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The Catalyst Collective

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Meet the Team

Find out more about our staff team here at The Catalyst Collective, as well as our advisory board.

Our Staff Team

Chloe Lewis

Programme Director and Founder

Chloe has worked with young people for 15 years and is driven by the impact of seeing them realise their ambitions.

She is a strategic adviser at the Office for Students, a part time PhD researcher and full time Black girl enthusiast! Chloe’s research centres on the importance of role models and representation for Black students in British higher education.

Imani Palmer

Programme Manager


Imani has a background in volunteer recruitment, training and community engagement within education and non-profit sectors. As a former beneficiary of a social mobility charity, she has experienced first-hand the transformative power of access to opportunity. This drives her passion for widening participation and empowering young Black girls at the Catalyst to build their confidence, resilience and aspirations needed for long-term success.

When she is not working, Imani can be found DJ’ing, where she enjoys expressing her love for music and creativity.

Amara Agwo

Programme Officer

Amara’s work at The Catalyst involves programme admin, mentor communications and event planning. She also supports the alumni network and Youth Advisory Board, and is passionate about encouraging and uplifting other young people.

Akosua Mensah

Mentor Coordinator

With 10 years’ experience across the education and charity sectors, supporting young people in the UK and internationally, Akosua is passionate about creating open, inclusive and safe spaces where young people can express themselves authentically, build confidence, access opportunities and thrive. She believes mentorship is a powerful tool in helping young people achieve this.

Picture of a black woman in a black top smiling at the camera

Georgina Ramsay

Mentor Coordinator

Georgina is a teacher alongside her work at The Catalyst. Through her work with young people, as well as her own experiences as both a mentor and a mentee, she has seen first-hand the power of relatable role models.

Habon Odawaa

Junior Programme Delivery Officer

Habon is working towards an undergraduate degree in Pharmacology and Innovative Therapeutics, with hopes of pivoting into postgraduate studies. She loves working with younger students in the programme, from leading the Youth Advisory Board to assisting with enrichment activities and social events.

Habon was a former mentee with the Catalyst and found her experience life-inspiring and extremely helpful in her academic and professional journey. This led her to join the Catalyst and support it as a Junior Programme Officer.

Habon is passionate about helping those who cross paths with her, once mired in confusion and frustration, see it as fun, exciting, and a new opportunity to grow. 

Our Advisory Board

Laide Bissessar

Chair of Advisory Board and Director

Laide leads the University of Hertfordshire’s access and participation work, ensuring the delivery of their access and participation plan commitments. She has a varied range of experience and has worked in education for 12+ years.  Laide is passionate about race equity and social justice which is why she joined the Catalyst Advisory Board. She has experienced her own challenges on her journey to success and wants to empower others to achieve success.
 

Sam Underwood

Advisory Board Member

At The Philanthropy Workshop, Sam leads the design and delivery of donor education programmes, covering the core principles and practices of strategic philanthropy. He have a strong interest in what it takes for social change and social justice.

Sam joined the Catalyst Advisory Board because he believes deeply in the mission and the approach and is excited about the impact the organisation can have.

Black woman with black hair in a high ponytail smiling at the camera wearing a black blazer

Carol Murraine

Director and Advisory Board

Safeguarding Lead

Carol is Head of Programmes and Pastoral Care at Eastside Young Leaders Academy – a leading black youth organisation in London. She’s passionate about their work, enabling and encourages young people to ‘be’ the best version of themselves. 

Carol joined The Catalyst Collective because she is excited by the opportunity to accelerate access and outcomes for girls in school and higher education.

White woman with brown hair smiling at the camera wearing a yellow top and black cardigan

Eilis O'Donnell

Advisory Board Member

Eilis has always been passionate about the power of education and social mobility. She started her career as a project manager in digital marketing before becoming a teacher. 

Eilis left teaching and began to work into Widening Participation so that she could support more young people to experience the rewards of attending university, regardless of their background. She’s excited to be part of the Catalyst’s organisational development.

