Laamiga’s Team

Dr Emua Ali, currently manages all aspects of the organisation including the recruitment and development of mentors and mentees, their matching and supervision.

Emua has worked with adult learners in Africa and Europe in higher education, management training and community education for many years. She has run mentoring projects for women in local communities, conducted research in to gender equality among Somali women refugees in London, and the educational needs of Somali refugee pupils in the London. She also worked as a business coach for a European project in East London to help women set up their own businesses.

Tanya is the General Counsel and Head of Compliance at Paypoint PLC. Her previous roles include Head of the UK Corporate and Commercial Legal Team at Zurich Insurance Group and senior associate at city law firm Hogan Lovells LLP.

She has benefitted from and provided mentoring support throughout her legal career and is passionate about Laamiga’s work in providing mentoring support to women from refugee and migrant communities to help them achieve their potential.

Mandekh is driven by initiatives grounded in collaboration, sustainability, and ownership. More specifically, she is passionate about work centred on equipping individuals and communities with the resources, skills, and opportunities to actualize their vision, find new opportunities, and widen their horizons.

A Senior Lecturer and Consultant, Mandekh’s work spans health equity, systems change, and education. With over a decade of experience across public health, higher education, local government, and global practice, she has worked across the UK, West Africa, and Latin America designing and leading initiatives that embed equity into policy, learning, and community practice. She focuses on co-creating sustainable structures that devolve power to communities and is driven by a belief in collective capacity-building and the creation of spaces where knowledge, lived experience, and systems insight come together to inspire lasting transformation.

Mamataj is a civil servant, with experience in legislation, contract management and climate negotiations. Previously, she undertook internships in corporate social responsibility and research in philanthropy. As a member of the Faith and Belief Forum’s Youth Council, she plans the annual Interfaith Summit and activities bringing together young people interested in faith and belief. She campaigns on youth engagement in national and international climate policy, with a UK based NGO.

Amanda is Senior Lawyer with 15 years experience practising both at a city firm, Clifford Chance and then in a number of multinational companies, specialising in corporate finance, intellectual property and general commercial contracts.

She has been involved with several start up businesses and has held a number of managerial and director level positions. She has passion for travel and an interest in international development.

After qualifying as lawyer and accountant, Kirsten has spent the last 20 years in the mergers and acquisition sector within the financial services industry: initially in South Africa and then in the City of London, after settling in the UK in 2007.

She is now a freelance consultant after her last full-time position as Head of Corporate Finance at the FTSE 100 Old Mutual Group, which delisted in 2018.

Katya is a Product Manager at Google working to make language learning easier and more accessible through technology. She is also an active mentor for Laamiga.

With deep sadness we mourn the untimely death, in 2015, of our beloved colleague and friend Susie Parsons.

She was at the heart of Laamiga. Her dynamism and legendary generosity empowered us during challenging times. She touched many women’s lives through Laamiga with her fundraising, mentoring and support. Her career spanned the voluntary and public sectors, local government and the health service, including as former Chief Executive of the Commission for Racial Equality, London Lighthouse and the Campaign for Learning.