Kate Roughneen | PA to GEC Member | Royal London
As Executive Assistant to the Group CTO at Royal London, I support the strategic and operational leadership of the transformation function within the UK`s largest mutual life, pensions and investment company.
With over 15 years of experience as an EA in the financial services, insurance, and telecoms sectors, I have developed a range of competencies that enable me to deliver high-quality and efficient support to senior executives and their teams.
Abigail Langridge | Founder | Poppins PA
Diverse to say the least! I fell into being a legal secretary after dropping out of University resulting from my mum moving abroad quite suddenly and me having a nervous breakdown.
I did work as Cabin Crew on the Seacat for a season before I became a Conveyancing secretary.
I bounced around trying to find my feet in a company as well as personally and started to work in the City, at a large law firm.
Over the next 15 years I never really felt `at home` for long but I wouldn`t find out why until I started my own business much later.
My corporate time in the various firms highlighted to me just how much I yearned for the 1:1 support, the earlier days as a Secretary suited me better as I was able to work closer with the Principal and be what I still today perceive to be as a true PA.
Since going it alone, I have worked for a variety of clients; Barristers and Solicitors, property entrepreneurs, C-Suite executives and a wonderful 80year old lady who wins the award for my best ever client! Working alongside her showed me my true potential, opened the doors to how much more I really wanted from my career and how I could help more clients, by offering a variety of services.
I came out of the pandemic thriving and have had to pick myself up countess times, but the resilience and lessons learned enable me to go again!
Zainub Absar | Global Lead, HSBC Sustainability Hackathon & Commercial Banking Associate | HSBC
Zainub is an experienced corporate banker, innovator, and former technologist, currently working with HSBC.
Prior to joining HSBC, Zainub worked with IBM in the iX Studio, supporting the deliverance of digital transformation projects for multinational clients such as BP, Castrol, and Knorr. During her degree, she was awarded the BP STEM Scholarship and NUBS Student Achievement awards, joining Enactus Nottingham as the Vice-President of Engagement & forming the team that won Nationals in 2019 & 2020, representing the United Kingdom at the Enactus World Cup in Silicon Valley. Joining HSBC as a prize of the Undergraduate of the Year Award for Innovation in 2020, she holds 3 years of corporate banking experience, most recently completing a year secondment with the UK Technology & Growth Lending team. During this time, she supported the UK acquisition of Silicon Valley Bank, the expansion of the £350m Growth Lending fund, and HSBC UK’s Technology sector portfolio alongside globally leading HSBC’s 1st Global Sustainability Hackathon, the bank’s flagship graduate initiative for bridging the ESG talent gap in innovative upskilling related to emerging sustainability challenges.
Nowadays, she leverages her sustainability leadership and technology background in strategising HSBC UK’s flagship sustainability plans, where she continues her global advocacy for the inclusion of young talent in the transition to net zero & supports the Senior Female Leadership Network in HSBC.
Aside from her day-to-day, she is passionate about forging accessible paths for recognising future leaders; she enjoyed hosting her eponymous radio show during COVID, & she currently enjoys rock climbing and international sailing!
Brigit Douglas | Membership Director | Organisation for Responsible Businesses
I graduated in 2021 with a desire to do values-driven work above all else.
I took a look around me at a ‘green’ jobs fair and it was my conversation with Jill Poet, CEO of ORB, that struck me as a truly authentic one. I am proud to say I have always placed importance in the social realm as well as the environmental one, summarising its intertwining here: ‘it is not possible for a suffering planetary population to enable environmental flourishing, nor for human flourishing to persist on a suffering planet.’ Extract from my article The True Meaning of Sustainability. I write blog posts and informative newsletters about the ESG movement for small and micro businesses — each ESG aspect affects these smaller entites in totally different ways and ORB’s approach is never one size fits all. My bachelors is in English so writing and marketing skills have transferred over from that; I’m happy that I placed purpose over profit when using them.
Usha Kong | Careers & Social Mobility Manager | Tower Hamlets Council
As the Careers & Social Mobility Manager at Tower Hamlets Council, I am privileged to lead transformative initiatives aimed at enriching the lives and futures of young people.
With an unwavering commitment to amplifying social and cultural capital, enhancing employment prospects, and fostering diverse career opportunities, I strive to empower individuals to reach their full potential.
Throughout my diverse 40-year career, I`ve navigated corporate environments, charitable organisations, social enterprises, and the public sector. My journey began in the city, working for the London Stock Exchange and Accenture. However, my true calling emerged in 2003 when I ventured into entrepreneurship, successfully establishing, and managing three businesses, including co-founding a social enterprise dedicated to empowering disengaged and disadvantaged youth.
Over the past two decades, my focus has centred on creating meaningful change and providing guidance to those facing obstacles. My own journey, marked by resilience and unique challenges, serves as a testament to the transformative power of perseverance and determination. It is my passion to inspire and mentor others along similar paths, fostering enduring change and empowerment within our communities.
Simona Aimar | Vice-Dean EDI and Lecturer of Philosophy | University College London
I come from a working class background in Italy.
Thanks to scholarships, I was able to study philosophy and eventually be awarded a D.Phil from Oxford in 2017 and become a Lecturer at UCL Philosophy, where I still teach and do research today. Throughout my studies and subsequent career, I have cultivated a diverse career spanning academia and activism.
