Board of Trustees

Vicki is a freelance consultant providing strategic advice and support to organisations and their staff to help them deliver lasting change. She is experienced at working across a range of public policy issues, and is skilled in campaigning and influencing, policy and public affairs, stakeholder relationships and wider external communications and strategy. Vicki started her career in local government before moving into the charity sector, where she worked at the Holocaust Educational Trust and Breakthrough Breast Cancer. She was most recently Associate Director of External Relations at the mental health charity Mind.

Philippa Hill is a Partner in Forensic and Investigation Services at Grant Thornton UK LLP, where she has specialised in accounting disputes and investigations since 2001. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and was a statutory auditor of small and mid-sized businesses for four years prior to specialising in Forensics.

Philippa has particular experience of advising regulators, companies and their legal advisers on the causes and the impact of accounting misrepresentation, corporate failures, professional negligence and fraud.

Philippa is a Non-Executive Director of Pause and she sits on the Finance and Risk sub-committees to the Board.

Lara is Deputy Director, Children’s Services, at Oxfordshire County Council. Lara started her career over 25 years ago working in children’s social care as a Social Worker and Approved Social Worker. Lara moved to The Children’s Society in 2003, where she was Assistant Director for London and the SE for 10 years. Whilst there, Lara oversaw and developed local and national projects working with vulnerable children, families and communities, including national policy, campaigning and influencing work for young carers.

Lara has extensive experience of leading children’s safeguarding services and of delivering significant organisational change, including developing multi-agency services across statutory and voluntary organisations. In her current role, Lara has led the implementation of the Oxfordshire MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub), the Youth Justice and Exploitation Service and Pause Oxfordshire which opened in 2021. Lara chairs a number of partnership boards including the local Pause board and is the safeguarding and wellbeing governor of a local primary school.

Peter is charity director and part owner of Forster Communications, a specialist social change PR agency. For the past 14 years, he has headed Forster’s strategic communications work for civil society organisations. Working with charity and foundation leadership teams, he is an expert in helping organisations build trust and profile – from positioning and narrative development to hands-on reputation management support and campaigning.

He has a background in campaigning, often translating complex and controversial topics so they are accessible and compelling and has worked with a huge range of civil society organisations, including the Holocaust Education Trust, For Baby’s Sake Trust. Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, NHS Charities Together, Girlguiding, Sightsavers, Campaign to End Loneliness, Eden Project Communities, Liberty, Stonewall and Anna Freud – National Centre for Children and Families. He has worked in the civil society sector for over 25 years and developed the Gift Aid It brand, which has generated over £500m in additional income for charities.

Helen works for the General Medical Council as an Employer Liaison Adviser for the South East of England. She is experienced at advising and supporting senior leaders on complex issues to do with professional regulation.

Before her current role, Helen was a senior civil servant who worked in many areas of health policy, including patient safety, quality and mental health.

Helen also has experience of the charity sector, and was previously a trustee of Cruse Bereavement Support.

Frayer is an Operations Coordinator at a not-for-profit, with experience in case management, grant writing and communications. She holds a diploma in health and social care and has worked with the Department for Education and the Ministry of Justice through Pause workshops, advocating for better support for families in the family court system.   

The Pause Programme has been life-changing for Frayer, empowering her and helping her grow. She’s excited and honoured to continue supporting women and their children as a Trustee, contributing to Pause’s longevity and success. Frayer believes that support after the family court is a right all woman should have access to.  

In her free time, Frayer loves baking and volunteers with Free Cakes for Kids. 

Geeta was a Family Law Solicitor and Advocate for over 30 years, specialising in the law relating to children and working at various London firms. She has always been a keen advocate for women and children and has good knowledge and experience of the social care and legal systems affecting women who have had children removed from their care. 

In addition, she has lectured on family law to social workers and acted as an Independent Visitor to a child in care. Since leaving private practice, Geeta has had various volunteering roles in the community and divides her time between London and Devon. 

Grace works for the Medical Defence Union (MDU) as a Senior Medical Claims Handler, where she supports doctors and dentists who are being sued. As part of her day-to-day role, she navigates the legal system and analyses medicolegal evidence.  Prior to joining the MDU in 2012, she had been a doctor for five years, with experience of working in the NHS and Australia.  
 
She has been a team manager since 2015 and regularly seeks feedback from her direct reports, where comments include: 
 
“…team members are made to feel comfortable in expressing their views… Grace encourages a strong and cohesive team environment where all team members get on and support each other.” 
 
Grace was inspired to work for Pause because of the charity’s commitment to improving the lives of some of the most vulnerable women in our communities. She hopes she can bring her knowledge and skills to Pause, so it can continue to grow and thrive. 

Linda is Head of Patient and Public Partnerships at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, where she leads patient and community engagement. She has a strong background in stakeholder management and collaboration to improve and influence healthcare, ensuring it is patient-centred and inclusive. Prior to healthcare engagement and strategy, Linda worked in communications, branding and events but has always been passionate about social justice issues, supporting vulnerable groups and creating a fairer and more equitable society.   

Lynn has just retired from being the Family Judge in charge of the Central Family Court in London, having been a judge for 25 years. Before that, Lynn was a Legal Aid Solicitor, specialising in helping women and children involved in care proceedings or needing protection from domestic abuse. She has admired and respected the work of Pause for many years and is delighted to have the opportunity to help in its important work.

Monica offers over a decade of senior strategic experience within the public sector. Specialising in organisational development, strategic planning and operations management, they are dedicated to enhancing operational efficiency while promoting inclusive workplace cultures.  

Currently, Monica is the Interim Change Implementation Leader at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), focusing on strategic change initiatives.  

Recognised for innovation and leadership, Monica served as the Director of Outcomes, Business Intelligence & Strategy at the London Borough of Hackney, spearheading cultural transformation and significant cost-saving initiatives. Their work as Head of Education Operations highlighted their ability to implement advanced technology solutions and improve regulatory readiness.  

Earlier in their career, Monica held roles as Operations Manager and Health Improvement Advanced Practitioner, achieving notable improvements in employee engagement and public health initiatives. Monica holds an MSc in Public Health, along with various leadership certifications.  

With a strategic vision and deep commitment to equity and inclusion, Monica is committed to leveraging their expertise to support and empower individuals.

Niki has more than 40 years’ experience working in the public sector, including the last ten at corporate/executive director level. In 2016 was awarded an OBE for services to children’s social care. 

Niki previously worked for Leicestershire and Suffolk County Councils and Suffolk Primary Care Trusts. In 2005, she moved to Cambridgeshire and was appointed Service Director of Children’s Social Care, before taking up the role of Chief Executive of Slough Children’s Services Trust from 2015 until 2018 when she ‘retired’. She then worked as an interim Director of Children Services in both Hull and Stoke-on-Trent City Councils.  

Having worked in local authorities that deliver the Pause Programme, Niki is delighted to have the opportunity to be part of Pause’s Board of Trustees. She hopes she will make a positive contribution by bringing her knowledge and skills from many years of working on the frontline.