Kathryn McPherson

Advisory Board member

Kathryn has worked in media and advertising for WPP ad agencies for almost a decade now – first in London, but more recently from Amsterdam! 

​Kathryn was a mentor for the Catalyst Collective in 2020-2021, and found it one of the most rewarding experiences she’s ever had. Kathryn is looking forward to being able to keep contributing to the incredible impact Catalyst has on its network of vibrant young people.

Dr Lateesha Osbourne

Advisory Board member

Lateesha has always had an interest in the educational journeys of young people, and this was further driven by her recent completion of a PhD in psychology. Her research focused on Black students’ sense of identity and belonging of in higher education in the UK.

Having served as a mentor in the first Catalyst cohort in 2020-21, Lateesha found the experience to be incredibly rewarding. She is eager and excited to continue contributing to the program’s incredible impact on young Black women and girls.

Mixed race woman with black hair smiling at the camera wearing an orange top

Elise Campbell

Advisory Board member

With over a decade of experience in human resources, Elise specialises in fostering inclusive and human-centred workplaces. Her focus on strategic HR initiatives in global, remote teams stems from a deep-seated passion for creating environments where all employees thrive.

Joining the Catalyst Advisory Board, Elise is inspired by the organisation’s mission and its focus on transformative change for black girls and young black women.

Annjana Ramesh

Advisory Board member

Annjana brings over a decade of technology and leadership experience, currently working at Monzo. Outside of work, she helps tech startups and leaders navigate their journey through coaching, mentoring and advisory.

Annjana is passionate about racial equity and bridging the gap, marching towards equality. She believes mentorship is the key first step to fuel confidence and unlock access to spaces. She’s excited to work with The Catalyst Collective to have a positive impact on Black girls’ lives, and careers. 

Seun Ifaturoti

Advisory Board member

Seun is a professional accountant with five years of audit experience across the corporate and charity sectors. She currently works at Sotheby’s, focusing on budgeting, forward planning, and performance analysis against strategic goals.

Passionate about the power of mentorship, Seun joined The Catalyst Collective to support its mission of empowering young Black girls with the guidance and experiences needed to excel in their careers. She recognizes the critical role positive role models play in shaping futures. Outside of work, Seun enjoys pottery and traveling to explore new cultures.

Lydia Mboneka

Advisory Board member

Lydia has spent over 10 years working in finance across the public sector.

Having seen first hand how powerful good mentors and sponsors can be, she is passionate about sharing knowledge and helping others see what’s possible. She is excited to be part of a space that enables that and will bring knowledge on financial management and controls. 

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Sarah Dirranne

Advisory Board member

Sarah Dirrane is the Co-Founder and Research Director at Cosmos, an organisation renowned for its award-winning work with underrepresented students. With over two decades of experience in higher education research, she has led extensive research programmes focused on access, participation, and student outcomes. Passionate about tackling systemic barriers, Sarah works closely with educators to provide actionable insights and drive meaningful change. She also hosts The Student Outcomes Podcast, exploring critical topics in educational equity and inclusion.

As an Advisory Board Member for The Catalyst Collective, Sarah looks forward to supporting the organisation’s mission to empower young Black women through year-long mentoring relationships. Sarah is committed to providing strategic guidance on impact evaluation, helping to shape robust measurement frameworks that ensure mentoring initiatives drive lasting, measurable change. 

Renuka Rawlins

Advisory Board member

Renuka is a policy and public affairs professional with experience across government and financial services. Most recently, she served as Head of Policy & Public Affairs at Yaspa, following policy roles at Revolut and Barclays. Previously, Renuka held roles across the UK Government, where she advised ministers, drafted legislation and led high-profile policy programmes.

She has consistently championed diversity and inclusion, with a focus on socioeconomic mobility and improving representation of women and minority groups in financial services and public affairs.

Renuka is a former mentor and mentoring coordinator at The Catalyst Collective, inspired by its mission to empower Black girls and young Black women through a supportive and authentic community.