in the North of England. A winner of the Equity and Diversity Award at the 2024 Yorkshire Business Woman Awards, and a two-time finalist for Outstanding Advocate for Women in Tech, she is widely recognised for her impact. Through mentorship, outreach, and advocacy, Yasmin continues to inspire the next generation, ensuring the tech industry reflects the diverse society it serves. 

Lorna Armitage 

Lorna Armitage is a fearless disruptor, transforming the cyber security industry by breaking down barriers to education and career progression. Leaving school at 16 with just two GCSEs, she defied the odds to build a respected career before co-founding CAPSLOCK, a revolutionary cyber security training company that enables adults to reskill without prior experience or qualifications. Frustrated by the lack of meaningful change in diversity initiatives, Lorna and her wife left secure careers to create a business where attitude, not background, defines success. CAPSLOCK’s fully remote, problem-based learning model is designed to be flexible, inclusive, and accessible, opening doors for underrepresented groups, particularly women. Lorna remains hands-on, mentoring students, engaging with industry leaders, and refusing investment from companies that don’t align with her values. Her influence extends globally, mentoring young women in Africa through the CyberGirls fellowship and advising organisations on inclusive hiring. Passionate, outspoken, and unwavering in her mission, Lorna is redefining what’s possible in cyber security and beyond. 

Sue Blackwell 

Sue Blackwell is a relentless force for change, challenging societal norms to create a world where everyone can thrive. A lifelong advocate for the overlooked and underrepresented, Sue’s journey took on new meaning with the birth of her daughter, Jen, who has Down’s syndrome. Rejecting the limitations imposed by outdated systems, Sue and her husband Malcolm pioneered an individualised developmental programme, enlisting 60 volunteers to help Jen reach her full potential. Their approach disrupted expectations, leading Jen to remarkable achievements, including a BEM from King Charles III and a Doctor of Arts from Salford University. Frustrated by barriers in Adult Social Care, Sue co-founded DanceSyndrome in 2009, a now-thriving charity that empowers people of all abilities to find purpose through dance. With creativity, determination, and an unwavering belief in possibility, Sue has not only changed Jen’s life but inspired thousands to reimagine what is possible. 

Katy Deacon 

Katy Deacon is a pioneering engineer and a fierce advocate for inclusion, using her expertise to bridge the gap between the disabled and engineering communities. A Chartered Electrical Engineer, Fellow of the IET, and Visiting Professor in Inclusive Engineering Design, she has won multiple awards for her contributions to renewable energy and low-carbon buildings. After being diagnosed with MS and experiencing first-hand the challenges of inaccessible design, Katy founded Towards Belonging Limited, driving engineers to prioritise inclusivity in their work. As Vice President of the IET and Chair of its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board, she is a visible role model, empowering disabled professionals and inspiring a more diverse generation of engineers. With relentless determination, Katy is disrupting the status quo, proving that engineering must work for everyone, and leading the charge towards a truly accessible world. 

Emma Abbasi 

Emma Abbasi is a valiant  advocate for gender equity, challenging the systemic barriers that hold women back in entrepreneurship and STEM. A mixed-race tech founder from a working-class background in Liverpool, she has defied expectations throughout her career. Emma studied chemistry, securing patents as a scientist at Unilever, earning an MBA with distinction, and retraining as a software engineer while pregnant. Emma’s influence extends far beyond her own achievements; she was named a LinkedIn Top Voice for Gender Equity and actively mentors and supports women in innovation. Her impact was most powerfully demonstrated when she led a campaign that forced Innovate UK to reverse its decision and fully fund the Women in Innovation Awards, a victory that was debated in parliament. Emma is not just disrupting for good; she is reshaping the landscape for female founders, proving that with persistence and collective action, real change is possible. 

Sarah Macgregor 

Sarah Macgregor is redefining the approach to prison rehabilitation and employment through her innovative social enterprise, Forests With Impact (FWI). Rather than simply offering job placements in the forestry sector, she is transforming perceptions and creating pathways into a wide range of industries, ensuring that prison leavers are recognised for their potential rather than their past. Sarah has built a far-reaching initiative that is shifting mindsets and opening doors. Her collaborative efforts have already been recognised with an award from the Institute of Collaborative Working, and FWI continues to gain momentum. Beyond social impact, Sarah is also tackling a major environmental challenge: the UK’s tree shortage. By establishing commercial tree nurseries within prisons, FWI is not only reducing reliance on imported trees, but also contributing to the country’s Net Zero goals. Revenue generated from tree sales is reinvested into training prisoners and local communities, ensuring long-term sustainability. 

Sarah’s approach is dismantling long-standing barriers, reducing reoffending rates, and fostering a more inclusive society. Her work is proof that real transformation happens when people are given the opportunity to contribute meaningfully. To Sarah, driving change means not just addressing immediate employment challenges, but creating a future where every individual has the chance to rebuild, contribute, and thrive. 

Victoria Holden 

Victoria Holden is redefining sustainability and community empowerment by transforming unused land into a thriving hub for environmental and social enterprise. Committed to inclusion, she teaches refugees and local residents about food growing, sustainability, and land restoration, equipping them with valuable skills for self-sufficiency. Her site has become an incubator for social enterprises, supporting women-led businesses and initiatives like goat therapy and canal-cleaning paddle sports. Beyond economic opportunities, Victoria fosters social cohesion, providing a space where diverse communities can connect and rebuild their lives. Her work exemplifies disruption for good, challenging the norm to create lasting environmental and social impact. 

Lucy Reynolds  

Lucy Reynolds is challenging societal perceptions of disability through advocacy, research, and social enterprise. As the Founder of We Are All Disabled CIC and Chair of Disability North, she confronts misconceptions and promotes inclusion using insights from her PhD research and lived experience with cerebral palsy. Her blog, launched during lockdown, evolved into a platform for cultural change, leading to workshops and the ‘Disruptor’ programme, which helps organisations shift attitudes in a supportive way. A strong advocate of the Social and Affirmative models of disability, Lucy consults on key inclusion projects, speaks at national conferences, and contributes to media discussions, ensuring disability is recognised as a natural part of human diversity. Lucy is a force of nature in the field of inclusion and equality. 

Eve Canavan 

Eve Canavan is driving change in maternal mental health awareness through personal advocacy and grassroots action. After experiencing postpartum psychosis in 2010 and struggling to access support, she turned her lived experience into a force for good, founding the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership (PMHP) and launching the world’s first Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week in 2017. Despite having no funding, Eve dedicates her time to running PMHP alongside her civil service career and parenting responsibilities. Her work connects communities, signposts vital resources, and ensures that families affected by perinatal mental health challenges can access the support they need. Through public speaking, peer support for hundreds of women, and media influence, including inspiring a BBC storyline, Eve has sparked national conversations and policy awareness around maternal mental health, proving that lived experience can drive meaningful systemic change.