CareerConnect
Women Leaders' Mentoring Programme 2023
Following our successful mentoring programme in 2020, which provided mentors for all our award nominees, we have an exciting offer this year. We are working in partnership with MK Council to provide CareerConnect – a mentoring programme for women who find themselves trying to get back to work following an absence – this may be pandemic related or for any other reason.
Our experienced mentors can offer up to 5 sessions to help support you to regain your confidence, to better network and to provide some CPD learning opportunities through the charity’s ‘Lunch and Learn’ sessions. A simple online application will allow you to be placed with a suitable mentor.
One-to-one sessions with experienced and supportive mentors
Build confidence
Expand networking options
Access to our knowledge hub
What Mentoring Means To Us
Meet our mentors
Dr Julie Mills OBE
A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Julie was recently named Principal of the Year by the National Centre for Diversity (NCF). She is the driving force behind plans for an Institute of Technology at Bletchley Park, chair of the Helena Kennedy Foundation and Chair of Women Leaders UK.
Julie was recognized with an OBE in the Queen’s 2019 Birthday Honours List for services to business and education.
Nikki Ross
Nikki has always felt that looking back and helping others up the ladder behind her is so important and wants to continue to invest her time to help others as much as she can.
Ruby Parmar
She believes that our personal circumstances, the way we feel, and a corresponding drain on energy will all have an impact on our professional development. We need to address both to reach our full potential.
Sarah Thorne
Sarah’s own experience of being mentored had a profound effect on her career and personal development, and she gives back by mentoring other women, including school age girls at risk of underachieving. She uses the challenges she has faced ‘on the way up’ to inspire others to reach higher and to challenge gender inequality in the workplace.
Kelly Haynes
Kelly is an ambassador who helps teach fitness in a number of charities such as MK ACT (which is a local women’s refuge), Sportraider, fit4life and a non-profit project - Boxing Clever.
Boxing Clever is achieving amazing results with students in secondary schools and won a ‘Kids Count’ award in 2019. The project which was started by Thames Valley Police & Milton Keynes Council, aims to foster positivity and discipline through martial arts.
Elizabeth Sheldon
She looks forward to creating those relationships and doing what she can to ease the path towards leadership and success.
Maureen Sumner Smith
She is directly accountable for the operation of all BSI’s business streams including assurance services incorporating the Kitemark™ plus training and certification.
Jane Horridge
Having been fortunate to have the support of strong mentors throughout her corporate career, Jane is an advocate for mentoring, and has supported many individuals at various stages of their career to expand their thinking, develop and progress.
Jane is currently running three of her own businesses following six years in the education sector, bringing commercial and marketing expertise from her corporate career to MK College.
Zoe Raven
Zoe is an advocate of lifelong learning, with an MBA from the OU and currently a part-time doctoral student at Royal Holloway, University of London, researching ethical issues in early years provision in the UK.
Mentoring and training within Acorn has shown her that supporting talent and celebrating women’s achievements is a great way to inspire the next generation of women.
Gamiel Yafai
Mentoring is Gamiel’s way of giving away the knowledge, skills and experience he has accumulated over the years and getting that feel-good factor as a result. Gamiel was the proud recipient of the Global Diversity Leadership Award presented by the Global HRD Congress 2017 and the author of ‘Demystifying Diversity’ and ‘Yemen Proud’.
He is also an Ambassador for the Global poverty charity The Hunger Project and is on the Board of Trustees for The Parks Trust and Women Leaders UK.
Yvonne Owuor, Msc BA (Hons)
Growing up in the UK, Yvonne always thought that her mentor was going to be an older version of herself and looked for someone who looked like her for years, never finding that person. There are very few women in leadership positions and so very rare to see women of color in leadership roles. By being a mentor, Yvonne can empower women and lead them to upward mobility in employment, education and personal development and as future women leaders.
Richard Naylor
His main focus is bringing entrepreneurs and businesses together, as well as helping grow new and existing commercial opportunities, through mentoring start-ups, entrepreneurs and business executives.
Dr Chinwe Osuchukwu
She is passionate about diversity and inclusion and has served as an international chair, co-ordinating international activities for a local Rotary Club and is an executive member of British Academy of Childhood Disability (BACD) and Oxford BACD regional Coordinator. Chinwe became a trustee of CBM, the Overseas Disability Charity UK in 2015.
Kate Broadhurst
Kate’s passion is in leading large teams to deliver results by empowering and supporting them in their personal development. Her current role is therefore her dream job. Outside of her day job she is also an NED for Childbase Partnership Limited and a Trustee for Camphill Communities.
Arvind Kaushal
Arvind has improved the outcomes of students by improving the diverse nature of staff in schools and colleges that he has influenced. His highlight over the past year has been to bring a diverse range of stakeholders together to collaborate on possible solutions. This is now developing into a wide network that is looking to implement positive strategies into local schools. Arvind’s philosophy is that sustainable solutions can only be achieved through a positive and inclusive approach.
