Our Trustees Coram Beanstalk has an experienced, dedicated and specialist Board of Trustees who volunteer their time to govern the organisation and direct our strategy. Jill Pay, Chair Appointed as the first female Serjeant at Arms in the House of Commons in 2008, retiring in 2012. Currently Chair of the businesswomen's network The Pink Shoe Senate and also a Coram Beanstalk reading helper Hanif Barma, Treasurer Founder of governance consultancy Board Alchemy, specialising in board, risk and assurance effectiveness reviews and advisory work. He also brings extensive accounting and finance experience from his earlier career at PricewaterhouseCoopers. A board member of Southwark Cathedral Enterprises and a member of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee at the Department for International Trade. Saana Karki Experienced management consultant at PA Consulting, involving high profile, senior level engagements with organisations such as MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency), NCS, Network Rail, Thomson Reuters and Linklaters. Expert facilitator at Henley Business School. Philip Nelson Founder & CEO of a leading executive search practice serving the charity, non-profit, and civil society sector; Member of the Survivors Advisory Forum at the National Emergencies Trust and a passionate advocate for interventions to improve outcomes in early years and for children. Sharon Lambert Trustee of a high performing Academy Trust and Chair of the Teaching School Hub, Sharon is also an experienced former Headteacher of an ‘Outstanding’ school and long standing Inspector of Schools. Passionate about creating connections across schools and communities to strengthen outcomes for all children Sharon was a trustee for Coram Life Education for 8 years before being appointed as a Coram Beanstalk trustee, continuing her commitment to Coram and to children’s rights and wellbeing. Stefano Maifreni Experienced in strategy, operations, product, and business development. Background in blue chips, FTSE250s, scale-ups and start-ups in various sectors (e.g., ICT, Manufacturing, Drones/IoT, AI, GreenTech, Insure/FinTech). Stefano launched Eggcelerate to help small businesses achieve focus and sustainable growth. Former Board and Audit Committee Member of a Higher Education Institution. Cassie Buchanan Cassie has been CEO of the Charter Schools Educational Trust in April 2020 after 16 years in school leadership, including serving as Headteacher at Charles Dickens Primary School. She played a key role in establishing the London South Teaching School Hub and the Charles Dickens EEF Research School. A National Leader of Education and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Cassie brings extensive experience in collaborative leadership. She was awarded an OBE for services to education in 2020. James Ashton James Ashton is Chief Executive of the Quoted Companies Alliance, a members’ organisation that champions stock market-traded companies with government, regulators and in the media. He co-founded Oscar’s Book Prize, the annual search for the UK’s best picture book, in honour of his late son. James was City Editor and Executive Editor of the Evening Standard and independent titles and before that City Editor of the Sunday Times. He is the author of several business books and is also a non-executive director of Finsbury Growth & Income, the FTSE 250 investment trust. Support our work Manage Cookie Preferences