Ian Hockley is the founder of Dylan’s Wings of Change, a foundation on a mission to inspire empathy, courage and hope. This was created in the memory of Ian’s son, Dylan.  Working alongside a panel of experts, the foundation formed an organisation called Wingman,  a programme of experiential learning activities that encourages deeper conversations and focuses on strengthening connections in teams and communities. 

Ian and his family were relocated to Connecticut by IBM from England in 2011. This was a dream come true for his family as his wife was originally from Connecticut and their son, Jake was born on July 4th, making it feel as though they were returning home. They found a home in the idyllic town of Sandy Hook, after visiting a number of  neighborhoods and meeting staff at the elementary school. Ian was confident that his youngest son, Dylan would thrive as they started their new life Their “American Dream” soon became a nightmare when on December 14th 2012, Dylan was shot and killed in his first-grade classroom alongside 19 of his fellow students and six teachers in the Sandy Hook Shooting, one of the worst mass shootings in recent U.S. history.

Ian takes the audience through the events  of that day and shares the acts of his leaders and those who changed his life after the tragic incident by helping him manage his emotional pain. 

Through his story, Ian provides hope and inspires courage to people who are overcoming adversity and highlights how empathetic leadership can drive change in both our personal and professional lives.  as well as diving into the traits of empathetic leadership which can help drive change – both in our personal and professional lives.