Herchran Boal | RSPCA
I have been working for the RSPCA as a Inspector for the last 19yrs.
I am extremely Passionate about Animal welfare, educating the public on being compassionate towards animals & how caring for them can bring us not only great joy but Rewards both Physically & Mentally.
I have been privileged to be able to do this through working on different programs namely The Dog Rescuers & The cat Rescuers on channel 5. I have become one of the Inspectors featured regularly on this program & i feel very honoured to be able to do this & reach a wider audience to showcase the great work done by the RSPCA.
My Specialisms at work Include being a Tutor Inspector, Puppy trade Officer & Performing Animals Advisor.
I also Specialise in large Multi Animal investigations & those investigations that are Complex in Nature Involving usually Organised Crime.
These Investigations tend to involve other organisations like the Police & Local authority, i'm a believer in Multi Agency Working to get the Best Results for both the Animals and Sometimes people namely children.
Natalie Moore | Apps for Good
Natalie Moore is currently co-Acting UK Managing Director (maternity cover) at Apps for Good.
Joining Apps for Good in January 2013 she has been a core part of a small team with a start-up mindset. Natalie joined Apps for Good as Education Outreach and Development Coordinator and during her 6 years has gone on to take on more responsibility and become one of the longest serving team members. Over the years Natalie has been a key player in the success of Apps for Good, particularly supporting the role out, growth and reach of the charity.
Prior to joining Apps for Good, Natalie was International Education Programme Coordinator at the London Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games (LOCOG). She started at LOCOG in September 2007 at the age of 18 as part of the School Leaver Programme, and remained in the team until October 2012. During this time she supported the role out of the London 2012 education programme (Get Set) to schools all around the UK and internationally, building relationships with schools and teachers. During "Games Time" Natalie was seconded to London 2012 Ceremonies Ltd. from LOCOG. Acting as a "Casting Assistant", working with school groups and young people rehearsing and performing in the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Opening & Closing Ceremonies.
Natalie is particularly passionate about using education and innovative initiatives to create an environment that allows young people to be inspired, thrive and achieve, no matter their location or socio-economic background.
Sonia Meggie | Inspirational YOU
Sonia Meggie is the award-winning founder of Inspirational YOU; a London based social enterprise.
Their mission is to connect, inspire and empower young people, women and ethnic minorities who want to progress personally and professionally.
She is passionate about tech, BAME progression, diversity and Africa, which saw her be selected as an RSA Diaspora Changemaker. Sonia is a Diversity and wellbeing Consultant and can be seen and supporting inclusion initiatives around the UK. In February 2019, Sonia was shortlisted for Stylist Magazine ‘Inspirational woman of the year’ award in their inaugural Remarkable women awards.
In 2016 she launched an accessories brand called FunkyNChunky creating ethically made accessories from Africa, this has seen her brand grow globally. Her passion is empowering others and giving back. This summer (2019) will see her open a Saturday school for those aged 8-14 in South West London.
Sonia is a qualified football coach, Trustee for the Jason Roberts Foundation, Friends Committee member of the Black Cultural Archives and Ghana GUBA Trade Expo. Via Inspirational YOU she has held over 100 events in 8 years, which include the popular teenagers careers platform and ‘women at the top’ masterclass at the House of Commons.
Sonia has worked alongside organisations such as Google, Deloitte, Barclays Corporate, BAML, MP’s, Law Chambers, PwC, Pearsons, ITV, Sky, London Youth, BBC, Channel 4, Stephen Lawrence Trust, DAC Beachcroft and UK Supreme Court.
Laura Perkins | Young Women's Trust
I am a creative and target driven fundraiser, with a passion for engaging with people and developing the capacity and resources of charities particularly those that support women.
