FIRST LIGHT SOUTH WEST - Key Persons
Adrian is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) having qualified with Ernst & Young (EY) in London.
Adrian spent 20 years in senior finance and leadership roles at blue chip financial institutions including Flemings, Cazenove and Standard Chartered.
He was a top ranked equity research analyst and lived in Asia for a number of years. He also co-founded and acted as treasurer of an industry linked charity.
In the past 10 years Adrian has focused on supporting growth companies and on sustainability initiatives. He has a BSc (Hons) from Exeter University and has three nearly grown-up children.
Job Titles:
- Assistant News Editor at BBC Southwest
- Lead Trustee for Communications
Ali is an Assistant News Editor at BBC Southwest, responsible for producing Spotlight, the regional news programme. She lives in Plymouth with her two teenage children.
During her time as a journalist she has covered numerous court cases and interviewed the victims of Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence. She joined the Board of Trustees to support the valuable work conducted by First Light.
Beate van Loo-Born is a senior executive in financial services, currently working for the Swiss stock exchange after 15 years at UBS. In line with her passion for sustainability, she leads various industry groups towards ESG data transparency facilitating sustainable investments.
She also chairs the Women Data Professionals European Chapter which promotes the development and advancement of women in data science. She is keen to use her finance and risk experience to support the valuable work of First Light.
Beate lives in Zürich with her Australian husband and 7 year old daughter and loves competing in long distance triathlons.
Job Titles:
- Director of Sexual Violence Services
Cath joined First Light in 2012 taking up the role of Service Manager for the Plymouth Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) Service and Plymouth Therapy Service. Cath now has a strategic role as the Director of Sexual Violence Services across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Swindon and Wiltshire. This role supports a range of services including SARC, ISVA and therapeutic services, along with Safe Spaces, a national contract supporting people affected by abuse within the Church of England, the Catholic Church in England and Wales and the Church of Wales.
Cath's previous experience was in NHS Healthcare Management in a variety of roles, including Clinical Governance, CAMHS, and within the Children & Young People's Directorate as Deputy Directorate Manager. Cath has a Level 7 Chartered Management Institute qualification in Strategic Management and Leadership and has most recently studied with the London School of Economics in Data Analysis for Management.
Franka is a senior fundraiser who is passionate about leading teams through change and developing people to achieve their best.
With 12 years' experience in fundraising and leadership in environmental campaigning, international development, and humanitarian aid, she has a track record of growing income and facilitating new ways of working.
She spent 8 years at international disaster relief charity, ShelterBox, where she created a direct marketing programme from scratch, growing it to a multimillion-pound income stream and launching innovative new products like ShelterBox Book Club.
Franka now heads up public fundraising at environmental campaigning charity, Surfer's Against Sewage, and supports First Light with developing their strategy to fund their vital services.
Karen came to First Light in 2015, and has worked as an Adult and Child Sexual Violence Counsellor, Team Leader and now Team Manager.
Her background before she came to us was working in residential drug and alcohol rehab, where she worked with both men and women. Karen has also counselled in several secondary schools in Plymouth. Originally hailing from the London area, she has lived in Cornwall over 25 years.
Job Titles:
- Swindon & Wiltshire SARC Manager
Lewis joined First Light in 2020 as the Engagement and Outreach Coordinator for the Swindon and Wiltshire SARC. In 2022, he was promoted to the Swindon and Wiltshire SARC Manager. He hopes to use this opportunity to further drive public and professional awareness of the fantastic work that SARC do to support victims and survivors of sexual violence.
In his spare time, Lewis enjoys SUPing, exploring new places, and trying new foods.
Job Titles:
- Business Manager - Finance
After studying Business and Finance at college, Linda has worked in Finance for her whole career, bringing 25+ years of knowledge and experience to First Light. She also has professional qualifications in Finance, Payroll and ILM.
Throughout her accounting career, she has worked for numerous companies including national organisations and charities in a variety of sectors including Marine Research, Commercial Property Management, Construction, Leisure, Retail and Education.
Her experience in charitable organisations include the Marine Biological Association where she spent 10 years in Accounts, EU Funding management and helping to raise and secure funds for the Plymouth Aquarium; and Plymouth Marjon University where she spent 10 years managing the Universities income, debt collection, investment portfolio and auditing.
Linda is originally from Plymouth, but having spent many years in the North West and overseas she returned to the West Country where she's now been living for the last 30 years. In her spare time, she has an active social life enjoying dancing, walking, reading and family activities.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive
- Chief Executive Officer
- Officer With Devon & Cornwall Police
Lyn brings a wealth of experience within the domestic abuse and sexual violence arena including the investigation of crime, the commissioning of specialist services, contract management and partnership working.
Having previously served as a Police Officer with Devon & Cornwall Police, Lyn gained experience in a range of areas including child abuse investigations, critical incident management and partnership working. Lyn was also successful in helping to secure funding to establish Cornwall's first Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Truro.
Following retirement, Lyn joined the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Devon & Cornwall, latterly serving as the Criminal Justice, Commissioning & Partnership Manager. Working to the Police & Crime Plan Lyn established effective working relationships with several partners including NHS England, Ministry of Justice, Home Office, Local Authorities and a range of organisations who provide victim care services building on the relationships she previously forged whilst serving as a Police Officer.
Mara recently joined the First Light team as the Business Support Manager. Starting her career in Business Administration 7 years ago in another charity, her passion is to contribute, support and make a difference.
Mara has a Level 2 and 4 Diploma in Business and Administration and enjoys using her problem-solving skills in new challenges and projects as it involves working on something ‘different', which motivates her. Working for an organization that's values align to her own are also important.
