Rene Germain | American Express
Rene graduated from Loughborough University in 2016 with a BSc in International Business and is currently a Product Manager at American Express, delivering experiences for the award-winning US mobile app.
She was part of the team that launched their first experimental Beta App and more recently has been delivering savings features to their US customers in the app. Prior to this, Rene worked as a digital delivery analyst at a global technology consulting company, working with UK financial services clients to enhance and optimise their user experiences across web, mobile, phone and branch.
Alongside her endeavours in the digital space, Rene is a passionate careers writer. She started blogging on Medium in 2016 and more recently has written for many online publications which include Huff Post, Cosmopolitan, Fortune.com and Stylist.co.uk. She is also the soon to be author of Black and Great: The Essential Workplace toolkit, a careers book for Black students and professionals to be published by Coronet this year, featuring leading Black British voices from a variety of different industries.
Tamanna Akther | Capgemini Invent
Tamanna leads the user research practice at Capgemini Invent. She has worked in the public sector for the last 7 years.
Tamanna started her career as an educator, teaching Computer Science to over 1200 secondary school students. Whilst teaching, she led an initiative with Barclays bank inspiring female students to pursue a career in Computer Science. This became the foundation for Tamanna's advocacy for better representation of under-represented groups in the technology and digital sector.
At Accenture she was introduced to user research whilst working on a Health and Social Care project. Here she was able to continue advocating, this time for patients, doctors, dentists, nurses, and care home staff.
Now, at Capgemini Invent she works on public sector projects championing the needs of users on government services. Alongside this she leads the User Research community at Invent and has worked on creating a diverse community where researchers can thrive.
Yvette Kemp | British Army
In 2008 (23 years old) I joined the British Army joining the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers as a vehicle mechanic.
In 2013 I deployed to Afghanistan on Op Herrick 18 fixing and maintaining armoured vehicles as part of a forward repair team in Afghanistan flying out to different locations fixing vehicles. Whilst deployed I received the REME sports personality of the year award which unfortunately I was unable to receive in person due to operational commitments.
Football is my main passion and I have played football since the age of 7, representing Gloucester city ladies (17 years) ,Glos County, Swindon Town FC, REME FA, and the Army Womens football team.
I currently still continue to represent the REME and I also coach the Army Womens Development football team with WO2 McDowell. I also have the role of the Army Womens Football Ambassador which involves promoting women's football within the Army.
In 2018-2019.
After completing the 1 weeks RAPTC selection process, I I transferred to the Royal Army Physical Training Corps where I deployed for 9 months on Operation Toral at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA) as a Sgt RAPTCI.
My role was to deliver Physical Training (PT) to the Female Afghan Officer cadets, and train / mentor a female afghan PTI. Whilst on this tour I set up a initiative for personnel in the UK and around the world to send sports attire ( trainers, sports bras,) to the academy to enable to Afghan males and females officer cadets to have sufficient footwear and clothing whilst conducting PT. This was very successful receiving over 400 pairs of trainers.
Just before I deployed i obtained over £4000 worth of football kit from Chelsea FC both men and women's (brand new) to take out to distribute to the Afghan men and women. I delivered several football events during my tenure, one at the officer academy where I organised a football match between the Afghan staff and cadets vs the coalition forces a/ force protection team. I also delivered 2 events at the BEK (British Embassy Kabul) where i took football coaching sessions for local female afghan women who didn't have a safe place to play football. The England FA donated a further £4000 whilst on my RnR which enabled me to deliver more events.
My role at ANAOA was to deliver Physical Training (PT) to the Female Afghan Officer cadets and train / mentor a female afghan PTI. Whilst on this tour I set up a initiative for personnel in the UK and around the world to send sports attire ( trainers, sports bras,) to the academy to enable to Afghan males and females officer cadets to have sufficient footwear and clothing whilst conducting PT.
I received a Chief Commanders Commendation for my work on Op Toral.
2019-2021.
