Peer Power
Menu Menu Search Search

The Team

Patrons

The Rt Hon. the Baroness Prashar CBE

Patron

The Right Honourable the Baroness Usha Prashar of Runnymede, CBE, an independent member of the House of Lords, has led and chaired a number of public and voluntary organisations with distinction.She has also served as a non executive director of some private sector organisations.

She initially started her career working in race- related organisations. Through this work she realised that to make diversity and inclusion an integral part of organisations she needed to work within mainstream organisations to change policies and practices.

She successfully transitioned to mainstream organisations but never lost sight of the objective of making diversity and inclusion a reality. This experience has given her unique insights into effective approaches to bring about relevant organisational change to achieve diversity and inclusion and has vast experience of how develop constructive strategies and actions to promote diversity.

In the House of Lords she had served on several Select Committees.

The organisations she has led or chaired include: Runnymede Trust, National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Parole Board, Civil Service Commission, Judicial Appointments Commission, National Literacy Trust among others. She was member of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice and the Iraq Inquiry.
Currently she is chair of Cumberland Lodge, an educational charity, trustee of Beacon Collaborative and Nationwide Foundation.

The Rt Hon. the Lord McNally

Patron

Tom McNally has worked in and around Westminster & Whitehall for over fifty years for both the public and private sector, including spells in Government as a Special Adviser 1974-79 , as Minister of State for Justice 2010-13 and as Chair of the Youth Justice Board 2014-2017. He was Member of Parliament for Stockport South 1979- 83 and has been a Member of the House of Lords since 1995.

Simonetta Agnello Hornby

Simonetta Agnello Hornby studied law at the University of Palermo, the city where she was born in 1945. In 1965 she was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to the University of Kansas. Since 1967 she has lived abroad, having married an Englishman. She lived and worked in Boston, Lusaka (the capital of Zambia), and since 1970, in England, where she studied and worked as a solicitor, initially in the City of London, but later in Brixton, specialising in family law with a focus on juvenile law and domestic violence. She went on to become a part-time judge and President of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal. Her law firm in the London Borough of Brixton was the first in England to devote a department to family violence cases. Simonetta Agnello Hornby has also taught Children's Law at the University of Leicester.

Her debut novel, The Almond Picker, published in 2002 in Italian, became an international bestseller translated into 19 languages. It was followed by several other successful novels.

In 2016 Simonetta Agnello Hornby was awarded the title of Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy by the President of the Italian Republic.

Ambassador

Ria Hebden

Ambassador

As the official Entertainment presenter on ITV's Lorraine, Ria Hebden's infectious energy and iconic smile make her a TV regular and favourite among viewers.

Passionate about telling stories that celebrate diversity, champion women and inspire the next generation Ria founded Wonder Women TV a women's network that elevates diverse women who work in Television and the Creative Industries in 2017, and has achieved several National Diversity Award nominations for her work.

Ria also hosts film premieres, live events and industry awards for Disney, ScreenSkills, the Royal Television Society, MIPCOM, PromaxUK and the Media Production Show and she is an ambassador for the MAMA Youth Project, Peer Power Youth and a member of BAFTA.

Staff

Kema Daley

Senior Youth Worker

Kema has over 15 years experience working with young people in a variety of roles and settings. He is passionate about empowering young peoples voices in creative ways to facilitate change and is really looking forward to joining the Peer Power Youth community and seeing how we can grow and develop together. Kema is a talented lyricist and rap artist.

Andrea Elkin

Training and Development Manager

Andrea has over 10 years of experience working with young people, designing and facilitating programmes with and for young people in formal and non-formal education settings. Her passion for youth advocacy, engagement and social justice is what brought her to Peer Power Youth.

Andrea’s role at Peer Power Youth brings together young people and professionals to deliver training, coaching and resources that will help embed co-production, empathy, youth voice & influence into organisations and services.

Outside of work, she loves to play football or dive her head into a good book - preferably cuddled up with her cat.

Jesse Gillespie

Digital Communications Producer

Jesse is a writer and artist with a passion for with underrepresented in both their personal and professional work. They have worked with organisations to showcase queer venues and communities, whilst using their lived experiences to empower others through creative pieces.

Jesse was drawn to Peer Power Youth’s values after struggling with a late diagnosis of ASD and ADHD. Their goal within this role is to create impactful content to help cause individual and system change. They aim to use creativity to co-produce and have a positive impact on young people, whilst being open and honest to work to support others.

Outside of work Jesse enjoys swimming, crocheting, and watching football.

Amy Whitrod Brown

Senior Youth Worker

Amy is an actor, theatre practitioner, and youth worker with a passion for raising youth voice and causing a healthy amount of disruption to the system through creativity, youth-centred projects and community-focussed engagement.

She used to work in entertainment on cruise ships and trained and worked as a performer in New York City. She is currently finishing an MA in Applied Theatre in London, but lives in Brighton, so is excited to work in both locations. She has experience working with adults in the criminal justice system, running youth programmes, school coaching sessions, and building a national Youth Board. She runs her own theatre company and is passionate about the power of arts for social change. Empathy, youth justice, equality, and activism brought her to Peer Power Youth, and she can’t wait to get started!

Being a northener, she’ll only drink tea if it’s Yorkshire Tea. When she has a spare minute she enjoys fighting with swords (don’t worry, she’s trained!) dancing, festivals, jumping in the sea, and writing poetry/spoken word.

Natasha Jonnud

Executive Assistant To CEO

Natasha has worked across the public sector, especially within social care, and is experienced in recruitment and retention, project partnerships, and learning and development. She is motivated by her drive to meaningfully contribute towards systemic change. This is part of her wider goal of supporting the personal and professional development of young people and changemakers. At Peer Power Youth, Natasha has a flexible and varied role, and works to assist the CEO and overall strategy of the charity. Outside of work hours, Natasha likes to surround herself with friends and family, and dance her way through the weekend.