I have been a fundraiser for charities both large and small, from the British Heart Foundation to Find Your Feet. I started my career after university, as an administrator taking calls and sending thank you letters and I loved the opportunity it gave me to talk to people about issues they cared about. I was also really motivated by the difference that every donation made to the lives of the people the charity served. Over the years I have looked for ways to increase my skills and knowledge by taking on new responsibilities and networking with peers. I have also purposefully taken roles in smaller charities to enable me to broaden by experience and help them grow.
In 2006, I undertook an MSc in Development Studies which fuelled my interest in international development issues which led me to work at a number of international charities supporting the economic empowerment of women across the world. A highlight during that time was travelling to meet with colleagues overseas to support them with their own fundraising so they could support more women through their programmes.
I then took the decision to apply what I learned to supporting young women across the UK. Currently manage a small team of fundraisers at Young Women’s Trust, a charity that supports disadvantaged young women to build their confidence, broaden their expectations and find work that’s right for them. My work focuses on building relationships with people, companies and networks to raise awareness of the challenges young women face and find ways for them to make a difference. I also contribute to the charity’s strategic direction, looking for new ways for us to grow our impact on young women’s lives. I am deeply concerned by the growing inequality in the UK and believe strongly that we are all losing out, both economically and socially by not supporting all young women to be socially mobile and fulfil their potential.
Rebecca Smith | BNY Mellon
Born, raised and living in Lancashire – Rebecca graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University with a Sports degree and fell into financial services by accident but discovered a desire to improve processes and streamlining.
Rebecca started her career in financial services in 2003 working for Sesame, a network firm of independent financial advisors. Within the firm she worked her way up the ranks from processing and investigations clerk to Finance Manager obtaining her Chartered Management Institute certificate and AAT qualification along the way.
In 2008, Rebecca was placed in the Treasury Department at the Bank of New York as Reconciliations section manager. Rebecca’s finance and reconciliation background stood her in good stead for the management of a reconciliation remediation project. Shortly into her role she took charge of the Reporting team and then up until 2012 managed various FX Operations teams. In 2012, she was promoted to FX Processing Group Manager responsible for the FX Processing and Confirmation teams. During this time Rebecca achieved her Prince2 qualification.
Upon returning from two close periods of maternity leave in 2015, Rebecca managed the Control function incorporating the investigations, reporting and analytics groups before becoming Business Admin Manage in early 2016 which represented a move away from people management into an individual contributor role. The role requires a solid understanding and background in the technical aspects of the FX Operation and strong organisational skills. The role was rebranded as Operational CAO in 2018 responsible for aiding the smooth running of the department by owning much of the governance processes such as audits, compliance reviews, management oversight metrics and reports. She handled the department’s recruiting process as well as being the central point for ad hoc corporate wide initiatives and programmes.
In January 2019, Rebecca moved into a CAO role in the Legal division supporting the EMEA Legal team.
Noemie Djossou | HSBC
Having recently completed the RBWM Graduate Programme, I secured my first permanent role with HSBC as Project and Governance Manager within Retail Credit Risk.
The Programme prepared me with a breadth of experience, from customer experience and people management, to strategy analytics and finally, as Diversity and Inclusion Manager within the UK bank.
Following an early career within healthcare, the programme proved a challenging next step, but ultimately served as a springboard for my career.
Passionate about Inclusion, I’ve launched a number of initiatives connecting employee resource groups to our people, providing a platform for unheard voices and development in the under-represented.
Cressida Stewart | Cherry London
Having completed an MSc in psychology, I became eager to learn more about the female psyche and the rise in anxiety and mental distress for women in modern society.
I undertook in-depth study into the relationship young women have with social media, especially Instagram, and how it is the cause of huge psychological distress.
My interest in women in society took me to Grace Belgravia, a health and well-being club , where I helped build unique member programmes to support the mental state of women who felt pressures from society. I did this alongside the psychologist of the British fashion council, and devised a programme catering to the needs of those who suffered a ‘Superwoman syndrome’. We designed and provided the tools to combat this distress for women who were mentally struggling.
