Georgina Bobb | Connect2TV Coaching
Georgina Bobb is a London based Freelance Broadcast and Television Production Coordinator, Entrepreneur, Speaker, Media Trainer and Mental Health Campaigner with 13 plus years production experience working within broadcasting, television, online video production and marketing.
Within her 13 years experience she has worked as a Junior Production Manager, Production Coordinator, Production Secretary, Post Production Secretary, Production Assistant, Logger, Junior Researcher, Archive Researcher and Runner in Television creating international and UK based content across all television genres. She has also Directed, Produced and Production Managed various Music Promos, Live Events and Commercials that have been broadcasted internationally as well as being screened online.
She has worked with various mainstream celebrities & artists as well as accumulating over 50 TV broadcasting credits working on prime time entertainment and factual entertainment productions for various broadcasters and independent production companies such as BBC & ITV.
Whilst working in television she has created and developed a TV-specific employability business, Connect2TVCoaching providing clients with CV and cover letter writing consultations and mentoring as well as employability workshops, training and networking events. She has received great feedback in which clients have gained interviews and paid work placements at companies such as the BBC, Lime Pictures, Love Productions and other independent production companies as a result. A Ravensbourne Graduate in Content Creation and Broadcast & from a non-traditional background she is passionate about specifically engaging and empowering disadvantaged young people enabling them to develop both personally and professionally giving them the opportunity to gain paid employment within the industry. Qualified with a Level 3 Award in Education and Training she has delivered several TV and Media specific employability workshops through Connect2TVCoaching enabling over 100 prospective candidates to gain invaluable industry career advice.
One of Georgina's treasured moments in her career thus far includes receiving her first award nomination under the category of Rising Talent at the Screen Nation Awards - a ceremony that celebrates diversity within film and television. This event was sponsored by both the BBC & ITV and was broadcasted on ABN TV.
Georgina is a passionate mental health campaigner who stands up wholeheartedly for equality for those who experience mental health conditions and believes that with a mental health diagnosis you can still be a respectful and successful member of society and can achieve great things. She also has appeared on The BBC Victoria Derbyshire show on BBC Two and BBC News Channel alongside BAFTA award-winning Actor Adam Deacon discussing mental health as part of a 'Living With Bipolar Disorder' segment. The Independent, The BBC News Website, New Magazine and also Channel 5 News at 5 has also featured Georgina on her personal experiences with mental health. She is currently a media volunteer with Rethink Mental Illness a mental health charity. She is also currently studying a Level 3 in Understanding Mental Health.
Gina Thompson | Warner Bros TVP
Gina Thompson is an exuberant yet empathetic Digital Media Assistant for Warner Bros TV Production.
Having worked with Warner for 1 year, Gina's technical focus has chiefly been in areas within the digital space such as, Content Creation and Production, Social Media Ideation, Strategies and Campaigns, Online and Offline Marketing, SEO, PPC and Traditional Web Management. In this role, Gina championed and supported social media campaigns and output for TV shows such as Channel4’s 'First Dates' and 'First Dates Hotel', BBC’s 'Nine to Five With Stacey Dooley', ITV’s brand new 'The Big Audition', and more. Delivering digestible and engaging content for the audience, with a forethought approach in an ever evolving space.
Prior to Warner Bros, Gina worked as a Make-up artiste for the luxury beauty brand Yves Saint Laurent, in its flagship stores in Oxford Street, London. Representing the brand in store, supporting customers and driving sales.
Born and raised in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Gina's 'big move' to the UK has been one of her bravest achievements yet. Whilst studying Film at the University Campus Suffolk, Ipswich, Gina expressed her passion in people with an imperative need to get young adults have vital discussions - from goals, ambitions, self and career development and most importantly, mental health and in doing so, a safe space, 'Make A Mate' was born.
Gina's peers have often described her as a 'go getter', 'special' and 'reliable', she prides herself in her quality relationships with people. Her compassion has led her to volunteer for and support The Cancer Research UK charity.
Once a pageant Queen, Gina has held the title of Miss Big, Bold and Beautiful, London, with all proceeds to the Sue Ryder charity.
