Communications Team Expand Alex Shaw Communications Manager Alex has communications experience in both the arts and charity sectors. She previously worked in the press office at the Southbank Centre and before that managed a range of arts, cultural and charity accounts at a PR agency. Amber de Freitas Communications Officer Amber joined WLZ after working in business development at youth justice charity SHiFT. She has a keen interest in amplifying the voices of children and young people and is excited about sharing their stories. Amber holds a BA in English Language and Linguistics from the University of Essex.
Development Team Expand Charlie Miles Development Manager (Trusts and Foundations) Charlie previously worked in the fundraising team at the youth employability charity ThinkForward. Prior to that he worked in delivery roles for a charity in Essex supporting young carers and in Fiji leading community, sport and development projects. He has a BA in History from Royal Holloway, University of London. Isobel Miller Development Manager (Neighbourhood and Events) Isobel’s background is in communications and copywriting, and she has experience in individual giving and alumni fundraising. Isobel has a Research Master’s in Cultural Analysis from the University of Amsterdam and a BA in English and Spanish from the University of Leeds. Kate Dolleymore Head of Philanthropy Kate previously worked in the fundraising team at the literacy charity, Coram Beanstalk, managing their Major Donor programme and prior to that was managing events and individuals at the Children's International Development charity, Magic Bus. She has a BSC in Psychology from the University of Leeds. Lucy Murphy Development Manager Lucy has been working in business development and income generation for national healthcare and research charities for almost 10 years. Before joining West London Zone she worked at the Royal College of Physicians securing industry support for academic programmes. Prior to this, Lucy oversaw sponsorship and partnership opportunities at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) and The Royal Society of Medicine (RSM). Lucy holds a BA in Politics from Goldsmiths College and a Masters in Journalism from NTU.
Finance and Resources Team Expand Ajan Abdullahi Team Administrator Originally from Somalia and Ethiopia by way of Germany, Ajan now considers herself a west London native. After completing her BA Hons in History in 2013, Ajan had a brief stint working at a planning department in North London before transition to working in administration. She has experience working in the international education sector, as well as in a corporate setting for a large assistance company supporting CEOs and Group Directors. Lily Assefa HR Officer After completing her MBA in Marketing, Lily worked as a Business Analyst and later on as a Product Manager for First Rate Travel Services (a joint venture between Bank of Ireland and The Post Office). After taking few years to look after her son, she worked for the National Institute for African Studies as Programme Manager/Administrator. Mariana Ferreira Office and Finance Manager Mariana is an experienced executive assistant and management professional. She has worked in management roles in the private and in the non-for-profit sectors in Brazil, Portugal and UK. Most recently, she worked as the Executive Assistant for the CEO and Board of Directors of a community foundation that tackles poverty in the East End of London. Mariana has a Management degree from Surrey University and is qualified PRINCE II project manager. Sam Kendall Head of Finance and Governance Sam joined WLZ in 2015 after a career change into Finance and HR and went on to complete the AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) Professional Diploma in Accounting. Sam is now a full member of AAT and became Head of Finance and Governance in 2019. Prior to joining WLZ, Sam worked as a solicitor in private practice. Sarah Buxton HR Manager After graduating with a BA in English and History from the University of Birmingham, Sarah worked as a TEFL teacher in Indonesia, Spain and the UK before moving to London. She started her career in HR in 2013 and achieved her CIPD qualification in 2016. Sarah had worked in HR in higher education, charity and private sector organisations before starting at WLZ in 2020.
Impact Team Expand Adam Scott Impact Officer Adam joined West London Zone after completing an MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Sheffield. He has experience of academic research on child and adolescent mental health services in London and a BSc in Psychology. Ewan Edwards External Affairs Officer Ewan brings experience from working in schools and educational charities in India, Spain, Sierra Leone and west London. He has a MA in African studies from SOAS and a BA in Literature and History from the University of Leeds Julia Josephson Impact Manager Originally from Los Angeles, Julia completed her Bachelor's Degree in Theatre and Education from Sarah Lawrence College in New York and then moved to the UK to complete a Master's Degree in Applied Theatre at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Before joining West London Zone, Julia was working at arts education charity Shakespeare Schools Foundation. Passionate about creativity and wellbeing for vulnerable communities, she also has experience designing content and facilitating workshops with young people and elders at a variety of schools, charities and theatres across London and New York. May Shakespeare Impact Officer May joined WLZ after completing a BSc in Psychology at the University of Bath. Her degree involved a year-long placement with the Department of Education at the University of Oxford, where she was involved in evaluating the impact of a teacher-led intervention in Early Years settings. May also has experience working with children and young people in the charity sector with the National Citizen Service. Ursula Hankinson Head of Impact Ursula has a background in impact evaluation in the international development sector, working across gender, adolescence and health programmes. Ursula most recently worked at Girl Effect evaluating programmes in Ethiopia and Rwanda. Ursula has a masters in Development Studies from LSE. Vicky Bott Impact Officer Before coming to WLZ Vicky worked at the NSPCC where she worked in the Event Development Team, then went on to manage UK and overseas challenge and running events. Vicky studied Human Geography at university, and worked for the Labour Party before moving into the charity sector. Zoe Mathys Impact Manager Zoe joined WLZ after working in the Australian disability sector conducting evaluation and research. She has also interned in Government focussing on strengthening community health service provision for children and young people. Zoe holds a Master of Public Health and Bachelor of Science from the University of Melbourne, Australia.
