Kellie Kwarteng | Founder & CEO | Halzak / Elevate - Women in Tech
Kellie Kwarteng is a recruitment industry leader and champion for diversity and inclusion within the tech industry.
As Founder and CEO of Halzak, Kellie connects underrepresented talent with leading tech companies. She also founded and hosts Elevate - Women in Tech, spotlighting inspirational stories to empower women`s ambitions in the tech sector and as of 2024 a Leadership Mentor Program and inspiring community network for women and male allies to connect and inspire women to remain in tech.
Previously, Kellie served as UK Partner at SThree PLC a global $1 billion STEM specialist, spearheading the launch and growth of their Public Sector division into the group`s largest UK division. She then became Global Group President for a boutique tech staffing firm, supporting their growth and operations.
In addition to her recruitment experience, Kellie operates as a business coach to staffing companies and women in tech. She is passionate about opening doors for diverse talent and helping companies build inclusive teams.
Outside of work, Kellie is a dedicated wife and mother of two. She enjoys playing and coaching girls` netball in her spare time. With her multifaceted career and commitment to empowering others, Kellie is a leader driving change in the recruitment industry.
Priya Rajendran | Managing Director - Sub cluster Operations head | Citigroup
I started my career in the hotel industry in India and moved onto the Banking Industry.
Leading Service and Operations & Technology teams is my passion. I joined a call centre in the UK for Citigroup in 1999. I later gained experience as a subject matter expert when the call centre was migrated to Barcelona which resulted in me leading the next big migration from Barcelona to Chennai a few years later. My first role as Country Operations and Technology (O&T) head was in 2008 when I realised my passion for people management and leading O&T teams. In 2014 I wanted to expand my experience and moved into a regional role in Anti Money Laundering. In 2016, I joined Standard Chartered Bank as the Regional Head for Private & Banking Operations. In 2020 I rejoined Citi as the Cluster Operations & Technology head for Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. This role brought me experience in managing countries in a war related crisis. This led me to my current role of managing Operations & Technology across 9 countries in North Africa, Levant & Central Asia consisting of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Turkey and Kazakhstan. Managing a crisis and Operational Resilience has become a big part of the roles I have carried out in the last few years.
Kellie Coyle | Marketing Manager | Action Tutoring
I have worked for Action Tutoring for almost five years; just over two years as Marketing Manager, and a Partnerships Coordinator and HR/Office Assistant prior to that.
Having worked in schools in Luton (my hometown) as a Volunteer Reader and Teaching Assistant, I was motivated to join my current organisation because I wanted to make a difference to children’s lives, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Following the completion of my undergraduate degree in English and American Literature at the University of Birmingham, I worked for a year as a Teaching Assistant. Unsure of my next step (but certain it wasn’t teaching for now!), I travelled and worked abroad for a few years in customer-facing roles before returning to the UK and moving to London.
Jasmine Bishop | Senior Programme Coordinator - Attendance | Get Further
Jasmine began her career in education during her time at university, supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds in their GCSE science studies through tailored, one-to-one tutoring on the ASCENTS programme.
This ignited a passion for helping young people from all backgrounds to access to the support they need, to gain key qualifications and skills, and she hasn`t stopped tutoring since.
In 2022, Jasmine jumped at the opportunity to join tutoring charity, Get Further, as an opportunity to support young people on a wider scale. By coordinating English and maths tuition programmes for students at Further Education colleges across the North of England, she was able to make a big difference to the lives of students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are missing the gateway qualifications they need to access opportunities and unlock their potential.
In her time at Get Further, Jasmine has overseen the delivery of programmes in some of England’s most remote locations, providing students with transformative, tailored support that would otherwise be out of reach. She has grown with the rapidly expanding charity, quickly becoming a leader in the programmes team and taking on responsibility for key areas such as tutor communications and student feedback. In her current role, she holds responsibility for driving charity-wide programme attendance, a notable barrier to student attainment in schools and colleges. She hopes to continue to make a positive change to the lives of students by ensuring excellent engagement with the support Get Further offers, and by collaborating with dedicated individuals across the sector.
Yuxi Pan | Associate | On Purpose London
Yuxi is an accomplished professional with a diverse background in behavioural science, risk management, and social impact leadership.
Holding an Executive Diploma in Behavioural Science from the University of Warwick, she was honored with the Change Makers Scholarship, reflecting her commitment to driving positive change. Her journey with Warwick was driven by a desire to understand systemic change and the pivotal role of behavioural science.
Passionate about social change, Yuxi served as the inaugural Risk Management & Governance Lead for Women of Colour Australia (WOCA), a volunteer-led charity dedicated to empowering women and girls of colour. Here, she honed her skills in risk management crafting foundational practices critical for WOCA`s expansion and diverse initiatives. Notably she supported the Executive Leadership Development Program, funded by grants from the Australian State Government, supporting numerous women of colour in realizing their leadership potential.
Transitioning from Sydney to London, Yuxi is now an Associate of the On Purpose Social Impact Leadership Program. Here, she channels her passion for social innovation, nurturing purpose-led startups and not-for-profits. Committed to continuous learning and giving back, she volunteers as a facilitator for UK not-for-profits such as WEA Adult Learning and also mentors young female leaders.
