Meet The Team
Jodi Codona - Our CEO
I wear quite a few hats at Empowering People! Founder, CEO, advocate, job coach, occasional problem solver, and professional believer in people.

On any given day, you’ll usually find me supporting individuals and organisations to better understand neurodiversity and hidden disabilities, championing inclusive workplaces, or having conversations about how we can remove barriers and help people thrive.
My background is rooted in business and entrepreneurship, so I understand the real-world pressures organisations face. But after rebuilding my business following the pandemic, I realised I wanted to create something with more purpose, impact, and heart. That’s how Empowering People was born.
A lot of what drives me comes from lived experience. I’m neurodivergent myself, so I know first-hand how exhausting it can be trying to fit into environments that weren’t designed with different minds in mind. I’m also a parent to an incredible young person who was born with a hand difference and now creates amazing costumes using “one and a bit hands” proving daily that talent has absolutely nothing to do with fitting a mould.
Watching that journey unfold taught me something I carry into every part of this business: when people are properly supported, understood, and encouraged, they don’t just survive they thrive. And honestly, helping people see that in themselves is the best job I’ve ever had.
Ayana Ritchie
I am a people-first recruitment and employment specialist who is passionate about helping individuals find meaningful opportunities where they can truly thrive. With over 15 years of experience across recruitment, training, business development, and employment support in both the UK and the US, I bring warmth, energy, and a genuine love for connecting people with the right opportunities.
Currently leading Recruitment, Employment & Engagement initiatives within the neurodivergent employment support space, I am passionate about creating inclusive pathways into meaningful work. I work closely with both candidates and employers to build confidence, champion neurodiverse talent, and create workplace environments where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to succeed.
When I’m not connecting brilliant people with exciting opportunities, you’ll probably find me singing karaoke like I’m headlining a world tour, out networking and meeting new people, championing inclusion initiatives, mentoring others, or simply bringing good energy, big laughs, and positive vibes wherever I go!
My superpower? Bringing people together with a mix of heart and humour to make recruitment feel more human, engaging, and impactful.
Gabriel Sykes
I do a variety of things at Empowering People. On any given day you might find me crafting and scheduling content across our range of social media platforms, heading out with a camera to capture footage and photography for the company, or hunched over a timeline in DaVinci Resolve pulling it all together into something worth watching. I also compose original music to accompany our social media content, because no post is truly complete without a carefully chosen background track that nobody will consciously notice but would definitely miss if it weren't there.
On top of all that, I play a major role in maintaining this very website, which means that (in part) you have me to thank (or blame, to some minor extent) for whatever you're looking at right now.
My background is in Digital Film and Television, having completed my HND in the subject, and I've spent years honing my craft as a music composer and producer, a journey that has taken me from making truly terrible music to making music that I would generously describe as mediocre.
Outside of work, I can usually be found knee-deep in some random creative endeavour. I work on short films, I compose music, I write random bits of software, I watch an unhealthy amount of films and TV, and from time to time I enjoy cold carbonated alcoholic beverages.
About Empowering People
Empowering People was formed for one simple reason; To enable individuals with extra support needs and hidden disabilities find employment and secure the correct support (both personally and professionally) and empower them to live their best lives.
Our founding members have lived with disabilities and know first hand, some of the many challenges in living a fulfilling life. Our 3 key milestones are – Understanding, Ambition & Enablement.
So what does all that mean??
Through developing a clear understanding of what independence looks like for our candidates, we work with them to achieve their personal goals and ambitions, through bespoke support plans which are tailed to there specific needs.
Why Empowering People?
Diversity, Inclusion and Equality, are hugely important to our team, we want to ensure that we represent the very best interests of each and every individual we support.
Our team reflects the diversity of our candidates and employers and the many communities and markets where we work. We strive to understand, value and incorporate differences that are woven into our culture. It is a journey we are taking with each new candidate and with each new team member.
Our Core Values & Beliefs
Self Awareness
Self confidence, self believe and self worth are key qualities everyone should posses and we believe in Empowering People to see their value and worth.
Support
Everyone should have access to support that enriches their life.
Independence
Independence is a key factor in personal growth and should be encouraged.
Uniqueness
Everyone is unique, everyone is different, there is never just one workable approach.
Equality
Equality should be available to everyone.

Ambition
Ambition drives personal growth and development and developing ambition in individuals helps them work towards both short and long term goals.
"Neurodiversity may be every bit as crucial for the human race as biodiversity is for life in general. Who can say what form of wiring will prove best at any given moment?"
Harvey Blume 1998
