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Our people

Experts by Experience

The work of Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) is informed by ‘Experts by Experience’ – a group of women who speak openly and honestly about what they have gone through so that they can be a force for change.

Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs OBE, Founder and CEO

Nicola Sharp-Jeffs CEO of Surviving Economic Abuse

The charity is led by our founder and CEO, Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs OBE, who is supported by a growing team and Board of Trustees. Nicola is an expert in economic abuse as it occurs within the context of coercive control. She has worked in the violence against women and girls (VAWG) sector since 2006 in both policy-influencing and research roles. 

In 2016, Nicola was made a Winston Churchill Fellow and travelled to the United States and Australia to explore innovative responses to economic abuse. It was her determination to ensure that women in the UK have access to the same responses that led her to establish SEA. Read more about her work as part of the Winston Churchill Fellowship (under ‘Economic abuse and policy’).

Nicola is also an Emeritus Research Fellow in the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit (CWASU), London Metropolitan University.

In 2020, Nicola was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to victims of domestic and economic abuse in recognition of her work. She was the 2020 winner of the Third Sector Award for Rising Chief Executive and also named ‘Rising Leader of the Year‘ in 2021 by the Charity Times Awards.

Senior leadership team 

Sonu Masania
Head of Specialist Team

Sonu has committed a decade of her career to the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) sector, and brings to the role a dedication to putting victim-survivor voices at the forefront of SEA’s work.

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Sara D’Arcy
Head of Advocacy and Communications

Sara is a communications and public affairs specialist with a track record in leading teams to deliver high impact campaigns to change attitudes, influence policy and improve access to support.

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Shelagh Sejourne
Head of Development

Shelagh is an experienced fundraiser, and provides the overall strategic and operational leadership for the development and fundraising function within SEA.

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Rosa Wilson-Garwood
Head of Impact and Partnerships

Rosa’s background is in the international development sector where she has developed strategy, programmes and partnerships for women’s rights.

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 Trustees

The board of trustees help set out SEA’s strategic direction and ensure that the charity complies with legal requirements. The trustees come from a variety of sectors, representing the scope of SEA’s work. This includes domestic abuse, non-profit management, banking and financial expertise, law, government and policy. 

Fiona Cannon OBE
Chair of Trustees
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Cathy Millis
Vice Chair of Trustees
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Sue Lewis
Trustee
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Janqui Mehta
Trustee
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Penny Miller
Trustee
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Katie Sayer
Trustee
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Jonathan Speight
Treasurer
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Sarah Williams-Gardener
Trustee
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Anna Yearley
Trustee
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Kirsty Madden
Trustee
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Shaun Tyndall
Trustee
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SEA celebrity supporters and ambassadors

Our celebrity supporters and ambassadors help us raise public awareness of economic abuse.

Monica Dolan
SEA Captains Circle Patron
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Sam Beckinsale
SEA Ambassador
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Professor Miranda Brawn
SEA Ambassador
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Norma Cassius
SEA Ambassador
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Dr Bijna Kotak Dasani MBE
SEA Ambassador
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Selina Flavius
SEA Ambassador
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Gemma Godfrey
SEA Ambassador
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Ruth Dodsworth
SEA Ambassador
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Natalie Curtis
SEA Ambassador
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Rebecca Beatie
SEA Ambassador
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Marisa Bate
SEA Ambassador
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SEA advisory group

Our advisory group consists of individuals who contribute their knowledge and experience specific to different areas of our work, helping us to achieve our mission.

Francesca Campbell
Advisory group member
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Yasmine Chinwala OBE
Advisory group member
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Kathryn Cassells
Advisory group member
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Geraldine Costello
Advisory group member
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Annabel Griffiths
Advisory group member
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Imogen Maxwell
Advisory group member
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Sarah Pennells
Advisory group member
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Jane Portas OBE
Advisory group member
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Ian Phillips
Advisory group member
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Johnny Timpson
Advisory group member
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Nick Meir
Advisory group member
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