Women Leaders UK is the brainchild of Jan Flawn CBE, founder of specialist neurological care provider, PJ Care, based in Milton Keynes and in Peterborough. After winning the national CBI First Women of Business Services award in 2013, Jan realised how important it is to celebrate the achievements of women.
Jan set about inspiring a group of activists, passionate to develop the idea and in March 2015, on International Women’s Day, the first Women Leaders Awards was launched in Milton Keynes. It was a huge success, uncovering talented women from across the region, culminating in a joyful and inclusive gala dinner.
From these beginnings Jan led the development of Women Leaders as a charitable organisation, expanding focus to include mentoring, support and networking activities for our nominees, finalists and winners.
Officially incorporated in 2018, the charity has worked with over 700 women from all backgrounds and sectors and some 50 organisations and businesses which support our vision.
This year we will formalise our mentoring programme, aimed at any woman who aspires to become a leader, this will include networking and CPD events. In line with our charitable objectives we will continue to support personal development in both mentors and mentees.
Promote success to provide role models in the community.
Challenge gender disparity and promote gender equity
Support young women and girls to study STEM Subjects
Inspire and support women in their personal and professional development
Influencing employers and organisations to take action and become allys.
Help women to develop leadership skills through our mentoring programme.
Through MK Innovates, we aim to get more women and girls into STEM related activities. We host a STEM Festival each year which was the first one of its kind in Milton Keynes.
We run an allyship programme that allows businesses and business owners the opportunity to show their support for the women across Milton Keynes by backing the campaign to reduce the gender pay gap and fight for gender equity within the workplace.
Finally, we offer our mentoring programme for women who find themselves trying to get back into work following an absence, or would like advice and support in furthering their careers.
Dr. Julie Mills, OBE DL is the chair of the board of trustees and the former CEO and Group Principal of MK College and a highly respected thinker and doer in the areas of education, skills, social justice and diversity.
Julie's contributions have been featured by the BBC, ITV, The Huffington Post, The Times Educational Supplement, FE News, and many more. A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Julie was recently named Principal of the Year by the National Centre for Diversity (NCF). She was the driving force behind the creation of an Institute of Technology, Honorary Vice President of the Helena Kennedy Foundation and Chair of Women Leaders UK.
Julie is an Open University graduate, and was awarded a doctorate in 2005 for her research into the management of prison education staff. Julie is a champion for all things Milton Keynes, an ardent fan of the MK Dons and a trustee of the MK Dons Sport and Education Trust. Julie was recognised with an OBE in the Queen’s 2019 Birthday Honours List and was commissioned as a Deputy lieutenant of Buckinghamshire in 2023.
Ruby is the vice chair on the board of trustees for Women Leaders and is an experienced business advisor to the private company market. She has worked in professional services firms for over 30 years, the last 20 at PwC where she was a partner whose roles included heading up the Private Business practice, leading on the PwC sponsored Private Business Awards and latterly as leader of the Milton Keynes office. Having retired as a PwC partner at the end of June 2019, she now wears many hats supporting the private, public and charitable sectors.
Her other roles include: Chair of TOTM (an organic and sustainable feminine hygiene products business), Director of Twenty3 (a MK based sports intelligence business), Non Exec Director of Wells and Co (a local Family Business in the brewing and Pub sector), Trustee of the Magic Bus, (a charity supporting children from the most deprived backgrounds in India), Board Governor of Milton Keynes College and Trustee and Vice Chair of Women Leaders UK (a MK based Charity). When not engaging in business, education and opening up and sharing networks, Ruby is a volunteer for the British Red Cross and the MK Winter Night Shelter.
Nikki spent 35 years in UK policing, retiring as a senior executive, managing complex change and serious threat and risk scenarios.
She feels it has been profoundly rewarding to share her experience by coaching and mentoring others. Nikki's varied career included change management, problem solving and a need for demonstrable emotional intelligence and authenticity.
Since September 2019, Nikki has been the Chief Executive of Thames Valley Partnership, a charitable organisation dedicated to helping people within the Criminal Justice System. The charity works with victims, offenders and families of people touched by or at risk of becoming involved in the Criminal Justice system. Having spent her whole career in a male dominated environment, and being dedicated to helping women to continue to achieve, she is delighted to be able to continue that work with the Women Leaders.
Nikki has worked with the organisation previously and was an award winner in 2016. She says 'The event is always the most inspiring event I attend every year'. She intends to organise structured mentoring for all nominees and to establish a mentoring network within the organisation
Sarah has been a champion of other women throughout her career, often asked to be a mentor and to coach others, as one of only a few female leaders within the construction industry and has worked within male dominated environments for the majority of her career, so fully understands the barriers that women can and do come across.
As a long time supporter of Women Leaders UK, lucky enough to be a finalist in 2018, and then a winner of the Professional Services award in 2020, Sarah’s own values resonate with the values and ambitions of the charity, and so when Sarah got the opportunity to become a trustee, she did not hesitate and jumped at the chance.
Equality and inclusion, raising aspirations and providing opportunities to celebrate talented women across all sectors, are things that Sarah strives to do in all of her endeavours.
