Our Team

I joined the EY Foundation in March 2014 ahead of its launch in July. Prior to taking on the CEO role I was a member of the Leadership team, with responsibility for the charity’s strategic partnerships and collaborations, the diversification of income streams and expanding work with employers. Having worked in the sustainability and not-for-profit field over 12+ years I am passionate about the potential of cross-sector partnerships and the role businesses can play in helping to drive social change. 

The best piece of careers advice I’ve been given? You’ll spend a large chunk of your life at work, so work in a field/sector that you’re passionate about. You might not get there instantly but keep the focus. Don’t forget about volunteering – it’s an amazing way to build up your skills and add experience to your CV.

I joined the Foundation in February 2017 and lead on all of our programmatic activity with young people and social entrepreneurs. Alongside this I also look after Youth Voice, Volunteering and Datat and Impact.

I have worked predominately in the third sector for the past 20 years and am passionate about developing the employability skills of young people through employer led/supported initiatives.

The best career advice I’d give is to find what makes you tick and don’t be afraid to change your mind – career journeys are never straight or indeed straightforward!

I joined the Foundation when we launched in 2014, and have been very lucky to be involved in all aspects of the Foundation’s work from leading programme design and delivery to the growth of our work with employers across the UK, and more recently as our Chief Financial Officer.

I truly believe that every person has talent no matter what their background and experiences - and every day at work, the young people we work with validate this belief, which is why I’m so passionate about the work that we do at the Foundation.

The best careers advice I have had was “to do what you love” – I spent many years following someone else’s dream and expectations but when I stopped to think about what I wanted to achieve , the impact I wanted to have and the difference I wanted to make, my career journey took a different and much more rewarding path.

I joined in August 2019 and my role is to work closely with employers across a range of sectors to connect them to untapped talent through employability programmes and strategic partnerships.

I am strong believer in the need to reframe society’s thinking around work experience. Rather than viewing it as something altruistic that businesses should do to support young people, we need to recognise the incredible talent, skills and perspectives that young people have, and support employers to genuinely invest in and develop them, as their future talent pipeline. 

Best career advice I’ve been given? I’ve recently read Atomic Habits by James Clear in which he reminds us that every action we take is a vote for the type of person we’d like to become. This is an approach I think we can all apply to our careers as well.

I joined the communications team in September 2018, where I’m responsible for the Foundation’s communications and influence activity. A key motivation in my role is helping to ensure every young person has the same opportunity to succeed, no matter their background. The best piece of careers advice I have been given is to pursue your passion – it makes work much more enjoyable!

I joined the Foundation in 2016 and lead all of our activity across the Midlands. As part of our Young People Services team, I’m responsible for working with our young people and employers to make sure they have access to diverse skills and talent.

As co-chair of our RaceForward working group, I also co-lead our diversity and inclusion initiatives, a strategic focus for the organisation. I ensure diversity and inclusion is embedded in everything we do to continuously strive to create an environment where all our young people, employees, volunteers and employers feel valued and have a sense of belonging. I am passionate about empowering future generations to realise their full potential.

My best career advice would be to find a job you enjoy and can help make a difference.

I started working at the EY Foundation in May 2015 and have been working in the Finance team since. My role involves managing all the EYFs income and expenditure in preparation for the monthly accounts.

I am very passionate about what the EYF does and how much we’ve achieved so far.

I believe it is very important to understand what the charity does and be supportive of the work being done in order to strive in your role and do the best you can.

I started at the Foundation in July 2021 and my role is to help coordinate, plan and deliver the Beyond Your Limits programme.

My drive stems from the belief that all young people should have access to opportunities regardless of their background and also be put in positions to empower themselves.

The best piece of career advice I’ve been give is to be confident yet humble and say yes to the things that scare you as you will learn and grow from these experiences.

I joined EY Foundation in November 2022 and my role is to ensure our partners have a positive and rewarding experience throughout their partnership with us.

I have over five years of experience in Account Management roles where I have developed work experience-style programmes for young people across the country.

