Chris Bonnello

Award-winning autism and neurodiversity speaker, six-time author, former teacher in both mainstream and special education, enormous Rubik's cube geek.

Since 2015, Chris Bonnello has spoken about autism and neurodiversity from both a personal and a professional perspective; not merely encouraging acceptance, but teaching about the sheer importance of neurodivergent brains and how human progress relies on diversity of thought. His advocacy venture, which started with his online platform Autistic Not Weird, has flourished into a professional speaking career, leading him to deliver for clients as far away as India and Sydney Opera House.

Bonnello’s insights are informed by his personal experience of growing up autistic, and a career in teaching which stretched across mainstream primary schools, special schools, and education outside the school system. He delivers staff training that focuses on meeting the needs of neurodivergent students, as well as offering workshops to students of all neurotypes.

Regarding talks for students, mainstream schools tend to value his speeches which discuss what neurodiversity is, why it’s important, and how to understand and accommodate neurodivergent people. Special schools (or SEND hubs within mainstream schools) are keen on his talks about becoming the best version of your neurodivergent self.

Bonnello is a professional member of the Professional Speaking Association, and his talks are infused with his off-the-wall sense of humour, incisive points and neuroaffirming attitude. He is also the author of six books, the second of which was joint runner-up in The Guardian’s ‘Not The Booker Prize’.

Among other accolades, he was a winner at the 2026 Speaker Awards (Best Speaker Showreel), and was also shortlisted for the 2023 Speaker Awards (Sustainability and Positive Impact Speaker of the Year), the 2017 National Diversity Awards (Positive Role Model for Disability), and was awarded the National Autistic Society Professionals Award for Outstanding Achievement by an Individual on the Autism Spectrum in 2019.

Outside of his advocacy life, Bonnello is a proud stepfather of two, godfather of many, and former Boys’ Brigade captain of thirteen years. He also competitively speedsolves Rubik’s cubes, winning medals in competitions for successfully blindfold-solving 10 cubes at once.