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Meet Our Team

Our staff team is made up of women with a range of skills and experience who are all equally committed to a clear and shared goal: to help women to feel valued and to regain control of their lives and wellbeing.

Dionne Reid
Chief Executive Officer

Dionne is the founder and CEO of Women’s Work. She has spent over 21 years building a team of 34 staff members and 30 volunteers. In 2017, Dionne was voted Derbyshire’s Most Inspirational Woman. Dionne is passionate about helping women to gain the confidence and skills they need to make positive and lasting life changes and has served time as an elected Women’s Ambassador for the East Midlands. She has represented women and the service users of Women’s Work on a number of local, regional and national issues and forums.

Dionne also served as the Vice Chair of Derby’s Gender, Diversity and Sexuality forum, as well as the Chair of Derby City’s International Women’s Day Planning Committee, Director of the Women’s Breakout National Forum and served as an independent member of Derby City Councils Standards Committee. In 2023, Dionne was awarded an honorary degree from Derby University in recognition for her passion and significant impact she has made since founding Women’s Work by improving the lives of vulnerable women and their families throughout the county of Derbyshire.

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Alisha
Senior Criminal Justice Support Worker

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2019.
Alisha has extensive experience of customer service having worked in the retail industry for over fifteen years.   With good interpersonal and communication skills developed during a period volunteering at a charity Alisha is ideally suited to supporting women that come through the probation service.

Brianna
Acting Project Manager

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2016.
Brianna has spent the majority of her career working within and alongside the Criminal Justice System. She has worked with a wide variety of people including young children, children with disabilities, those with multifaceted needs and both male and female offenders. With Derby University, Brianna has completed all 4 strands of the Smart and Inclusive Leadership Programme, including; Inclusive Leadership, Developing Your Inner Leader, Leading Through Challenge and Change and Leader as Coach and Mentor. In addition, Brianna is trained in Suicide Prevention and Intervention and Coaching Skills.

Claire
Counsellor

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2022.
Claire initially started volunteering for Women’s Work back in January 2018, working with the service users inspired her to pursue study in counselling and she has since achieved CPCAB Level 2 Certificate In Counselling Skills, CPCAB Level 3 Certificate In Counselling Studies and CPCAB Level 4 Diploma In Therapeutic Counselling for which Claire completed a placement at Women’s Work, before joining the team officially as a qualified counsellor in 2022.

Debbie
Office Manager

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2018.
Debbie has over thirty years experience working for social care organisations in Administration and/or Management roles.  She has experience of working for older people’s services in both public and private sector and children and young people’s services within the public sector.  Debbie holds the Level 5 Institute of Leadership & Management and NVQ Level 4 in Management qualifications.

Debra
Criminal Justice Support Worker

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2021.
Debra gained a BA QTS(HONS) English and Education in 1997 at Roehampton University London and worked for 18 years as a teacher in both mainstream and Special Needs schools. Debra was mainly in senior management roles and was a lead for Literacy for many of the schools she worked at. Debra is also a trained facilitator for the Freedom Programme.

Emma
Domestic Assistant

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2022.
Emma was previously a peer mentor for Women’s Work before joining our team officially and still volunteers for us too. Emma is currently studying towards her Foundation Pathways to Psychology Course at Derby University.

Gemma
Criminal Justice Support Worker

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2023.
Gemma has over eighteen years’ experience within the care sector. This has included community-based settings, The National Health Service and voluntary organisations. In 2007 Gemma completed a level 2 apprenticeship in Health and Social Care, following this in 2017 achieved an advanced level 3 Apprenticeship in Adult social care and the care of children and young people.

Hayley
Counsellor

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2023.
Hayley is a qualified Person Centred Therapist and a registered member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). Hayley was originally a volunteer counsellor with Women’s Work before joining the staff team in 2023. Hayley has worked in the third sector for 20 years, including a children’s charity and a bereavement charity.