Yuxi`s ethos revolves around the idea of paying it forward, leading by example through courage and unwavering dedication to a values-aligned life.
Olivia Greenwell | Programme Manager | Get Further
Olivia`s academic background is in mathematical physics but she also has a keen interest in politics, psychology and music. On graduating from the University of Manchester, Olivia undertook a Teaching Assistant role, with a particular focus on children with Special Educational Needs.
Olivia moved into the charity sector in September 2022, taking on a role as a workshop facilitator for Solutions Not Sides. The workshops aimed to educate young people about the conflict in Israel-Palestine by encouraging critical thinking and a non biased approach.
Having enjoyed working with this age group, Olivia took on the role of Lead Tutor at Further Education charity, Get Further, in November 2022. This was alongside her work with Solutions Not Sides. Olivia quickly progressed within Get Further to the roles of Programme Coordinator, Senior Programme Coordinator and, most recently, Programme Manager in February 2024. As a Programme Manager, Olivia manages a team of Programme Coordinators and contributes to Get Further`s strategy and development as a member of the Senior Management Team.
Olivia is passionate about tackling educational inequality and has enjoyed seeing the positive effects of Get Further`s work on students. She has contributed to Get Further`s policy and advocacy work by organising MP visits to partner colleges and networking with key figures in parliament. Olivia has also contributed to Get Further`s impact analysis by using her mathematical skills to study factors affecting student attendance and attainment.
Leia Patel | Student
I am only young! Over the past 3 years, I have been very involved with charitable efforts touching various causes. I really love to make a difference in this world, and I really care about other people.
I have been involved in several fundraisers which I have organised with my mum. These have included me competing in three Little Mudder races, through which for one I was able to work with my class friends to raise £2500 for Cancer Research. I have walked two 10k routes, raising money for Plan UK International and also for Little Lives UK.
My proudest efforts were when I was tasked by my school to work on an open homework project focussing on the number 140, in celebration of the school`s 140th birthday. I decided I wanted to swim 140 lengths, to raise £140 for Brain Tumour Research, in memory of my grandmother who I never got to meet and who passed away at 37 years from the illness. I also wanted to support the charity as my good friend`s dad is undergoing treatment at the moment for his brain tumour. I had an amazing opportunity to speak to the charity about the work they do. I interviewed with them for a press article which was also picked up by local papers. I was able to raise £550.
My focus this year is to grow my hair to donate to Little Princesses Trust, to enable them to make wigs for children with cancer.
Leeanne Adu | Founder and CEO | Leeanne Adu VA Solutions Ltd (Leave it With LAVA)
Leeanne Adu is an inspiring speaker and champion for business owners, mothers and breast cancer thrivers.
With over a decade of experience as an award-winning Personal Assistant, Leeanne established Leave It With LAVA, a virtual business support service helping small businesses and entrepreneurs make space to focus on their mission and grow their business with more ease and joy.
As a seasoned public speaker, Leeanne captivates audiences with her authentic storytelling and shares valuable insights on running a business, mental health matters, and breast cancer advocacy. She has featured on BBC News, This Morning, Stylist Magazine, Strong Women and The Voice Newspaper, and has taken part in branded campaigns for Primark and Pretty Little Thing.
Natalie Diana Busari | Director | The Nerve of My Multiple Sclerosis CIC
After spending more than a decade working as a Software Engineer and Web developer in various banks and media agencies in central London and Canary Wharf, my career took a U-turn when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), this life-changing moment led me to dedicate myself full-time to my not-for-profit patient organisation, The Nerve of My Multiple Sclerosis.
Since my MS diagnosis, my journey has been about breaking societal norms and amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities within the MS landscape.
Establishing The Nerve of My Multiple Sclerosis CIC, I created a safe space specifically for Black women navigating the challenges of living with MS. Through this organisation, I tirelessly advocate, support, and empower, aiming to change misconceptions and nurture a sense of belonging for all.
My dedication to advocacy and passion for change has enabled me to have access to various platforms, shedding light on the lack of diversity in MS research and media. My goal extends beyond just representation; it is about reshaping how MS is perceived and approached in diverse forms.
As I strive to break barriers, I aspire to be a source of hope for Black women worldwide, encouraging them to share their experiences and demand a place at the table. My mission is to revolutionise MS awareness, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable future.
Pracheta Budhwar | Advisory Board Member, The Time Capsule Project
Pracheta is an accomplished executive in the Technology sector with a proven record of delivering growth at the leading edge of innovation whilst maintaining bottom line results.
In a career spanning twenty years and during her tenures at Accenture, Microsoft and Fidelity across three continents, she has built new practices, grown double-digit YoY business, and delivered first-of-its-kind scaled solutions in the cloud.
Pracheta is passionate about equality and a known advocate made interventions within companies she had worked at and at public discourse at large to advocate change and challenge status quo.
She strongly believes that `you cannot change what you cannot measure` - as part of D&I leadership team at Accenture Technology UKI, Pracheta sponsored and spearheaded building data insights to define interventions and impact overall diversity in the business.
Pracheta received a Fellowship from She creates change, a program run by Change.org for her efforts to bring gender parity and environment dialogue.