Shaheem Carty

Peer Engagement Worker

Shaheem has great knowledge and experience working for social justice organisations and also has great passion for sport and fitness, being a sports graduate and personal trainer. Shaheem strives for social change in his personal life and this has been recognised with a Princess Diana award which he received in 2019 for his work in the community. Shaheem used is own initiative to create an art collective called 'Reality Art', which uses immersive art to represent social issues within disadvantage and less represented communities.

Shaheem in is involved in many different projects across Peer Power, including working in youth justice services, presenting mental health workshops and rehabilitative work, and co-facilitating mental health workshops in communities across London. He also has been gathering qualitative research within the Young Offender Institution (YOI) and youth centres.

Conny Nasmyth

Head of Human Resources and Operations

Conny has been an HR partitioner for 10+ years and has worked across various sectors (retail, finance, news groups, non-profit and political), most recently for a charity supporting disabled children, young people and adults to live independent lives within their communities.

Conny’s current position here at Peer Power is Head of HR and Operations; this suits her well as it allows her to be supportive and to provide a voice in creating the critical things needed to aid PPY’s growth.

Conny is passionate about fairness and will be the first to admit she is constantly on the move or doing something to support others. She tries to utilise her time, and she can be seen during her commute on the tube crocheting bits for her family.

Jordan Edwards

Head of Communications and Marketing

Jordan brings his experience of working in the charity sector and digital inclusion programmes. He most recently worked at Fulfilling Lives Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham, embedding co-production in the communications, aiming to create system change.

Jordan leads on implementing Peer Power’s communication and marketing strategy and is excited to co-design creative content. He is passionate about supporting and empowering people, working alongside them.

Outside of work he enjoys football, kickboxing, and all things music.

Kloé Hampton

Senior Project Co-ordinator

Kloé's role at Peer Power involves collaborative working with Young Partners, to co-create projects for those in secure settings such as Young Offending Institutes and Secure Children Homes. Kloé has a background in education; both mainstream and SEND provisions. She also has expert knowledge in sociological, cultural, and ethical studies.

Kloé's passion for young people and activism is what brought her to Peer Power. Working with like-minded individuals inspires her to quietly disrupt the system, and collectively create change, all whilst improving the lives of young people.
In her spare time, Kloé enjoys travelling and immersing herself in new cultures. She also loves watching live music and going to festivals.

Barney Whittaker

Head of Co-production and Development

Barney’s background over the past 7 years has been in working with vulnerable children and young people across SEND education, mental health support, prison rehabilitative work and mentoring for young people at risk of school exclusion.

Since joining Peer Power Youth in 2021, Barney has managed the charity’s work with NHS London Health & Justice and the Violence Reduction Programme, co-ordinating and running projects in HMP/YOI Feltham, exploring healthcare equalities and supporting peer-led research into the impacts of youth violence in London. As of July 2023, his role as Head of Co-Production and Development involves managing and co-ordinating the Youth Engagement Team (YET), supporting with the commissioning of projects, acting as Designated Safeguarding Lead, ensuring co-production is embedded across the YET in order to drive forward PPY’s work, and co-producing policies and guidance.

Barney also works as a music producer and DJ, writing and releasing records, performing live across the UK and beyond, and holding down a monthly radio show.

Tiana Golden

Peer Training & Development Worker 

Tiana has 20 + year experience of working and collaborating with Children & Young People in a range of different settings including education, health, social care & youth work. She confident facilitating youth participation & leadership from the grass roots to board rooms.
 
As Peer Training & Development worker Tiana will be working closely with Peer Power Youth’s Young Partners to facilitate their learning and development, and ensure that Peer Power Youth’s message and influence is heard loud and clear. Tiana has an affinity with Peer Power Youth because young people are at the heart of everything that the charity stands for. Peer Power Youth not only talks the talk, it also walks the walk.    
 
Outside of work Tiana loves dancing, and she is an Ecstatic dance facilitator and DJ. Emotions and empathy play a big part in her work and personal development. Through dance and breath work she facilitates a somatic experience which enables emotional release. Tiana has trained as a psychodynamic counsellor and had undergone trauma-informed training. Her favourite colour is green, and she has a dog called DD which is Frenchie and Shar Pei cross.

Katie Jones

Fundraiser

Katie supports Peer Power with fundraising one day a week. She has over 15 years of fundraising and business development experience across the charitable and higher education sectors. She now works freelance for six small charities in the youth, women’s and health sectors, where she is passionate about making a difference.

Anne-Marie Douglas

Co-CEO

Anne-Marie’s belief in the power of empathy and personal experience of peer-led services led her to found the charity Peer Power in 2015, which launched formally in 2016 at the House of Lords. She is a champion for lived and learned experience, and the role of participation, love and empathy in the transformation of support services for those most excluded.

Anne-Marie has worked in participation and youth engagement for over twenty years across support services in both voluntary and statutory sector roles and is a Churchill Fellow, having traveled to the USA and Canada to research the role of empathy and lived experience in support services for children and young people. Outside work, she loves traveling in her beloved campervan, going to festivals and enjoys live music and the arts.

Nicola Kidston

Co-CEO

Nic is responsible for all aspects of the delivery work of the charity. She has over 20 years experience working with young people across the charity sector leading programmes in youth justice, youth homelessness, social action and in education sectors. She came to Peer Power having been a senior leader at The Bell Foundation and before that as Director of Programme and Partnership The Foyer Federation.

She is committed to creating positive futures with young people and is energised by creating strong collaborative partnerships to innovate, scale and embed approaches to achieve national impact.

She is a Trustee and fellow at Clore Social Leadership and has a keen interest in developing social leaders, particularly young people.

Outside work Nic enjoys outdoor adventures with her family, is a keen cyclist and yogi and is a member of a choir.

Trustees

Dom Cotton

Trustee

Dom currently runs Newlane, a startup he founded in 2018 to create innovative products that make sustainable simple and safe. You can find out about their launch product at wearenewlane.com).

He began his career as a broadcast journalist at the BBC working across news and sport in the Devon, Cornwall and then London. After 12 years he moved into the voluntary sector, specialising in communications and fundraising.

