Our trustees

Pragna Patel, Chair

Pragna is the founder of Southall Black Sisters and Women Against Fundamentalism. Pragna has been working with victims of gender violence and campaigning for their rights for years, She trained and then practised as a solicitor from 1993 and has written extensively on race, gender and religion. 'It is a privilege to support the work of a highly dedicated, talented and pioneering group of lawyers fighting for the rights of vulnerable migrants in the face of trafficking, slavery and exploitation.'

Thomas Syrett, Treasurer

Tom has been ATLEU's treasurer since the charity began in 2013. He is a Managing Director with Accenture in Paris and brings over 17 years experience in working with organisations to setup new businesses, deliver large change programs and ensure operational efficiency. Prior to joining Accenture, Tom worked in Nepal and India, and studied the history and impact of people trafficking and slavery in these regions. 'I was delighted to be able to get involved directly in a charity that does so much to change individual lives for the better and ensures that the current political momentum around modern day slavery is focused to achieve the best possible outcomes for victims.'

Sundari Anitha

Professor Sundari Anitha holds the post of Chair in Sociological Studies at the University of Sheffield. Her research interests lie in two areas: the problem of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the UK and India - including forced marriage, transnational abandonment of wives and gender-based violence in university communities; and Issues of gender, race and ethnicity in employment relations including employment experiences of South Asian diasporas in the UK and organisation of/industrial action by migrant women workers. She previously managed a Women’s Aid refuge and has been active in campaigns and policy making on VAWG since 1999. 'As a public criminologist whose research seeks to make a difference to policy, practice and public understandings of social issues, I wanted to contribute as a trustee to ATLEU's work making safety and justice accessible to the marginalised.'

Jenny Moss

Jenny worked at Kalayaan, the London based NGO representing migrant domestic workers. She campaigned against changes that would remove important visa rights from them and increased the profile of migrant domestic workers in diplomatic households in the UK and internationally. She was involved in the International Labour Organization's standard setting on decent work for domestic workers and the development of policy around the establishment of the UK's referral mechanism for victims of trafficking and its application to overseas domestic workers. 'Having worked with many of the lawyers at ATLEU previously, they always impressed me with their commitment to the interests of their clients but also their ability to see the wider picture and push at the boundaries of law and policy to improve things in the long term for victims of trafficking. After leaving Kalayaan I was delighted to join ATLEU as a trustee.'

Neela Jane Stansfield

Neela Jane is a high value fundraising specialist, focusing on trusts, high net worth individuals and leadership giving. She has worked in international development, health and education, most recently leading the private funding team at UNICEF UK. Neela Jane was Chair of the Institute of Fundraising Trusts and Statutory Special Interest Group for six years, leading a membership body of 4,000 fundraisers across the UK, and was a board member for their National Convention - the largest fundraising conference in Europe. She has written for Third Sector magazine and The Guardian’s Voluntary Sector Network. 'I am passionate about human rights and equality, particularly those of women and children, and was delighted to join the ATLEU board in 2017.’

Lucy Walford

Lucy has spent her career working in the third sector, supporting disadvantaged young people in the U.K. She specialises in developing nation-wide programmes tackling youth unemployment and educational underachievement, and has led on major change programmes most notably charity mergers and organisation restructures. Lucy has mainly worked at The Prince’s Trust but has also consulted on strategic projects for smaller charities. ‘The work of ATLEU plays into my past experience, and the impact of its work and dedication of its staff team has really impressed me.’