I was posted to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as a Sgt RAPTCI (Royal Army Physical Training Corps Instructor). This was a fantastic posting where i delivered PT to the future British Army Officer Cadets. Whilst at RMAS I coached the male cadet and permanent staff football teams. It was whilst coachig i recognised the need for more suitable sports pitches as the current ones were not fit for purpose. In June 2020 I initiated the implementation of 2 x 3G pitches (1x Rugby & 1 x Football) to be installed at RMAS. With the QMS support of my QM we received the approval of £1.8 million pounds from the Army Sports Control Board for these pitches to be installed providing much better sports facilities and improving the lived experience of the Officer Cadets.
Sept 2021 - Present.
I am currently based at 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery as the SSI RAPTC. Since arriving at the regiment I have worked hard to improve the delivery of the Physical Training Program and I've reinvigorated sport at the regiment. Whilst continuing my external roles playing, coaching and attending events as the Army Womens Ambassador I have conducted several sporting events for the Regiment including taking the regiment down to Surrey to partake in the 5km outdoor obstacle course called "The Nuts Challenge".
Over the past 12 months i have commentated live with Jon Knight on Forces news the UK Armed Forces Mens & Womens football matches and the Army Inter services men & women's football matches.
Chloe Mae Austin | Babcock Land Defence
To me, engineering has always seemed a dirty job, a man’s job, a boys club, which was only reinforced by being told throughout my education that STEM subjects were for boys.
It has only been since taking a risk & applying for an apprenticeship that I have learnt that there are so many different types of engineering. This has led to me feeling passionately that young girls should never be discouraged away from pursuing their passions, & that the engineering industry (in fact, all of STEM) needs more women. As one of only 3 women in my intake year, I have decided that it is my goal is to encourage more girls to apply. I create presentations on women in engineering to give to schools as part of the recruitment drive, participate in several zoom Q&A panels as both a panellist & a facilitator, one of which was for International Women in Engineering Day, another for the United Nations World Youth Skills day, as well as being a part of the Babcock Land Inclusivity and Diversity Action Group. I am currently the Chair of a fundraising campaign for the Princes Trust, with the hopes of raising £10,000 to help disadvantaged youths across the country gain the skills required to create a better future. After being shortlisted for the TechWomen100 awards 2021, it is an honour to have been nominated as a Rising Star.
Chloe Stephens | Ministry of Defence - Submarine Delivery Agency
I am a conscientious individual who has worked as a Submarine engineer for just over 4.5 years now.
I started as an engineering apprentice, completing mechanical and electrical units at Bridgwater and Taunton College. At this time, I was able to gain some key practical experience in elements like welding and use of hand tools. Upon completion of solely education element of my apprenticeship, placements within industry saw me entering the Submarine sector whilst simultaneously completing the remaining educational units. I completed various placements in both the Naval Authority Group (looking at Non-Destructive testing, material enquiries and policy amendments) and the In-Service Submarines Structures Team (completing structural assessments, reviewing non-destructive testing reports, providing repair requirements and methodology).
Upon completion of the apprenticeship, I formally started within the In-Service Submarine Design Authority, working through a number of different roles within the team, bringing me to my current position. My primary role of within this team is to maintain and improve the structural safety and availability of all in-service Royal Navy Submarine platforms across the three submarine classes by planning, scheduling and delivering survey and repair activities, assessing and sentencing defects and carrying out safety assurance on the design and material state. I've built knowledge and worked across both primary structures (including Pressure Hull, Nuclear Containment and structural castings such as Torpedo Tubes) and secondary structures (internal and external structural tanks, bulkheads and hull surveillance policy).
As well as working full time, I am currently studying for an FdSc in Naval Architecture part-time at the City College Plymouth to broaden my experience in Naval Architecture and fulfil my aspiration is to achieve RINA Chartership.
Kinjal Dave | BAE Systems
A dynamic and creative self-starter demonstrated through my proactive voluntary work.