Jacqui
Senior Project Worker

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2022.
Jacqui has over 20 years’ experience working within educational organisations and supportive roles, she has valuable knowledge in supporting behaviour, employability and community development. Jacqui also has Level 3 Information Advice and Guidance.

Jacquii
Finance Co-Ordinator

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2021.
Jacquii has been working in accounts and finance for over a decade, and has previously worked as a project accountant in a subsidiary of a global engineering company in Chesterfield. Jacquii has previous experience and knowledge in administration and systems development. Qualified up to AAT Level 3 and NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration, and currently studying towards AAT Level 4.

Karen
Project Co-ordinator

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2015.
Karen has over fifteen years experience of working with children and families, including eight years working in a refuge for women fleeing domestic abuse, Karen has gained a 2:1 BA(Hons) in Social Work, is a trained facilitator for the Freedom Programme and has recently completed Level 3 Award in Education and Training.

Kay
Project Support Officer

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2023.
Kay has extensive admin experience working previously in the corporate industry and is passionate about mental health and family support, Kay has a range of qualifications including Self Harm & Suicide Level 2, Anger Management in Young Children & Adults, Counselling Level 3, Domestic Violence & the Restorative Process Level 3 and Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace.

Kaysha
Project Co-ordinator

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2018.
Kaysha obtained a BA(Honours) in Health, Community and Social Care Studies from the University of Derby in 2008, Kaysha has over ten years experience of working with vulnerable children and families.  Kaysha has experience in mental health, housing, refuge work with complex women fleeing domestic violence as well as supervising contact sessions with children looked after by local authority care before joining the Women’s Work team in 2018.

Kirthiga
Criminal Justice Support Worker

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2023.
Kitty achieved her Msc. Forensic Psychology at the University of Derby in 2023. While pursuing her masters, Kitty started her journey by volunteering at Women’s Work before becoming a member of our team and found the passion to make a difference within the criminal justice system.

Linda
Project Co-ordinator

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2020.
Linda holds a B A Hons in Applied Social work and has previously worked with Vulnerable adults experiencing mental health difficulties.  For the last eleven years Linda has worked within the Local Authority  Children’s services specialising in ‘Trauma based approach to practice’ with LAC in local authority care.

Lorraine
Operations Manager

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2023.
Lorraine has extensive management and leadership experience having worked in the NHS for 18 years leading teams at Burton/Derby Hospitals and Birmingham Women’s/Children’s Hospitals. Lorraine has worked within bereavement for over ten years dealing with extremely sensitive/complex issues and supporting families at their most difficult times. Lorraine has psychology and counselling qualifications. She has been a volunteer for Cruse bereavement completing many courses enabling her to support families along with management and leadership qualifications and has many years experience working alongside a range of multi-agency teams.

Lyndsey
Senior Project Worker

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2003.
Lyndsey has been part of the Women’s Work team for over eighteen years and has counselling skills, NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care, NVQ Level 2 in Health and Safety, vocational qualification in Business Development, Registered First Aider. Qualified facilitator of the ‘Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities’, Parenting Programme and ‘The Freedom Programme’.

Marvet
Counselling Co-ordinator

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2018.
Marvet is an Integrative Psychotherapist and Counselling Supervisor, with over thirty years experience in management and co-ordinating in the voluntary, as well as statutory, sector.  Marvet has over twenty years teaching experience, and has taught counselling skills from basic up to CPCAB L3 for Derby Adult Learning Services.  Marvet also has her own private practice in Counselling Psychotherapy.

Michelle
Finance Manager 

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2010.
Michelle has worked in finance for twenty years, mainly in manufacturing, up to an annual turnover of £25 million. Experience covers producing monthly accounts and forecasts, preparing budgets, standard costing, job costing, asset and stock management up to £3 million and payroll. Qualified to the management level of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

Nadia
Senior Criminal Justice Support Worker

Joined the Women’s Work Team in 2021.
Nadia holds a 1st class degree in BA (Hons) Creative Expressive Therapy, 2:1 BA (Hons) in Performing Arts and Music, HNC in Business Management and she is a Member of the National Council of Psychotherapists. Nadia previously worked as a head of music department at the International School of Schaffhausen in Switzerland, where she staged musical and plays.

