Our core team

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Our Core Team

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.

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.

Coordinator

Rebecca is responsible for volunteer recruitment as well as 1:1 home tutoring placements, volunteer support and coordinating community classes.

“What I like best about LEAH is how great relationships develop among clients and volunteers as their confidence and abilities grow – whether they are learning or teaching English.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.