They will be supporting the organisation to achieve its ambitions to transform the lives of women who have been affected by domestic abuse or the criminal justice system. These appointments come at a significant time for Advance as they celebrate their 25th anniversary year and look ahead with the launch of their 2023-2026 strategy.
Susan Edwards, Professor of Law, University of Buckingham, said:
“I’m looking forward to my new role as Trustee with Advance. Improving the legal response to violence against women in law, the courts, sentencing and policing has been a major part of my professional life. I served as a Consultant on the Metropolitan Police’s first domestic violence working party in 1984 and look where we are now, not enough progress has been made. There is so much to be done.”
Ludovico Giannotti, Senior Associate in Global Finance at Paul Hastings, an international law firm, said:
“I’m very pleased to announce my appointment as a Trustee of Advance, one of the UK’s leading domestic abuse charities. To sit on the Board of the charity that helped save my sister’s life touches me profoundly. Words can’t describe what this means to me, but through my actions and commitment I will strive to repay the trust afforded to me by Christine and the senior leadership team. Together, we will create a world where women and children can lead safe, violence-free and equal lives.”
Chair Christine Losecaat, MBE, Director of a Strategy Consultancy working on global projects, said:
“Never has domestic abuse been so prominent in the media or the need for services so acute. As Advance has grown significantly, we’ve taken the opportunity to refresh the membership of the Board of Trustees, bringing on the skills and expertise required to keep Advance at the leading edge of service innovation and frontline service delivery for women and girls.” “Becoming a Trustee is good for your career development and for your mental health. It’s an opportunity to give back to a cause that you care about by sharing your expertise whilst learning new skills and developing a broader network.”
The Board is now 16 strong, consisting of 14 women and 2 men in professions from a broad range of disciplines and industries from law to public health, from the not-for profit sector to technology, from national government and public sector to digital communications, from organisational change and leadership to finance and the criminal justice system.
-Ends-
For all press enquiries, please contact:
Niki Scordi
E: niki.s@advancecharity.org.uk
T: 020 3953 3111
About Advance
Advance was founded in 1998 and is an award-winning London-based innovative charity that supports women who have experienced domestic abuse and those who have committed crime to end their re-offending. The charity’s vision is a world in which women and children lead safe, equal, violence-free lives so they can flourish and actively contribute to society.
A women-only organisation delivering services for women, by women, the team help victims to be safe and take back control of their lives, and helps re-offenders break the cycle to keep families together. Since its inception, Advance has led the way in innovation in the sector with community, “through-the-gate”, and whole-system co-located services. Through its women’s centres and advocates, the organisation delivers holistic, specialist one-to-one support and engaging group interventions tailored to women’s needs.
The charity’s message is to encourage and empower women to take back control and rebuild their lives with its support. Supporting women and children of all ages, the team supports a wide range of abuse; emotional, financial, physical, and controlling behaviour. Each year, Advance supports over 7000 women and children.
Meet the Board of Trustees
The recent appointments include:
Abundance Temile
Abundance is a registered pharmacist and a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. She currently runs a clinical Transformation Program and sits on the ESG forum leading in Social community activity. Her experience is in clinical operations, change management, people management and patient care and has spent part of her career as a clinical consultant.
Deborah Cartwright
A former Charity Chief Executive Deb is currently the Director of the social training and consultancy SociaLed, and holds a master’s degree from Bayes Business School in Voluntary Sector Management. Deb is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and in 2016 was a nominee to the Women of the Year event for her work in building domestic abuse services in Kent.
Elly Crawford
Elly is a Strategic Communications Executive, working primarily with social impact entrepreneurs, charities, and philanthropists.
Elly joined Advance as a Young Trustee having previously been involved in several women’s empowerment initiatives. She graduated with First Class Honours in Human Geography from Durham University where she maintained a special interest in women’s rights as well as issues of migration politics, war and activism.
Helen Soulsby
Helen leads the consulting division for a global executive search and talent consulting business. Her work focuses on building high performing teams, from Boards to future leaders with a focus on culture, values and behaviour. She has lived and worked across Asia and Europe and previously held sales and roles for several blue-chip companies
Ludovico Giannotti
Ludovico is a senior associate in the Global Finance practice of Paul Hastings, an international law firm.
