Jo Somerset: Director
Jo Somerset is Director of Infrastruct, a Manchester-based company providing consultancy and training to promote enterprise and innovation in the public sector. With 15 years' experience in local government, Jo is particularly interested in organisational development and regeneration through partnerships. The company specialises in promoting equality and diversity, and multi-agency working, and is currently working with local Councils, central government departments, police and transport authority, and local partnerships. She is also a non-executive director for the Central Manchester/ Manchester Children's University Hospitals Trust, and a director of BikeRight! She is a member of the Chartered Management Institute and has an active family life with her partner and their five children.
Virginia Branney: Associate Consultant
Much of Virginia’s current work is with local authorities in implementing the Equality Standard for local government. Her particular expertise is in the field of equal pay and gender-related employment issues. She is an ACAS Independent Expert on equal pay. Prior to working in consultancy, Virginia was a senior national union negotiator for local government. She has worked with a wide range of staff, management and elected members in local authorities in particular. In Merseyside she has recently ran training sessions for managers and union representatives at Wirral MBC on equal-value based job evaluation. She has also undertaken consultancy projects within the Fire Service. She serves on the Police Arbitration Tribunal and Employment appeal Tribunal.
Carl Case: Associate Consultant
Carl is one of our lead facilitators for Infrastruct’s year-long Equality and Diversity training programme for Trafford Children and Young People’s Service. He joined Infrastruct as an associate in 2006, and his expertise ranges from; education and training provisions for young people, diversity and equality, social inclusion, disability, cultural diversity and partnership working. Carl was the Training and Development Manager in Sheffield’s Youth Service and has developed a strong focus on, organisational development, behavioural and strategic change, his ultimate goal is to help clients capitalise on the numerous advantages that a well-managed, adequately skilled and appropriately focused diverse workforce plays in achieving enhanced business results.
Nicola Cowburn: Associate Consultant
Nicola joined Infrastruct in 2007, with a wide range of experience in the private, public and voluntary sectors. She has first-hand experience of researching and creating solutions to support and deliver projects using flair and innovation. She has worked with local government, major companies, small and medium sized community groups, regional and national charities, and the Volunteer Centre and CVS network. She has also sat on strategic working groups within local authorities and worked in tandem with a range of statutory services. Nicola is a competent trainer and has written and delivered courses on a variety of subjects including Communication Skills, Customer Service, Train the Trainer, Monitoring and Evaluation, Feedback Skills, Leadership Skills and Volunteer Management. Nicola has an extensive background in marketing, both in the private and not-for profit sectors, and has organised a number of successful events both individually and in partnership with other organisations. In addition to this she has worked in the private sector for over eleven years in a variety of roles, including within sales and marketing, technical support and quality control with responsibility for high profile projects. She is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and of The Institute of Fundraising, also holding approved consultant status for the National Council for Voluntary Organisations since 2007.
Dr Claire Harris: Associate Consultant
Claire is a chartered occupational psychologist whose key interests involve improving bottom line performance in organisations at the same time as enhancing individual well-being at work, through the development of tailor made local solutions. Her key strengths lie in her ability to work professionally with a range of clients, quickly building rapport and credibility. Claire has a range of experience working with professional bodies (such as Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Health & Safety Executive, Department of Health), individuals and organisations.
Shameem Malik: Associate Consultant
Shameem has been a consultant specialising in equality and diversity since 2002 working across the public, private and voluntary sector. Shameem is also an associate trainer for the British Institute of Human rights and works as independent investigator where allegations of harassment, bullying and discrimination are made. Formerly, Shameem was Head of Equal Opportunities for Connexions Service National Unit, in the Department for Education and Skills. She has also worked as an Equalities Officer for local government and as a trainer in the voluntary sector. Shameem initially trained as a lawyer and then as a teacher. Shameem has particular strengths in gender equality, sexual orientation and human rights. Her Master of Law was in ‘Civil Liberties and Human Rights’ and her PhD focussed on gender equality in two divergent legal systems.
