Board of trustees
The Women’s Aid Board of Trustees is responsible for setting the strategic direction of Women’s Aid, ensuring that the charity complies with all its legal and regulatory requirements and that the charity’s governance is of the highest possible standard. The diversity of the Board is currently reflected with representation from all sectors including voluntary management, legal and financial expertise, and equality and diversity professionals. Just over half of the trustees are appointed from Women’s Aid members. As Women’s Aid is a Charitable Company, board members are Directors and Trustees of the Company.
Madi Makgoba-Tupin is a South African born Social Care Commissioning Consulting working nationally with both local authorities and providers. Her main areas of interest are Mental Health, Learning Disabilties and Older People. She is co-Director of a Care company and she has run a membership organisation for Black Professionals since 2006.
Dickie worked within the domestic violence sector for over thirty years, and as Chief Executive Officer of Staffordshire Women’s Aid for over 25 years. As well as leading and developing this local grass roots VAWG organisation, Dickie has a strong record for national and international work in the field. She has contributed to national research on domestic and sexual violence, participated in several international research projects on violence against women, in particular focussing on the experiences for and impacts on older women and women and children living in isolated rural communities. She also has a number of publications in the field.
Dickie has experience of governance at local, national, and international levels, and a strong belief in the ethos of voluntary trusteeship and feminist leadership which she aims to bring to the Board of WAFE.
In 2018, Dickie was awarded an MBE for her services to victims of domestic violence. She stepped back from her role as CEO of Staffordshire Women’s Aid in 2023 and currently works as a VAWG consultant within the UK sector, as well as for the Council of Europe where she works in different member states to embed the Istanbul Convention.
Dickie is a survivor of domestic violence and has a strong belief in bringing the local to the national and internation dimensions in her work. She believes that the Personal is not only the Political, it is also Global.
Lindsey is a qualified accountant with a background in Local Government. She previously held senior finance positions in two London boroughs, specialising in Housing and Social Services. She is an experienced non-executive director, having been Treasurer of a number of charities providing innovative support to vulnerable people, including those with mental illness and learning disabilities. She also served as Lay Deputy Chair of Brent Clinical Commissioning Group, and chaired a variety of committees both in Brent and in the North West London health system.
Biography to follow.
Biography to follow.
Biography to follow.
Hollie joined the Women’s Aid Board of Trustees in 2024. Hollie has worked in the domestic abuse sector for over 20 years and as a proud feminist has always been passionate about the work of the women’s movement and it all it has achieved over the years to challenge sex-based oppression, whilst recognising there is still plenty more to do!
Currently, Hollie is the CEO for Sheffield Women’s Aid, a small specialist domestic abuse charity established in 1974 where she leads a small team delivering life-saving, safe and secure refuge and dispersed accommodation. Hollie is also currently a trustee for a local domestic abuse charity, a committee member for Children in Need and a mentor for South Yorkshire Mentors.
Passionate about ensuring survivor voice is prioritised and the work of the movement championed, Hollie is committed to supporting Women’s Aid by ensuring the Charity’s strategic direction complies with all legal and regulatory requirements and that governance is of the highest possible standard.
Sue Coleman has had an eclectic career in both the voluntary sector and in local and central government, and it was joining a Women’s Aid refuge in Romford in East London in the early 1980s that sparked a lifetime’s commitment to the empowerment of women and children affected by abuse, disadvantage and discrimination.
Sue went on to become the Chief Executive of domestic abuse charity The Haven in Wolverhampton for 10 years, and later held roles as Assistant Director for Partnerships and Youth Services at Wolverhampton Council, and as head of early help and integrated children’s services in Cornwall, and then in Staffordshire. In the 1990s Sue also led for the Home Office in advising West Midlands’ local and health authorities on setting up the first Drug Action Teams, and championed work nationally to inspire and evaluate community development approaches for the prevention of substance misuse.
Prevention, partnership working and co-production have been strong themes throughout her career. Supporting the collective action of women in local communities to protect, nurture and create opportunities for each other and their children has been the work of which she is most proud.
Sue joined West Mercia Women’s Aid as CEO in December 2016 where she is privileged to be able to do just that.
Amanda Elwen has spent over 25 years passionately designing and delivering support services for victims of domestic abuse.
As the co-founder of The Emily Davison Centre, the UK’s first Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Hub, she has created a transformative space for 46 frontline domestic abuse specialists and 4 charities, providing critical support to over 7,000 victims every year.
Currently, she serves as the business manager for Paladin, the national stalking advocacy service, while also being a director and founder of HARV Housing and HARV Domestic Abuse Services. Her dedication extends to her role on the board of Women’s Aid Federation for England.
Amanda holds a master’s in business administration, an undergraduate degree in Youth and Community Studies, a postgraduate diploma in Voluntary Sector Management, Social Work, and Safeguarding Children. She has co-authored numerous academic research projects and was honoured with an Honorary Fellowship by the University of Central Lancashire in 2023 for her remarkable contributions to society.
In 2021, Amanda established The Loving Me Service, the first national domestic abuse service for Trans and non-binary individuals, providing specialised support. The opening of the first refuge in January 2024, accommodating seven individuals, marks a pivotal moment of hope and safety. Amanda received a diversity award from DIVA and appeared in the top 100 powerful Lesbians list sponsored by London Stock Exchange in recognition of this work.
Throughout her career, Amanda has remained steadfast in her commitment to embedding diversity and anti-oppressive practices at the heart of her work, exemplifying her authentic leadership and inspiring the change needed in society.
Biography to follow.
