Art Director

Convenor & Trustee

Helen Pankhurst CBE

Helen is an international women’s right’s activist, awards finalist, scholar and writer, with roles at CARE International and Centenary Action alongside GM4Women2028. The great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst, Helen continues her family’s legacy by convening our organisation, guiding our work to track and improve gender equality across Greater Manchester. She has decades of experience in advocacy, research and partnership-building, ensuring we remain a powerful voice for change.

Tech Lead

Chair & Trustee

Sofia Higgins

Sofia has more than a decade of experience as an equalities professional, beginning her career in welfare rights, thus bringing both front-line knowledge and strategic leadership to her role as Chair of our Board of Trustees, and guiding our mission to advance gender equality across Greater Manchester. Amongst Sofia's many defining accomplishments are creating Manchester’s flagship International Women’s Day 'Walk for Women' event and undertaking PhD research for the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, exploring intersectional strategies and success factors for racially minoritised women senior leaders in the third sector. Driven by a deep commitment to creating better outcomes for women and girls, she's a passionate advocate for inclusion and change.

Product Manager

Secretary & Trustee
Claire Pattison

​Claire is the Secretary and possesses a wealth of expertise in leadership, innovation and programme delivery garnered from her long-standing post at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Centre for Enterprise. As a seasoned project manager, Claire plays a pivotal role supporting our ongoing Scorecard project. With strong educational credentials – not least a BA in Politics, Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice and almost-complete Doctor of Philosophy in Gender and Entrepreneurial Identity – she combines administrative precision, academia and strategic insight to keep our charity moving forward.

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Treasurer & Trustee
Tess Page

Tess is a Trustee and Treasurer, overseeing our charity’s financial management and fundraising. In her day job, Tess is an Actuary who advises institutional investors on investment strategy and risk management. She sits on the Diversity Project’s Advisory Council and the Advisory Group of Pensions for Purpose, and is passionate about improving outcomes for women and girls. Tess has a Masters in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford.

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Co-Chair of Ops & Comms Committee & Trustee
Professor Francine Morris

Francine is a driving force for innovation and inclusion – serving as a Trustee and Co-Chair of our Ops & Comms Committee. In her daytime role as Associate Dean at the University of Salford, she champions sustainable innovation and intersectional gender equity, having generated significant funding and supported over 150 businesses through the University’s Business School. A respected mentor and advocate, Francine leads inclusive initiatives, supports minority entrepreneurs and directs impactful projects like our Dialogue, Deeds and Determination events and Scorecard reporting.

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Co-Chair of Ops & Comms Committee
Claire-Marie Boggiano

Claire-Marie is Co-Chair of the Ops & Comms Committee – a responsibility she shares with Francine. A Chartered Engineer with an MBA from Alliance Manchester Business School, Claire-Marie is a Coach and Consultant at Lurig Leadership & Change & Development, Associate at The Strategy House and Associate Operating Partner at Gunnercooke. Through her work as mentor and ambassador for multiple organisations, including Women on Boards, Queen Bee Coaching and The Pankhurst Trust, she promotes gender equality and expands inclusive leadership opportunities throughout Greater Manchester.

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Trustee
Cordie Gwilym

Cordie is a professional coach, social worker and people leader whose background in public sector transformation brings invaluable insight to GM4Women2028, as it combines front-line experience of people’s everyday challenges with the knowledge needed to influence systems, services and policy for lasting change. Her vast experience in programme management and facilitating inclusive wellbeing conversations equip her with a grounded blend of compassion, strategic vision and practical expertise, thereby making her a powerful force for driving gender equity.

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Trustee
Amy Cubey

Amy has strong expertise in policy, communications and advocacy which is hugely beneficial to her role as Trustee to champion the voices of women and girls, and ensure our messages are clearly heard by all stakeholders. Currently Greater Manchester Policy & Communications Lead for The Effective Women's Centres Partnership, she works closely with both academics and those directly supporting women experiencing multiple unmet needs to identify the challenges facing women and build evidence on the impact trauma-informed, gender-responsive support can make. Amy started her career as a journalist before moving into charity sector communications, working on causes including loneliness and social cohesion. This supports our commitment to representing diverse perspectives and linking policy makers with women and communities whose voices are less often heard.