Michelle Nichols
Former Head of Communications for Thames Valley Police and Network Rail South East, Michelle now works with a varied portfolio of clients including law enforcement, tourism and travel risk management. She has a passion for driving digital engagement and she is an experienced media strategist, trainer and spokesperson.
Carolyn O’Sullivan
Sabrina Aries
She has developed her business and community work around her core values of empowering people, building resilience, caring for the planet and creating sustainable systems to reduce discrimination. Having her personal and work lives so well aligned provides her with the flexibility to work with local and national charities to fundraise while increasing awareness and accessibility. Being a Mental Health First Aider and diversity champion provides her with the opportunity to speak at online events and provide virtual workshops for various organizations including associated charities.
Her focus for the last 20 years has not changed: helping people reach their potential and creating opportunities for all, continues to be her driving force. Building lasting, meaningful relationships with people throughout her journey remains a fundamental part of her wider belief in the importance of investing in people and connections
Emma Walker
As a business owner and certainly in the early years, Emma found that she had to work in every position within the company, from managing the monthly accounts, to developing the sales pipeline. But over the years Emma has really understood the importance of compliance and ensuring all our employees are equipped with the right training and skills to deal with unexpected events.
Emma is passionate about providing a service of excellence by putting Ashridge people first, which is why she developed a ‘people first, service second’ business model, resulting in 95% business growth through referral and recommendations.
Dr Noel James
Noël has authored several academic publications and her research interests include New Town Heritage, Landscape Archaeology and Medieval Law. Most recently she has edited a series on New Town Heritage and is well-versed in History, Literature, Urban Geography and Music. She gained her Doctorate from the University of York in 1999, and is working towards her CIPD, as well as undertaking graduate studies in archaeology.
Neus Garriock
In 2018, she joined SEMLEP as a private sector Board Director, where she has been contributing her strength in strategic thinking, planning and complex problem solving, as well as her extensive experience in bringing together disparate stakeholders to achieve challenging aims.
As a senior manager in a male-dominated industry, Neus is acutely aware of the challenges women experience in the workplace and is passionate about helping others overcome barriers, change perceptions and achieve their professional goals. She has been lucky to have had strong mentors and advocates throughout her career – in her own words, “it’s time to pay it forward!”.
Fola Komolafe
Fola has an MBA in Finance from City University London, a postgraduate diploma in IT from Brunel University & a BSc in Architecture. She currently chairs and sits on a number of local and regional boards and she has been Chair of the Milton Keynes Community Foundation and Milton Keynes College. In 2017, Fola was appointed a Vice President with the British Red Cross and was also invited to become a Companion to the Chartered Management Institute. She was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Buckinghamshire in 2015 and in June 2016 she was awarded an MBE for services to business and community.
Fola currently directs two companies following her retirement from Mazars where she was a UK partner and Global Lead for International Development, providing leadership with international donor agencies who require consultancy, audit and assurance support. Prior to this Fola was Managing Director of Indisys Business Solutions, directing a £21.6 million portfolio of award-winning development projects in 14 countries located in Africa and South Asia for the Open University.
Hanayyah Sutton
Hana has extensive experience in working within the community to support diversity, inclusion and social mobility, including mentoring, coaching and MK Women Leaders. Hana is also a proud winner of 2020 Emerging leader award.
Vanessa Holmes
She has worked in the charity sector for 21 years and in a variety of fundraising roles – from small family support charities to well-known national health charities.
Vanessa is driven by making a difference within communities, connecting and inspiring others – hopefully for the longer term.
Outside of work she is married to Graham, has a five year old daughter and volunteers as a Trustee of locally based charity Harry’s Rainbow. She’s also an (average!) runner.
Odette Mould
Carol Older
With extensive experience of building and developing services along with the necessary income generation skills Carol has helped charities grow and become established, providing services for those with Learning Disabilities, Older People and most recently Survivors of Sexual Assault and Abuse.
She has often secured Government funding as part of contract and project management of European Social Fund projects, Local Authority and Government department contracts. In December 2022 Carol received an award from the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire for the Development of Sexual Assault and Abuse Support Services across the County.
Nanci Hogan
She’s been an executive coach for charity chief executives in her role as the MK Chair for Ella foundations. Additionally, she’s worked in the private sector in the health and well-being industry, the hospitality industry and in telecommunications. She formally trained as an ICF coach in 2017 and has an ICF ACC credential. She’s held senior management roles in all three sectors, including serving as the Chief of Staff for the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
Currently she works as a philanthropy coach and consultant focused on guiding people through major life transitions to help them find their purpose and the ways their life can make a positive impact in the world.