Leadership Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

With a lifelong commitment to gender equality and human rights, Red began her career in the humanitarian space in the United States as a disaster services director for the American Red Cross. Her journey then continued across food poverty and educational inequalities for marginalised groups with United Way, social integration for those with intellectual disabilities at Special Olympics California, and the refugee crisis impacting unaccompanied minors across European refugee camps with Safe Passage and Citizens UK.
As CEO of the Sophie Hayes Foundation she focused on life-changing support for women and girls trafficked across the globe to the UK, and as Director at Thomson Reuters Foundation, she directed the organisation’s Responsible Business pillar, focusing on policies and operations that negatively affect people, communities and the environment within the social element of ESG frameworks.
Red has served as Chair of the Commonwealth 8.7 Network and on the board of trustees for The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), UN Women UK, Anti-Slavery International, BrightFuture, and National Voices

CHAIR AND TREASURER

Sheetal joined the board of RCSL as Treasurer in 2021 and became Chair in 2022. With over 20 years of accounting experience, she has strengthened RCSL's financial governance, stabilising the charity and empowering the team to fulfil its mission.
Sheetal was brought up in a family environment where giving was actively encouraged, enabling her to see the benefits of making a positive impact. These lessons instilled the value of being of service and fuels her commitment to RCSL’s cause, empowering survivors of sexual abuse and violence to rebuild their lives and realise their full potential.
Her work goes beyond RCSL. She previously served as Treasurer for a charity supporting adults with learning difficulties and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, supported the NHS as a volunteer responder and as part of the vaccination programme.

COMPANY SECRETARY

Alana has been a trustee of the board since August 2022. She has 16-plus years of communications experience spanning the public, not for profit and accounting sectors. RCSL’s mission is important to her because she wants her young daughter to be able to live her life freely without fear of violence or abuse and to live in a world where there are no barriers or inequalities because she’s a girl.
Alana is passionate about helping others which led her to become a trustee. She has also been involved in community days in her local area to help disadvantaged people; and volunteered at a respite centre for people with AIDS and HIV, and their families. Through her communications career, Alana has been involved in raising awareness about violence against women and children, and the lack of women on boards in FTSE 350 companies.

TRUSTEE

Sophie is the Head of Policy at the Child Poverty Action Group, leading CPAG’s policy and research and programme. Sophie is a Fulbright Scholar, with a master’s degree in public policy. She has previously worked in a variety of roles in both the public and voluntary sector and on a range of social justice issues, including mental health, human rights, and violence against women.
Sophie has experience of working as an IDVA, helping to establish a new advocacy service for young women in West London, following the statutory change in definition of domestic violence to include 16–17-year-olds. Sophie was lead author on a three-year research programme on women who kill men who are abusive to them, published by the Centre for Women’s Justice in 2021.
RCSL’s mission is important to Sophie as a feminist and social activist. She strongly believes every woman deserves a life free from violence and abuse. She is dedicated to making that vision a reality.

TRUSTEE

Originally trained as a lawyer, Zoe has over twenty years of experience working in the creative industry and is a senior leader in an agency which helps organisations to navigate brand, communication and culture challenges. She believes in the power of storytelling to raise awareness and educate in the ongoing fight to end sexual violence against women and girls.
As both a survivor and the daughter of a CSA survivor with complex PTSD, Zoe has a profound understanding of the critical services RCSL provides. She has volunteered for the National Rape Crisis Helpline and was the driving force behind RCSL’s rebranding.

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