Our people
Helen Goulden OBE
Chief Executive Officer
Helen leads our multi-disciplinary team of researchers and innovators to support stronger communities across the UK. Previous roles were at Nesta, in the private sector, and in government. She was awarded an OBE for services to development of sustainable communities in the 2023 New Year Honours List.
Dr Henry Kippin
CEO, North of Tyne Combined Authority
Henry is a Strategic Adviser to The Young Foundation. He was formerly an executive director at the West Midlands Combined Authority, responsible for its work on inclusive growth, public service reform, climate change and digital.
Holly Smith
Civic Scholar
Holly is a PhD student at University College London, where her thesis looks at community action. She has a focus on high-rise estates in Britain from 1967 to 2015. An interest in social justice is at the heart of her research.
Iqra Farooq
HR Manager
Iqra manages the HR department and provides support across the organisation. Prior to joining The Young Foundation in 2017, she worked at AEG Europe, based at the O2, in a similar capacity. Iqra has more than five years’ HR experience and is CIPD-qualified.
Isaac Stanley
Nesta
Isabella Pereira
Head of the Institute for Community Studies
Previously Head of Qualitative Research Methods at Ipsos’s Social Research Institute, Isabella is a qualitative and mixed methods expert with more than 15 years’ experience in researching vulnerable audiences. Her published research includes work on the resettlement of Syrian refugees for the Home Office, and on the Living Home Standard for Shelter.
Islam Jalaita
Community Advisory Board
Islam brings 15 years’ experience, knowledge, understanding and strategic thinking, working with diverse communities to empower people to lead and nurture resilient communities.
Dr Jack Layton
Senior Researcher
Jack is passionate about making our towns and cities better places to live. As part of the team at the Institute for Community Studies, he works to ensure people’s voices across the country are heard and their needs prioritised.