Closing Address

Mark Lever

The National Autistic Society

Mark Lever joined the National Autistic Society (NAS) as Chief Executive in March 2008. During this time he has led the organisation through a period of significant strategic change.

The NAS is the UK's leading organisation for people affected by autism. The NAS runs 6 independent autism specific schools, has developed inclusion units in mainstream settings and opened 2 free schools with a 3rd free school in development. In addition, the Society delivers thousands of packages of community based support for adults affected by autism.

The NAS is a highly effective campaigning organisation and champions the rights and interests of all people with autism. It aims to provide individuals with autism and their families help, support and services that they can access, trust and rely upon and which can help them lead the life they choose.

Mark is a member of the National Autism Programme Board which oversees the implementation of the strategy for adults with autism.

As a founder member and Chief Executive of the NAS Academies Trust he has led the development of the organisation's autism specific free school plans. The first, Thames Valley School in Reading, opened in September 2013 with the second, in Cheshire, opening in 2015. A third free school is in development in the London Borough of Lambeth.

Prior to the NAS he worked for 12 years at the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS), holding a range of roles, including, Director of Strategic Development and Operations and then CEO. He was previously a partner at accountancy firm Kidsons (now Baker Tilly). He is a Cranfield MBA, a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Chartered Institutes of Personnel and development, and Marketing.

When he is not negotiating peace settlements and behaviour related pay awards with his four boys he relaxes by cooking, drinking wine with his wife, long distance cycling, running a disco for charity and regularly losing at tennis and golf.