SHE Relatable Leaders Career Journey Spotlight

The SHE Women’s Network Support Heal Empower is all about empowering, supporting and elevating our members, and inspiring future generations of female leaders. Every months we spotlight the careers journeys of some of our amazing members. Today we hear from Adeshola Akanji

Rising With Intent: Leadership, Resilience, and Advocacy in Action

Adeshola Akanji, Service Delivery Manager | Disability Advocate & Consultant | Coach & Mentor | Podcast Host | Speaker | Model & Pageant Queen

I am an NHS leader with over 17 years’ experience across healthcare management, service delivery, research, education, and transformation. I currently work as a Service Delivery Manager within the NHS. Alongside my professional career, I am a multi-award-winning disability advocate, coach, mentor, public speaker, and podcast host, and the Founder of Ultimate Royal UK, an empowerment and leadership platform supporting individuals and organisations to lead with confidence, authenticity, and inclusion.

My work is deeply rooted in lived experience and focuses on disability awareness, inclusive leadership, wellbeing, coaching, mentoring, and advocacy. My journey has been shaped by resilience, purpose, and a commitment to creating meaningful, lasting change.

Introduction

I currently work within the NHS as a Service Delivery Manager, with responsibility for operational leadership, service performance, and improvement across complex healthcare pathways. I have spent the last 17 years working across multiple NHS organisations, supporting service delivery, operational improvement, workforce development, research, and patient-centred care.

Alongside my NHS role, I am the host of a disability-focused podcast, which creates space for people living with long-term health conditions and disabilities—along with carers and family members (with consent), to share their lived experiences. The podcast aims to raise awareness of hidden disabilities, reduce stigma, and encourage open conversations about inclusion, wellbeing, and self-advocacy.

My career journey has not been linear. It has been shaped by ambition, determination, and lived experience, navigating leadership while managing multiple disabilities and overcoming discrimination, stigma, and systemic barriers.

Early Career

My career began with a strong interest in healthcare, science, and service improvement. After completing a degree in Biomedical Science, I progressed into NHS administrative and operational roles, gradually taking on increased responsibility across GP networks, hospital services, workforce operations, and research.

From early on, I faced challenges that were often invisible to others. Living with multiple long-term health conditions and neurodivergence meant I had to work harder to prove my capability while managing my wellbeing. There were moments when I experienced discrimination and misunderstanding, but these experiences strengthened my resolve rather than diminished it.

Key decisions, such as stepping into leadership roles, accepting stretch assignments, and advocating for reasonable adjustments, not only shaped my career but also ignited my passion for disability advocacy and inclusive leadership.

Pivotal Moments

One of the most pivotal moments in my journey was recognising that my lived experience was not a weakness but a leadership asset. Becoming a Disability Staff Network Co-Chair, Wellbeing Champion, and Inclusion Ambassador marked a turning point, allowing me to influence change beyond my job description.

Another significant milestone was contributing to the development and release of a new NHS Disability Policy and Workplace Adjustment Standard Operating Procedure, ensuring practical, sustainable support for staff with disabilities. Professionally, leading recovery and transformation projects, managing services through periods of significant pressure, and delivering efficiency improvements reaffirmed my capability as a strategic and compassionate leader.

Recognition through awards, including the Women of Heart Award (Multifaceted Coach, Speaker, Advocate & Leader 2025), the Beauty and Brains Empowerment Award, and “Highly Commended Individual Award recognition from the Black Talent Awards, validated the impact of my work, advocacy, and leadership.

Leadership Lessons

Three lessons have shaped my leadership approach:

1. Authenticity matters – Leading honestly, including acknowledging challenges, builds trust and psychological safety.

2. Resilience is intentional – It is built through boundaries, self-belief, and support, not endurance alone.

3. Inclusion must be actionable – Policies, adjustments, and culture must translate into real experiences for people.

These principles also guide my work through Ultimate Royal UK, where I deliver coaching, mentoring, disability awareness training, inclusive leadership workshops, and speaking engagements designed to empower individuals and support organisations to create inclusive, psychologically safe environments.

Advice for Others

My advice to aspiring leaders, particularly women and those with disabilities, is simple but powerful:

• Advocate for yourself unapologetically

• Seek mentors and allies

• Don’t shrink to fit systems that were not designed with you in mind

Your difference is not a limitation, it is a source of insight, strength, and leadership potential.

Closing Thought

I believe that leadership grounded in compassion, integrity, and purpose has the power to transform organisations and lives. Through my NHS role, advocacy, podcasting, and work with Ultimate Royal UK, I remain committed to empowering others, amplifying underrepresented voices, and embedding inclusion into everyday practice.

My journey continues to remind me that adversity, when met with intention, can become a catalyst for meaningful and sustainable change.

A quote or some advice that you found valuable

“My disability is not a reflection of my worth; it highlights my authenticity and individuality.”