I am highly motivated and constantly eager to take on new challenges being a former youth councillor elected by the local young people to represent their voices. I joined BAE Systems Applied Intelligence in November 2016. Prior to this I studied Nuclear Engineering at University of Cambridge and Aerospace Engineering at Queen Mary University of London. My seniors and colleagues describe me as efficient and motivated who is never happy with second best.
My engagements outside of work through being a STEM ambassador has always highlighted her commitment to the objective of Diversity and Inclusion in science. I am currently leading a project and is involved with all the aspects of technical engineering as well as project management. My positive attitude and inquisitive nature always goes down well with the team and I am delighted to recommend her for the Asian Women Achievement Award.
Kate Redfern | British Army
Kate commissioned into the Royal Mechanical and Electrical Engineers (REME) in 2005. She has had a varied Army career, having worked in Land System and Aviation Engineering, and the training environment.
Her Land System Engineering experience has seen her command platoons, including those providing in-depth maintenance on various land systems equipment, metal fabrication and vehicle recovery in support of a Logistics Brigade. She also deployed as part of a programme to inspection and refurbish the British Army’s vehicle fleet in Canada, with her team completing 150 vehicles in 3-months. The highlight of her time in Land System Engineering was as Light Aid Detachment (LAD) Command, where she led an engineering detachment of 50 personnel, providing engineering support to an Armoured Engineer Regiment in preparation to deploy on operation in Afghanistan; she relished the challenge of the supporting the variety of equipment, including armoured vehicles, combat engineering vehicles and plant equipment. Kate was fortunate enough to perform the role of LAD Commander for the UK Crew Training School, who provided specialist driver training for troops deploying to Afghanistan.
Kate’s experience as an Aircraft Engineering Officer (AEO) is equally varied, spanning rotary, fixed-wing aircraft, and Un-crewed Aerial Systems (UAS). Starting her AEO career with the Army Lynx helicopter, she commanded a 60 strong aviation engineering platoon that supported operational flying training. A highlight as a Lynx AEO was the introduction Mark 9a Urgent Operation Requirement. Here, she led the engineering detachment supporting flying operation to prepare for the aircraft’s inaugural deployment, including environmental training in Kenya, before deploying with the detachment on operations in Afghanistan. She served as AEO for the Army’s UAS fleet, compromising of Watchkeeper and Desert Hawk 3. She has had the privilege to command an Apache Helicopter Workshop held at very high readiness. She supported the Apache’s first deployment in the artic environment and onboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth. Kate has performed the role of Deputy Continuing Airworthiness and was responsible and accountable for the Continuing Airworthiness for the Gazelle, Defender and Islander aircraft fleet. Currently, she is working in In-service Capability Management for the Army’s Military Register Civilian Owned Aircraft at Joint Helicopter Command.
Kate has been a Chartered Engineer with The Institute of Engineering and Technology since 2018 and aspires to gain fellowship membership level. Keen to encourage professional development, she has supported individuals in achieving professional engineering status, both civilian and military, and was a STEM ambassador for the Bloodhound Land Speed Record Project. Throughout her career, Kate organised and delivered training activities to augment core military activity, including mountaineering and skiing expedition.
Originally from Staffordshire, Kate has now adopted North Yorkshire as her home. Much of her spare time is spent putting her practical engineering skills to use in renovating her small cottage. When not engaging in DIY, she enjoys heading for the hills for trekking or rock climbing and has volunteered as an expedition supervisor for the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme for 12 years. More recently, she has been involved with the Covid vaccine rollout as a Saint John Ambulance volunteer vaccine carer.
Hannah Taylor | British Army
Hannah’s has served as a British Army Medical Officer since qualification.
In 2016 Hannah began training in public health medicine, undertaking placements in the Army, in local, regional and national public health teams, including throughout the pandemic, in health protection, health improvement and healthcare public health. In 2021 successfully competing for a place in the UK field epidemiology training programme; currently completing training in infectious disease and environmental epidemiology with the UKHSA.