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Trustee
Nadia Ali

Nadia is a passionate and inspiring community leader who brings invaluable grassroots insight to her role as Trustee at GM4Women2028. In her posts as Network Lead for Stockport Women & Girls (SWAG) and General Manager of Heaton Norris Community Centre, she transformed a local community service into a vibrant hub offering inclusive sessions serving diverse and marginalised communities. Through her organisation, Make a Difference, Nadia delivers cultural, recreational and support-focused activities across Greater Manchester. A committed advocate for women and girls, her lived experiences, relentless drive and unwavering compassion amplify voices across the region and align deeply with our mission.

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Trustee
Bea Forrester

Bea is a policy adviser for the Refugee, Asylum and Migration Policy (RAMP) Project at the GMCA with an extensive background in politics, communications and advocacy. She's worked in high-profile roles across Parliament, the voluntary sector and consultancy, including supporting senior MPs, leading communications and policy change for refugee resettlement, and delivering stakeholder engagement at national and local levels. With a Degree in Politics & International Relations and a Graduate Diploma in Law, Bea brings both academic insight and practical experience of working at the heart of decision making. Her expertise in strategy, community engagement and public policy helps GM4Women2028 push for meaningful progress on gender equality across Greater Manchester.

Product Manager

Trustee

Sherree Schaefer

Sherree is a seasoned executive and non-executive director with significant experience in human resources, organisational development and corporate social responsibility. She's previously served as Chief People & Culture Officer at Pay.UK and currently contributing to governance as Lay Council Member and Senior Remuneration Committee Member at Keele University while simultaneously working as Executive Coach at 10Eighty. With a Masters in Organisational Development and substantial experience across sectors – including utilities, education, financial services and consulting – Sherree brings strategic insight, inclusive leadership and deep expertise in culture-building to her Trustee role. Her commitment to equitable workplace transformation and empowering leadership equips our board to drive progressive, sustainable change for women and girls in Greater Manchester.

Product Manager

Trustee

Katrina Fletcher

Katrina is a dedicated community leader and project manager with extensive experience in Greater Manchester's VCSE sector. She currently works as Programme Manager for Bolton Together, Children, Young People and Families Consortium, coordinating initiatives that support children, young people and families; including managing partnerships with early years VCSE providers, statutory organisations and commissioners. Alongside this, Katrina is also a Board Trustee at Home-Start HOST and has previously held roles with Salford CVS, Queen Bee Coaching and The University of Greater Manchester, where she lectured as part of the Applied and Community Arts Masters. Holding a Degree in Theatre and a Masters in Applied and Community Arts, Katrina combines her academic grounding with over a decade of experience in community, voluntary and social enterprise work. She believes access to community, arts and culture is essential for women, girls and working class communities, both as a means of empowerment and as a driver of social change. Passionate about equity, the VCSE sector and community empowerment, she brings a wealth of skills in management, partnership working, arts and culture and programme development – as well as an unwavering commitment to creating positive change for women, girls and families in the region. 

Product Manager

Admin & Project Manager
Jennet Ingram

Jennet holds the job of Admin & Project Manager, utilising her rich blend of marketing, communications and event management skills at GM4Women2028. Co-author of A Practical Guide to Marketing for Lawyers, she’s adept at copywriting and crafting clear, compelling messaging. Jennet oversees project coordination and administration across our organisation, ensuring smooth delivery of public engagement events, and accurate management of activities and finances. Her attention to detail, creativity and organisational specialisms keep our charity focused, effective and engaging. With a Masters in Women's Studies, Jennet is a passionate advocate of better outcomes for women and girls in Greater Manchester.