Our Governors

Jesse Ashman

Jesse Ashman

Jesse Ashman sits on the Diversity Equity & Inclusion Working Group, Finance & General Purposes Committee, as well as the Islington Council Community Chest Panel. He has a deep connection to the local area, recently started as the Partnerships Manager and Recovery Worker at the locally based Outside Project and STAR Refuge...
Our Governors
Edmund Brandt

Edmund Brandt

Edmund Brandt joined the Board of Governors in October 2020 and comes to us with a wealth of investment and finance experience, alongside his volunteering roles. Edmund is the Chair of Cripplegate's Finance and General Purposes Committee and Asset Working Group.
Co-optative Member
Nezahat Cihan

Nezahat Cihan

Nezahat Cihan is co-Vice Chair of the Foundation and has been a member of the Foundation’s Board of Governors since 2014. Nezahat studied Business Administration and completed her postgraduate education in Management Studies. She has worked in the field of free advice provision for around 20 years with various UK charities. Having wor…
Co-optative Member
Anne-Marie Ellis

Anne-Marie Ellis

Anne-Marie Ellis has been a member of the Foundation’s Board since 2008. She is Chair of the Islington Residents Support Scheme, Advice Projects Steering Group, Safeguarding Governor, and a member of the Programme Committee. "Having lived in our borough for over thirty years, I am deeply concerned by the increasing divide between rich…
Co-optative Member
Alderman David Graves

Alderman David Graves

Alderman David Graves is a nominative representative of the Corporation of London, joining the Board of Governors in 2010. "Helping to continue the 500 year tradition of reducing inequalities is for me a wonderful challenge."
Nominative Member
Rob Hull

Rob Hull

Rob Hull has been a member of the Foundation’s Board of Governors since 2008. He is Chair of the Programme Committee and a member of the Asset Working Group. "Getting involved with the Foundation was a great opportunity to contribute to the borough where I have lived for over 35 years."
Co-optative Member
Councillor Jenny Kay

Councillor Jenny Kay

Councillor Jenny Kay is a nominative representative of the London Borough of Islington, as councillor for Mildmay ward. She has been a member of the Foundation’s Board of Governors since 2014 and sits currently on the Programme Committee...
Nominative Member
James Kempton

James Kempton

James Kempton is Chair of Cripplegate Foundation and has been a member of the Board of Governors since 2014. He is passionate about social mobility, tackling poverty and driving social change. James was born in the borough and has served Islington as a councillor 1994-2010 and as Leader of the Council, leading the transformation of Isli…
Co-optative Member
Sarah Lee

Sarah Lee

Sarah Lee joined the Board of Governors in October 2020. She is a local resident and has been working with the Islington-based international law firm Slaughter and May since 1993. (Slaughter and May is also one of Islington Giving’s BIG Alliance members.)  Sarah was a Partner and, until recently, was the Head of Disputes and Inv…
Co-optative Member
Susan Pearson

Susan Pearson

Susan Pearson joined the Cripplegate Foundation in January 2020. She is part of the Court of Common Council since 2017, and represents the constituents of Cripplegate Ward where she has lived since 2006. She sits on the Programme Committee.
Nominative Member
Emmanuelle (Manu) Mathey

Emmanuelle (Manu) Mathey

Emmanuelle (Manu) Mathey sits on the Diversity Equity & Inclusion Working Group, Finance & General Purposes Committee, and Asset Working Group. She is also Chair of the Catalyst Steering Group, one of the Foundations's partnerships. She is a local resident and parent, and a lawyer by training...
Co-optative Member
Amir Rizwan

Amir Rizwan

Amir Rizwan joined the Board of Governors in October 2020. He brings a great depth of experience looking at new funding models to support social change working with civil society organisations and a wide range of other funders. He is now working at Big Society Capital as a Relationship Director (on a job-share basis) where he is focusin…
Co-optative Member
Councillor Marian Spall

Councillor Marian Spall

Councillor Marian Spall is a nominative representative of the London Borough of Islington. She recently joined the Board of Governors in October 2020 and sits on the Programme Committee...
Nominative Member
Manny Wiafe

Manny Wiafe

Manny Wiafe joined the Board of Governors in October 2020. He is a Vice Chair of Cripplegate Foundation and a member of the Finance & General Purposes Committee, Islington Giving Board, as well as the Islington Council Community Chest Panel. He was born and raised in Islington and continues to live in the borough...
Co-optative Member
Paul Formosa

Paul Formosa

Paul Formosa sits on the Programme Committee. He has lived in Islington all his life and has volunteered, been an activist, and worked in the community for over 20 years. He has been a longstanding Trustee at the learning disabilities charity Centre 404, the Co-ordinator of the Mildmay Community Partnership at its inception, and he curr…
Co-optative Member