Having completed research on breastfeeding in the military Hannah wrote the breastfeeding passport for the Army’s Pregnancy and Maternity handbook to empower breastfeeding servicewomen and provide education to commanders and healthcare workers. Her specialist knowledge on and passion for supporting breastfeeding mothers hassled her to use her own time to support the work of the Defence Breastfeeding Network and breastfeeding in other organisations. She supported the chair in the establishment and development of the Defence Breastfeeding Network and developed additional educational materials on breastfeeding. The peer support network, established during the pandemic when many in-person services could not run, has been able to support not just serving mothers, but also those in the civil service and the spouses and partners of serving personnel.
The COVID-19 pandemic saw significant increases in the workload of a remote and dispersed public health workforce, even more evident for the small cadre of defence public health doctors. As well as supporting peers and senior colleagues and considering colleagues wellbeing, Hannah has supported the national, local, Defence and Royal hospital Chelsea COVID response, briefly acting up as a Consultant for the Army in the early stages of the pandemic. As part of the COVID response she led on the development of the Army’s COVID testing plan and the COVID Commanders Tool. Outside of defence she has supported the early COVID response in the National Incident Co-ordination Cell and led on the investigating and responding to and sharing findings of a number of outbreaks.
Whilst supporting the national and defence pandemic response Hannah has continued to support teaching and training, showing her commitment to and passion for improving health inequalities, breastfeeding and women’s health, public health and outbreak investigation both in local hospital trusts and in the Defence Medical Academy. She has also continued to support her local communities through voluntary work, as part of the Parent Teachers Association and a female role-model developing teamworking and leadership skills as a children’s work leader for under 5’s in her previous posting and since posting in Girlguiding UK. She hopes to continue to empower women in defence, breastfeeding mothers and other disadvantaged groups by promoting health needs especially where inequalities in health outcomes exist.
Gemma Perkins | British Army
I joined the Army in 2013 as a Royal Military Policewoman.
Upon completing my Phase 2 Trade Training, I was posted to 110 Provost Company in Hohne, Germany which was an extremely busy policing environment. In 2015, once Hohne was closed down as a permanent base, I was posted to Leuchars in Scotland. There was a huge contrast in pace in regards to policing opportunities so I immersed myself in the training and operations opportunities. This also included many Adventurous Training opportunities which is where I also discovered my passion for skydiving and have now gone on to represent the British Army at both a national and international level in Formation Skydiving, picking up my instructors qualification along the way. I have also since been awarded both my AGC Corps Colours and my Army Colours. Having completed 3 years in Scotland, I was then offered the opportunity to post into the Army Engagement Team at RMA Sandhurst which took me all over the country as the Army's flagship team and delivering a presentation sanctioned by Home Command. Whilst here, I decided to begin volunteering as a Military First Responder in support of South Central Ambulance Service and have now been volunteering every week for a total of 3 years, contributing directly to the National COVID effort front line workers. I was then posted to 4 Operations Company where I am at present. Here I have gained a number of qualifications including CSI and PST Instructor, as well as almost having completed my SCIC training, where I have passed all 4 exams with distinctions. I have also conducted a number of training exercises, including an Urban Ops Ex with 158 Pro Coy, where I was awarded a CO's Coin for my efforts in supporting the exercise.
Sally Faulkner | 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
I began my military career in earlier March when I started basic training at Pirbright.
From here I moved to Bovington to complete my Phase 2 trade training which consisted of Signals, cat C driving license, Jack driving and maintenance and further military skills. After completion I began my job as one of the first female Troopers in QDG from the beginning of November.
The job role of a Trooper is predominantly a driver. We operate using the Jackal 2 and Coyote vehicles. The whole crew depends hugely on the upkeep and maintenance the drivers do on the vehicles as we can be working hundreds of miles away in all kinds of weather conditions.
Since starting there, as a Squadron we began pre-deployment training for Mali. During this time we took part in many courses to expand our knowledge of the country, the troubles and the people that live there.
Whilst there we would patrol into different villages which would allow us to see the way in which people lived and I would be able to sit with the females and ask questions and find out what life is like for them; gather information about the terrorist groups and how they impacted the lives of the villagers.