Meet the Team

Many of our staff team and trustees at Alternatives have lived-experience of overcoming the challenges we work to support others through, with many first coming to Alternatives as service users, then volunteers, before having the opportunity to become paid employees. This is a direct reflection of our ethos of empowering women to find routes out of destitution, flourish in themselves, and give back to the community in ways that inspire hope and joy.

Lizi

Lizi Oni

CEO Communities

Lizi

Effena Wallace

Operations Manager

Penny O’Sullivan

Admin and Finance Officer

Caroline Cawson

Therapies Development Lead

Nirupa Kasirajah

Counselling & Family Support

Jade Ford

Community Projects Manager

Gifty Ogene

Counsellor

Philippa King

Fundraiser

Yetunde Fatejo

Advocacy Coordinator

Sarah Ward

Immigration Advisor

Taiwo Gibson

Volunteer Coordinator

Elisabeth

Emi Gjoni

Advocacy Worker and Interim Volunteer Coordinator

Fateha Begum

Childcare Worker

Shahina Parveen

Childcare Worker

Paula Reily

Independent Finance Manager

Jeremy Acott

Independent Website Consultant

Our Trustees

Natalie Robinson (Chair)

Headteacher at Earlham Primary School

Francesca Ofua

Charity Worker and Former Service User

Joan Dallas

Counselling Psychotherapist and Supervisor

Vida Boateng

NHS Sexual Health Nurse Specialist

Funmi Aloutade

Childcare Worker and Former Service User

Ruth Barros

Adult Support Worker and Church Minister St Martin’s, Plaistow