My journey in psychology took me to a Behavioural Insights agency where I worked on a London council campaign that acted to change the attitude of those living in the area to live a healthier lifestyle.
I then went into brand partnerships, fascinated by the relationship between brands and their customers.
Working at Cherry London has been an empowering and rewarding experience. I have helped build The WealthiHer Network, an initiative created by women, for women. It is a movement which aims to revolutionise the perception of women in the financial sector and to exact positive change, for the benefit of all.
Mwange Malawo | HSBC
Upon completion of my undergraduate degree in International Relations and Politics I joined HSBC as Personal Banker, where I worked for two years on the front line serving clients and providing them with a range of services.
Working in the branch gave me a great foundational knowledge of the banking industry to which I was then promoted to a Risk Analyst position within HSBC's commercial banking division. After a year in this role I was promoted to my current role as a CDD Compliance Manager which I'm currently enjoying.
Alongside my role I am also HSBC's Communications Lead for Embrace UK which is an affinity group who focus on supporting the bank to celebrate diversity whilst providing personal development support to all colleagues, particularly those from a BAME background.
Enjoying my career at HSBC by appreciating first hand how supportive the organisation is has also led me to be a mentor for front line staff that also want to progress their careers.
Clodagh McCullagh | Barclays
Clodagh joined Barclays in 2015 on the Markets graduate programme, in the Client Strategy team.
Clodagh has set high standards for her work and has led the client strategy and analytics support for several key areas of the Macro business, including the UK Rates franchise, the Global Rates Options business and our EM franchise. She has taken the lead in training and managing several graduates in the global team.
As well as driving the client strategy for these key businesses, Clodagh has taken a leading role in developing critical IT, MI & CRM tools for the business, has assisted with Barclays graduate recruitment efforts and also received her Professional Risk Manager designation and completed Level 1 CFA.
Clodagh has been actively involved in Barclays’ diversity agenda and community projects, specifically with the younger generation:
- Co-chair of the Win Enable and Engage committee which seeks to inspire and innovate in gender equality, personal development and talent pipeline areas
- Leads the Spotlight workstream which brings a wide variety of speakers, both internal and external, to Barclays colleagues on a range of subjects including communication, resilience, and diversity. Hosting 12 events a year with roughly 800 colleagues attending the events annually. Through which she was nominated for Diversity Network Member of the Year 2019
- Led the work with London Youth - City Leaders to arrange mentors for a variety of community groups across London. The goal was for the young people to pitch for funds to finance an idea that would help their community
- Partnered with Leaders in Community to help young people with their employability skills. Arranging numerous LifeSkills sessions on communication, job applications, and networking and hosted two of them alongside other volunteers
- Volunteered and hosted various LifeSkills sessions for young people in the community including workshops on CVs, interview skills and networking
Christine Ondimu | HSBC
Christine Ondimu is a volunteer mentor, striving to live a purposeful life to inspire kindness and to lead by example.
Christine is a Compliance Governance and Standards Manager at HSBC.
Christine has lived and worked for HSBC in four (4) countries – United States of America, South Africa, Kenya and now United Kingdom.
In her 11 year career at HSBC, Christine has been actively championed Diversity through the HSBC USA African Heritage Committee, Mentor at Sizanani mentoring program in Johannesburg South Africa and HSBC EMBRACE UK in London.
As Community Engagement Lead at HSBC EMBRACE UK she has created a strong partnership with charities like the Princes Trust Mosaic mentoring programs, HESTIA and Wildfowl Wetlands Trust and DWP mentoring Circles where HSBC EMBRACE members regularly volunteer.
Additionally Christine has spoken to students at London universities and schools on the importance of Diversity in an organisation.
Christine lives in Kent, with her two children, 17 and 7.
In addition to running the 2018 London Half Marathon and raising funds for the British Red Cross, her extracurricular activities include writing, baking, hiking and gymnasium