Jenny Coles CBE
Appointed Chair: February 2023
J
enny qualified as a social worker in 1986 and was a senior manager in Local Authority Children’s Services from 1997 onwards. She worked extensively in children’s safeguarding, looked after children and quality assurance, and also managed integrated youth and youth justice services, education and Special Educational Needs and Disability. Jenny became Director of Children’s Services for Hertfordshire County Council in 2010 and retired in August 2021. Jenny was President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) from April 2020 – April 2021. She was appointed Chair of Trustees of What Works for Children’s Social Care in June 2021 and then became a trustee of Foundations in January 2023. She has been a trustee of Coram since 2017 and is now Vice Chair of the Coram board of trustees as well as a member of the National Children’s Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
Richard Fass
Appointed as Treasurer: January 2021
Richard is a Londoner and a Chartered Accountant. He was previously CEO of the Jewish Chronicle Newspaper and Head of Finance of the Alzheimer’s Society.
He has been a non-executive director of Central and North West London NHS Mental Health Trust, chairing the Audit Committee, board Complaints Convenor, chaired inquiries into suicides on ward and chaired Manager’s Hearings for patients detained under the Mental Health Act. He was a Non-Executive Director of Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust and served on various committees.
He has been treasurer, trustee and volunteer for several other health related charities including 10 years as Treasurer of the Centre for Mental Health. He is currently a volunteer with the Court Witness Service at the Old Baily helping witnesses & victims to/of serious crimes through process of giving evidence in court. He also supports “litigants in person” at the Central Family Court.
Dominic Beard-Stevens
Appointed Trustee: June 2024
Dominic studied law at university, achieving First Class Honours. However, his passion for public services, especially those focused on the welfare of children and young people, led him to a career outside of the legal sector. He has led complex projects and programmes, including ministerial priorities in the Ministry of Justice, Home Office, Department for Transport, Department for Education, and for the Australian Government.He is experienced in leading long-term strategies to enable system reform and transform the operations of different organisations. Essential to this, Dominic has a proven track record of developing effective working relationships across government, with blue-chip companies, and the voluntary sector. Today, Dominic works as a Principal Management Consultant at Cadence Innova where he established and has overseen their support of our annual Voices creating writing competition for care experienced children and young people.
Daisy Boehm Ryan
Appointed Trustee: January 2021
Daisy has a background in trust and foundation grant-making including roles at Tudor Trust, John Lyon’s Charity, The Henry Smith Charity and five years at BBC Children in Need across both the Grants Team and the Funding Partnerships Team. She is currently managing the portfolio of children and young people’s work at Fidelity UK Foundation. She has been an Independent Visitor for many years – which she hugely enjoys! – and is the former chair of the National Independent Visitor Network steering group which works to support, promote and improve IV services. Daisy is a former trustee of the Kensington and Chelsea Social Council and is committed to strengthening the voice of the voluntary sector and promoting the fantastic work of diverse community groups.
Jonny Hoyle
Appointed Trustee: June 2017
Jonny is a 32 year old care leaver. He has three children and was a social worker in Scarborough in North Yorkshire until July 2017 when he left to manage a Leaving Care Team.
Jonny helped to set up the charity A National Voice when he was 18 and was a trustee of the charity and chair for 8 years until it became a part of Coram Voice in 2017.
Between 2003 and 2013, Jonny was a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Looked After Children. From 2011 and 2013 he was a member of the Social Work Reform Board which worked to change Social Work and develop the College of Social Work.
Jonny continues to advocate for and with young people in and leaving care. He was presented with an award by Tony Blair in 2005 for his work with young people; received a “Making a difference” award by North Yorkshire County Council; was named in the 2009 “who’s who” of Britain’s youngest directors and in 2016 was a finalist in the Social Worker of the Year Awards.
Rachel Malik
Appointed Trustee: March 2023
Rachel is an Investment Advisor and is passionate about ESG, climate and impact investing. Rachel graduated from the University of Birmingham with a BA Hons in Economic and Social History. During her undergraduate degree she was awarded 4 international scholarships which allowed her to study across the globe. In 2016 she was awarded a scholarship to study her Masters in Beijing. Rachel graduated with a Masters in World Economics and Chinese Studies in 2018. Rachel is passionate about equality and social mobility. She is a One Young World Ambassador and the Co-Chair of the Women in Banking and Finance’s UK Future Leader’s Shadow Board.
Sharon Reid
Appointed Trustee: February 2019
Sharon has more than 20 years marketing experience gained across agency and private sector businesses; facilitating the development and delivery of customer engagement plans.
Alongside Sharon’s marketing career, she has always had an interest in people; looking to work directly to guide, advise and help in aspects of personal and career development. Having trained as a mentor, Sharon is experienced with working with individuals to support them in the delivery of personal goals by looking at alternative ways of thinking and problem solving, in addition to helping them have a voice to express their dreams or concerns to achieve their ambitions.
Nia Thomas
Appointed Trustee: January 2021
Nia was born and grew up in west Wales, moving to Cardiff to study Law and Japanese in the mid 90s. She began her career in the NHS, where she stayed for nearly 10 years working in local and national roles whilst studying her masters in public services. She moved to local government in the late 2000s to co-ordinate and manage early years and family support services, working closely with children’s social services and education. In 2006, Nia qualified as a reflexologist and practiced for 10 years until returning to university to study a doctorate in business administration, having recently submitted her thesis for examination. Nia was sworn in as a magistrate over 10 years ago and has sat on both adult courts and family panels. Nia moved to London nearly 2 years ago and now works at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.
Kevin Venosi
Appointed Trustee: April 2017
Kevin Venosi worked in the public sector for over 35 years originally in the commercial arena but later leading on major government projects and programmes. Kevin worked for 15 years at the Youth Justice Board as Director of Operations and Commissioning providing strategic leadership for the effective provision of youth justice services across the secure custodial estate. Kevin is passionate about improving services delivered to children and particularly those who come into contact with the youth justice system and he is a strong advocate for the safe and appropriate care of children held deprived of their liberty.
Kevin is also the Chair of the Feltham Community Chaplaincy Trust which is a charity dedicated to providing community mentors to young people leaving custody to support their effective resettlement.