Board of Directors Amal Abbass-Saal Barbara Okoliko Tom Abbass-Saal Mrs. Henrietta Adebanke Olujobi Karen (Amber)Leafe Sangita Doublard Mehrdad Khallaghi Leigh Morgan Patricia Knight

Karen (Amber) Leafe Amber is a mother of two, and an approved foster carer, who started professional work with children and young people, and close involvement with understanding and promoting the rights of Asylum Seeking communities 30 years ago, before leaving college. During her professional development she has worked with under 5’s and school age children, been a trainer, deliverer and author of awareness raising programmes on Equality and Diversity, Life Skills, Therapeutic Arts, myriad discussion workshops and Self Esteem programmes, and an advocate and Project Worker and Intensive Connections PA for 13-19 yr olds for over six year. She also Co-ordinated specialist empowerment projects for unaccompanied minors with partner agencies during this time. Recently she gave up work to be a disability carer, home educator and foster carer and devote time to voluntary community work in the form of being an active Director and member, of CCDN. She has completed extensive training and professional development courses, both as Chair this year, and previously in an exceptionally wide range of opportunities through two well known National Charities and various local young peoples services, and has worked in both paid and voluntary capacities for local and national charities and associations throughout her working life due to her skills, versatility and passionate beliefs in the arts, community and individual empowerment, equality and diversity. If nominated as a director again she would continue to work in the above areas in specialised projects, as well as continuing participation in GloBang and other performance line ups and musical contributions. She is also planning to travel and return to study (Philosophy) this year. She said ‘’I learnt a lot representing CCDN as Chair this year, and wish to continue supporting the Celebrating Cultural Diversity Network and its far reaching beneficial projects actively, but in a slightly lower key role due to my other commitments’’. Back