Link Work Team Expand Abbie Westman Link Worker Whilst studying for her undergraduate degree in English Language and Linguistics, Abbie was offered the opportunity to undertake a CELTA qualification accredited by the University of Cambridge. Subsequently, she completed a master's degree in English Language Teaching. She has experience of teaching English both abroad and in the UK. Last year, Abbie decided to move to London and made the transition to work in the English department of a secondary school. Her role was particularly focused around helping vulnerable students socially, emotionally, and academically. Amra Chohan Link Worker Amra graduated in Business & IT from London South Bank University and has been teaching SEN and vulnerable children in a mainstream setting within the inclusion faculty for the past four years concentrating on raising maths and literacy standards alongside managing a team of TA’s and various interventions to aid the children. As well as this Amra was able to achieve level 3 ELKLAN which specialises in speech-language and communication. In addition, Amra’s role within the school was to provide social and emotional support for pastoral care. Prior to this Amra was teaching in a primary school setting. Amy Spooner Link Worker Amy has a degree in Sociology and Criminology. She began working in primary schools and moved on to working with children with emotional and behavioural needs in school environments. Alongside this, she was an Early Help Intervention Worker, supporting vulnerable teenagers. Most recently, she worked as a Children and Families worked for women's refuges in Kensington and Chelsea. Bethany Chisholm Link Worker Whilst studying Criminology with Substance Misuse Intervention Strategy at the University of Brighton, Bethany gained experience in facilitating group in a local service to promote well-being and recovery. After graduating, Bethany began working with young people in a life skills centre. The focus of this work was to nurture young peoples' interests and help to develop their self-confidence. Beth Smith Link Work Manager Beth studied Human, Social and Political Sciences at the University of Cambridge. She then worked as a Primary Teaching Assistant in North London. She also has experience volunteering with refugees, women and children. Brandy Mongoy Link Worker Brandy studied Law and Criminology at the University of Sheffield. Shortly after, she worked as an oracy mentor and mace judge with a focus on improving oracy skills, specifically public speaking and debating skills with young children. Most recently, she worked as a teaching assistant with autistic children. Bryony Blood Smyth Link Worker During her Geography degree at Royal Holloway University of London, Bryony focused on the displacement of urban communities which sparked her interest in youth work and community projects. Bryony spent time in Nicosia, Cyprus working with a writer and activist and was involved in several projects working with marginalised communities in the divided city; upon her return to the UK she pursued opportunities in youth work and worked as pastoral support in a school in Westminster. Caroline Wilkinson Link Worker Caroline graduated in Communications from Brunel University before studying for her PGCE, also at Brunel. She then taught in a primary school for seven years, spending some of this time working with children with special educational needs. She also has experience tutoring through the National Tutoring Programme and volunteering with young people in her local area. She has lived in west London all her life. Charlotte Norris Link Worker / Literacy Delivery Officer Charlotte completed her degree in Psychology at the University of Lincoln and then went on to complete her Masters in Developmental Psychology. Charlotte has a background in both Teaching Assistant and teaching roles across the Primary School phase. She is looking forward to taking on training in Play Therapy and how she can incorporate this into her role as a Link Worker. Donna Botham Link Worker Donna has a background in primary school teaching and has more recently worked for a children’s charity on a project supporting school senior leadership teams to work with disadvantaged students and to develop more equitable learning environments. Donna has also worked on a research project with Teesside University researching barriers to learning for children in Early Years. Donna is a qualified counsellor with experience in developing and delivering small group early intervention mental health support courses in primary and secondary schools. Eleanor Brown Link Work Manager and Link Worker Eleanor graduated from the University of Bristol with a degree in Childhood Studies. Her experience volunteering for a local domestic abuse charity in Bristol lead her to work for Refuge as a Children’s Support Worker before joining West London Zone. Ella Peterman Literacy and Drama Intervention Lead Ella studied Drama at the University of Manchester. In her final year, she focused on Applied Theatre, working with those affected by the criminal justice system and homelessness. After graduating, she founded a drama company which used drama as a tool to encourage emotional and social well-being. She also completed the Teach First programme, teaching in schools across Birmingham and London. Farial Missi Deputy Head of Link Work Farial has been working with WLZ since the beginning of Pilot. In that time she has been awarded the LEAP Confronting Conflict Inspirational Adult award, and LBHF School Ambassadors