The organisations Dom worked with include The Media Trust, The Change Foundation, UK Youth and Step Up To Serve (who ran the #iwillcampaign). He was successful in generating regular mainstream media coverage for these charities as well as raising significant sums for all of them.

Clare Richards

Trustee

Clare is an HR professional with over 20 years' experience across a range of industries and geographies. She has worked with senior leaders and their teams and has a keen interest in personal development. As well as having broad HR experience, she has a coaching qualification from Henley Business School and is trained in psychometrics and team development. Clare has a degree in mathematics and worked in marketing and communications roles before moving into HR, being drawn more to the people side of organisations.

Clare is also a trustee of a children's charity and feels strongly about giving her support to organisations that help young people who have faced adversity or challenges in their early life.

Kristin Barker

Trustee

Kristin has dedicated her career to improving young lives through direct service and broader system change. She recently moved to London from the United States where she provided trauma-focused mental health treatment to young people. She has extensive experience training professionals and community organisations on a variety of trauma-focused topics in order to increase empathy and improve skills among the child-serving workforce and improve systemic approaches to child welfare and mental health. In leadership roles, Kristin enjoys the challenge of cultivating resources and relationships, while removing barriers, to support the implementation of effective interventions to those most in need.

Elena Laguna

Vice Chair / Trustee

Elena is a Volunteering, HR and Learning & Development specialist and she believes in social action as a powerful tool for civic engagement within society. She has been a Trustee at Peer Power Youth since 2018 and became Vice Chair in 2023.

For the past decade, Elena has been on a mission to empower people to achieve ambitious goals. Whether it was at the British Red Cross, transforming volunteering at Oxfam, or Director of People at UK Youth. Plus, she is a huge advocate for learning, building inclusive workplaces, and creating environments where volunteers and staff can truly shine, be themselves and be celebrated for the diversity of skills, knowledge and experiences they bring to organisations.

Her current role as Director of Volunteer Experience at St John Ambulance is an incredible opportunity for her to lead community first aid volunteering in the UK. Elena firmly believes volunteers are the lifeblood of any charity, and creating a rewarding and meaningful experience for them has been her primary mission since I started being part of the voluntary sector.

Annie Morris

Trustee

Annie currently works in the communications team in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport with a specific focus on charity sector policy. Prior to this she spent several years working in charity communications roles, working at charities such as Redthread Youth and The Foundation for Social Improvement.

In these roles, Annie has spent significant time working alongside young people to tell their stories in the media in a safe way, empowering them to have a voice. She feels passionately that all young people are experts in their own lives and deserve to have their voices heard on the issues that matter to them.

Sarah Jones

Trustee

Sarah is a chartered accountant with ten years of experience as a finance director in the private sector. She works with organisations to help achieve ambitious goals as well as set up best practice within their finance function.

This is Sarah’s first role in the charity sector and she is excited to be part of a team delivering better opportunities for under-supported young people.

Sarah has a degree in Politics, and worked as a teacher in Japan for two years after graduation, before returning to London to train as an auditor.

Dame Lorna Boreland-Kelly

Chair of Trustees

Dame Lorna brings over 30 years’ experience of leading and developing services for children, young people and families in social care and education services. She brings a wealth of experience as a senior manager, having worked in a number of councils including the London Borough of Croydon, where, in 2010, she received national recognition for setting up one of the first ever Social Work Academies. While unique in each authority, all of these academies developed by Dame Lorna have the hallmark of using best practice and knowledge to establish a shared language, model and culture that supports work with children, young people and their families.

Dame Lorna has also been the Chair of Lambeth College, served as the Vice-Chair of Governors in a Catholic Secondary School, remaining an active Governor of a Primary school. At the Judicial appointments commission, Dame Lorna was one of the five lay members. She has spoken and chaired national conferences, carried out commissioned work with the Home Office and led Reviews for Local Safeguarding Boards.

Advisory Forum

Winston Allamby

Winston currently works in the commissioning team at Lewisham Council. Winston has experience in restorative, strength-based and informed approaches and is passionate about the principles of co-production. Winston enjoys travelling, running and anything that challenges him.

Paul Chambers

I am an impact driven, person-centred and solution focused professional, with a career spanning over twenty years’ experience in education. I have worked in further education and youth offending.

I am currently the principal of an alternative provision for young people, who have been excluded or who are on the verge of exclusion, where we actively acknowledge with compassion, the individual needs, and attributes of our youth.

A collaborative change agent, I have a proven track record of designing comprehensive systems that provide opportunities for transforming lives. I have always seen the building of strong relationships as a key to success, whether with young people, parents, or the wider community.
In my spare time, I enjoy

I have a background in music, so when not working I enjoy spending time song writing as a hobby.

Rebecca Olokun

Rebecca is currently working as a Paralegal at Cancer Research UK and supports the leadership team with the charity’s diversity and inclusion objectives. She believes that a thriving and enjoyable work environment is one where everyone is included.

Having had lived experience, Rebecca understands the need for children and youth services to be rooted in empathy. Based on this, she is committed to utilising her legal and fundraising skills, in the capacity of a trustee, to help Peer Power achieve its vision.

Annalisa Mensah

Annalisa is a Trainee Solicitor at a global law firm. Previous roles include junior organiser and co-chair of the Youth Leadership Team at Citizens UK, and she was in charge of the national jobs campaign tackling youth unemployment. The campaign culminated in a First Time Voters Assembly covered by The Guardian, BBC News and The Economist with over 200 young people in attendance.

Annalisa has also fundraised for charitable organisations such as UNICEF, Green Peace and Oxfam and for for two years ran her own social enterprise focusing on increasing social mobility in her local area.

Alex Lloyd

Alex is a research psychologist at Royal Holloway, University of London. He examines why teenagers are more likely than adults to explore new and potentially risky scenarios.

This involves examining why some young people engage in negative risk-taking, such as antisocial or criminal behaviour. Alex has 10 years of youth work experience in a range of settings, from sports centres to youth offending services.

Through his work, Alex advocates for a psychologically-informed approach to youth justice and has given a TEDx talk arguing for a public health approach to youth crime.