My academic journey has been enriched by fellowships at institutions worldwide, including Columbia (Barnard), NYU, the Harvard Centre for Hellenic Studies, Princeton University, and the Free University of Berlin (Human Abilities Center). As an activist, I have I co-founded Living Voices, an NGO aiding ex-prisoners in Italy to transition back into society. I have also founded a summer school in Trento’s Prison (Italy), where I often teach political and social philosophy. Previously, I led projects at the Oxford Microfinance Initiative, harnessing microfinance for social impact.
At UCL, I champion equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) as Vice-Dean EDI for Arts & Humanities. In this role, I initiated several peer-to-peer mentoring initiatives, started a collaboration with the charity Afghan Female Students Outreach to teach online courses for Afghan women, and launched a platform combating elitism in academia. My role also involves fostering LGBTQ+ inclusion, advancing race equity pledges, and organizing students-staff Townhalls on equity issues.
Furthermore, I serve as UCL Philosophy`s widening participation officer, fostering collaborations with organizations like Teaching Philosophy in Prison charity.
Overall, my dedication to philosophical inquiry intertwines with a fervent commitment to social justice.
Maria Violaris | PhD student | University of Oxford
Maria Violaris is a PhD student researching the foundations of quantum information at the University of Oxford, where she works with Chiara Marletto and Vlatko Vedral, after previously graduating with a First Class MPhys degree from the University of Oxford.
Her research interests include quantum thermodynamics, quantum measurement paradoxes, and the locality of quantum theory. Alongside her PhD, Maria works part-time with the IBM Quantum community team. She created a 14-part Qiskit YouTube video series to demystify quantum paradoxes using quantum computing, alongside blogs and code tutorials; made 1-Minute-Qiskit videos; co-hosted the seminar series; and lectured for the Global Summer School. She also writes for Physics World magazine; created and ran the IOP QQQ group “Quantum on the Clock Schools Video Competition”; and founded Oxford University Quantum Information Society. Previously, she did an internship with quantum computing software company Riverlane, where she built a Raspberry Pi Quantum Computing Lab demonstration and video. Maria frequently gives talks for a range of audiences, including researchers, school students, general public and educators, and has run many quantum computing workshops for young female audiences. She has won multiple awards for her research and science communication, and has published research on quantum education.
Marcia Brissett-Bailey | Partnership officer | Diversity and Ability
Marcia is a speaker, writer, and advocate for intersectional neurodiversity inclusion.
A thought leader, Forbes-featured, international speaker, and author of Black, Brilliant, and Dyslexic, Marcia is one of the Top 50 Influential Neurodivergent Women 2022.
She was named one of the top 133 women who changed the world in 2023 by Diverse In – the Global Diversity and Inclusion Embassy.
Marcia is also featured as a notable dyslexic by Dyslexia Help - The Regents University of Michigan and a Trustee of the British Dyslexia Association.
As a dyslexia advocate and champion, Marcia is passionate about empowering other dyslexic and neurodivergent people to find their voice.
Marcia holds a BSc (Hons) in Information Science, Librarian status, a postgraduate qualification in Career Guidance, a Certificate in person-centred Counselling Skills, a diploma in Specialist Teaching, and an MA in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. With three decades of experience, she has contributed widely to the education sector, specialising in post-16 and higher education and serving as a SEND lead.
Marcia has spent years navigating education and workplace systems by developing strategies to `hack the system.` Embracing self-acceptance and recognising diversity, she aims to empower others to find their voice and cultivate self-love.
Lyndsey Stuttard | Digital Teaching & Learning Specialist | ACS Cobham International School
Lyndsey is an international educator with over 19 years teaching experience in the public and private sectors, having taught in the US, UK, UAE, and Italy.
She is an early years practitioner who is passionate about the purposeful use of Augmented Reality in education. She is an Apple Distinguished Educator and recognised as a Top 10 educator to watch by Apple. In 2023 she was named one of the Top 100 Women in Tech and was a Pearson National Teaching Awards Silver Winner for Digital Innovator of the Year. Lyndsey has spoken at multiple conferences about her integration approaches with Augmented Reality as well as the role creativity plays in the classroom to help students access their learning and share their understanding through choice.
Kelly Farr | Wellbeing Trainer | YourNorth
Kelly Farr is an award-winning entrepreneur and wellbeing trainer.
Kelly is the co-founder of YourNorth, a training company specialising in improving mental health and wellbeing and is also the co-founder of YourNorth Veteran Support CIC, a non-profit organisation offering wellbeing education specifically for the Armed Forces and Emergency Services communities, with a strong focus on supporting family members.
Kelly is a proud veteran, having served 17 years in the Royal Air Force as an Avionics Engineer. She is passionate about supporting the Armed Forces community and co-runs Caerphilly Veterans Support Hub, sits on the Veterans Advisory & Pensions Committee (Wales) board and recently co-launched the Female Veterans Alliance.
Kelly is driving a positive culture change within society by empowering individuals to take ownership of their wellbeing and thrive, even with a diagnosed mental health condition. She is a mental health first aid trainer, coach, mindfulness teacher and an NLP Master Practitioner.