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Committee

About us

To contact any committee member please use the group address [email protected]

Committee members

  • Chair: Lisa Holmes (2023-date)
  • Secretary: Vanessa Phillipson (2023-date)
  • PR/Communications officer: Lisa Martin (2023-date)
  • Resources officer: Zoe Connor (2023-date, previous chair)
  • Meetings organiser: vacant
  • Student member: vacant
  • Ordinary member: vacant
  • Non-dietitian expert-by-experience advisor: Rob Partin (2024-date)

We are always keen to grow our committee :). 

More about us

Zoe Connor (resource officer 2023-date)

Zoe.jpg

I've been involved in the autism group since about 2003 and was previously Chair of the group. I am a community paediatric dietitian by background but also a bit of a generalist across adults and education too.  My interest in autism started at uni when I did some volunteering to support a family with an autistic child. When I went on to work in community paediatrics a huge proportion of my workload was autistic children with very restricted diets and that led me to learn more. 

I am currently doing a PhD via an NIHR doctoral fellowship.  I am employed by University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust in England and doing my PhD as part of the PEACh (Psychology of Eating in Adults and Children) research group at Aston University. My research is the coproduction of a toolkit for feeding problems in autistic children. I continue to do a small amount of NHS clinical work mostly around feeding problems and developing feeding problems/ARFID services.

I am the chapter author on autism for Clinical Paediatric Dietetics and the upcoming new edition of the Manual of Dietetic Practice. Via my private practice, I have been invited to speak about autism internationally and sold copies of my online Autism for Dietitians Masterclass worldwide too. I'm passionate about social justice and inclusion. 

Rob Partin (non-dietitian expert-by-experience advisor 2024 to date)

Rob Partin.jpg

Rob Parton (29) is a remarkable young adult. Diagnosed just before his third birthday. A selective eater with profound sensory and memory issues, and limited language. He has overcome many of his challenges to become a sought-after public speaker.