Our team

Fatima Iftikhar

Programme Director

Working across policy, higher education, campaigning and community building, Fatima’s interest in economics grew as she grappled to understand how we change systems that are deepening inequality. Leading People’s Economy‘s Voice, Conversation and Decision Making work, she believes the answers lie in the knowledge and expertise of marginalised communities that are currently structurally excluded from economic decision making. Alongside work Fatima is an Aziz Foundation Scholar, studying a Masters in Social Policy and Social Research. In her spare time you can find her cooking, crocheting and planning travels across the world.

Jess Silvester

Senior Programme Manager - Wales | Rheolwr Rhaglen Cymru

Before joining People’s Economy as Wales Programme Manager, Jess spent five years as a community development worker for a resident-led group in Marchog, working with residents to bring their visions for their community to life. Before that, she did a phd in polar ocean processes linked to climate systems. She dreams of a world where we live in balance with each other and our planet and is optimistic we can imagine and make a more just future shaped by what matters to people and communities, within planetary boundaries – just. She thinks economic change is a key part of making this happen.

Outside work, Jess likes to grow things, be in wild places with her family, dance with friends and scramble in the mountains at home, Eryri (Snowdonia).

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Cyn ymuno gydag Economi’r Bobl fel Rheolwr Rhaglen Cymru, treuliodd Jess bum mlynedd fel gweithiwr datblygu cymuned ar gyfer grŵp a arweinir gan drigolion ym Marchog, yn gweithio gyda nhw i ddod â’u gweledigaethau ar gyfer eu cymuned yn fyw. Cyn hynny, gwnaeth PhD mewn prosesau cefnfor pegynol yn gysylltiedig â systemau hinsawdd. Mae hi’n breuddwydio am fyd lle rydyn ni’n byw mewn cydbwysedd â’n gilydd a’n planed ac mae’n obeithiol y gallwn ni ddychmygu a thyfu dyfodol mwy cyfiawn wedi’i siapio gan yr hyn sy’n bwysig i bobl a chymunedau, o fewn ffiniau planedol – jest.
Mae hi’n meddwl bod newid economaidd yn rhan allweddol o wneud i hyn ddigwydd. Tu allan i waith, mae Jess yn hoffi tyfu pethau, bod mewn llefydd gwyllt gyda’i theulu, dawnsio gyda ffrindiau a sgramblo ym mynyddoedd ei chartref, yn Eryri.

Jo Hiley

Head of Community

Jo started out supporting communities to lead campaigns on issues affecting them, which got her interested in how learning stuff on our own terms changes our relationship to power. When she’s not working on People’s Economy’s outreach, partnerships and community networks, she’s probably roaming around Sheffield on a quest for noodles. Jo is currently finishing a Masters in Education & Social Justice.

Jonah Earle

Jonah Earle

Executive Director | @Jonah_Earle

Jonah worked for the Big Issue after leaving school and then went to university just before the fees went up. There he felt that the economics he was taught wasn’t helping him understand the world and he helped set up the Rethinking Economics student movement. He’s a co-author of a book called The Econocracy: on the perils of leaving economics to the experts and does research on how to build better local economies. He also loves playing football and is a lapsed part-time poet always hoping to make a comeback.

Trustees

Meena

Meena Bharadwa – Chair of Board

Meena has a background in community development and social justice and has been working alongside communities for the last twenty years. She currently based in the West Midlands working for a national charity that supports communities to create a fairer society. Meena is really keen to shift power towards communities and especially those who are facing economic deprivation and those who are furthest away from decision making. Meena has always been interested in economics but in a way that relates to everyday people in their everyday lives.

Gwen Thirsk

Gwen’s been working in the field of youth and community development for the last 20 years.  For the last 7 years she has been working on an asset based community development  programme (Invest Local) supporting 3 communities in North Wales.  She is passionate about social justice and creating a change to the structures that create injustice – the economy being a very big one!

Outside of work Gwen loves the beach, spending time with family and friends (on the beach as much as possible), a bit of running, yoga, hockey, and any opportunity to dance!  Gwen is also a first language Welsh speaker, and a slightly rusty Spanish and French speaker :o)

 

Lydia Mbogoro

Lydia works across policy and advocacy in the International Development sector and is currently the Humanitarian Hunger Policy and Advocacy Advisor at Christian Aid on secondment from her role leading their parliamentary and political engagement. She currently works to advance Christian Aid’s analysis and response to growing food insecurity in the Global South.  

A passionate advocate she also is a trade union representative and a coordinator for an internal network for minoritised staff. Lydia holds an MSc in Development studies.

Mehroosh

Dr Mehroosh Tak

Mehroosh is an applied economist researching on how to make global food systems sustainable and nutritious. She is passionate about making economics language accessible to the public and diversifying the discipline.

Rebecca Baron

Rebecca is an activist, with more than 15 years’ experience campaigning across issues including climate justice, refugee rights, global poverty and LGBTQ+ rights. She’s passionate about participation, inclusion and finding new ways to dismantle systems of oppression. You can often find her running (slowly) through green spaces of North London or in the pub arguing about politics.