The Kids Network is passionate about connection and driven by fun, commitment and diversity. Meet the team that makes the magic happen.
Sarah Woodcock
CEO & FOUNDER
Sarah has significant experience in the strategy and delivery of a number of programmes at a national level. Prior to founding The Kids Network, Sarah has developed capacity building projects for UK Youth and Save the Children. Sarah also currently sits on the board of trustees for the Coop Foundation and is the Equalities Link Governor at Carlton Primary School in Kentish Town. She has been a mentor for the last four years and describes it as the best use of her time.
Lina Abdulkarim
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Lina has extensive marketing and communications experience within the charity sector. Prior to joining The Kids Network, Lina worked at Jeans for Genes, raising funds to provide support services to children with genetic conditions. Lina delivered the charity’s educational resources to schools teaching pupils about the challenge’s children with genetic conditions face. Lina has also worked with NGOs to deliver education initiatives to promote the importance of hand washing with soap as part of Lifebuoy’s global social mission programme.
Minami Inoue
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Minami who was born and bred in New Zealand has experience in working for a large worldwide charity supporting young people and their communities. Prior to moving to London and joining The Kids Network, she was the manager of the Youth Development team where she supported many volunteers who helped deliver programmes for children and young people. Her role here focused on creating meaningful opportunities for young people to develop their skills through volunteering and to gain relevant work experience.
Freya Brocchini
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Freya has extensive experience working with and supporting volunteers in different settings. Prior to joining The Kids Network, she spent time in an alternative provision school based in East London, carried out ethnographic research for a London NHS trust, and assisted with a community cohesion project in Stockport. Before that she worked in the volunteering team at a national charity, recruiting, supporting and celebrating the thousands of amazing volunteers and their dedicated managers.
Joni Warner
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Joni has vast experience managing young people and delivering programmes for children. Prior to joining the team, she worked in the United States as an Academy Coordinator, where she supported British and Brazilian football coaches who had travelled to the US to coach children and gain some valuable experience. During her time in this role, she provided training and resources to over 200 coaches to help them deliver sports programmes to thousands of children.
Carole Muriithi
ONLINE MENTORING COORDINATOR
Carole has extensive experience delivering youth mentoring programmes in London and at a national level. She is currently completing her MA in a systems change programme, which aims to create healthy social systems and positive organisational cultures. She is interested combining a systems approach with grassroots experience. She has been a mentor herself and is committed to youth empowerment.
Jess Parish
BID WRITER
Jessica has a background in Bid Writing and working with charities to develop strategic projects. She has worked with charities and NGOs all over the world including the UK, South Africa, Nicaragua, Malta and Mexico. She studied Law at Sussex university before beginning to work for organisations with a focus on the rights of children and is now finishing a Masters which reflects the rights of the child in the context of climate change.
TRUSTEES
Doug Hughes
TREASURER
Douglas is an accounting and finance professional with 20 years of experience in the real estate investment industry. His role model growing up was his mother, who raised two boys as a single parent while also maintaining a successful career in public relations. Douglas has been involved with a number of charitable originations supporting vulnerable youth and the homeless, including coaching youth baseball.
Subul Ashan
Subul is easily distracted and is therefore a trained solicitor, chartered accountant and tax advisor. She has worked with a number of humanitarian and animal charities both in the UK and in Pakistan where she grew up. In her spare time she loves cooking up a storm and being active whilst attempting to convince her partner that they should adopt a plethora of animals and/or open an animal shelter.
Nigel Phan
CHAIR
Nigel is the Founder and Managing Director of the start-up venture Whirli. His prior professional experience was with McKinsey and Company as an Associate Partner where he specialised in Consumer Goods & Retail and commercial topics such as Growth Strategy, and Marketing and Sales. A keen entrepreneur, Nigel enjoys helping early stage organisations grow. Apart from managing his own venture, Nigel is also an avid small-time investor in other business-to-consumer start-up companies.
Natasha Friend
Natasha Friend is Director of Camden Giving, a charity that works with businesses and communities to overcome inequality, she has a background in corporate partnerships. ‘When I was growing up my role model was a family friend called Ludmilla, she had come to the UK from the Czech Republic and I was inspired by her spirit for adventure and I loved seeing my home country through her eyes.’
Amy Henderson
Amy works in the Child Safeguarding team at a large NGO; and oversees a psychological support programme that aims to educate, monitor and support staff who are exposed to trauma as part of their role. She has been involved with numerous charities for children and young people over the years and has developed a wonderful talent for making a mess, playing games, creating silly stories and tidying up messes.
Charlie Foster
Charlie works in finance and currently leads a team of 12 at RBS focussed on providing funding solutions for large companies operating in the Real Estate sector in the UK. Banking has been an ideal setting in which to hone her skills in managing a breadth of stakeholders and in bringing together teams of individual subject matter experts, and effective people management is of particular interest to her.
Naa Acquah
Naa got involved with The Kids Network as a mentor in 2018. She works in the education charity sector managing programmes for the Transformation Trust. She was elected as the first Black Woman General Secretary of the University of Manchester Students’ Union (UMSU). She was a director of both the University of Manchester Students’ Union and the University; chairing the Board of Trustees. Naa loves spending time with her mentee every Saturday and seeing London through a child’s eyes.
