Thara Brigitte Mills Simmonds wins the forty-under-40 education award

Thara Brigitte Mills Simmonds, an education entrepreneur and neurodiversity advocate, has been honored as the 2026 Forty Under 40 Achiever in the Education category. The award was presented at the Forty Under 40 ceremony in Accra on Saturday, September 12. Mills Simmonds is the Founder and Strategic Lead of Mulan Smart Educational Center and Mulan Neurodiversity School, where she champions inclusive education, autism advocacy, and initiatives centered on children's social and emotional development.

She emphasized that the recognition represents her ongoing commitment to ensuring children are "seen, heard, valued, included, and given the opportunity to thrive." Mills Simmonds has been actively involved in discussions about how Ghana's education system can better accommodate children with diverse learning and developmental needs.

Through Mulan Neurodiversity School, she has focused on inclusive education, supported autism and neurodiversity advocacy through initiatives like an autism awareness and screening event held in April. In August, Mulan Smart Educational Center launched Pyramid SEL Ghana, implementing the Pyramid Model approach to foster social and emotional skills in children.

Reflecting on the award, Mills Simmonds expressed her gratitude to her team and family, acknowledging that it strengthens her ability to advocate for inclusion and challenge barriers in education both in Ghana and globally. The 2026 Forty Under 40 Awards acknowledge young professionals and leaders who are making significant contributions across various sectors in Ghana.

With over eight years of experience in inclusive education, community development, and enterprise innovation, Mills Simmonds has worked across Ghana, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Her work through Mulan encompasses inclusive learning and vocational empowerment initiatives. In her acceptance speech, Mills Simmonds emphasized that the award marks a continuation of her efforts rather than an endpoint, stating, "The world should know we are ready, and we are only getting started."