and Sports awards. Farial has also completed the Place2Be child counselling qualification. Fardowsa Mohamed Link Worker Fardowsa has worked with children, young people and families for the past 19 years within social services, various charities, schools and the community. Fardowsa is very passionate about working with children and young people to support them rise to their full potential and help them access opportunities within the community.Fardowsa loves traveling and learning about different cultures to gain new experiences to improve her practice. Fatima Hussein Link Worker Fatima studied English Literature, Language and Linguistics at the University of Roehampton. She then worked as a Secondary Teaching Assistant and Cover Supervisor in south west London. She also has experience tutoring and volunteering with young people in her local area. Frankie Wakefield Link Worker Frankie graduated from the University of Sussex with a BA in Social Work. She worked with The Prince's Trust and with the Hastings Duty team, where she became passionate about the benefits of long term support work with children and young people. For the past few years, Frankie has worked in a graphic design studio. Georgia Haughton Link Worker Georgia has over 10 years of experience working with children and adults. She has worked in a huge range of settings from formal education to arts festivals to online coaching. Wanting to work therapeutically with children and adults, Georgia undertook a Diploma in Integrative Art Psychotherapy at IATE school in London. She is experienced in facilitating individuals, groups and projects and is most fulfilled when building relationships with children and people from all walks of life. Harrison Wright Link Worker Whilst studying Philosophy and Spanish at the University of Bristol, Harrison gained experience working with early years children teaching English as a foreign language in Madrid. After graduation, he gained experience as a teaching assistant at a secondary school in West London working alongside students with special needs. In his spare time Harrison is a keen musician and aims to bring elements from this to his practice. Idil Hussen Link Worker Idil studied Psychology at the University of Essex, in her final year she focused on developmental disorders, cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology. Idil then worked with children with learning difficulties in SEN secondary and sixth form to promote independence. In recent years before joining WLZ, Idil worked as a behavioral therapist for children with Autism, using principles of Applied Behavioural Analysis to teach academic, social, self-help and language & communication skills. Jess Nash Early Years Link Worker Jess has a degree in Fine Art & Related Arts and completed a 2-year post-grad Foundation in Integrative Arts/Child Therapy. She went on to become a volunteer counsellor for leading children’s mental health charity, Place2Be, and supported children in small groups and 1:1 in her role of therapeutic play-worker at The Family School. Additionally, Jess managed 1:1 yoga therapy provision, school outreach and teacher training programmes for The Special Yoga Centre; supporting children and families living with special and/or additional needs. She has lived in west London for most of her professional life. Jessica Bentley Link Worker Jessica is originally from Canada, where she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Health Studies and a Master's of Social Work degree. She has experience working in a secondary school in London with the pastoral and safeguarding teams. Prior to moving to the UK she worked with children and youth with Autism and their families. Passionate about helping young people reach their full potential, she has spent many years working with charities and summer camps to help children and youth develop their confidence, learn new skills, improve their communication, and build connections. Joyce Papparlardo Link Worker Joyce graduated from the University of Roehampton with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Counselling and then went on to complete a Master’s Degree in Attachment Studies. She really wanted to work with children so, after graduating, she worked in a primary school as a TA where she specialised in 1-1 and small group work for children with a wide range of needs. Alongside that role, Joyce was also the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead of the school. Juanita Benkirane Link Worker After completing her BA in Criminology, she has built up several years of experience mentoring young offenders and providing behavioural support in a primary school. In addition to being a WLZ Link worker, as a qualified therapist, Juanita spends a day a week working with the leading national children’s mental health charity, Place2Be. Juanita Moore Link Worker Juanita has a degree in Childhood and Youth Studies and is passionate about working with children, empowering and supporting them to reach their full potential. She has worked with the NSPCC and Home-Start. Juanita enjoys traveling and prior to joining West London Zone worked as Airline Cabin Crew. Kamal Elghailani Link Worker Kamal studied at the University of Sussex, his studies focused on the development and effect media had on young people. During his time at university, he became a skateboarding coach, aiding primary school children on their motor and confidence skills. This led him into becoming a 1-1 in secondary school in south west London for three years. Kamal has led and run