Charity HR and Legal conference 2025 - Speakers

Carla combines expertise in employment and data protection law with experience and understanding of the not-for-profit sector.

She supports diverse charities including those working in the arts, education, environment, homelessness, health, social care and international development sectors, as well as professional membership bodies.

Carla is able to call on her HR, regulatory and safeguarding knowledge to get to the bottom of knotty problems and offer creative solutions.

Clients appreciate Carla’s calm and clear advice on complex and sensitive matters.

Carla qualified as a solicitor in 2012 and joined Russell-Cooke in 2017. She became a partner in 2022.

Utilising over 30 years of experience providing consultancy services and programmes in the UK and internationally, Judeline works with organisations to develop their people to be the best they can be with a particular emphasis on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion matters.

Judeline is a Lay Panel Member of Employment Tribunals (Discrimination) and was highly commended for her work on EDI by the Institute of Directors coaching C-Suite, Boards, and aspiring leaders through challenging conversations to achieve their personal and business aspirations. Judeline is also chair the Norfolk Race Equality, Human Rights Network and a judge with the Third Sector Awards.

Stephenie has many years’ experiences as a trainer for the Directory of Social Change and has been a facilitator, consultant, and trainer for the voluntary and community sector for 22 years. Stephenie has worked for national and local charities, local authorities, and housing associations, and has 30 years front line experience as a volunteer, manager, and Chief Officer for community organisations.

Stephenie is the main author and senior reviewer and assessor of PreVISIBLE, an accredited quality standard development tool that tests the management systems, policies, and procedures which community, voluntary and charitable organisations have in place, against legal requirements and best practice. The tool is the adopted standard for many local authorities regarding community asset transfer.

Uday has over 40 years’ experience of organisational and management support. His skills and knowledge have been honed through starting and managing one charity and two social enterprises.

Uday has worked with thousands of individuals and social economy organisations in the UK and globally. He has created numerous toolkits, manuals and guides for a host of umbrella organisations and local and regional authorities.

Uday specialises in strategy, leadership, finance, governance and impact. He is an award-winning mentor. Uday has also been a trustee of two national charities and is the chair of a health charity.

Annette has over 13 years’ experience of working in the charity sector and is currently working in a senior leadership role. She has also worked in learning and development, project development, events, customer service, retail and office administration.

Annette also leads on DSC EDI work and is a member of the civil society working group on tackling racism in the sector. Currently Annette is a trustee of Polly, a support service for women. This is Annette’s first and only trustee role.

Through Annette’s work in the charity sector, she has seen the impact that charities have on communities, the support they give to individuals and how they help to create a better society. It is because of this Annette wants to help with the launch of Polly and the support the service it will give, to all women and girls across the UK.

Mark is a certified GDPR Data Protection Practitioner and founder of Hope and May. Over the past 12 years he has worked alongside more than 1000 charities delivering advice and guidance. His team represents more than fifty charities of all types as the permanent GDPR Data Protection Officer (DPO) and as a result, have amassed considerable experience of the law and how it specifically impacts charities.

Hope and May are the sole trusted supplier of advice to members of the NCVO and ACEVO and to grantees of the Lloyds Bank Foundation, and they are a corporate member of the ACO.

Alison works with charities, social enterprises and other not-for-profits to provide legal and practical advice on governance and commercial matters, including establishing new charities, incorporations, mergers, commercial contracts, fundraising, trading and regulatory matters involving the Charity Commission.

She has been advising third sector organisations for a number of years, having previously worked in the charities and not-for-profits department of another top charity firm in Australia before joining Russell-Cooke. Alison has a particular expertise in advising clients working internationally.

Alison enjoys getting to know her clients to enable her to provide advice that is clear, practical and pragmatic.

She sits on the board of Sisters of the Good Samaritan Foundation.