Jeffrey Wotherspoon

Jeffrey is a certified executive coach, facilitator and high-risk conflict resolution specialist with a degree in Psychology. He is also a member of the advisory board for Coaching Culture at work – a global coaching organisation that delivers coaching training to senior executives within the corporate world. Currently, Jeffrey works across the private, public and voluntary sectors with a broad range of clients, from corporate executives to young people in custody.

Jeffrey’s background is in youth work, where he has vast experience working on the frontline with young people affected by youth offending and serious youth violence. In 2018 Jeffrey worked on the Home Office’s County Lines Pilot Project as a young engagement specialist.

Julie Fox

Former Chair of Trustees (remains as an Advisory Forum Member)

Starting her professional life as a teacher and youth worker, Julie trained to be a probation officer and worked in South Yorkshire for over 20 years. She moved to the inspectorate where she initiated greater contact with young people as part of youth offending team inspections. She is the deputy chair of a large mental health and community NHS trust, and has recently been working for the Youth Justice Board. 

Her belief is that services are more effective when those using them have considerable influence on how they are run. In particular, she is committed to young people, especially those who may not have had a voice, being heard.

Areas of expertise: probation and youth justice strategy and policy development, mental and community health oversight, constructive challenge and scrutiny, recruitment and development of staff, communication, presentations, project management.

Sarah Rockett

Sarah is passionate about working alongside young people to help drive change in policy and practice - particularly in youth justice and social care. She has over 10 years’ experience doing this in engagement, policy, and design roles across the charity sector; leading projects at Barnardos, Catch22 and Nacro.

She is currently working as a Policy Designer at Camden Council, using participatory approaches to ensure policy and strategy are based on the needs of residents and partners.

Sarah has worked in partnership with Peer Power for many years, including covering a maternity contract as Youth Engagement and Co-production Manager in 2020, advancing work with secure settings in the South East. She’s an advocate for relational approaches that shake things up and loves all that Peer Power does!

Samantha Burns

Samantha Burns is currently a Research Associate at Newcastle University working on a project to explore the complexities of children and young people’s adverse life experiences and effectiveness of health and social care interventions. She has recently completed her PhD, studying the role and impact of co-production practices with young people in Hong Kong youth services. Prior to this, Samantha was involved in a range of projects in England which focused on increasing young people’s voice and participation in the criminal justice system. From these experiences, Samantha understands the importance of working in genuine, reciprocal partnerships for deepening engagement, building trust and viewing young people as capable, intelligent co-producers.

Sean Creaney

Senior Lecturer in Criminology

Dr Sean Creaney is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Edge Hill University. His areas of knowledge and expertise include the theory and practice of co-production and Child First participation in youth justice. He has researched and published in this area.

Noel Williams

Noel is a 26-year-old youth and justice consultant, who’s had first hand experience with the criminal justice system. He sees the value and power of personal experiences, and believes that when heard they can inspire others from all walks of life, via personal experience help shape policy at the highest level and through local politics.

Where he believes that Peer Power shines, and what brought him towards being a Board member was being inspired by the young people and stories that he was able to hear and witness at an event thy held at the House of Commons. That’s when he knew he was among something he truly believed in.

Natalie Atkinson

Natalie spent 9 years involved within the care, youth justice and Criminal Justice System. Classed as a prolific offender, she was a regular visitor within the youth and magistrate courts and spent 13 periods in secure units and prison. Eventually labelled as mentally ill due to the behaviour she was exhibiting in prison and placed on anti-psychotic medication, she decided that she needed to use her support network to help her change her life.

During the next few years Natalie spent her time volunteering, before completing an Access to Higher Education Diploma and securing employment in the Homeless Sector. In 2014 she graduated with a 1st class (hons) in BSc Policing, Investigation and Criminology and was awarded NUS Endsleigh Student of the Year 2014. She is currently working as a Youth Offending Service, Case Officer and has recently graduated with a Masters in Criminal Justice Policy at The LSE.

Marc Radley

I have been involved in youth justice as a social work practitioner and information systems designer for over 30 years. I believe learning from authentic human experience generates powerful feedback to services and social policy makers for service improvement and innovation. I can see new opportunities for this change in the UK and globally at this time.

The team work on the peer power board offers me an opportunity to help build an important new charity and movement in the UK. I am using my knowledge, skills and experience to contribute to innovative and challenging project work which sustains my creativity and is good fun.

Kenny Imafidon

Kenny Imafidon is a political commentator, social entrepreneur and activist.

Kenny is the co-founder & Managing Director of ClearView Research Ltd, which is a leading-edge youth-led research company. He is a trustee of the S.W.I.M Foundation (a charity that works with girls and women on domestic violence). Kenny also leads on research and advocacy at Bite The Ballot. In 2014, Kenny was awarded the number one position of Rare Rising Stars 2014 and acknowledged for being the most outstanding black student in the UK. His debut book “That Peckham Boy” was published by Penguin Random House (Torva Imprint) on July 13th 2023.

Gareth Jones

Gareth started his career in the Voluntary sector in the early eighties before qualifying as a Probation Officer in 1990. He developed a passion for crime prevention work with young people and this led to him joining Manchester YOT in 2000. He has worked in Lancashire YOT also before becoming Head of Service in Cheshire West, Halton and Warrington in 2005. He has been active in the Association of YOT Managers since 2006 becoming Vice Chair in 2009 and has been Chair since 2012. The AYM is the definitive voice for Managers within YOTs and actively promotes sector led improvements to practice.

Ali Wigzell

Ali Wigzell is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Criminal Policy Research (ICPR) at Birkbeck, University of London. Prior to joining the ICPR in 2012, she spent four years as a senior researcher at the think tank the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), leading their work on youth justice.

Youth justice is Ali’s area of research specialism. Her work in the field includes a major review of youth justice at the CSJ, and the report of the Parliamentarians’ Inquiry into the Operation and Effectiveness of the Youth Court, which was chaired by Lord Carlile.

