Meet Our Speakers

Voices of Experience. Agents of Change

PDRO Kenya proudly hosts a first-of-its-kind Lived Experience Speaker Bureau in the Global South. Our speakers are powerful storytellers, advocates, and mental health experts who have transformed personal journeys into platforms for education, advocacy, and policy change.
Whether you’re organizing a conference, academic seminar, corporate training, or media event — our speakers bring authenticity, insight, and impact.

Why Book a PDRO Speaker?

  • Lived experience of navigating mental health challenges

  • Trained in ethical storytelling, advocacy, and public speaking

  • Experts in areas like stigma, rights-based care, recovery, and peer support

  • Engaging, trauma-informed, and audience-appropriate delivery

Featured Speakers

Founder – PDRO Kenya / Lived Experience Advocacy Network Mental Health Advocate, Trainer & Speaker

Focus:

  • Lived Experience Advocacy: Using personal narratives to shape mental health policy and reduce stigma.

  • Mental Health Systems Strengthening: Promoting inclusive, community-based models of care.

  • Rights of Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities: Advocating for dignity, autonomy, and access to justice.

  • Monitoring & Evaluation for Mental Health Programs: Data-driven approaches for sustainable impact.

  • Advocacy Through Storytelling: Coaching individuals to tell powerful stories that influence decision-makers.

  • Youth & Mental Health: Empowering young people as leaders in mental health and wellbeing.

  • Trauma-Informed Care: Training professionals to respond empathetically and effectively.

Background:

John Mwangi is a passionate mental health advocate and lived experience expert from Nakuru, Kenya. After facing years of undiagnosed depression and systemic neglect, his transformative experience with compassionate care inspired him to champion mental health rights and dignity. He is the founder of PDRO Kenya and the Lived Experience Advocacy Network, and a certified Advocacy Storytelling Coach. With a strong background in Monitoring & Evaluation and global fellowships including YALI 2022 and PFP 2025, John uses his voice to drive change in mental health systems and empower others to share their stories.

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