The Team

THE TEAM

Ambassadors

judy ling wong cbe

Judy was director of Black Environment Network (BEN) and is a pioneer of multicultural participation in built and natural environment policy and was a founding trustee of Greater London National Park City.

Caroline lucas

Former MP for Brighton Pavilion, former leader and co-leader, Caroline Lucas is a shining example of what women in power can do for the environment. She has supported Wen for 10 years.

MARIA ADEBOWALE-SCHWARTE

Maria is a city and urban place strategist. She advocates for inclusive and collaborative placemaking that creates thriving neighbourhoods and better lives.

karen joash

Karen is a Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital site, holds multiple roles shaping maternal and reproductive health globally.

Trustees

monique johnson, CO-chair

Monique oversees Social Purpose transformation for the University of Arts London (UAL), Europe’s largest higher education institute dedicated to the study of fashion, art, design and the performing arts. Social Purpose at UAL is concerned with empowering creative communities, building an inclusive society, stabilising the climate whilst regenerating our environment and ensuring more equitable prosperity and well-being.

DR. AMIERA SAWAS, HEAD OF RESEARCH AND POLICY, FOSSIL FUEL NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY INITIATIVE (1)

DR AMIERA SAWAS, CO-CHAIR

Amiera is Head of Research and Policy at Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. She is a feminist researcher and advocate who works at the intersections of climate change, gender justice, public participation and the social contract. As a person of Syrian and Irish heritage, with close links to Pakistan, she has lived life with an acute awareness of the impacts of colonial histories.

Tallulah Staple, TREASURER

Tallulah is Chief Operating Officer for Dialogue Earth, an international NGO reporting on environmental issues. She has a BA in International Development and Economics from SOAS. Previous roles have seen her working closely with communities, schools and charities across London and especially Tower Hamlets.

MOMTAZ AJID

Momtaz is the founder of a Leaders in Community (LiC), a youth charity based in Tower Hamlets. She has 15 years’ experience of working in the charity sector, empowering young people in leadership and governance. Momtaz has a Masters in Communication and Society from Goldsmiths University.

ANUPAM PARASHAR

Anupam sits in the Environmental and Social Risk team at Macquarie Group Ltd where he provides expert advice on environmental and social risks and developing and implementing environmental and social risk policies. Outside of work, Anupam participates in local community-led sports organisations and enjoys hiking and camping.

Suna Ramadan

Suna has over 6 years’ experience of fundraising in the charity sector, securing 5 and 6 figure bids. In her current role, she is Fundraising Manager at West London charity, The Octavia Foundation, overseeing several fundraising streams. She developed her interest in charity income generation after university when she started volunteering at a grassroots youth empowerment charity in Tower Hamlets.

BETH CHRISTIE

Beth is the Director of Scotland’s United Nations University-recognised Regional Centre of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development (Learning for Sustainability Scotland) and a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Edinburgh. Her interdisciplinary research, teaching and advocacy is broadly located at the intersection of sustainability education, social movement learning, social and environmental justice, and critical pedagogical practices.

staff

Kate Metcalf, Co-Director

Kate has over 20 years’ experience developing community and international networks within international development and environmental organisations with a focus on gender and social justice. Kate leads Wen’s Feminist Green New Deal project aiming to ensure that women, racialised and marginalised groups are central to the green economy.

ZARINA AHMAD, CO-DIRECTOR

Zarina is an expert in equalities and climate change, increasing participation of under-represented groups in environmentalism. She was named as one of the top 30 influential women contributing to the environment and sustainability by BBC Woman’s Hour.

Helen Lynn, Health adviser & ENVIRONMENSTRUAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER

Helen has spent her career building feminist health campaigns including founding the Alliance for Cancer Prevention and From Pink to Prevention. She has worked at national, European and International levels on issues linking gender, health and the environment.

Roshini Thamotheram, CLIMATE SISTERS PROGRAMME MANAGER

Roshini Thamotheram is a feminist researcher, educator, facilitator, and organiser. She holds an MA in Race and Social Justice and works with the Climate Sisters programme at Wen.