Patrons

The Rt Hon. the Baroness Prashar CBE

Patron

The Right Honourable the Baroness Usha Prashar of Runnymede, CBE, an independent member of the House of Lords, has led and chaired a number of public and voluntary organisations with distinction.She has also served as a non executive director of some private sector organisations.

She initially started her career working in race- related organisations. Through this work she realised that to make diversity and inclusion an integral part of organisations she needed to work within mainstream organisations to change policies and practices.

She successfully transitioned to mainstream organisations but never lost sight of the objective of making diversity and inclusion a reality. This experience has given her unique insights into effective approaches to bring about relevant organisational change to achieve diversity and inclusion and has vast experience of how develop constructive strategies and actions to promote diversity.

In the House of Lords she had served on several Select Committees.

The organisations she has led or chaired include: Runnymede Trust, National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Parole Board, Civil Service Commission, Judicial Appointments Commission, National Literacy Trust among others. She was member of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice and the Iraq Inquiry.
Currently she is chair of Cumberland Lodge, an educational charity, trustee of Beacon Collaborative and Nationwide Foundation.

The Rt Hon. the Lord McNally

Patron

Tom McNally has worked in and around Westminster & Whitehall for over fifty years for both the public and private sector, including spells in Government as a Special Adviser 1974-79 , as Minister of State for Justice 2010-13 and as Chair of the Youth Justice Board 2014-2017. He was Member of Parliament for Stockport South 1979- 83 and has been a Member of the House of Lords since 1995.

Simonetta Agnello Hornby

Simonetta Agnello Hornby studied law at the University of Palermo, the city where she was born in 1945. In 1965 she was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to the University of Kansas. Since 1967 she has lived abroad, having married an Englishman. She lived and worked in Boston, Lusaka (the capital of Zambia), and since 1970, in England, where she studied and worked as a solicitor, initially in the City of London, but later in Brixton, specialising in family law with a focus on juvenile law and domestic violence. She went on to become a part-time judge and President of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal. Her law firm in the London Borough of Brixton was the first in England to devote a department to family violence cases. Simonetta Agnello Hornby has also taught Children's Law at the University of Leicester.

Her debut novel, The Almond Picker, published in 2002 in Italian, became an international bestseller translated into 19 languages. It was followed by several other successful novels.

In 2016 Simonetta Agnello Hornby was awarded the title of Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy by the President of the Italian Republic.

Ambassador

Ria Hebden

Ambassador

As the official Entertainment presenter on ITV's Lorraine, Ria Hebden's infectious energy and iconic smile make her a TV regular and favourite among viewers.

Passionate about telling stories that celebrate diversity, champion women and inspire the next generation Ria founded Wonder Women TV a women's network that elevates diverse women who work in Television and the Creative Industries in 2017, and has achieved several National Diversity Award nominations for her work.

Ria also hosts film premieres, live events and industry awards for Disney, ScreenSkills, the Royal Television Society, MIPCOM, PromaxUK and the Media Production Show and she is an ambassador for the MAMA Youth Project, Peer Power Youth and a member of BAFTA.

Staff

Kema Daley

Senior Youth Worker

Kema has over 15 years experience working with young people in a variety of roles and settings. He is passionate about empowering young peoples voices in creative ways to facilitate change and is really looking forward to joining the Peer Power Youth community and seeing how we can grow and develop together. Kema is a talented lyricist and rap artist.

Andrea Elkin

Training and Development Manager

Andrea has over 10 years of experience working with young people, designing and facilitating programmes with and for young people in formal and non-formal education settings. Her passion for youth advocacy, engagement and social justice is what brought her to Peer Power Youth.

Andrea’s role at Peer Power Youth brings together young people and professionals to deliver training, coaching and resources that will help embed co-production, empathy, youth voice & influence into organisations and services.

Outside of work, she loves to play football or dive her head into a good book - preferably cuddled up with her cat.

Jesse Gillespie

Digital Communications Producer

Jesse is a writer and artist with a passion for with underrepresented in both their personal and professional work. They have worked with organisations to showcase queer venues and communities, whilst using their lived experiences to empower others through creative pieces.

Jesse was drawn to Peer Power Youth’s values after struggling with a late diagnosis of ASD and ADHD. Their goal within this role is to create impactful content to help cause individual and system change. They aim to use creativity to co-produce and have a positive impact on young people, whilst being open and honest to work to support others.

Outside of work Jesse enjoys swimming, crocheting, and watching football.

Amy Whitrod Brown

Senior Youth Worker

Amy is an actor, theatre practitioner, and youth worker with a passion for raising youth voice and causing a healthy amount of disruption to the system through creativity, youth-centred projects and community-focussed engagement.

She used to work in entertainment on cruise ships and trained and worked as a performer in New York City. She is currently finishing an MA in Applied Theatre in London, but lives in Brighton, so is excited to work in both locations. She has experience working with adults in the criminal justice system, running youth programmes, school coaching sessions, and building a national Youth Board. She runs her own theatre company and is passionate about the power of arts for social change. Empathy, youth justice, equality, and activism brought her to Peer Power Youth, and she can’t wait to get started!

Being a northener, she’ll only drink tea if it’s Yorkshire Tea. When she has a spare minute she enjoys fighting with swords (don’t worry, she’s trained!) dancing, festivals, jumping in the sea, and writing poetry/spoken word.

Natasha Jonnud

Executive Assistant To CEO

Natasha has worked across the public sector, especially within social care, and is experienced in recruitment and retention, project partnerships, and learning and development. She is motivated by her drive to meaningfully contribute towards systemic change. This is part of her wider goal of supporting the personal and professional development of young people and changemakers. At Peer Power Youth, Natasha has a flexible and varied role, and works to assist the CEO and overall strategy of the charity. Outside of work hours, Natasha likes to surround herself with friends and family, and dance her way through the weekend.

Shaheem Carty

Peer Engagement Worker

Shaheem has great knowledge and experience working for social justice organisations and also has great passion for sport and fitness, being a sports graduate and personal trainer. Shaheem strives for social change in his personal life and this has been recognised with a Princess Diana award which he received in 2019 for his work in the community. Shaheem used is own initiative to create an art collective called 'Reality Art', which uses immersive art to represent social issues within disadvantage and less represented communities.

