To translate into your language
Our Core Team
Abby
Director
Abby works closely with LEAH's trustees and is responsible for ensuring that our strategy, funding, people, and processes are in place to achieve our vision of inclusion through language
Abby has worked as Director of Fundraising and Communications for national and regional charities over the last 15 years, and prior to that worked for various marketing and advertising agencies. Abby enjoys the challenge of leading strategic change and is passionate about maximising the impact that LEAH makes for those communities who desperately need English language support.
Gurpreet
Operations Manager
Gurpreet is responsible for service development, quality and delivery and manages LEAH's diverse programme of activities.
Gurpreet has over 17 years’ of experience working in the charity sector, for both national and local organisations. She has a background in project management, service delivery, marketing and fundraising across the education and health sectors.
Gurpreet volunteers for a charity based in Richmond empowering people to connect with nature to improve their wellbeing.
Elena
Coordinator Team Leader
Elena leads the LEAH Coordinator Team to ensure we achieve our funded commitments as well as directly supporting volunteers and clients.
Elena has extensive experience working with refugees and asylum seekers in reception centres in Greece. Elena has a background of ESOL teaching, organising activities and helping displaced children and adults from countries including Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen integrate in the local community.
Savannah
Coordinator
In 2019, Savannah worked for a NGO in a refugee camp in Samos Greece, teaching English. During that time, a fire in the camp broke out and there was a real emergency crisis. This led to Savannah volunteering and then working for The Refugee Council in the UK, supporting refugee children with their asylum process.
Since that time, she has worked for several refugee and mental health charities.
Savannah also lived and taught English in Thailand for a year, and in her free time she enjoys upcycling furniture.
Kay
Coordinator
Kay is responsible for managing 1:1 tutoring placements, client assessments, volunteer support, client signposting, coordination of community classes, and referral liaison.
Kay has a background in health and project management. She has worked in the voluntary sector for over 25 years for both national and local charities, coordinating projects, running national appeals and in volunteer management roles.
She has extensive experience in working with children and vulnerable adults with additional needs and with English language needs.
Keri
Coordinator
Keri is responsible for our online community classes, as well as supporting tutors with their 1:1 work.
Keri completed her CELTA training in 2015 and has since worked in a variety of ESOL settings, including working abroad in India and Serbia. She has also worked for West Thames College and Kaplan International College, where she was the Welfare and Special Educational Needs Coordinator.
Keri is passionate about inclusion and access to education and excited about helping LEAH volunteers to support vulnerable learners.
Laura
Volunteer and Training Manager
Laura is responsible for recruiting, training and supporting our volunteer tutors. Laura has worked in the voluntary sector for over 20 years for both local and national charities. She has a lot of experience in designing and delivering training to volunteers. Laura has also worked as an adult literacy teacher supporting those that wish to return to education.
In addition, Laura volunteers for a prison literacy charity – training prisoners across a number of prisons to support and mentor other prisoners who struggle with reading.
Aileen
Fundraising Manager
Aileen is responsible for helping to grow fundraising income for the charity, and liaising with our funders to feedback on how we are using their money to help our clients.
Aileen has 20 years’ experience of working in the UK and international charity grants sector where she has worked on human rights, women & girls, HIV/AIDS, refugee, and carers’ rights projects.
Aileen also has experience of teaching English as a Foreign Language in Taiwan, and learning Mandarin Chinese.
Ruth
Office Manager
Ruth is responsible for keeping the LEAH office running smoothly, providing administrative support to the staff team, volunteers and clients, to ensure the successful delivery of LEAH’s services.
Ruth has over 25 years’ experience working in the charity sector, for both national and international organisations.
Ruth has taught English in China and The Gambia with VSO, and was a LEAH volunteer from 2014 to 2020.
