It takes many hands, hearts, and heads to make Gifted Women what it is.
Our work is built on relationships – and that includes the people behind the scenes as well as those working alongside women every day. From our staff and volunteers to our trustees and advisors, everyone here plays a part in making this a space that’s safe, honest, and full of possibility.
This is the team walking alongside women every day. They run groups and courses with love, care and creativity. They offer 1:1 support, manage referrals, and help women prepare for work – from sorting ID and travel, to building confidence and interview skills. They also go out into the community to meet with employers and create real opportunities. Most of all, they bring warmth, energy, and care to everything they do.
Chief Executive
Operations Manager
Lead Facilitator
Employability Advocate
Employability Advocate
Kaleidoscope Facilitator
Our Peer Mentors are women who have completed the Gifted Women programme and now use their lived experience to support others on their journey. Each Peer Mentor gives their time, energy, and insight to help build connection, community, and trust. They are here because they believe in the mission, and they believe in all the women in our community.
Our Lived Experience Advisory Board meets monthly to help us shape, challenge, and improve the way we reach and support women. The board is comprised of women who have accessed our services and are experts by experience, they ensure our services reflect real needs, offering insight on what works – and what doesn’t. They bring an essential lens of lived experience, equity, and inclusion to everything we do, helping us stay grounded, responsive, and accountable.
Our trustees are volunteers who support the long-term direction of Gifted Women and make sure we stay on mission, sustainable, and safe. They bring professional and personal experience across a wide range of fields – and share a deep belief in the power of employment to change lives.
Jenny is a social entrepreneur and small business owner who founded Gifted Women in 2021 to address the lack of trauma-informed, gender-specific employment support for women facing multiple disadvantage. She brought together a team of trustees, volunteers, and employers to build a charity that creates real pathways to lasting change. Jenny has also led a project within a Women’s Centre setting and provides consultancy across the women’s sector, championing community-led alternatives to the criminal justice system. Her work is driven by a deep belief in the power of business to create social impact.
Julie is the CEO of The Harbour Centre, Plymouth’s independent drug and alcohol service, with over 20 years’ experience supporting people affected by trauma, problematic substance use, and mental health challenges. Having navigated her own journey through recovery, she brings empathy, insight, and strong clinical understanding to her leadership. Julie began as a volunteer in the late 1990s and has since led several women’s projects, championing trauma-informed practice, reflective supervision, and therapeutic approaches such as counselling and EMDR. She is a passionate advocate for recovery, fresh starts, and systems that support long-term change.
Katie is the GROW Involvement Officer for the South of England at Shelter, a national housing charity, supporting trainees with lived experience of homelessness and complex unmet needs. A former GROW trainee herself, she now mentors others on their path to meaningful employment. Katie brings lived experience closely aligned with the women Gifted Women supports and is a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion. She also contributes to mentoring and evaluation work within anti-racism and inclusion forums.
Mary is a GP in inner-city Plymouth with a special interest in problematic substance use, mental health, and health inequalities. She is actively involved in community initiatives aimed at addressing the root causes of inequality. Mary works closely with women facing complex needs and understands that recovery and change require nuanced, compassionate support. Deeply rooted in the community, Mary is committed to driving social regeneration and equity in Stonehouse, Plymouth, where she chairs and serves on multiple local boards.
Caroline is an experienced fundraiser who has raised millions for charities since 2004, specialising in major gifts and trust funding across sectors including the arts, environment, and health. Based in Plymouth, she began supporting Gifted Women as a volunteer before joining the board in 2024. Inspired by the charity’s transformational impact on women facing extreme adversity, Caroline brings passion, insight, and a strong track record of securing support for grassroots causes.
Richard is a senior executive with extensive experience in the commercial services sector, including roles as a general manager, consultant, and programme manager. He specialises in driving impactful organisational change and long-term improvements. As a mentor, he has supported individuals looking to boost their career prospects and secure meaningful employment. Richard brings financial insight and strategic thinking to the board, with a focus on sustainability and growth.
Whether you’ve walked a similar path or want to support women on theirs, we’d love to hear from you.