IVIÉ ITOJE, GREEN BABY PROGRAMME MANAGER

Ivié is passionate about intersectional feminism, sustainability, and holistic health solutions. With a background in law, advocacy, the performing arts, and body image work, she leads the Green Baby Project, promoting non-toxic and accessible baby care solutions for healthier families and a healthier planet.

ZOE MILES, LOCAL FOOD PARTNERSHIP MANAGER & food co-op strategy & development lead

Zoe (they/them) is working with three amazing food co-ops in Towers Hamlets to create deep and long-lasting change in our food system. They are a facilitator, grower, and union organiser, and love getting together with people to create strange and wonderful art projects.

ELLE MCALL, JUST FACT PROGRAMME MANAGER

Elle is passionate about inclusive climate action, and believes in the unique power of food to bring people together. She has worked in the charity sector 7 years, managing a wide range of environmental projects.

HUSSINA RAJA, JUST FACT MOBILISER

Hussina has a background in social justice as well as working as a multidisciplinary artist. She is passionate about working with local community groups and young people. She especially enjoys bringing people together over food.

SAJNA MIAH, FOOD RESEARCHER

Sajna is a researcher on our Food Stories Tower Hamlets project. She has 25 years’ experience working with different communities in Tower Hamlets, including 10 years working for Tower Hamlet’s Women’s Aid as a Bangladeshi Women’s Domestic Violence outreach worker. Alongside Wen, she volunteers at a food bank that run by East End Homes.

SHAZNA HASSAIN, FOOD RESEARCHER

Shazna is a researcher on our Food Stories Tower Hamlets project. She has 26 years’ experience of the Tower Hamlets community in various organisations in paid and voluntary positions. In addition to Wen, she works in a local school during lunchtimes and volunteers for a community cycling group. She grows her own cultural vegetables and loves researching food cultures with communities.

Bernadette Kennedy, Soil Sisters Therapeutic Gardener

Bernadette combines her background working in mental health and homelessness services with her passion for gardening to reclaim and transform neglected spaces into community gardens.

Alice Walker - from Real Nappies for London (RNfL)

alice walker, rnfl Coordinator

Alice joined Real Nappies for London in October 2010. She is keen to help more boroughs reduce single-use nappy waste and is happy to discuss bespoke incentives and rewards including helping parents promote real nappies in their boroughs.

Heidi Ringshaw, head of Communications AND engagement

Heidi’s experience encompasses marketing, social media and event planning. She’s also worked in garden design and horticulture.

NNENNA ONWUKA, COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Nnenna has a background in advocating for girls’ education and feminist climate justice, as well as researching the impact of deforestation on human rights. She holds an MSc in Human Rights.

REBECCA EVANS-MERRITT, HEAD OF ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Rebecca has a Fine Arts background and has worked in Production and Education. She loves living in Tower Hamlets and enjoying all the pockets of green amongst the city.

KATHARINE WESTWOOD, OPERATIONS MANAGER

Katharine is an operations specialist and is passionate about creating spaces where individuals can show up as their authentic selves. Katharine enjoys running and getting lost outdoors..

maripaz DE SAN MIGUEL, OPERATIONS MANAGER

Maripaz has a background in Environmental Science and has worked in this field for 14 years, 12 of those years in the charity sector. Maripaz loves nature and walking.

Brian Dexter, Finance Coordinator

Brian has 20+ years working in financial leadership while also volunteering tirelessly in his east London community for grassroots responses to poverty and distress. He has three grown up children.

Faysal Ahmed, IT Coordinator

Faysal studied Engineering with specialisation in Computer Network at Brunel University before joining Wen in 2008.

Wen advisors

sherilyn macgregor, feminist climate justice advisor

Sherilyn is a professor at the University of Manchester with expertise in ecofeminism, environmental justice and community-based research. She is co-author of the ‘Towards a feminist green new deal for the UK’ policy brief and the ‘Roadmap for a feminist green new deal’ commissioned by Wen and the Women’s Budget Group in 2020/21.