key development sessions such as Lego therapy, homework club, and reading intervention. Kamaldeep Kaur Link Worker Kam has recently completed a degree in Primary Education at the University of Greenwich. She has worked with children for a number of years, in a range of settings including education, childcare, and youth work. Kam is passionate about working with children and young people to support them to reach their full potential. Kate Fabian Literacy Intervention Lead Kate is an Australian with a background in community planning and social research; having worked in government, private sector and NGO roles. Kate has BAs in Human Geography and Teaching, and a CELTA qualification, and has taught English and Geography in a range of settings, from adults to Nursery children. Kate is a safeguarding governor at her local primary school and is passionate about children having the opportunity to experience a safe and happy childhood, as well as to develop skills for later life. Katie Devane Link Worker Katie studied Childhood and Youth at The University of Northampton. During this time she worked in a residential children's home, with young people aged 8-18 years old. She also volunteered at various services for children and young people such as a local counselling service and a youth club. After Katie completed her studies, she continued her work in a nursery and also as a part time Female Youth Development worker where she worked with vulnerable females aged 12-17 within a mainstream school and a pupil referral unit. Liona Elliott Link Worker Liona previously worked as an Early Years practitioner for Shepherds Bush Families Project. She went on to study Early Childhood studies at Roehampton University. During her degree she focused on how mindfulness could benefit both children's and mothers' mental health, exploring in particular how it can alleviate the symptoms of postnatal depression. Maddy Ford Link Work Manager Maddy studied Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds and went on to work as an engineer on a number of large construction projects in the UK. After deciding that people were more interesting than pipes, Maddy volunteered for 6 months at IPODERAC, a home for boys aged 4-14 in Mexico. On her return to the UK, Maddy completed Year Here, a post graduate course in social enterprise. Mark Evans Head of Link Work Before joining WLZ Mark worked as a teacher in a local secondary school. Prior to this he worked for a cluster of schools in south west London developing provision for children and families and before this developing a mentoring programme for vulnerable young people in collaboration with a Youth Offending team. Mark brings a wealth of knowledge developing services for children, young people and their families across the public, statutory and the third sector. In his spare time he is a keen sportsman. Megan Templeman Link Worker Megan studied English with Study Abroad at the University of Exeter. Her experience volunteering for a youth mentoring charity whilst at university led her to pursue a career in the charity sector and she completed the Charityworks Graduate Scheme in 2019. Most recently, she has worked at a children’s hospice, working closely with children with life-limiting conditions and their families. Megan also has experience tutoring and has volunteered in schools and with NGOs. Nikki Dolby Link Worker at Wendell Park Primary School Nikki previously worked as a Teaching Assistant and tutor before completing her PGCE at the University of Reading. Since then, Nikki has volunteered and worked across the charity and heritage sector, from museums and art galleries, to LGBT+ advocacy charities. Most recently, Nikki has completed 14 months volunteering as a mentor for The Kid's Network, a children's charity based in London. Olayinka Goldfeather Link Work Manager With a degree in Illustration and a qualification in children's counselling from Place2Be, Ola has a passion for working creatively with children and young people to support their emotional well-being. As well as working at West London Zone, Ola is a coach and workshop facilitator, mentoring and supporting teenage girls to build their confidence, self-esteem and skills. She also has experience in inner London primary schools as a learning mentor and teaching assistant. Robyn Cufley Link Worker Robyn completed an undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Warwick. After university, Robyn worked in a refuge supporting women and children fleeing domestic abuse. Robyn also has experience volunteering for Citizens Advice and MIND. Sarah Mohammad Link Worker Sarah studied at SOAS and then completed a masters at King's in International Development. Sarah has worked in community organising across London, including facilitating sessions across schools, charities and corporates on social change and inclusion. She has worked with young people across London supporting them across literacy, wellbeing and programmes exploring identity and resilience. Sarah Riddell Link Worker Sarah completed an undergraduate degree in Exercise, Nutrition, and Health at Nottingham Trent University and then went on to graduate with a Master’s in Public Health. Sarah also spent 3 summers working on children’s summer camps in the USA and completed 2 years in the London Camp America Head Office. Before coming to WLZ Sarah spent a year in a school specifically for children with Dyslexia and Dyspraxia as a Teaching Assistant and Sports Coach. Sarah Walsh Link Worker Sarah completed a degree in Primary Education in