Oliver Hilbery
Chief Executive
Ollie leads MEAM’s work to transform services, systems and policy for people experiencing multiple disadvantage. His role covers team leadership, strategy, governance and fundraising, as well as regular work with local areas and national policymakers.
Ollie joined MEAM as the inaugural Director in 2009 and reports to the MEAM Board. Prior to MEAM, Ollie worked at Homeless Link as Head of Policy and before that on specific projects related to housing and migration. He has also worked in local government and at a policy consultancy.
Anna Suswillo
Head of Partnerships, Networks and Training
Anna oversees the support we provide to local areas in the MEAM Approach network to transform the way that services and systems work for people facing multiple disadvantage. This includes bespoke support from Partnership Managers and our events and training programme.
Prior to MEAM, Anna worked in the Homeless Link partnerships team supporting local areas in the South East, and as a Senior Manager supporting the team’s strategic priorities.
Richard Lewis
Head of External Affairs (Interim)
Richard leads on the support contract to the Changing Futures programme, as well as having responsibility for external policy and external consultancy opportunities for MEAM.
Richard joined MEAM in 2019 and has worked in a variety of roles, including a two-year secondment at the UK’s Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This has involved directly supporting work in programme areas, along with supporting colleagues on strategic and programmatic development, legislative analysis, cost-benefit/cost-avoidance and data-use analysis.
Previously, Richard worked at a youth homelessness and domestic abuse charity in Cardiff and a refugee and asylum seeker charity in Swansea; and a large international NGO working in Wales, as well as international experience in Türkiye.
Hana Bloedel
Membership Manager
Hana leads on our online community platform Mighty Networks and supports the local areas that comprise the MEAM Approach network.
Hana is passionate about cause-driven work previously working at a BPOC youth led charity leading their program for students of colour and LGBTQ students aimed at self-development, community building and leadership. She has also worked at an NGO in Eastern Europe and an education non-profit in the USA.
Carl Brown
Systems Practice Manager
Carl provides bespoke systems-focused support to help local areas tackle problems related to multiple disadvantage.
Before joining MEAM Carl worked within the homelessness sector in a range of frontline services including Housing First and 18 months as an evaluator for the national Housing First Pilot. As someone with lived experience of homelessness and multiple disadvantage he is passionate about his work. Carl has experience working within transformational teams, applying systems thinking methods to bring about positive change and working with the police and social housing providers.
Greg Headley
Partnerships Development Manager
As Partnerships Development Manager, Greg provides bespoke support to new areas in the MEAM Approach network.
Greg began working with people in 2002 as a residential volunteer in a youth homeless project in Edinburgh. He has since worked extensively in rough sleeping outreach, supported housing, drug & alcohol, and mental health services. Since 2017 he has worked as a partnership development worker for The Passage, Homeless Link and now for MEAM from June 2022.
Greg brings his own life experiences to the role; he is driven to increase our intersectional thinking and collective response particularly related to the impact of complex trauma on people’s lives and life experiences and use this to reframe systems within which we operate.
Gerry McNamara
Training and Consultancy Manager
Gerry is responsible for developing, delivering, marketing and expanding MEAM’s commercial training and specialist consultancy services.
Gerry has worked in the charity sector for over 25 years, previously working at Mind, the Centre for Accessible Environments and Shape, as well as supporting advisory groups and being a trustee. She has led both funded and income-generating charitable programmes and services with a particular focus on knowledge development, consultancy, project delivery and product development.
Maud Pedemonte-Ellis
Maud provides dedicated partnership support to local areas in the Changing Futures programme, supporting to achieve lasting and sustainable improved outcomes at individual, service and system levels.
Prior to the MEAM work, Maud has worked extensively in the voluntary sector as an advocate, supporting women whose experience of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) intersects with severe and multiple disadvantage, working in particular with individuals with insecure immigration status and No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).
Anthony Pickup
Involvement and Inclusion Manager
Anthony supports the MEAM coalition and MEAM Approach network areas to increase their involvement of people with lived experience and co-produce their work.
Anthony has worked for Catching Lives in various roles and at Porchlight as a member of their Involvement Service, both in the Kent area. He has managed several peer-led projects and has contributed to research and reports both at a local and national level. He is also a former chair of the Homeless Link Expert Advisory Panel.
