Hazel Slavin (Chair)
Hazel is a Health Promotion and Communications specialist with particular expertise in sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS. She was Principal Lecturer in Health Promotion at South Bank University, London. She has worked on short- and long-term projects in many countries in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, and for various donors and institutions including AMREF, AusAid, BBC World Service Trust, British Council, DFID, EC, FHI, FPA, Ford Foundation, Gates Foundation, Marie Stopes International, Save the Children (UK), WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance.
She worked on an innovative project for BBC World Service Training in India, training radio and television producers to make sex education programmes. She has an MSc in Health Education, an MA in Social Anthropology and two post graduate Diplomas, in Education and in Human Sexuality (sex therapy training). Hazel has recently been appointed as a member of the Global Advisory Group (GAG) for the Gates Foundation-funded ‘Innovations’ initiative the goal of which is to identify and test innovative interventions for maternal, newborn, and child health.
Patricia Croll (Vice Chair)
Patricia has twenty-one years’ experience as a senior international development executive and manager operating at a strategic level in the voluntary sector. As Director of External Relations and Resource Development at Marie Stopes International (MSI), she built from scratch the External Relations and Resource Mobilisation team, evolving the structure, systems, procedures and setting strategy. Her work on Public Affairs, Media and Parliamentary Advocacy, Publications Production aimed at both positioning MSI as the leading agency in its field and building awareness of a range of complex issues among a variety of audiences. Prior to working at MSI Patricia had many years experience in education, counselling and training.
Patricia also serves on the Board of Pupil Parent Partnership, which works with young people and their families in West London.
Anthony Costello (Honorary Secretary)
Anthony Costello is Professor of International Child Health and Director of the UCL Institute for Global Health and UCL Centre for International Health and Development. After clinical training as a paediatrician, and research in neonatology at University College Hospital, London, he spent three years in western Nepal with Save the Children Fund where he gained extensive experience in the management of primary health care programmes. He is currently collaborating with projects in Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Malawi in order to produce strategic research to improve maternal and child health.
Peter Clokey (Treasurer)
Peter is a senior partner in the corporate finance practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has extensive international experience, having led a World Bank project in Tanzania and advised clients in the Middle East and across south-east Asia, where he lived for several years. He previously sat on the Board of Directors of a listed company and currently sits on the Council of the Society of Share and Business Valuers.
Meg Braddock
Meg is a specialist in sexual and reproductive health and rights, with wide experience in programme design, management and technical assistance in developing countries. She has worked in the public and NGO sectors and has 25 years practical experience in programme development in SRHR, public-private partnerships, work with adolescents, and innovative financing methods. She has also worked on integrated rural development, housing and micro-credit programmes. She has Masters degrees in Operational Research and Economics. She lived and worked in Latin America for over 20 years, and now works as a freelance consultant.
Deborah Botwood Smith
Deborah is a Managing Director at global investment firm, Investcorp, where she is responsible for the development and implementation of the firm’s corporate communications strategy on three continents.
Deborah has advised companies at the most senior level on reputation and governance issues, thought leadership and crisis management for over twenty five years. She has an MA in law from University of Cambridge. She is married with a teenage son.
Ron Finlay
Ron Finlay is former chief executive of PR consultancy, Fishburn Hedges, and has over 25 years’ experience in corporate communications, advising clients in the public and private sectors. He has particular experience in the health sector, and has been responsible for running the PR for several government public health campaigns. He is a member of the Communications Advisory Board for Cambridge University and a member of the Public Liaison Committee of the British Thoracic Society. He has an MA in Economics and is married with two daughters.
Paola de Leo
Currently Executive Director of Brightwide, a new website featuring the very best of social and political cinema, Paola was formerly Head of the Global Major Donor Programme for Amnesty International. Since 2000 she has dedicated herself to marketing, communications and major donor fundraising for the non-profit sector, working with GOAL UK, Children in Need Institute (CINI) Calcutta, “The Sphere Project” - Care International UK and Save the Children. Prior to her not-for-profit career, she worked in the private sector covering management positions at Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse.
Mary Walsh
Mary is communications specialist with over 20 years experience of managing communications programmes for a number of high profile businesses. Since October 2009, she has been Director of Corporate Communications at Eurostar, the rail service between the UK and the continent, and is responsible for managing communications with the media, stakeholders and employees. She joined Eurostar from Lloyds TSB Group where she spent 10 years, initially as Head of Media Relations and then as Director of Corporate Relations. Mary began her career in PR consultancy at Ogilvy and Mather running campaigns for a range of corporate and consumer businesses. Prior to Lloyds TSB she was Director of Public Relations for PKF, the professional services firm.
Douglas Whitewright
Douglas has 31 years senior management experience in the international charity sector. His role as a Finance Director enabled him to focus on introducing effective and productive cost-efficiency programmes that delivered consistent and ongoing financial benefits. He has extensive experience of working in challenging overseas environments and in finding and implementing solutions that meet the needs of all stakeholders. Douglas now provides consultancy services to charities, social enterprises and SMEs on financial and operational management issues.
Anthony Williams
Tony is Reader in Child Nutrition and Consultant in Neonatal Paediatrics at St. George’s , University of London. He has thirty five years of clinical experience in paediatrics and has a particular interest in infant and childhood nutrition. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and of the Royal College of Physicians and a member of the British Association for Perinatal Medicine. He has worked with a number of governmental and non-governmental organisations in the field of child nutrition.
