YWCA England & Wales

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YWCA board of trustees

The board of trustees sets the aims and strategic objectives of YWCA. They are responsible for the financial and operational stability of YWCA and for new areas of work. They meet about five times a year in London.

We are always on the look out for new people to join our board of trustees. Being a member of the board is a great opportunity to get involved at the heart of YWCA and gives members the opportunity to develop new skills and professional experience. Please get in touch if you'd like more information about volunteering for this important role.

Helen Wollaston

Helen is chair of the board of trustees. Helen runs Equal to the Occasion, a consultancy which provides professional communications support to increase the impact of equality and diversity projects.

Amanda Ariss

Amanda Ariss is Chief Executive of the Equality and Diversity Forum and was previously Head of Policy and Research at the Equal Opportunities Commission where she was involved in the creation of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and led the launch of the gender equality duty.

Barbara Harrington

Barbara is director of business innovation at Dominion Housing Group. Her career has been in social housing and she has also been responsible for establishing projects for women escaping abuse, leaving care and for people dependent on drugs and alcohol.

Donna Dickenson

Donna has a background in youth services and youth work education and is currently Head of Young People Inclusion for Wrexham County Borough council.

Farenna Shaheed

Fareena previously worked as a manager in Cafcass. She is now working as part of a specialist team on quality assurance, performance and practice improvement in a Local Authority. Fareena has experience of working with female offenders and as a volunteer on the management committee of a women's refuge.

Helen Donahoe

Helen is head of campaigning effectiveness at NCVO and runs a programme to support voluntary sector campaigning skills.

Helen Timbrell

Helen is head of volunteering at the National Trust. She is interested in getting more young people involved in the NT and manages an innovation project to develop new ways of working.

Janet Green

Janet worked as a finance director in the banking and insurance industry for over 20 years. She now works mainly in the voluntary and not-for-profit sector as a non executive director and trustee.

Mary Pasby

Mary is a marketing and business development consultant working for technology, professional services and public sector organisations. She helps clients to identify the needs of their customers and develop and implement their brand and values.

Rachael Clapson

Rachael is a civil servant working in the Cabinet Office, supporting the Prime Minister on devolution issues and co-ordinating the Government’s policy on devolution and relations with the devolved administrations.

Catherine Brown

Biography to follow

Cheryl Garvey

Cheryl is the chief executive of Birmingham Association of Youth Clubs and has worked in youth and equality organisations for 17 years. Her previous job involved promoting enterprise to young women via the Make your Mark campaign. Cheryl has extensive experience of working in strategic partnerships, particularly in the West Midlands.

Sarah Speake

Sarah is the technology sales director  of Google UK. She is Women's Diversity Champion at Google and lives close to our West London centre. She has IT and commercial experience and is used to working in an environment that thrives on innovative thinking and action.

Adam Nichols

Adam is is the chief executive of Changemakers, a youth organisation which operates as a social enterprise. He is a member of the General Teaching Council, appointed by the Schools Minister to ensure the views of children and young people are represented there.