The best career advice I have been given is that opportunities don’t just happen, you create them.

I joined in April 2021 and my role is create and deliver a program which helps social enterprises grow. I believe people can and do change the world by coming up with ideas which contribute to social progress, and I love hearing how people have taken an idea and make it into a business, big and small. 

The best career advice I’ve been given is "be happy". Throughout my career I have also chooses areas that I had a passion for and this has in turn kept me happy!

I joined in February 2021 and my role is to holistically support care-experienced young people to realise their full potential by accessing meaningful pathways to education and employment.

I am extremely passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of others, particularly vulnerable young people, and possess a wealth of knowledge and experience across a range of multifaceted settings i.e. local authorities, youth offending, and alternative provisions with particular focus around planning and delivering innovative programmes and bespoke interventions.

Career advice that I would share is: lifelong learning is an integral part of your development so always remember to develop a new skill(s) and share on your journey – never stop investing in yourself!

I joined the team in 2017 and I lead the Southern Hub Team in co-ordinating the delivery of key programmes supporting young people.

I am passionate about providing opportunities for all young people and have over 15 years of experience in delivering and leading programmes that help achieve this aim.

The best career advice I’ve been given is if you are not sure what you want to do in future then the only way to find out is to seek out opportunities and learn through new experiences.

I joined the Foundation in January 2022, and my role is to coordinate fundraising strategies and support fundraising programmes for the Foundation.

I love the prospect of creating new ideas and methods of raising awareness of the cause, as well as interacting with potential donors, stakeholders and the young people who sign up to our programmes.

The best career advice I have been given is that life is too short to be stuck in a job you hate! So even if you are in one, take small steps to find what your passion is and run with it to reach your end goal.

I joined in December 2019, my role is to manage our relationships with our employer partners, supporting their engagement with young people and securing income for the EY Foundation.

I enjoy bringing employers together to make an impact for young people – there are so many interesting careers out there, I love hearing about them from employers and help them bring these opportunities to young people.

The best career advice I’ve been given is that a career doesn’t have to be a linear progression, opportunities will arise and whichever path you go down you will enjoy and learn something from it and learn more about yourself!

I joined in March 2022 and I work in the programmes team supporting our programmes across all of our delivery locations.

Our young people have incredible goals and potential and it’s my absolute pleasure to help them realise this and boost their confidence through our various programmes. It’s vital that programmes like these exist so that young people can develop early networks and professional skills that will equip them for broadened opportunities in the working world.

The best piece of career/ general advice that I regularly share is to back yourself! Confidence is the key to encouraging you to push yourself, you have to believe in yourself otherwise how can you expect anyone else to! My key tip for building confidence? Surround yourself with people who celebrate you.

I joined in May 2021, and my role is within the Corporate Partnerships team. I find people from the working world to volunteer for speaking opportunities, to host our young people on work placements, and become partners to help fund our programmes.

I am passionate about making opportunities for young people more equal. I love seeing young people succeed based on merit, not just opportunity. I have worked in the charity sector for over 20 years in youth work and fundraising & partnerships.

The best piece of career advice I’ve ever been given: Be the best team mate you can be.  Support people in a way which helps them thrive!

I joined the foundation in October 2018 and my role includes engaging with schools and teachers in order to recruit for and deliver our employability programmes and workshops across Scotland whilst also working closely with volunteers and employer partners too.

I am passionate about supporting young people and helping them take the first steps in the early stages of their career goals and ambitions and helping them recognise and believe that they can achieve their ambitions regardless of the hurdles and barriers that they might face.

The best career advice I have received was “be confident and believe in yourself – If you don’t believe in yourself then how can you expect an anyone else to.”

I joined in May 2019 and I manage a variety of programmes aimed at helping young people to fulfil their potential through employability workshops, work experience placements, and mentoring schemes.

I am passionate about helping young people to enhance their skills and aspirations, and go on to fulfil their career ambitions. Through my roles in teaching and programme management, I have developed a broad range of knowledge and experience within the education sector.

