About Our people Our staff Penny East, Chief Executive Penny is Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society, the UK’s leading charity campaigning for women’s rights and against misogyny since 1866. She has over fifteen years’ experience in the charity sector, leading national campaigns at SafeLives to shape the Domestic Abuse Bill 2021 and launching the UK’s first domestic abuse perpetrator programme with the Home Office and National Lottery. Penny has also held senior roles in mental health, international development, and major public campaigns, including work with the UN Refugee Council, Comic Relief, and the London 2012 Olympic legacy team. A Clore Social Fellow specialising in gender equality, she holds an MA in Investigative Journalism. Policy, Research and Public Affairs The Policy and Research team carries out research and gathers evidence to enable us to give authoritative comment on the key issues that concern women today. We develop policy to inform debates, often working closely with like-minded organisations to develop up-to-the-minute and thorough research. Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer - Alison Paton Alison began her career in Scottish local government, providing frontline support in homeless accommodation and working with survivors of domestic abuse. She later transitioned to Westminster, where she worked as a Parliamentary Researcher. Over the past five years in the House of Commons, Alison's policy work has focused on Women and Equalities, Social Justice, and International Development. Her work has addressed the gendered impact of overseas aid cuts and tackled key gender equality issues such as online harm, the gender pay and pension gap, the motherhood penalty, and cost-of-living crisis. She holds an MSc in Public Policy and a BA in Politics, International Relations, and Social Policy from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, with her academic research concentrating on Violence Against Women and Girls. Outside of work Alison is an avid runner and can be found climbing in the Scottish Highlands and jumping into cold lochs. Communications and Campaigns The Communications and Campaigns team design strategies to effectively communicate Fawcett's ground-breaking research and campaigns to make change. We lead on Fawcett's campaigning work, alongside our incredible local groups and members and run exciting events to share and spread the word about our work to make the world a better place for women and girls. Events and Communications Officer - Gina Sherman Gina is responsible for planning, producing and promoting our events as well as working on communications and external speaker engagement. She has previously worked in marketing, communications and community outreach, launching award-winning specialist events to empower women in work and wellbeing. Gina was previously a Creative Producer with Apples and Snakes, the UK's leading spoken word organisation and has worked in cabaret arts exploring social change. Gina has a Bachelor of Arts in Writing from Dartington College of Arts. Income and Membership Our Fundraising team is the first port-of-call for anyone looking to raise money for Fawcett, through challenge events, fundraisers, and events. We create donation and are always looking for new ways to fund our vital work. We also give support to our growing number of active local meet up groups, providing advice and practical tools for their activities and campaigns. Get in touch at: [email protected]. Head of Trusts and Membership - Laura Blackham Laura brings 15 years of experience as a career fundraiser to her role at Fawcett Society. Her background spans a diverse range of income generation areas, and is complemented by experience in charity trading and strategic communications. Prior to joining Fawcett Society, Laura spent a decade at a frontline domestic abuse provider service in her hometown, in the West Midlands. Laura previously sat on the West Midlands Institute of Fundraising committee and has been part of a grants panel, disseminating funds to support women’s projects. Outside work, Laura enjoys exploring the great outdoors with her family, indulging her love of food, and spending time with her dog. Membership Lead - Lauren Sheehy Lauren's career has spanned roles in membership, charity and profit-with-purpose organisations. She co-founded, and currently co-directs, The Discovery Project, a business focused on self-discovery and well-being retreats for women. As the founder of Keele University’s Women’s Society and former Women’s Officer, Lauren has long been a strong advocate for women's rights. She deeply understands the power of creating communities that foster connection, change and empowerment. Lauren holds an LLB in Law with English Literature, a Professional Diploma in Marketing, a Life Coaching Diploma and a Certificate in Mental Health First Aid & Mental Health Advocacy in the Workplace. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, podcasts, wild swimming, participating in women’s circles and yoga. Business Support Officer - Val Joy Val joined the Fawcett Society in September 2021. Her specialty is managing data and she has worked with databases for the last 25 years – developing, designing and building bespoke systems for companies as varied as leading IT suppliers, Letting Agencies and a national Caring Organisation. Val is passionate about how much the right data system can improve the efficiency and success of any organisation and loves to share her enthusiasm for making data work for everyone. Val is a lifelong feminist and a great champion of equality through her crochet equality icons. She lives in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and, despite having the beach literally on her doorstep, she often prefers to be indoors crocheting, baking and reading – especially books with feminist characters or information. Interested in being a part of our team? Click here to view current job openings. Manage Cookie Preferences