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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.

Sam Smethers, Interim CEO

Sam has twelve years’ experience as a charity Chief Executive. She is the former CEO of the Fawcett Society – the UK’s leading feminist campaigning charity and the former CEO of Grandparents Plus (now Kinship). 

Since 2021 Sam has been working in a consultancy capacity to support third sector organisations to develop their strategies and grow their impact, including contracts with Black Equity Organisation, the Abortion Support Network and the Equality and Diversity Forum.  Sam is also the Chair of campaigning charity Pregnant Then Screwed and Deputy Chair of BPAS, the UK’s largest abortion provider. She is a former trustee of single parent charity, Gingerbread and was a founding Director of the Good Law Project.

She is also a qualified systems coach, supporting teams to manage change.

Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs OBE, Founder

The charity was founded by Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs OBE. 

In 2016, Nicola was made a 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 Churchill Fellowship (under ‘Economic abuse and policy’).

Nicola led the charity from January 2017 – May 2024. During this time, 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.

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.

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

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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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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Portrait of Anna
Anna Yearley
Vice Chair of Trustees
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Sue Lewis
Sue Lewis
Trustee
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Janqui Mehta
Janqui Mehta
Trustee
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Portrait of Penny
Penny Miller
Trustee
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Katie Sayer Surviving Economic Abuse trustee
Katie Sayer
Trustee
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Headshot of Johnathan Speight
Jonathan Speight
Treasurer
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Sarah Williams-Gardener Surviving Economic Abuse trustee
Sarah Williams-Gardener
Trustee
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Headshot of Kirsty
Kirsty Madden
Trustee
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Headshot of Shaun
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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Portrait of Samantha
Sam Beckinsale
SEA Ambassador
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Portrait of Miranda
Professor Miranda Brawn
SEA Ambassador
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Portrait of Norma
Norma Cassius
SEA Ambassador
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Portrait of Bijna
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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Portrait of Geraldine
Geraldine Costello
Advisory group member
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Annabel Griffiths Surviving Economic Abuse trustee
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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Portrait of Ian Phillips
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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