Laura Evans
CEO
Driven by her passion for addressing social inequalities, Laura is a consultant, leader and public speaker with almost two decades’ experience in Operations, Policy, Regulatory Compliance, and Human Resources in the public, private, and charity sectors.
Laura’s career has focussed on helping to remove the barriers people face in society – in education and employment – by supporting organisations to shape inclusive cultures. She founded Glass Ceilings® in 2020 as a progressive people partner supporting organisations to thrive because their people thrive, securing a future in which no individual or group is left behind in employment.
In addition to a commercial focus, Laura has a long-standing commitment to public service, with a focus on addressing social inequalities and supporting individuals and institutions in the broader profession. Her experience includes:
- Embedding Macpherson Report recommendations and developing and implementing equalities legislation and policy in her first leadership role (for which she was recommended for the Civil Service Diversity Award)
- Serving as Expert Panel Member on Responsible Business for Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
- Serving as an Advisory Board member on employment law and policy for Long Covid Support
- Thought leadership speaking at conferences and events
- Transformational change leadership and streamlining operations during 45% cuts whilst avoiding making posts redundant
- Employment Tribunal cases and complex Employment Relations casework
- Advising Counsel in cases at the High Court, Court of Appeal, and UK Supreme Court
- Pro bono coaching for professionals made redundant during the Covid pandemic.
- Sitting on the Federation of Small Business NW Business Advisory Group
- Helping to set up the CIPD Independent Consultant’s network
- Mentoring Directors with the Chartered Management Institute
- Acting as Senior People Professionals Champion, a Stonewall Workplace Ally and a Dementia Friend with the Alzheimer’s Society
- Serving as Vice Chair of Governors at a primary school and a non-executive board member and Trustee of Citizens Advice Sefton
Affiliations
- Chartered Fellow, Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (UK)
- Chartered Manager and Fellow, Chartered Management Institute (UK)
- Fellow, Institute of Leadership (UK)
- Fellow, Australian HR Institute
- Fellow, Institute of Managers & Leaders Australia and New Zealand
- Institute of Directors
Amy Lester
Executive Assistant
Amy is responsible for managing Laura’s diary and schedule as well as supporting and co-ordinating online webinars and masterclasses on a monthly basis. Amy plays an integral role in business development and operational efficiencies. In addition, Amy supports with ad-hoc requirements as needed to ensure everything at Glass Ceilings continues to run smoothly! Amy has over 12 years of experience in Business Administration, Operations and Marketing across a variety of industries, making her a valuable asset to the team.
Associates
Lisa Ellis
Senior Associate Consultant
Hannah Satchwell
Senior Associate Consultant – Training and Professional Development
Lisa is an Employment Relations Specialist with over 15 years of experience. She brings a wealth of expertise in HR matters and conflict resolution across diverse public and private sector organisations. Her commitment to improving workplace relationships began spending nine-years at ACAS as a trainer and senior adviser, where she refined her skills and insights into the intricacies of employment law and employment relations.
Key Competencies:
- Training and Development: Qualified to Post-Graduate level in Individual Employment Dispute Resolution and a skilled facilitator, Lisa delivers bespoke training programs that encourage organisations to explore ways of improving working life and navigate employment relations challenges with increased confidence.
- Conflict Resolution: With a proven track record, Lisa excels in resolving workplace conflicts through providing mediation services. She was also a tutor at Acas for their accredited mediation training course, contributing to the professional development of others.
- A Mental Health First Aid instructor, Lisa is passionate about fostering workplace cultures that prioritise and support mental health. She actively contributes to creating environments where mental well-being is a top priority.
Affiliations
Lisa is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and spends time volunteering for the Merseyside and North Cheshire Branch Committee in her role as Programme of Activities Lead.
Hannah is a qualified and experienced People professional (MCIPD) with 20 years experience across a range of Senior HR, OD and L&D roles, leading teams and creating the strategic direction across HR and L&D functions.
Hannah has shared her Coaching, Training and Insights Discovery skills with both not-for-profit and commercially driven businesses globally across a diverse range of sectors. Her purpose or ‘why’ is to support leaders and teams to become even more effective and she believes that even the best of us have further untapped potential.
Specialisms: Coaching; Executive Coaching; Group Coaching; Insights Discovery; Developing management coaching skills; Leadership Development; Team development.
Key competencies:
- An experienced and qualified HR and Learning & Development professional (MCIPD).
- 20 years senior HR and Learning & Development experience.
- A CMI qualified coach, member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council and accredited Insights Discovery practitioner.
- Extensive experience of leading and developing teams with both operational and strategic responsibility, including transformation projects
Affiliations
A Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and a member of the European Coaching and Mentoring Council, Hannah is also a Board member for Women in Social Housing, a network supporting and empowering women working across every discipline of the UK housing sector.