Mara has lived in Plymouth all her life and is a mother of dogs! In her spare time, she enjoys walking her dogs, going to the gym, and spending time with family and friends.
Martin began his career working as classroom support for children aged 4-11 with complex needs. He completed his degree in Education and Philosophy in 2016, before focusing on outdoor education and experiences, and moving to New Zealand.
Upon his return from New Zealand, he relocated to Cornwall, and joined First Light as a Complex needs ISVA, before helping develop the Male Specific ISVA role and gaining national accreditation for this service.
He joined the Safe Spaces Team to procure and launch the service with First Light, before taking the manager's role on a full time basis.
In his spare time, he likes to take in the outdoors by sea swimming, walking his dog on Dartmoor, kayaking and spending time with family.
Job Titles:
- Director of Domestic Abuse Services
Mel was born and raised in Manchester. She has lived abroad and established a drop-in group and support network for women and families experiencing Domestic Abuse in the Armed Forces setting.
Mel settled in Cornwall to raise her family. For many years, she studied as a part-time student and gained a number of qualifications. Alongside her studies, Mel volunteered for several organisations, including MIND and Action for Children.
As one of the first Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) in Cornwall, Mel has worked with women and men experiencing high-risk domestic abuse at the point of crisis.
She has three adult children and enjoys travel, kayaking, reading and spending as much time as possible at the beach.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Trustees
- Director of Partnerships
- Trustee for a Police Benevolent Fund
Michelle is a Director of Partnerships on the VAWG Task Force, she co-wrote the VAWG Strategy and lead on the development of the VAWG Digital and Education Strategy. As a previous Strategic Lead for Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Michelle lead the first DASV Strategy that included violence against men and boys, and also commissioned First Light to deliver the integrated DASV Services in this area.
Michelle is also a Trustee for a Police Benevolent Fund, and has a wealth of experience leading whole system transformation on a local and national platform. She is relentless in her pursuit of improving accessibility and standards of services for victims, early identification and intervention, crisis management and recovery programmes, and sustained behavioural change programmes for perpetrators.
Michelle is step mum to two wonderful children, and in 2018 took a career break to work and teach in a Scuba Diving Centre in Cyprus. Prior to that, she is proud to have been awarded an MBE for services to victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence in 2017.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Chief Information Officer at Delt Shared Services Ltd
Paul is currently the Chief Information Officer at Delt Shared Services Ltd in Plymouth and lives locally with his wife and children. He has spent over 30 years working in Information Technology roles which included 10 years in the Royal Air Force and over 20 years in private and public sector Information Technology companies.
Paul joined the board of trustees to use his experience to help First Light achieve its mission.
Job Titles:
- Director of Governance and Compliance
After moving to the South West in 2013, Richard spent several years working in the world of Adventure Sports. This was followed by time with a national children's charity as their Head of Facilities.
Richard joined First Light in 2020 in a temporary position, and took on the permanent role of Director of Governance and Compliance in April 2021.
In his spare time, Richard enjoys making the most of the beautiful South West and spends time walking, swimming and camping throughout Devon and Cornwall.
Job Titles:
- Devon & Cornwall ISVA Manager
Sharon completed her Certificate in Social Work at Plymouth University and on completion, worked as a Probation Officer in Wiltshire. Over two decades she worked in a variety of settings with the Probation Service and became a Manager with Dorset Probation.
Following a career break and relocation to Cornwall, Sharon was appointed as the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) Development Manager to establish the SARC in Cornwall. The SARC opened in 2011 and Sharon's role changed to lead the SARC and Independent Sexual Violence Advisory (ISVA) service in the county. Throughout her life, partnership working and a strong victim focus have been key.
Sophie Dupre-Echeverria is a governance, risk and compliance practitioner with over 20 years of experience in the financial services. She is passionate about diversity and inclusion and, in particular, gender equality.
She is the Chief Risk & Compliance Officer and Chair of the D&I forum at GIB Asset Management, a boutique sustainability asset management in London, where she lives with her husband and her younger daughter, whilst her eldest studies at Exeter university.
Sophie joined the board of trustees to advance First Light's mission to support the victims of, and raise awareness about, domestic and sexual violence.
Tim is a qualified solicitor who was employed in the Magistrates Courts Service for 40 years, the last 33 of them as a Justices' Clerk in the South West.
After service in Greater Manchester and the East Midlands, he came to Cornwall in 1984, moving to Devon following re-organisation, and then into a role covering Devon, Cornwall and Dorset from 2012. As principal legal adviser to the magistrates in his area, he spent many hours in the courtroom, seeing at first hand how the justice system deals with issues of domestic abuse and sexual violence, and helping to implement many aspects of the Victims Code.
A further restructure of the service led to his early departure in 2018, allowing time for voluntary roles as a school governor in Plymouth and a member of the committee which recruits new magistrates.
Currently living in Cornwall with his two adult children, Tim enjoys the theatre and daily walks with the ageing family dog and tries to enjoy his season ticket at Plymouth Argyle.
Job Titles:
- Head of Communications and Income Generation
Tom is an experienced senior professional with a history in the charity, performing arts, education, music and entertainment industry.
Tom joined First Light after working various Citizens Advice's in Devon and leads on Communications and Revenue Generation.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Lead Trustee for Legal
Vikki is a partner at a local law firm and is the head of their Family Department. Vikki provides legal advice to clients who are separating and has particular specialism in helping clients who are victims of Domestic Abuse.
Vikki returned to Plymouth in 2006 to pursue her legal career after spending time studying in Cardiff and in France.
In her spare time, Vikki enjoys the theatre, live music and travelling to far-away places.