Outside the cooperate space, Gina spends time honing and developing her other passions such as TV presenting/vlogging, gastronomy, networking and a recently acquired hobby, boxing.
Occasionally appearing on your TV screen as a supporting artiste, extra or an audience member, her love for the Arts, the Entertainment and TV industry is still as captivating to her now as it were a young, hopeful, girl child in Nigeria.
Isabella Silvers | Hearst UK
Isabella is an award-winning Digital Associate Editor in Hearst Content Studio.
After interning around the industry, Izzy landed a digital role at InStyle.
In 2018, she was named one of PPA’s 30 Under 30 young journalists to watch for her work at Hearst, including titles such as Cosmopolitan, ELLE and more.
Part of Hearst’s Diversity & Inclusivity Steering Group and BAME network, Izzy is passionate about increasing diversity and inclusivity in all areas of the industry and was shortlisted for Hero of the Year at the European Diversity Awards.
Juliette Nicholls | Pineapple Audio Production
An award-winning, high-achieving radio producer who successfully creates station sound, imaging elements and promotional trails for Heart’s biggest national campaigns.
Clients include Sky (the biggest UK commercial radio partnership to date), Netflix, Disney, Santander, Sony and Sainsbury’s.
Juliette is a positive and tenacious individual who has built contacts, grasped opportunities and achieved a dream role. 9.8 million listeners hear her production every week and working for Global, she is part of a company named Campaign's Medium Business of the Year 2017.
She was named in the Radio Academy's 30-Under-30 Awards in 2016, and again in 2018.
She is also the Director of 'Pineapple Audio Production', which specialises in the production of podcasts, including LBC's 'For The Many', Metro's 'Mentally Yours', the Project Love Podcast, the Popbuzz Podcast, the Cardiff Blues podcast, The Apprentice: Qualified and the Influential Women Podcast.
She achieved a sponsored place to attend the Radio Days Conference in Paris in 2016, representing under-30’s working in radio - and was invited back to the 2017 conference in Amsterdam and 2018 conference in Vienna.
She strategised and leads ‘The Network’ - Global’s internal networking group - managing events with guest speakers including CEO’s (Pearl&Dean, MediaCom, The Lighthouse Company) and experts in language, personal branding and communication.
Hannah Brockfield | The Prince's Accounting for Sustainability Project (A4S)
Hannah works for The Prince’s Accounting for Sustainability Project (A4S), which was established by HRH The Prince of Wales to inspire action by finance leaders to drive a fundamental shift towards a sustainable economy.
Hannah joined A4S in 2017 as Events Officer, leading the charity’s global events programme to engage the finance and accounting community in transforming their financial decision making towards a more sustainable approach.
Hannah’s growing interest in the sustainable finance space resulted in her achieving a place on the University of Oxford’s Smith School Sustainable Finance Foundation Course. The course gave her the opportunity to explore and articulate the business case for a more sustainable approach to business and finance.
After demonstrating a proven track record of leading projects across global campaigns, Hannah progressed to become A4S’s Senior Project Officer, working on the charity’s international networks and projects. Hannah works with global partners to deliver the objectives of A4S’s Chief Financial Officer Leadership Network.
Part of Hannah’s role is focused on the integration of sustainability into the education of finance professionals. Due to this work, she was selected to be on the Driving change in education, training and academia assessor panel for the 2019 Finance for the Future awards.
Prior to joining A4S, Hannah was a Production Manager at Capita Conferences, where she conducted research for public sector conferences and training. Hannah’s events ranged from Reducing Deaths in Police Care, Universal Credit to Preventing Sexual Assault.
Laura Dickens | Cancer Research UK
Laura’s career began as a post-doctoral research scientist at the MRC Toxicology Unit researching the mechanisms of cell death.
After spending some time in this role Laura decided to move away from lab-based science and joined the Business Management department of Cancer Research Technology as a Project Development Manager.
During her time as a Project Development Manager, and then as a Business Development Manager, Laura developed her skills in business development and technology transfer. Laura is currently a Business Development Executive in the Business Development and Transactions team within the Commercial Partnerships department of Cancer Research UK. Laura's current role encompasses a variety of activities such as marketing commercial opportunities, negotiating and completing partnering deals as well as building and developing relationships with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.