Shaheem in is involved in many different projects across Peer Power, including working in youth justice services, presenting mental health workshops and rehabilitative work, and co-facilitating mental health workshops in communities across London. He also has been gathering qualitative research within the Young Offender Institution (YOI) and youth centres.

Conny Nasmyth

Head of Human Resources and Operations

Conny has been an HR partitioner for 10+ years and has worked across various sectors (retail, finance, news groups, non-profit and political), most recently for a charity supporting disabled children, young people and adults to live independent lives within their communities.

Conny’s current position here at Peer Power is Head of HR and Operations; this suits her well as it allows her to be supportive and to provide a voice in creating the critical things needed to aid PPY’s growth.

Conny is passionate about fairness and will be the first to admit she is constantly on the move or doing something to support others. She tries to utilise her time, and she can be seen during her commute on the tube crocheting bits for her family.

Jordan Edwards

Head of Communications and Marketing

Jordan brings his experience of working in the charity sector and digital inclusion programmes. He most recently worked at Fulfilling Lives Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham, embedding co-production in the communications, aiming to create system change.

Jordan leads on implementing Peer Power’s communication and marketing strategy and is excited to co-design creative content. He is passionate about supporting and empowering people, working alongside them.

Outside of work he enjoys football, kickboxing, and all things music.

Kloé Hampton

Senior Project Co-ordinator

Kloé's role at Peer Power involves collaborative working with Young Partners, to co-create projects for those in secure settings such as Young Offending Institutes and Secure Children Homes. Kloé has a background in education; both mainstream and SEND provisions. She also has expert knowledge in sociological, cultural, and ethical studies.

Kloé's passion for young people and activism is what brought her to Peer Power. Working with like-minded individuals inspires her to quietly disrupt the system, and collectively create change, all whilst improving the lives of young people.
In her spare time, Kloé enjoys travelling and immersing herself in new cultures. She also loves watching live music and going to festivals.

Barney Whittaker

Head of Co-production and Development

Barney’s background over the past 7 years has been in working with vulnerable children and young people across SEND education, mental health support, prison rehabilitative work and mentoring for young people at risk of school exclusion.

Since joining Peer Power Youth in 2021, Barney has managed the charity’s work with NHS London Health & Justice and the Violence Reduction Programme, co-ordinating and running projects in HMP/YOI Feltham, exploring healthcare equalities and supporting peer-led research into the impacts of youth violence in London. As of July 2023, his role as Head of Co-Production and Development involves managing and co-ordinating the Youth Engagement Team (YET), supporting with the commissioning of projects, acting as Designated Safeguarding Lead, ensuring co-production is embedded across the YET in order to drive forward PPY’s work, and co-producing policies and guidance.

Barney also works as a music producer and DJ, writing and releasing records, performing live across the UK and beyond, and holding down a monthly radio show.

Tiana Golden

Peer Training & Development Worker 

Tiana has 20 + year experience of working and collaborating with Children & Young People in a range of different settings including education, health, social care & youth work. She confident facilitating youth participation & leadership from the grass roots to board rooms.
 
As Peer Training & Development worker Tiana will be working closely with Peer Power Youth’s Young Partners to facilitate their learning and development, and ensure that Peer Power Youth’s message and influence is heard loud and clear. Tiana has an affinity with Peer Power Youth because young people are at the heart of everything that the charity stands for. Peer Power Youth not only talks the talk, it also walks the walk.    
 
Outside of work Tiana loves dancing, and she is an Ecstatic dance facilitator and DJ. Emotions and empathy play a big part in her work and personal development. Through dance and breath work she facilitates a somatic experience which enables emotional release. Tiana has trained as a psychodynamic counsellor and had undergone trauma-informed training. Her favourite colour is green, and she has a dog called DD which is Frenchie and Shar Pei cross.

Katie Jones

Fundraiser

Katie supports Peer Power with fundraising one day a week. She has over 15 years of fundraising and business development experience across the charitable and higher education sectors. She now works freelance for six small charities in the youth, women’s and health sectors, where she is passionate about making a difference.

Anne-Marie Douglas

Co-CEO

Anne-Marie’s belief in the power of empathy and personal experience of peer-led services led her to found the charity Peer Power in 2015, which launched formally in 2016 at the House of Lords. She is a champion for lived and learned experience, and the role of participation, love and empathy in the transformation of support services for those most excluded.

Anne-Marie has worked in participation and youth engagement for over twenty years across support services in both voluntary and statutory sector roles and is a Churchill Fellow, having traveled to the USA and Canada to research the role of empathy and lived experience in support services for children and young people. Outside work, she loves traveling in her beloved campervan, going to festivals and enjoys live music and the arts.

Nicola Kidston

Co-CEO

Nic is responsible for all aspects of the delivery work of the charity. She has over 20 years experience working with young people across the charity sector leading programmes in youth justice, youth homelessness, social action and in education sectors. She came to Peer Power having been a senior leader at The Bell Foundation and before that as Director of Programme and Partnership The Foyer Federation.

She is committed to creating positive futures with young people and is energised by creating strong collaborative partnerships to innovate, scale and embed approaches to achieve national impact.

She is a Trustee and fellow at Clore Social Leadership and has a keen interest in developing social leaders, particularly young people.

Outside work Nic enjoys outdoor adventures with her family, is a keen cyclist and yogi and is a member of a choir.

Trustees

Dom Cotton

Trustee

Dom currently runs Newlane, a startup he founded in 2018 to create innovative products that make sustainable simple and safe. You can find out about their launch product at wearenewlane.com).

He began his career as a broadcast journalist at the BBC working across news and sport in the Devon, Cornwall and then London. After 12 years he moved into the voluntary sector, specialising in communications and fundraising.