Focusing on leveraged loan and capital markets transactions, Ludovico has advised investment banks and credit funds on some of the largest and most complex financings in the European market. Beyond this, Ludovico has originated and currently leads Paul Hastings’ partnership with the International Rescue Committee, the world’s leading humanitarian aid, relief, and development NGO, which received the British Legal Awards 2022: CSR Initiative of the Year (Highly Commended). His extensive Pro Bono and volunteering initiatives have also been recognised through several other awards, including the Pro Bono Innovator of the Year Award, the Law Society Excellence Awards: Access to Justice and a Client Service Excellence Award
Sue Fennimore
was Deputy Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham council until May 2022 when she retired. She was elected in 2014 and worked on a variety of VAWG strategies and policies within her wider crime brief. She worked extensively and collaboratively with third sector partners and values their huge importance in supporting victims of abuse.
Prior to becoming a Councillor, she worked in news and current affairs production and postproduction for the BBC, before to having her two children.
She has been a school Governor for several schools and a youth offending service volunteer. She was also a board member of the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith for eight years.
Sue has recently joined the Advance Board. She is passionate about social justice and inclusion and looking forward to her role.
Professor Susan Edwards
Susan Joined Advance as a Trustee in 2023. Susan is Professor of Law (Emerita) at the University of Buckingham, where she was Dean of Law for ten years, University Dean of Research 2007-2018, and Director of External Relations 2018-2020 Prof Susan Edwards | University of Buckingham. She is Associate Door Tenant, at Red Lion Chambers, London and a non-practising barrister.
Susan has worked to improve the criminal justice systems response to domestic abuse victims/survivors. She has trained police, was consultant on the Mets first Domestic Violence Working Party 1984, acts as expert witness in cases of domestic violence, was consultant to Standing Together’s seminal work on implementing the Duluth Model in the UK. Susan has written over 150 peer reviewed articles and several books including Female Sexuality and the Law, Women on Trial, Policing Domestic Violence, Sex and Gender in the Legal Process, Family Law, The Political Appropriation of the Muslim Body, Islamophobia Counter-Terrorism law and Gender, The Political Appropriation of the Muslim Body: Islamophobia, Counter-Terrorism Law and Gender | SpringerLink and is editor of Blackstone’s Guide to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. Blackstone’s Guide to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 – Susan Edwards, David Malone, Gillian Jones QC – Oxford University Press (oup.com). She is a Member of the Bar Human Rights Committee and was active in the campaign to introduce s 70 non-fatal strangulation into the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
Trustees who have been with Advance a little longer include:
Christine Losecaat MBE
Chair
She has been with Advance since 2013 as Trustee and is in her seventh year as Chair. She runs a strategy consultancy working on global projects.
Christine Mullin
Treasurer
Is a Treasurer with more than 20 years’ experience in leading global media and technology companies, driving and financing rapid growth and transforming business models.
Dr Carole Easton OBE
Chair of the Finance, Fundraising and Business Development Sub Committee
Is a highly experienced leader in the third sector, having been CEO at Young Women’s Trust, ChildLine and CLICSargent. She has been chairing our Finance, Fundraising and Business Development Committee, and is currently Interim CEO at Refuge.
Emily Midwood
Chair of Governance, Risk and Human Resources Sub Committee
an experienced transformation specialist and currently leads the Transformation Office for Operations at HSBC. She is Chair of the Governance, HR, and Risk Committee
Anita Hamilton
Is a Communications, Organisational Change and Leadership strategist with more than 25 years’ experience across a range of industries and organisations. She is also an author and lecturer.
Dolly Jones
Is a journalist and digital strategist who edited British Vogue’s digital platforms for 15 years before becoming Content & Strategy director of Conde Nast’s wider digital portfolio
Karthik Mahadevan
Is the first male Trustee in the history of Advance. who holds a senior position at IBM, will be supporting the senior leadership team to develop corporate partnerships as well as supporting on systems and process change.
Kate Parsley
Is a public health expert and currently leads the healthcare public health team in two London boroughs. She has a passion for sexual health and women’s rights and was formerly a trustee for the Young Women’s Hub, based in Lewisham.
Michelle Nightingale
Is a Nurse Consultant for Safeguarding/Named Nurse at Great Ormond St Hospital. Michelle was previously the Designated Nurse for Safeguarding Children, Hammersmith & Fulham Clinical Commissioning Group and Named Nurse Safeguarding Children at the Royal Brompton Hospital.
