Our people

Alveena Malik

Co-Founder and Director, One Million Mentors

With twenty years’ experience working on social justice issues, Alveena is co-founder and director of One Million Mentors, working with technology to transform the process of mentoring for all.

Will Tanner

Founding Director, Onward

Will Tanner is the founding director of the campaigning thinktank Onward. He previously advised Theresa May (2013 to 2017), was a special adviser in the Home Office, and deputy head of policy in 10 Downing Street. He has worked for communications firm, Portland, and for the independent thinktank, Reform.

Saffron Woodcraft

Programme Lead, Institute for Global Prosperity, UCL

Saffron is an anthropologist who leads a long-term research and innovation programme about sustainable prosperity in East London at UCL.  She convenes the London Prosperity Board, a partnership between UCL, government, businesses and communities, to rethink what prosperity means for London’s neighbourhoods.

Nicola Bacon

Foundation Director, Social Life

Nicola is the director of a centre for expertise on innovation and peacemaking, set up by The Young Foundation. She was our director of local and advisory projects until 2012, leading programmes with councils and other partner agencies on local social innovation, communities and wellbeing. She was previously at the Home Office, and director of policy at Shelter.

Radhika Bynon

Portfolio Manager, Guy's and St Thomas Foundation

Radhika has led community projects tackling inequality. She worked with the Prime Minister’s Council on Social Action, and led a national initiative supporting over 1,000 secondary schools to deliver strong community programmes. She was CEO of Mental Health Media, and is now portfolio manager, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fund at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation

Rushanara Ali

Labour Member of Parliament, Bethnal Green and Bow

Rushanara Ali is the Labour Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow who resigned from the front bench in 2014. She is a member of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee. She was previously associate director of The Young Foundation.

Seán Carey PhD

Senior Research Fellow, University of Manchester

With a deep interest in ethnicity and migration, Seán has dedicated much of his career to studying the Bangladeshi community in east London. He is also focused on the economic, political and social organisation of Mauritius, and has written on this for platforms including The Guardian, New African, and New Statesman.

Yvonne Roberts

Novelist and journalist

Yvonne is former chief leader writer of The Observer. She was the University of Sussex’s first political writer in residence. She is chair of trustees of Women in Prison, an adviser to All About Trans, working to change the media’s view of transgender people, and a member of the feminist Women’s Budget Group.

Neil Reeder

Director, Head and Heart Economics

Neil specialises in analysing strategy for productivity and innovation in public services. He previously headed Preventative Investment Programme, spanning agendas from public health to homelessness. A major aspect of this work included the development of the theory and practice behind Social Impact Bonds.

Maryanna Abdo

Emerging Markets Education Director, Parthenon-EY

Maryanna works with leading global advisors to the education sector. She is now based in Singapore after four years in Mumbai, and serves clients from sub-Saharan Africa to Indonesia. Maryanna previously worked with The Young Foundation and a range of other policy and non-profit organisations.

Marcia Brophy

Senior Mental Health Advisor, Save the Children International

Marcia is a child psychologist wellbeing and mental health specialist, currently working for Save the Children International, based in Jordan. She has previously worked for UNHCR in Bangladesh, and worked in Sri Lanka for ChildFund International, Shanthiham, and for the Sri Lankan Government’s Department of Health. 

Lucy Kimbell

Professor of Contemporary Design Practices, University of the Arts London

Lucy is a researcher, educator and consultant. At University of the Arts London, she runs the Innovation Insights Hub, a research centre developing practical projects with other disciplines. Her research examines the emergence of ‘design thinking’ and its application to social and policy challenges.