Lauren Wallace
Senior Partnerships Manager - Changing Futures
Lauren has over twelve years of experience working directly and intensively with people who have experienced multiple disadvantage, and in partnership with the services supporting them.
Prior to MEAM, Lauren held a range of roles at Fulfilling Lives Islington and Camden (FLIC) throughout the lifetime of the project including VAWG Lead and Operational Development Manager. Before that, Lauren worked in substance misuse and criminal justice settings. She brings with her an interest and experience in working within a reflective, trauma informed approach.
Safia Cragg
MEAM Associate
Safia is a consultant, trainer and MEAM Associate, focused on systems leadership and support to local areas around equity, diversity and inclusion. Prior to this, Safia worked at MEAM for four years as a Partnerships Manager (South East) and as Head of Networks and Operations.
Safia has worked in a variety of front line services offering support and advocacy to people experiencing or at risk of becoming homeless. This has included specialist work with young women who have experienced domestic and sexual abuse within minoritised communities.
Gavin Roberts
MEAM Associate
Gavin is a consultant, trainer and MEAM Associate focussed on systems leadership and systems practice. Prior to this, Gavin led the Systems Practice Team at MEAM, overseeing our system intervention support for local areas and our systems leadership programme.
Gavin is a board member of the national body SCiO, holds a Level 7 qualification in leadership and management and undertook a Level 7 apprenticeship in Systems Practice while working full-time for MEAM. He has many years’ experience as a systems practitioner working within local authorities and the VCS, specialising in multi-organisational contexts.
Gavin has worked at all levels, from frontline staff to CEOs, including regular one-to-one and team coaching and mentoring.
Tassie Weaver
MEAM Associate
Tassie is a consultant, trainer and MEAM Associate, delivering workforce development, training and consultancy for network members. Prior to this, Tassie was Head of Networks and Operations for MEAM from 2017-2022, coordinating the support provided nationally to Fulfilling Lives and MEAM Approach areas.
Tassie has experience of delivering a range a of front line services providing support and advocacy for people who are rough sleeping, including Hospital to Home and No Second Night Out. Before joining MEAM, Tassie worked for West Yorkshire Finding Independence, focusing specifically on coordinating interventions around multiple disadvantage.
Wendy Eley
Chair of Trustees
Wendy is Chair of MEAM and the Group Operations & HR Director at CSSC Sports & Leisure.
Tom Hayden
Trustee
Tom is a Chartered Manager with more than 17 years’ experience working alongside people experiencing homelessness, addiction, and multiple disadvantages. He has direct lived experience of multiple disadvantage including addiction, poor mental health, and engagement with the criminal justice system.
Tom’s career includes working alongside people experiencing multiple disadvantages first as a volunteer, then as a practitioner, then for the last twelve years as a manager. This covers work in both clinical and community services, as well as with local and national charities. He champions strengths-based ways of working which empower people to achieve their full potential and is a strong advocate of coproduction and meaningful involvement.
Will Haydock
Trustee
Will is Executive Director of Policy and External Affairs at Collective Voice, and the Collective Voice nominee to the MEAM board.
Rick Henderson
Trustee
Rick is Chief Executive at Homeless Link, and the Homeless Link nominee to the MEAM board.
Sarah Hughes
Trustee
Sarah is Chief Executive at Mind, and the Mind nominee to the MEAM board.
Deborah Jenkins
Trustee
Deborah is Managing Director of Innovation Unit a nfp social enterprise whose mission is to reduce inequalities and transform systems.
Deborah brings experience and insights from a 20 year career in management consultancy with public and social sector clients and has a long track record of successfully leading teams and directing complex change programmes in the health and social care sector. She excels at providing independent strategic advice and tangible improvements to CEOs, SMT & Boards of major national and regional charities, public sector organisations and local government.
Prior to her current position she held the position of Interim Chief Executive for a leading regional substance misuse charity and has led and advised on a number of mergers in the social sector.
She is passionate about creating more equitable outcomes for people experiencing multiple disadvantage and delighted to be contributing to the important work of MEAM.
Angela Lucas
Trustee
Angela is Director of Area Engagement and Partnerships at Clinks, and the Clinks nominee to the MEAM board.
Steve O’Neill
Trustee
Steve worked in the drug and alcohol field for nearly 40 years in NHS Local authority and voluntary sector roles. He is committed to understanding and helping unravel the complexities in local systems.