The organisations Dom worked with include The Media Trust, The Change Foundation, UK Youth and Step Up To Serve (who ran the #iwillcampaign). He was successful in generating regular mainstream media coverage for these charities as well as raising significant sums for all of them.

Clare Richards

Trustee

Clare is an HR professional with over 20 years' experience across a range of industries and geographies. She has worked with senior leaders and their teams and has a keen interest in personal development. As well as having broad HR experience, she has a coaching qualification from Henley Business School and is trained in psychometrics and team development. Clare has a degree in mathematics and worked in marketing and communications roles before moving into HR, being drawn more to the people side of organisations.

Clare is also a trustee of a children's charity and feels strongly about giving her support to organisations that help young people who have faced adversity or challenges in their early life.

Kristin Barker

Trustee

Kristin has dedicated her career to improving young lives through direct service and broader system change. She recently moved to London from the United States where she provided trauma-focused mental health treatment to young people. She has extensive experience training professionals and community organisations on a variety of trauma-focused topics in order to increase empathy and improve skills among the child-serving workforce and improve systemic approaches to child welfare and mental health. In leadership roles, Kristin enjoys the challenge of cultivating resources and relationships, while removing barriers, to support the implementation of effective interventions to those most in need.

Elena Laguna

Vice Chair / Trustee

Elena is a Volunteering, HR and Learning & Development specialist and she believes in social action as a powerful tool for civic engagement within society. She has been a Trustee at Peer Power Youth since 2018 and became Vice Chair in 2023.

For the past decade, Elena has been on a mission to empower people to achieve ambitious goals. Whether it was at the British Red Cross, transforming volunteering at Oxfam, or Director of People at UK Youth. Plus, she is a huge advocate for learning, building inclusive workplaces, and creating environments where volunteers and staff can truly shine, be themselves and be celebrated for the diversity of skills, knowledge and experiences they bring to organisations.

Her current role as Director of Volunteer Experience at St John Ambulance is an incredible opportunity for her to lead community first aid volunteering in the UK. Elena firmly believes volunteers are the lifeblood of any charity, and creating a rewarding and meaningful experience for them has been her primary mission since I started being part of the voluntary sector.

Annie Morris

Trustee

Annie currently works in the communications team in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport with a specific focus on charity sector policy. Prior to this she spent several years working in charity communications roles, working at charities such as Redthread Youth and The Foundation for Social Improvement.

In these roles, Annie has spent significant time working alongside young people to tell their stories in the media in a safe way, empowering them to have a voice. She feels passionately that all young people are experts in their own lives and deserve to have their voices heard on the issues that matter to them.

Sarah Jones

Trustee

Sarah is a chartered accountant with ten years of experience as a finance director in the private sector. She works with organisations to help achieve ambitious goals as well as set up best practice within their finance function.

This is Sarah’s first role in the charity sector and she is excited to be part of a team delivering better opportunities for under-supported young people.

Sarah has a degree in Politics, and worked as a teacher in Japan for two years after graduation, before returning to London to train as an auditor.

Dame Lorna Boreland-Kelly

Chair of Trustees

Dame Lorna brings over 30 years’ experience of leading and developing services for children, young people and families in social care and education services. She brings a wealth of experience as a senior manager, having worked in a number of councils including the London Borough of Croydon, where, in 2010, she received national recognition for setting up one of the first ever Social Work Academies. While unique in each authority, all of these academies developed by Dame Lorna have the hallmark of using best practice and knowledge to establish a shared language, model and culture that supports work with children, young people and their families.

Dame Lorna has also been the Chair of Lambeth College, served as the Vice-Chair of Governors in a Catholic Secondary School, remaining an active Governor of a Primary school. At the Judicial appointments commission, Dame Lorna was one of the five lay members. She has spoken and chaired national conferences, carried out commissioned work with the Home Office and led Reviews for Local Safeguarding Boards.

Advisory Forum

Winston Allamby

Winston currently works in the commissioning team at Lewisham Council. Winston has experience in restorative, strength-based and informed approaches and is passionate about the principles of co-production. Winston enjoys travelling, running and anything that challenges him.

Paul Chambers

I am an impact driven, person-centred and solution focused professional, with a career spanning over twenty years’ experience in education. I have worked in further education and youth offending.

I am currently the principal of an alternative provision for young people, who have been excluded or who are on the verge of exclusion, where we actively acknowledge with compassion, the individual needs, and attributes of our youth.

A collaborative change agent, I have a proven track record of designing comprehensive systems that provide opportunities for transforming lives. I have always seen the building of strong relationships as a key to success, whether with young people, parents, or the wider community.
In my spare time, I enjoy

I have a background in music, so when not working I enjoy spending time song writing as a hobby.

Rebecca Olokun

Rebecca is currently working as a Paralegal at Cancer Research UK and supports the leadership team with the charity’s diversity and inclusion objectives. She believes that a thriving and enjoyable work environment is one where everyone is included.

Having had lived experience, Rebecca understands the need for children and youth services to be rooted in empathy. Based on this, she is committed to utilising her legal and fundraising skills, in the capacity of a trustee, to help Peer Power achieve its vision.

Annalisa Mensah

Annalisa is a Trainee Solicitor at a global law firm. Previous roles include junior organiser and co-chair of the Youth Leadership Team at Citizens UK, and she was in charge of the national jobs campaign tackling youth unemployment. The campaign culminated in a First Time Voters Assembly covered by The Guardian, BBC News and The Economist with over 200 young people in attendance.

Annalisa has also fundraised for charitable organisations such as UNICEF, Green Peace and Oxfam and for for two years ran her own social enterprise focusing on increasing social mobility in her local area.

Alex Lloyd

Alex is a research psychologist at Royal Holloway, University of London. He examines why teenagers are more likely than adults to explore new and potentially risky scenarios.

This involves examining why some young people engage in negative risk-taking, such as antisocial or criminal behaviour. Alex has 10 years of youth work experience in a range of settings, from sports centres to youth offending services.

Through his work, Alex advocates for a psychologically-informed approach to youth justice and has given a TEDx talk arguing for a public health approach to youth crime.

