Our Trustees

TRUSTEE

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 Faith and Belief Forum’s Youth Council member, she plans the annual Interfaith Summit and activities, bringing together young people interested in faith and belief. She campaigns for youth engagement in national and international climate policy, with a UK-based NGO.

TRUSTEE

Amanda is a Senior Lawyer with 15 years of 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 a passion for travel and an interest in international development.

TRUSTEE

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.

TRUSTEE

Lauren Griffiths is a fundraising professional specialising in digital marketing and crowdfunding. She has worked with many grassroots organisations gaining experience across aid distribution, educational programmes, events and volunteer management. Her passion for the non-profit sector developed while volunteering with displaced people during the height of the "Calais Jungle".

She is passionate about redistributing power and opportunities back to affected and marginalised communities and values the work of small, lean grassroots organisations, like Laamiga, in shifting the narrative.

TRUSTEE

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.

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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.

TRUSTEE

After qualifying as a 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 was delisted in 2018.

TRUSTEE

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 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.