Pippa - Chief Executive Officer
About me
I grew up in Hampshire near the sea and then moved to York for my degree and later Edinburgh for a Masters. My early career was diverse but always had young people and community at its heart – I worked for an arts funding organisation, a national youth sports event and a charity set up to end the stigma around mental illness. After moving to North Somerset and having my family, I worked as a Partnership Manager for a local cluster of schools and then made the decision to retrain as a teacher. Before joining the JHF in 2023, I was a teacher and senior leader in a local primary school for 11 years.
Why team JHF?
As a teacher, I was lucky enough to see firsthand what incredible work the JHF does when some of my Year 6 children were invited to join a summer transition programme. Their confidence and self-belief grew significantly under the care and support of the mentors. When the opportunity arose to join the JHF, I knew this was my dream job and I feel very privileged to now be leading this vital work and working alongside so many dedicated individuals.
Things I love
Spending time with my family (one of my girls is now away studying at university so family time is all the more precious). I also love being active – I play netball for a local team and I run a few times a week. I’m a big fan of Park Run and I’m slowly trying to get my 5K time down. Back at home, I have a small garden and get a lot of joy from pottering amongst my plants.