GM4Women2028 has made a number of changes to its leadership and governance as it enters the final two years of its ten-year initiative, appointing Tess Page and Nadia Ali as Co-Chairs, welcoming Sharmila Kar as a new Trustee, and appointing Sherree Schaefer as Treasurer and Carol Ann Whitehead as a new Co-Lead of its Participation thematic area.
Together, the appointments bring experience spanning governance, finance, equality and inclusion, organisational development, grassroots engagement, campaigning and women’s political participation.
Tess Page and Nadia Ali appointed Co-Chairs
Existing Trustees Tess Page and Nadia Ali are stepping up as Co-Chairs under a new shared leadership model, providing greater capacity and continuity at board level.
Tess Page is an actuary with an extensive background in strategy, finance, governance and risk management. She advises institutional investors on investment strategy and risk management and sits on the Diversity Project’s Advisory Council and the Advisory Group of Pensions for Purpose. She’s also passionate about improving outcomes for women and girls.
Nadia Ali has expansive grassroots experience and a strong understanding of the communities GM4Women2028 works alongside. She’s Network Lead for Stockport Women & Girls and General Manager of Heaton Norris Community Centre, where she’s developed inclusive spaces and activities serving diverse and marginalised communities. Through her business, Make A Difference, she also delivers cultural, recreational and support-focused activities across Greater Manchester.
Sharmila Kar joins as Trustee
Sharmila Kar joins the trustee board with a career spanning equality, inclusion, organisational development, people and social justice.
She’s Joint Director of Equality and Engagement for NHS Manchester Integrated Care Partnership and Manchester City Council, having previously held senior equality, workforce and organisational development roles with Manchester Health and Care Commissioning, the NHS Northwest Race Equity Assembly, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Disability Rights Commission and Nacro.
Sharmila has also held board and advisory roles with organisations including Amnesty International UK, the LGBT Foundation and the GMCA’s Race Equality Panel. She’s currently a Trustee of Saheli, supporting women and children from global majority communities, and sits on the board of Queerwell, an LGBTQ+ mental health charity.
Sherree Schaefer becomes Treasurer
Sherree Schaefer becomes GM4Women2028’s Treasurer, with a background in organisational leadership, governance, culture and people.
A seasoned executive and non-executive director, Sherree’s career has spanned human resources, organisational development, corporate social responsibility and leadership. She previously served as Chief People & Culture Officer at Pay.UK and is currently Chair of the Board of Trustees of I AM Celebrating Autism in Greater Manchester, as well as an Executive Coach at 10Eighty.
Carol Ann Whitehead joins the Participation team
Carol Ann Whitehead is the new Co-Lead for its Participation thematic area, working alongside existing Co-Leads Professor Francesca Gains and Dr Rosalind Shorrocks, exploring women’s representation and influence in political and public life.
Carol Ann is a long-standing GM4Women2028 supporter and has regularly contributed as a speaker at its events. She’s an award-winning strategic planner, campaign leader and international speaker, as well as a Global Goodwill Ambassador and UN SDG Champion. She’s Co-Founder of The Zebra Partnership and holds a number of leadership and advisory positions, including Honorary EDI Fellow at the University of East London, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Regional Board Chair for the Chartered Management Institute West Midlands and North West, and Deputy Chair of the CMI Women’s Board.
She’s also an Ambassador and former Trustee of 50:50 Parliament, where she spearheaded the Rosa-funded Amplifying Muted Voices campaign, supporting Northern women of colour to explore and develop pathways towards political office.
Looking towards 2028
Helen Pankhurst CBE, GM4Women2028’s Convenor, says:
“This is an exciting point in our journey. As head towards 2028, it’s important that we continue to bring together different experiences, skills, perspectives and connections. Tess, Nadia, Sharmila, Sherree and Carol Ann each offer something distinctive to our charity and I’m delighted to see them taking on these roles.”
As GM4Women2028 enters its final two years, it’s looking both to its remaining priorities and to the legacy of the work undertaken over the past decade. These new appointments will support the charity as it continues to work with partners, organisations and communities across Greater Manchester to address inequalities and support a better city region for women and girls.