Canterbury and went on to teach in primary schools, specifically within the Early Years Foundation Stage. After several years, she decided to take her teaching abroad and worked as a TEFL teacher and as a volunteer in an orphanage. Sophie Carty Link Worker Sophie completed her MA in Education and International Development at UCL in 2021, and is continuing to study Arabic at SOAS. Prior to that Sophie studied English and Drama at Queen Mary University of London. She has also volunteered with education charities in Greece and Phnom Penh. Thomas Hacker Link Worker Thomas graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in Psychology and then went onto complete a Masters in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Brunel. During his degree Thomas workedas a children’s football coach, which led him to his next role providing sports development andpastoral support at a primary school. For the past few years Thomas has worked as a researcher fora leadership development organisation. Tom Regel Link Worker Tom’s recent experience is in academic research, studying and then later working in the Department of Sociology at Goldsmiths College, University of London. Prior to this, Tom worked in a range of roles across mainstream and specialist education in London, working closely with children and young people with special educational needs, as well as with students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties Zarin Shahabi Link Worker/Community Engagement Project Coordinator Zarin studied Psychology at the University of Birmingham. She then worked with children in a range of settings, both paid and voluntary such as for The Children's Society, Oxford Active Camps, secondary schools and teaching English in Spain. Most recently, she worked as a Learning Mentor in west London, with a focus in identifying and breaking barriers to learning for vulnerable students. She also has experience volunteering with women in conflict, individuals with Alzheimer's and SEMH children. Zarin will begin training to become a Health Play Specialist this year.
Partnerships Team Expand Ella Saunders Partnerships Officer Ella joins WLZ from Action Tutoring, where she worked on closing the education attainment gap by coordinating volunteer tutoring programmes across East London. She is committed to the youth charity sector and is excited to support WLZs unique programme and its impact on children and young people. James Dunbar Partnerships Manager Before joining WLZ, James worked for 8 years as Creative Producer for Chickenshed Theatre. In this role, he developed a programme of inclusive theatre projects for children and young people in West London, working in partnership with a range of organisations, schools and local community groups. James trained as a dancer at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and has worked across the community arts sector as a performer, teacher, theatre maker and producer. Kate Welsh Head of Partnerships Kate joins West London Zone from an Arts and Education background, having worked for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Into Film and various schools and PRUs. She has extensive leadership experience in mobilising cross-sectors partnerships to support young people and in designing outreach programmes. She is an advocate for early intervention and creating sustainable opportunities for young people. Ruba Aljarf Partnerships & Insights Manager Ruba joins West London Zone from Wellcome Trust where she managed different portfolios related to Teacher Development and Young people as changemakers in their communities. Ruba has significant experience in managing and overseeing projects focusing on education, youth empowerment and youth mental health. Ruba passionately champions educational initiatives that improve children’s quality of life.
Senior Management Team Expand Alexia Phillips Finance and Resources Director Alexia is a qualified accountant with a Masters in Charity Finance and NGO Management. Prior to joining West London Zone, Alexia worked in senior leadership positions for a number of children’s charities, and has considerable experience in managing finance, HR and operations. She recently undertook consultancy work on improving finance operations for Terres des Hommes UK and Amnesty International. Jenny Hoyle Delivery Director Before joining WLZ Jenny worked for 10 years in Children and Young People’s services with a specific focus on delivering and commissioning early intervention and prevention services. She has a depth of experience of working in and with voluntary sectors partners and working across the voluntary, private and public sectors to improve outcomes for local communities. Jenny is passionate about creating positive change for children and young people in West London. Joe Prendiville Director of Strategic Partnerships Joe has extensive experience of managing and delivering education programmes to disadvantaged and marginalised people. He worked in senior leadership at a youth charity in East London for five years through a period of significant organisational growth, leading their education and training programmes. Most recently he worked as Principal of their Alternative Provision Free School. Louisa Mitchell Chief Executive Officer Louisa joined WLZ to design the plan and implement the pilot project in White City in 2015-16. She became Chief Executive in September 2016. She has extensive experience in social policy research and advocacy and in managing charities in London and Hong Kong. Prior to that, she was in finance.