Jeffrey Wotherspoon

Jeffrey is a certified executive coach, facilitator and high-risk conflict resolution specialist with a degree in Psychology. He is also a member of the advisory board for Coaching Culture at work – a global coaching organisation that delivers coaching training to senior executives within the corporate world. Currently, Jeffrey works across the private, public and voluntary sectors with a broad range of clients, from corporate executives to young people in custody.

Jeffrey’s background is in youth work, where he has vast experience working on the frontline with young people affected by youth offending and serious youth violence. In 2018 Jeffrey worked on the Home Office’s County Lines Pilot Project as a young engagement specialist.

Julie Fox

Former Chair of Trustees (remains as an Advisory Forum Member)

Starting her professional life as a teacher and youth worker, Julie trained to be a probation officer and worked in South Yorkshire for over 20 years. She moved to the inspectorate where she initiated greater contact with young people as part of youth offending team inspections. She is the deputy chair of a large mental health and community NHS trust, and has recently been working for the Youth Justice Board. 

Her belief is that services are more effective when those using them have considerable influence on how they are run. In particular, she is committed to young people, especially those who may not have had a voice, being heard.

Areas of expertise: probation and youth justice strategy and policy development, mental and community health oversight, constructive challenge and scrutiny, recruitment and development of staff, communication, presentations, project management.

Sarah Rockett

Sarah is passionate about working alongside young people to help drive change in policy and practice - particularly in youth justice and social care. She has over 10 years’ experience doing this in engagement, policy, and design roles across the charity sector; leading projects at Barnardos, Catch22 and Nacro.

She is currently working as a Policy Designer at Camden Council, using participatory approaches to ensure policy and strategy are based on the needs of residents and partners.

Sarah has worked in partnership with Peer Power for many years, including covering a maternity contract as Youth Engagement and Co-production Manager in 2020, advancing work with secure settings in the South East. She’s an advocate for relational approaches that shake things up and loves all that Peer Power does!

Samantha Burns

Samantha Burns is currently a Research Associate at Newcastle University working on a project to explore the complexities of children and young people’s adverse life experiences and effectiveness of health and social care interventions. She has recently completed her PhD, studying the role and impact of co-production practices with young people in Hong Kong youth services. Prior to this, Samantha was involved in a range of projects in England which focused on increasing young people’s voice and participation in the criminal justice system. From these experiences, Samantha understands the importance of working in genuine, reciprocal partnerships for deepening engagement, building trust and viewing young people as capable, intelligent co-producers.

Sean Creaney

Senior Lecturer in Criminology

Dr Sean Creaney is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Edge Hill University. His areas of knowledge and expertise include the theory and practice of co-production and Child First participation in youth justice. He has researched and published in this area.

Noel Williams

Noel is a 26-year-old youth and justice consultant, who’s had first hand experience with the criminal justice system. He sees the value and power of personal experiences, and believes that when heard they can inspire others from all walks of life, via personal experience help shape policy at the highest level and through local politics.

Where he believes that Peer Power shines, and what brought him towards being a Board member was being inspired by the young people and stories that he was able to hear and witness at an event thy held at the House of Commons. That’s when he knew he was among something he truly believed in.

Natalie Atkinson

Natalie spent 9 years involved within the care, youth justice and Criminal Justice System. Classed as a prolific offender, she was a regular visitor within the youth and magistrate courts and spent 13 periods in secure units and prison. Eventually labelled as mentally ill due to the behaviour she was exhibiting in prison and placed on anti-psychotic medication, she decided that she needed to use her support network to help her change her life.

During the next few years Natalie spent her time volunteering, before completing an Access to Higher Education Diploma and securing employment in the Homeless Sector. In 2014 she graduated with a 1st class (hons) in BSc Policing, Investigation and Criminology and was awarded NUS Endsleigh Student of the Year 2014. She is currently working as a Youth Offending Service, Case Officer and has recently graduated with a Masters in Criminal Justice Policy at The LSE.

Marc Radley

I have been involved in youth justice as a social work practitioner and information systems designer for over 30 years. I believe learning from authentic human experience generates powerful feedback to services and social policy makers for service improvement and innovation. I can see new opportunities for this change in the UK and globally at this time.

The team work on the peer power board offers me an opportunity to help build an important new charity and movement in the UK. I am using my knowledge, skills and experience to contribute to innovative and challenging project work which sustains my creativity and is good fun.

Kenny Imafidon

Kenny Imafidon is a political commentator, social entrepreneur and activist.

Kenny is the co-founder & Managing Director of ClearView Research Ltd, which is a leading-edge youth-led research company. He is a trustee of the S.W.I.M Foundation (a charity that works with girls and women on domestic violence). Kenny also leads on research and advocacy at Bite The Ballot. In 2014, Kenny was awarded the number one position of Rare Rising Stars 2014 and acknowledged for being the most outstanding black student in the UK. His debut book “That Peckham Boy” was published by Penguin Random House (Torva Imprint) on July 13th 2023.

Gareth Jones

Gareth started his career in the Voluntary sector in the early eighties before qualifying as a Probation Officer in 1990. He developed a passion for crime prevention work with young people and this led to him joining Manchester YOT in 2000. He has worked in Lancashire YOT also before becoming Head of Service in Cheshire West, Halton and Warrington in 2005. He has been active in the Association of YOT Managers since 2006 becoming Vice Chair in 2009 and has been Chair since 2012. The AYM is the definitive voice for Managers within YOTs and actively promotes sector led improvements to practice.

Ali Wigzell

Ali Wigzell is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Criminal Policy Research (ICPR) at Birkbeck, University of London. Prior to joining the ICPR in 2012, she spent four years as a senior researcher at the think tank the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), leading their work on youth justice.

Youth justice is Ali’s area of research specialism. Her work in the field includes a major review of youth justice at the CSJ, and the report of the Parliamentarians’ Inquiry into the Operation and Effectiveness of the Youth Court, which was chaired by Lord Carlile.

Sign up to our newsletter

Keep up with the latest on empathy, co-production and youth-led system change.

Alt Text!