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Our Team
At Her Circle, we're led by women with lived experience and professional insight. Our staff team walks alongside women every day. Our board helps steer the vision and keep us accountable.
Together, we're building a stronger, more supportive world for mothers navigating complex challenges.
Laura
Insight and Impact Lead
Hi, I'm Laura. I work part-time at Her Circle, leading our Insight and Impact work. With a long-standing background in organisational leadership and policy work relating to women facing multiple disadvantages, I focus on ensuring the voices and experiences of mothers shape research, policy and systems change. I also coordinate the North East Council for Complex Motherhood, bringing together mothers, professionals and policymakers to influence change and improve the systems, locally and nationally.
Melanie Ward
Her Advocate
Hi, I’m Melanie Ward, Her Advocate at Her Circle. I’m a registered social worker with eight years’ experience working alongside children and families, including previously as a Child Protection Social Worker. At Her Circle, I am the Women’s Specialist Social Worker, walking alongside women involved with Children’s Services, helping them understand processes, prepare for meetings and make sure their voice, wishes and experiences are heard. I’m passionate about women feeling supported, informed and less alone when navigating difficult systems. Outside of work, I love knitting and spending time being creative.
Mandy Pattinson
Her Support Specialist
Hi, I’m Mandy Pattinson. I’m a Her Support Specialist at Her Circle, working alongside our brilliant Ascend Group volunteers to help shape better policies and outcomes for mothers affected by complex motherhood. I’m passionate about research and ensuring lived experience is heard, valued and acted upon, drawing on both my own experiences and my professional background. Previously, I managed a Lived Experience Programme for a homelessness and health charity. Outside work, I love music, dancing and having fun!
Tori McCrory
Head of Operations and Devlopment
Hi, I’m Tori, Head of Operations and Development at Her Circle. My background is in addiction services and working with people experiencing multiple disadvantage. I care deeply about justice and equality, particularly for women, and I’m always questioning how we can do things differently and better. I’m a huge believer in psychologically safe teams, where people feel trusted, valued and able to be themselves. Outside of work, I love keeping active, getting outdoors and exploring new places.
Emma
Her Support Specialist
Hi, I'm Emma, I work as a Her Support Specialist alongside our amazing team. I deliver a variety of groups including mindfulness and meditation, our lush mam & baby play and stay and I am always on the look out for partners that would like to collaborate or bring something new to our women. I am a thriving survivor of domestic abuse, homelessness and complex trauma and am passionate about creating real, lasting change in womens lives. Outside of work I love all things holistic, reading and being by the sea!
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Kirsty
Her Support Specialist
Hi I’m Kirsty, I’m a Her Support Specialist at Her Circle, I do introduction calls to new women supporting them to come along to groups, I facilitate some of our fabulous groups like our peer support check in groups and ‘Own my Life’ a recovering from Domestic abuse course. I have lived experience of child removal, domestic abuse, addiction and trauma. Most importantly I have experience of healing from these things too. I’m very passionate about supporting and helping women. I love going to the beach, it’s my safe space and I love trying new holistic experiences.
We're still working on building our page!
Keep checking back...
We're excited to be working hard behind the scenes to give this page a face lift!
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Keep checking back, we'll be finished soon!
Board of Trustees
Karen Broadhurst OBE
Trustee
Professor Broadhurst is a leading expert in child and family justice, with over 20 years of research experience focused on improving outcomes for vulnerable families. She directs the Centre for Child and Family Justice Research at Lancaster University and leads major national studies, including the UKRI-funded COMFT project. Awarded an OBE for services to social work, she is also a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and an ADR UK Ambassador.
Laura Seebohm
Trustee
Laura Seebolm is Chief Executive of WWIN, bringing nearly three decades of experience across the statutory and voluntary sectors. Formerly CEO of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance and Executive Director at Changing Lives, Laura has led national efforts to improve services for women and girls affected by trauma, abuse, and criminal justice involvement. She is a passionate advocate for system change through lived experience and sits on several boards including Millfield House Foundation.
Gillie Robson
Trustee
Gillie Robson is Deputy Head of the Family Law Department at Ben Hoare Bell LLP, with over two decades of legal experience. A specialist in public law proceedings, she represents parents, carers, and children in complex cases involving Children’s Services. Gillie is a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel, a qualified Criminal Duty Solicitor, and an active member of Resolution and Women Lawyers North East.
Suzi Jackson
Trustee
Suzi Jackson is a Consultant Obstetrician and Clinical Director for Patient Safety and Quality at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary. She leads on complex pregnancy care and contributes nationally as a Clinical Advisor to the Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigation programme. A founding member of Her Circle, Suzi is committed to improving maternity care for disadvantaged women and has contributed to key reports including Dismantling Disadvantage and the Archbishops' Commission on Families and Households.
Chloe Titterton
Trustee
Chloe Titterton is Support and Development Manager at Connected Voice, the Local Infrastructure Organisation for Newcastle and Gateshead. She brings extensive experience in charity development, governance, funding, and partnership working. She has a strong understanding of good governance and board effectiveness, helping organisations build strong foundations, make informed decisions, and maximise their impact. Alongside her knowledge of the voluntary sector, Chloe brings a wealth of networks and connections that support collaboration, growth, and new opportunities for Her Circle. Chloe is committed to empowering communities and ensuring Her Circle can continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the women it serves.
Helen Sanderson MBE
Strategic Partner for Practice & Culture
Helen Sanderson MBE works alongside Her Circle as our Strategic Partner for Practice & Culture, supporting us to embed person-centred and psychologically safe ways of working across the organisation.
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Helen is the founder of Helen Sanderson Associates and has developed a range of practical approaches that help teams create greater clarity, trust, autonomy and shared responsibility. At Her Circle, this includes One Page Profiles, Team Agreements, person-centred role descriptions and Confirmation Practice.
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Her work is an important part of how we are shaping our culture as we grow.
Around 60% of our team have lived experience of complex motherhood themselves. That brings huge strength, insight and connection to our work, and it also means we need to think carefully about how we support the people doing emotionally demanding work.
For us, psychological safety sits at the heart of our values. The compassion, dignity, relationships and value we place on lived experience for the women we support also shape how we work with each other.
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Helen works alongside us to help turn those values into everyday practice, creating a culture where people feel safe, clear about their role, trusted to make decisions and supported to do their best work.