The best career advice I have been given is to make the most of any opportunities which come your way, as you’ll develop the skills and gain the experiences, to help you get to where you want to be in your career.

I have been at Foundation since October 2018 in the role of Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance. I am passionate about numbers and how finance has an impact on other areas of the business which ultimately impacts the delivery of the Foundations objectives.

The best career advice I have been given is you can only grow beyond where you are if you accept where you are in the first place.

I joined the EY Foundation in May 2022 as the Youth Engagement Co-ordinator. I work across the EYF teams and with our Youth Advisory Board to ensure that youth voice and co-production is at the centre of our work.

I believe that all young people should be given the chance to succeed in life, regardless of socio-economic background, and be given the skills and opportunities to explore their passions.

The best piece of career advice I can give is that no one individual story is the same. We all progress and learn in different ways, and all we can do is be the best version of ourselves with as much confidence and passion as possible! 

I started working at the EY Foundation two years ago, joining the Programmes Team in the southern hub to support across all our programmes, delivering Smart Futures, Our Future, Employability Workshops and the Young Women’s Network.

I believe it is so important for young people to have the opportunities to develop their skills and confidence and be encouraged to grow their potential – similar programmes created amazing opportunities for me and I have worked to help create these opportunities since I was a young person, for a variety of organisations and charities.

I’ve been lucky to hear a lot of great advice throughout my career, the most impactful was a quote from Jane Goodall - “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make”

I joined in October 2022 and I am responsible for undertaking the administration processes. This includes compliance checks for our volunteers and issuing the documentation to our young people, in preparation for them to start our programmes, and ensuring accurate data input for our CRM, which provides the statistics we need to measure our progress.

I believe everyone deserves a chance to frame their future and to explore their desired pathways. Everyone has a right to let their skills and qualities shine, without bias and society's barriers. We should be making knowledge and tools accessible for all, to allow people to thrive and reach their potential.

The best career advice I’ve been given is you will never work a day in your life, if you love what you do!

I joined the EY Foundation in 2018 to develop the Foundation’s work with employers and am currently on secondment leading on the development and roll out of the new national employability programme Beyond Your Limits.

I have always been really inspired by the young people I’ve met across my career, having a little part in helping them achieve their ambitions, has always been hugely rewarding. I love working on new projects too and seeing big ideas come to fruition.

We’ve had some amazing volunteers on Beyond Your Limits sharing their experiences, they always talk about the importance of networking, being courageous and asking for opportunities like shadowing and going the extra mile to stand out.

I joined the EY Foundation in February 2019, and I lead on the EY Foundation’s data and impact approach in relation to planning, monitoring, and evaluating our programmes and their wider societal benefit. Identifying opportunities to use our data to help drive continuous improvement is a further key aspect of his role at the organisation.

I have a passion for making data as accessible as possible; I’m a firm believer that harnessing data to help us ask better questions and design better solutions is the key to help drive organisational and social change. 

The best piece of career advice I would give is to have perseverance and never be scared to try new things as this will help you market your experience in an ever-changing world.

I joined in June 2021 and my role is to create and deliver content for internal and external audiences and produce key campaigns, publications, and events.

I am a firm believer in the potential of business to contribute to social progress and enjoy learning about new and innovative mediums of communication.

The best career advice I’ve been given is that nothing you learn will ever be wasted, even if you end up moving in completely different directions across your career you will always make use of what you learn along the way.

I joined the EY Foundation in August 2021 after 7 years with EY - first within Financial Services Risk then UK&I Consultancy.

The move to the Foundation enables me to support the Leadership Team and Board of Trustees in their pivotal roles, whilst offering the personal satisfaction of contributing to a life-changing resource.

The best career advice I have been given is actually general life advice – to remember that people matter more than things; and to always treat others as you would wish to be treated.

I joined in June 2017 as part of the Northern team and work on leading and delivering employability programmes for our young people. I have over 20 years of experience in charity, with a strong passion for moving and supporting young people into their next progression path.