Laura has a first-class BSc(Hons) degree in Biomedical Science from the University of Manchester and a PhD from the University of Leicester.
Billie Boyd | Victim Support
My academic background is a Criminology and an MA in Strategy and International Security. I have previously worked with the Humberside Police in their counter terrorism unit.
I have now been in my post as a Serious and Violent Crime caseworker for 7 months. In this time I have worked with over 100 cases of victims with complex needs, ensuring that they are obtaining the correct support and their voices are being heard in the criminal justice system.
Agnieszka Baliszewska | Nursing and Midwifery Council
Since I was at school I have been aware of wanting to do my best and at the same time to motivate and lead others to do more and to enjoy life.
After graduating from Camberwell School of Art I took the decision to move into a role where I could make a difference. My time at Monsoon Accessorize gave me a solid grounding in a challenging retail customer service environment, learning about sales, customer relationships and being part of a service team. Equipped with this experience I looked for an opportunity in the charitable sector, initially joining the NMC on a temporary contract in the call centre, since when I have progressed up to my current role as UK Registration Team Manager.
While attending a residential leadership course in the sixth form I realised that I enjoyed guiding and leading others, facing a challenge, finding great solutions and working with a team towards a common goal. Throughout my career I’ve always worked hard to find the next opportunity and build my skills base while leading those around me. I’m a great believer in nurturing and developing talent at all levels, and also finding the joy in discovering strengths and talents in others.
Within the NMC I founded the Talent and Development working group, I sit on the Communication Rhythm Forum, am a Change Champion and a Tone of Voice Champion. These are all opportunities that I have identified as areas where I can make a difference and a real contribution; although disparate, they do have a great deal of overlap and are of key significance in promoting good communication and relationships in such a fast paced and changing organisation.
The NMC, although a regulatory body, is a forward thinking organisation that embraces diversity and difference. I have been able to add to this through supporting my team to break down barriers, grasp opportunities, find their brand, understand their goals and put themselves forward. This can be challenging, which is great and rewarding! Life for me is constantly learning; I am looking forward to the future, to learning and advancing myself and those around me.
Gemma Kybert | Oscar's Wish Foundation
As a Nursery Manager, Early Years Teacher, Youth worker and private Nanny my whole world was focused around children and young people.
As a family we were foster carers and this supported my work around behaviour management and safeguarding vulnerable children.
I set up Oscar's Wish Foundation after I tragically lost my first born son in November 2014. As an Early Years Teacher and College lecturer it became increasingly difficult to maintain teaching the subject (covering conception and birth) whilst working through my own grief. I chose to turn my grief journey into exploring how to support other parents who lose their precious baby, my future and their dreams and ensuring Oscar's life wasn't in vain- the charity was launched.
Support families locally through out Sussex and the UK. We aim to provide support from day one and work along side the local hospitals and bereavement midwives, providing much needed therapy and counselling and online support. Parents often join our online support groups which offer them the option of support in future pregnancies too. WE are creating a holistic wholesome support network to wrap our arms of care around parents and families at their most vulnerable times.
Robi Sol Elsawey | Movement to Work
I started my career as a Consultant working in Accenture's Strategy division specialising in all things Supply Chain and Operations related, advising business leaders in their operating spend and cost reduction opportunities.
Keen to do something more aligned to social impact, I took a secondment into Movement to Work, which is a not-for-profit coalition of the UK’s progressive employers, aiming to level the playing field for young people (16-30 years old) who need the most help, by providing quality work experience and into-work job opportunities. I led the work driving insights and innovation, which included developing strategic partnerships with other organisations and exploring new approaches to tackling youth unemployment. 6 months ago I moved into the operations space (COO) where I now look after the 100+ employer members including Accenture, BAE Systems, BT, Centrica, M&S and NHS to name a few, as well as the governance and operating model of the charity.
I am passionate about increasing social mobility within our society, and advocating for greater equality in the workplace. It has been an absolute baptism of fire and a real privilege to have been able to take on so much responsibility in an organisation with such a tangible social impact on young people.