Sarah says 'The work that Women Leaders does is so important; recognising and celebrating local women, who may not otherwise be valued for their contribution to their community, organisation or sector, can make all the difference to their careers, self esteem and confidence'
Gamiel’s first foray into the world of Diversity was in 2000 when was in publishing and collaborated with the then Commission for Racial Equality to promote the Amendments to the Race Relations Act 2000 which required public bodies to take action on to promote Race Equality.
Now almost two decades later, Gamiel has built a successful global DE&I consultancy and team of DE&I researchers, strategists, trainers, facilitators and consultants, helping clients create the right systems, structures and behaviours to create cultural transformation.
Gamiel says "Since 2005 we’ve been helping public, private and voluntary sector organisations to grow a thriving diversity culture and add value to their business. This year we won 3 awards at the MK Business Achievement Awards including Business of the Year"
Gamiel is also a trustee for Milton Keynes Ethnic Business Community
Susan believes in using our strengths as the best leverage for attaining diverse and inclusive work culture and creating a sustainable and balanced life.
Susan is a scientist by training, with a strong background in Sales, Marketing and Business Development, trained to teach and facilitate at the corporate level having graduated with a doctorate (PhD) in Coronavirus vaccine development. She is an ICF qualified coach, accredited DISC personality practitioner, trained Inclusive coach, registered coach for NHS Leadership Academy and a coach for Minority Ethnic Women as part of NHS Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion programme.
Bringing unique experience and expertise into her coaching and consultancy programmes using bespoke coaching with powerful strength-based, positive psychology and emotional intelligence, making a real difference to her clients’ personal and professional life.
Robyn Corcoran serves as the Director of Partnerships, Vocational Qualifications, and Quality at The Open University. With over ten years of experience at the institution, she works in a senior position dedicated to expanding and managing academic collaborations that help increase access and participation to Higher Education for students who might not otherwise have such opportunities.
Robyn has a wealth of experience in forging strategic partnerships that foster collaboration, create mutual benefits, and help both organisations accomplish goals that would be difficult to achieve independently.
She joined Women Leaders UK as a trustee to contribute her experience, learn from a strong network of leaders and support the organisation’s mission to champion women in leadership. Robyn is dedicated to making a meaningful difference for women throughout every stage of their leadership development.
Bukky Babajide is a technology entrepreneur and digital transformation specialist with over two decades’ experience delivering programmes and business change for organisations including BP, Nationwide, Lloyds Bank and Avon. She is the Director of Crystal Options Ltd, a digital creative agency supporting entrepreneurs and professionals to launch and scale digital products and services.
Bukky holds a degree in Economics from Obafemi Awolowo University and a Master’s in IT Service Management from the University of Northampton.
She is also the founder of Female Techpreneur, a global initiative empowering women to leverage technology to build successful businesses. Bukky joined Women Leaders UK as a trustee to help strengthen leadership, governance and long-term impact for women in business
Bridgit Richards brings more than 30 years of senior leadership experience across financial services and the third sector. Her career spans executive and board-level roles focused on strategy, governance and strategic marketing, including serving as CEO of a regulated investment distribution company and leading large marketing teams within major financial services organisations.
She is passionate about supporting women to realise their ambitions and thrive in leadership and believes gender-balanced leadership leads to better outcomes for organisations and society.
Through her work with Power On, Bridgit helps professional women to flourish by providing access to expertise, support and community. She also mentors leaders and advises organisations on strategic growth and sustainable business development.
Freddie is an award winning transformational leader with over thirty years’ experience of strategic board level Communication and Change initiatives focusing on building High Performing Teams (which is his passion), Leadership & Change initiatives & Helping Leaders deal with their big issues by building Human Organisations.
He has been involved in a number of medium to large scale change programmes for brands such as BUPA, Mercedes Retail, Nestle. Freddie started the Red Thread Partnership (RTP) in Olney, near Milton Keynes, an award winning boutique leadership and change consultancy and his clients have included Kerry Foods, Lexus GB & Europe, Purina, Santander, Panasonic, DWP. Freddie also started the Award Winning Red Thread Fellowship, a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2016. The aim is to build more caring and inclusive communities in and around Milton Keynes by offering a yearlong leadership development programme to middle leaders for free. Freddie is the co-author of The 7 Steps to Frontier Leadership book.
Zoe is the founder and CEO of Acorn Early Years Foundation, a social enterprise and charity that began as a small nursery in 1989 and which now has 16 nurseries over three counties, with over 400 employees and a turnover of £12m. It also runs forest schools, nature kindergartens, holiday clubs, an early years catering service, training and consultancy.
Zoe is a passionate advocate of lifelong learning, and professional development in the early years sector, and she was awarded a doctorate in 2023 for her research into ethical issues in childcare provision.
Zoe has always had a keen interest in governance, and has had a wide range of board experience, including ten years as a trustee at the Parks Trust, including three years as chair. She is deeply committed to combating social injustice and gender inequality, and her experience of mentoring within Acorn has been put to good use in her mentoring for Women Leaders. She believes that supporting talent and celebrating women’s achievements are vital for inspiring the next generation of women leaders.