The best career advice I was given was ‘’ Find a way to say yes to things. Say yes to invitations, say yes to meet new people, say yes to learning something new. Yes is how you will gain new experiences and opportunities which will help you grow’’.

I joined the EY Foundation in October 2022. I am part of the Programmes team and my role is to successfully onboard young people across the UK who are undertaking work experience with EY Foundation or one of EY Foundation’s corporate partners.

Throughout my time at university and throughout my career, I have always been passionate about helping individuals progress within their career. At University, I studied Human Resources Management to delve deeper into people and careers and I have also been offering value as a freelance CV writer since 2018.

The best career advice I’ve been given is that your success at work is dependent on how well organised you are – how you manage your time, your workload and your learning is key to you performing well in your role!

I joined EYF in February 2022 as part of the Finance & Operations Team. My role is to provide administrational and logistical support to the Board and Committees and ensure EYF remains compliant with all legislative requirements.

I believe that upholding high standards of governance are fundamental to the integrity of organisations, and like to look for ways in which this can enhance the impact of our programmes.

The best career advice I’ve received was to ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’ because its usually in those moments that you learn the most. 

I joined in May 2022, my role is to support the identification and development of key relationships for the Foundation. I also work across core communications activity.

I’m passionate about opportunity for all - that an individual’s starting point should not determine their destination.

The best career advice I have been given is to pursue your passion and never stop learning! It is a joy to be able to do both at the Foundation.

I joined in August 2022, and my role involves influencing change and developing new ways of improving prospects for young people from low-income backgrounds.

I believe a holistic approach is needed to remove barriers for young people entering the labour market, which will ultimately create a more diverse, innovative, and skilled workforce.

The best career advice I’ve been given is to push yourself out of your comfort zone because that’s how you grow!

I joined in November 2021 and my role is to manage the administrative side of the programmes which ensures that our young people and volunteers are able to participate in our programmes properly.

I believe that everyone should have access to the same opportunities in life and am happy to be supporting those who have a harder time accessing them.

The best career advice I’ve been given is to talk to as many people as I can, to learn from them and see how that influences my career goals. 

Since July 2022, I work with the Programmes Team supporting our Beyond Your Limits and Your Future programmes in the South and Midlands.

My role is to support, coach and and upskill the young people on the programmes into positive pathways which are sustainable, whilst also being a resource of information, advice and guide for our internal and external volunteers.

This role is perfectly aligned with my values and mission, as I have always believed in the power of youth voice and mentoring - and how with the right support and access to opportunities, every young person can transform their lives and break the glass ceiling.

On that note, the best career advice I’ve been given is “bring your authentic self to work, break glass ceilings by offering rivers of kindness and being open to learn”. 

I joined the team in August 2022 and my role is to manage our volunteer network across all of our hubs and programmes.

For years now I have seen the tangible benefit of volunteering to support aspiration and build employability skills, not only for the young person but for the volunteer too. I have seen volunteers go for promotions they wouldn’t have put themselves forward for beforehand, boosts in their own confidence and abilities – even complete career changes. Working with young people is massively transformative – for both parties.

The best piece of career advice I have ever been given is to always seek feedback. 

I am an HR Professional Associate CIPD qualified and joined the EY Foundation in April 2022. I am responsible for all the strategic people & development activities for the EY Foundation whilst also delivering on all the people-related operational aspects.

I am passionate about employment law, talent development and management, DEI, employee wellbeing and people analytics. People professionals have a key role in supporting employers in enhancing social mobility to create more fair, diverse, equal and inclusive workplaces. 

The best career advice I have been given is that you should never settle for something that you do not love, as the only way to do a great job and be professionally happy is to love what you do in an organisation in which you share its values and mission.

I joined in November 2022 and my role is to ensure the smooth planning and delivery of programmes and workshops in the North.

I am passionate about helping young people upskill themselves, boost their confidence and allow them to be what they aspire to be!

The best career advice I could give would be to always try and step out of your comfort zone as endless possibilities are out there and there is definitely one for you that you may not even know is there!