John Roberts: Associate Consultant
John has over seventeen years senior management experience in public sector development and practice and is presently the Managing Consultant of JRA Best Value Solutions Ltd – a change management consultancy. He has a broad experience of developing and leading major change in a wide range of organisations in the public, voluntary and private sectors. John is an experienced mentor and coach and is an effective communicator and facilitator. In addition to working at a strategic level with management teams, he also provides coaching and mentoring support to assist the development of senior managers and other individuals including elected members. He undertakes a wide range of change management and interim management projects including mainstreaming good practice in procurement and partnering. He recently assisted an authority identified as a weak and failing organisation that was short listed for the prestigious LGC awards in the “Most Improved” Council and Management Team of the Year categories. He brings this practical experience to the training and development work he undertakes for Infrastruct.
Kath Robinson: Associate Consultant
Kath had been an elected member of Manchester City Council from May 1979 until June 2004 when she decided to stand down having served 25 years, during which she had held several positions of responsibility so was seeking a new challenge. Kath now works as a consultant to a number of companies offering support and advice on local government, training and regeneration issues. Kath has a strong interest in gender equality issues and has worked with women’s organisations in Manchester.
Polly Robinson: Associate Consultant & Office Administrator
Polly holds a BSc in Psychology and is due to graduate 2010 with an MSc in Occupational Psychology from Manchester University Business School. Her main area of interest is equality and diversity and she is currently helping Infrastruct with their research for the Northwest Development Agency’s Women and Work Task Force. She also works as the office administrator for Infrastruct.
Bernie Wilde: Associate Consultant
Bernie Wilde is an experienced and highly motivated consultant and trainer, with experience of the public, private and voluntary sector. She provided HR support, leadership training and coaching to a wide variety of organisations. She also specialises in working with organisations to achieve greater impact in the area of equality and diversity.
She has served on a number of public bodies such as Central Liverpool Primary Care Trust, North West Regional Assembly and the North West TUC. She is also a volunteer business mentor with the Prince’s Trust charity.
Melanie Windle: Associate Consultant
Melanie has been involved with developing people for over 20 years and formed her training and consultancy business in 1995. Her specialist areas of training are the personal development skills which involve managing ourselves, managing others or being managed. She works extensively across the three sectors; public, private and voluntary. Trained initially as a Youth and Community Worker she has extensive experience of managing groups and individuals that enables their learning and development. She has successfully undertaken an Advanced Professional Diploma in Consultancy Practice, a Post Graduate Certificate in Education for adult training, Life Coaching certificates, NLP Practitioner certificate and is currently undertaking a Level 5 Diploma in Learning Facilitation Skills through TAP (Trainer Assessment Programme) with The Training Foundation.
Her range of courses includes: Assertiveness, Team Building, Effective Meetings, Presentation Skills, Leadership, Management Skills, Communication skills, Staff Development, Time Management, Problem Solving, Managing Change, Appraisals, Influencing Skills, Handling Difficult People, Training Trainers, Coaching and Mentoring and much more. Courses specific to the Voluntary sector include: Roles and Responsibilities of Management Committees and Trustees, Recruiting, Managing and Supporting Volunteers, Evaluating your Service and Understanding Strategy.
Helen Wollaston: Associate Consultant
Helen has over 20 years experience in the public and voluntary sectors, including seven years as Director of Campaigns with the Equal Opportunities Commission. She is particularly interested in working with organisations to deliver projects which make a practical difference to equality and diversity. Recent examples include support for the North West Development Agency’s Women and Work Task Force and Our Choices, a national roadshow promoting non-traditional careers to Muslim girls – the latter delivered via her own communications consultancy, Equal to the Occasion.
Helen chairs YWCA England and Wales, is a Non Executive Director of South Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and a member of the diversity panel for West Yorkshire’s Criminal Justice Board.
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