I joined the Board at Rochdale and District Mind in October 2016 and became a Co-Chair in October 2022.

My varied professional experience includes fifteen years working in an in-house legal department in the retail sector at all levels of support functions. This incorporated direct management of up to 22 people and working within the senior management team working to set strategies and adhere to budgets. Concurrently, I volunteered for a wonderful mental health charity in Longsight, Manchester, during my training and after qualifying as a counsellor. I also worked as a volunteer supporting victims of crime with Victim Support for a few years.

I have now built and run my own private counselling practice in Oldham. I work with diverse clients from different backgrounds and with different experiences. I also work with trainee counsellors as they start their own journeys.

Having had my own personal experiences and supported family, friends, and colleagues, I hold a keen interest in mental health and emotional wellbeing. I have a deep understanding of how vital the right support at the right time is for mental health and emotional wellbeing. I am passionate about sharing my skills for the benefit of those who access the services of Rochdale and District Mind.

I joined the Board at Rochdale and District Mind in 2020 and assumed the role of Co-Chair in October 2022.

With a background spanning 25 years in marketing, I have held various positions covering a wide range of areas such as communications, digital, and social media. In recent roles, I’ve been a key part of several senior leadership teams, focusing on business strategy, financial oversight, risk, governance and personnel. I’ve sat on and chaired various groups, from Diversity & Inclusion, through to Environmental, social and Governance committees.

Having encountered mental health challenges in both my professional and personal life, I underwent training as a mental health first aider, and am currently the Mental Health senior lead at my current organisation. I am delighted to now play a role working alongside the wonderful and talented team at Rochdale & District Mind.

I proudly assumed the role of Trustee in June 2023, bringing with me over 14 years of experience in leadership within the Technology and Communications Industry. Throughout my professional career, I have had a particular focus in formulating and executing strategic initiatives. 

I am a passionate advocate for ensuring universal access to mental health support. Recognising the significance of mental well-being, I am enthusiastic about leveraging my expertise in strategy and technology to contribute to the goals of Rochdale and District Mind.

Hello! I’m Sam. I live in Middleton, am an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion leader, a Mum – and I have an MBE!  

I was born in Oldham, having spent 5 years in Liverpool at university to study Dance! And now I live in Middleton with my little boy. My career has centred around people, learning and development, early careers, apprenticeships, and more recently I have moved into EDI, wanting to make a positive difference in the world, through encouraging large corporate businesses to be more inclusive, have diverse representation and do positive things for the communities they serve.  

I am very passionate about supporting people, am values driven and motivated by making a difference. Over the last decade my career has spanned across a number of industries; retail, law, and telecoms – to name a few. I enjoy learning new skills, experiencing new cultures and companies to expand my knowledge.  In my most recent role at TalkTalk, I was lucky enough to lead on a project called Kickstart, which aimed to reduce unemployment rates amongst young people as a result of the pandemic, with the help of the government. I was able to bring 100 young people into employment on a 6 month paid contract, and we retained half of those beyond the initial placement. This work led me to being nominated for, and selected to appear in the Kings New Years Honours list in 2022, and I received my MBE at Buckingham Palace in 2023 by Her Majesty Princess Anne.  

The pandemic was also a time I decided to look into volunteering and becoming a trustee. Seeing the role at Rochdale and District Mind completely aligned with my values. Mental Health affects so many of us, and a lot of people close to me, myself included. I thought if I could contribute in some way to a fantastic organisation who helps improve people’s lives which is something I’m passionate about, and at the same time continue to learn and develop my skills then it was a no brainer. I was officially appointed as a trustee in October 2021 and I feel privileged to lead the charity amongst my fellow board members. I’m inspired by the staff and volunteers, and hope I can add value in some way.  

I joined the Board at Rochdale Mind in December 2023. 

My professional experience spans a number of public sector organisations from the NHS, Local Authority, Civil Service and currently in higher education. I began my career in marketing, public relations and media, working my way to a Head of Communications level in the Civil Service. I then ventured further into leading patient engagement in the South of England before leading on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), as Head of DEI in two different hospital Trust’s managing 12 people with budgetary responsibility of £250,000.

My current role is the senior strategic EDI lead at Manchester Metropolitan University managing a team of 4, and leading DEI for over 37,000 students and nearly 5,000 staff. I am extremely passionate about volunteering and giving something back to local causes and communities and I have previously volunteered for Oxfam, The LGBT Foundation, Brooklands Radio, Surrey Police and most recently as head of fundraising for Salford Pride. 

Having worked across the NHS in commissioning, acute services and mental health, coupled with my own personal lived experiences of mental health, I remain passionate to make a difference to people’s lives, by listening to understand and provide the best possible support.

I have an advanced expertise and knowledge on a range of subjects, with qualifications in Marketing and Public Relations – and my recent distinction in HR Management, Level 7, CIPD. On a personal level, I am proud to represent several intersectional communities and love being creative, with previous experience as a Radio Presenter and podcaster and my current online blog and presence on X (formerly Twitter).

Hi, I am Shahed, an experienced accounting and audit professional. With a rewarding career spanning top-tier firms including PwC and Deloitte, I have honed my expertise to navigate the complexities of financial reporting, audit and financial management in the public, private and charitable sectors.  I joined the Board of Trustees at Rochdale and District Mind as Treasurer in April 2024.

In pursuit of a deeper purpose, I have ventured into entrepreneurship, spearheading my own accountancy practices. Alongside my professional endeavours, I harbour a profound interest in fostering positive change within the charity and education sectors. As a founding member of a reputable free school in London, and a longstanding Governor across various educational institutions until recently, I have dedicated over 15 years to advancing educational excellence and opportunity for underprivileged children.

I am thrilled to embark on this new journey as Treasurer at Rochdale and District Mind. With an unwavering dedication to financial stewardship and a fervent desire to effect meaningful change, I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to contribute positively to the organisation’s mission over the forthcoming three years.

I love to play chess, and am addicted to books and current affairs.