Natalie
Project Worker

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2021.
Natalie started with Women’s Work as an apprentice, after successfully passing her course, Natalie is now one of our project workers and helps deliver programmes across the Turn Around Project and Women’s Work Heart, as well as assisting families in our Child Contact Centre.

Rachel
Counsellor

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2023.
Rachel initially started as a volunteer whilst studying for a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling. She has fifteen years’ experience working for the NHS prior to joining the Women’s Work team in 2023. Rachels experience working as an advanced practitioner within a community-based therapy team has informed her practice as a counsellor, enabling her to understand the close relationship between Psychological and Physiological wellbeing. In 2022, Rachel completed further study achieving an advanced diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling. She is a registered member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and is actively working towards her accreditation.

Sally
Project Administrator

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2013.
Sally brings a wealth of experience from working abroad with specialities in numerical, quality control and a vast experience with members of the public and all staff levels within large organisations.

Sarah
Project Administrator

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2018.
Sarah has many years’ worth of experience within HR, leading and managing teams in previous roles.  Sarah has a wealth of experience within administration, auditing and implementation of core business strategies.  Sarah has a degree in Psychology from Lancaster University, and is currently looking to complete her basic counselling skills qualification.

Žaneta
Project Worker

Joined the Women’s Work team in 2023.
Žaneta moved to the UK in 2019 to complete her joint honours degree in Criminology and Psychology from the University of Derby, where she currently still works part-time in the business school on various projects, and as a conference coordinator. Žaneta has experience in events and project management, administration, and digital marketing.

Our Ambassadors
Kim Morgan

Kim Morgan is the CEO of Barefoot Coaching, a leading supplier of coaching and coach training, and is an ICF Master Certified Coach. 

She became an Ambassador for Women’s Work in 2020.

With over 30 years’ experience in people development, across all sectors of public and private business, Kim can draw extensively on her experience of what universally works to make great leaders, successful individual, productive teams, happy families, outstanding organisations and brilliant coaches.  

Milly Holder

Milly has been involved with Women’s Work since 2006 and was Chair of the Trustees for ten years. 

Her working life was entirely in education and community work, teaching, devising and managing learning programmes for adults, often from the most disadvantaged and challenging backgrounds – from drug and alcohol rehabilitation, prison, or very complex family situations.

Mrs. Elizabeth Fothergill, CBE DL, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire

The Queen appointed Liz Fothergill CBE DL as Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the County of Derbyshire in July 2020.

Liz was educated in Derby followed by Loughborough and De Montfort Universities. Following her early career as a children’s Librarian, she joined the family manufacturing company, Pennine Healthcare and rose to the position of CEO. Liz was awarded a CBE for services to the healthcare products industry in 2013 and awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Derby in 2014. Following her retirement in 2016 she was appointed as Chairman of Pennine Healthcare – a role she still holds.

Liz became Patron for Women’s Work in 2021.

Pauline Latham OBE MP

Pauline is our very first patron. She has been a Councillor since 1987, was elected as MP for Mid Derbyshire in 2010 and was honoured to hold the position of Mayor of Derby during 2007/08.

Pauline is married to local architect Derek and was born in Lincolnshire, brought up in Nottinghamshire and has lived in Derbyshire since 1970.

She has a special interest in education issues, was a school governor for 12 years and was a parliamentary candidate for Broxtowe in 2001 and stood as a European candidate in 1999 and 2005 for the East Midlands.

Our Trustees
Alison Rees-Jones
Director/Trustee
Amanda Sawford
Director/Trustee
Elaine Hobson
Chair of Trustees
Emma Cox
Director/Trustee
Jacqueline Ingerson
Director/Trustee
Lesley Halliday
Director/Trustee
Marianne Connally
Director/Trustee
Megan Graham
Director/Trustee