Women's Leadership and Entrepreneurship Conference 2026
Speakers & Facilitators

Brandie Deignan is a Chief Executive Officer in NHS primary care, an author, mentor and experienced business leader whose career spans more than 20 years across hospitality, retail, aviation and healthcare.

She began her career as a graduate trainee at Hilton Hotels before progressing into senior leadership roles at major organisations including British Airways, Tesco, Whitbread and Travelodge. She later became Managing Director of Marco Pierre White Restaurants, making history as the first Black female Managing Director within UK branded restaurant groups.
 

In 2021, Brandie transitioned into healthcare, taking on a Chief Executive Officer role within NHS primary care. Alongside her executive career, she has held non-executive board positions focused on equality, diversity and inclusion, including with Basketball England.

Encompass Equality

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Brandie is also the author of The Sector Agnostic Leadership Playbook: Pivoting In Heels, which explores leadership across different industries and the value of transferable skills.

Her achievements include being named among the top 15 BAME high-fliers in travel and tourism, becoming a finalist at the Black British Business Awards and receiving recognition for her contributions to leadership, diversity and inclusion.

Basketball England

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Passionate about inspiring the next generation, Brandie has also worked with Speakers for Schools, sharing her career journey and encouraging young people to recognise their potential and pursue their ambitions.

Tania Nana is currently working in housing within the complaints and resolution of a social housing organisation, as well as a freelance theatre and food reviewer, community connector and events volunteer with the GiveBack Project. Her experience spans administration, community engagement, business support, project coordination and creative work, with a
particular interest in creating spaces where people feel seen, heard and able to access
opportunities.
 

Through her work and volunteering, Tania has supported and connected people from a range of backgrounds and has developed a strong interest in representation, access and helping people recognise the skills and potential they already carry. She is passionate about community, storytelling and creating opportunities for people who may not always see themselves represented in professional or creative spaces.

Tania brings a personal and practical perspective

 

Dawn George is a senior independent HR leader and trusted advisor who is passionate about helping organisations and their people thrive. With extensive experience partnering with executive teams, she specialises in aligning people strategies with business goals to support growth, transformation, and long-term success.

Known for her practical, people-focused approach, Dawn brings expertise across organisational change, workforce planning, employee relations, governance, and leadership development. She is skilled at turning complex workforce challenges into clear, actionable solutions that strengthen culture, performance, and accountability.

A strong advocate of authentic and inclusive leadership, Dawn is passionate about creating workplaces where values, behaviours, and business objectives work hand in hand. She is recognised for her ability to build trusted relationships, navigate sensitive issues with discretion, and help leaders create inclusive, high-performing environments where both individuals and organisations can reach their full potential.

Georgina brings a global, multifaceted perspective to career reframing and economic empowerment. Drawing on 15 years as an international educator and lead trainer across Singapore, Mexico, and Japan, backed by a Master’s in Education, International Relations, and Psychology, she has successfully translated her skill set across sectors.
 

Now based in Cornwall, Georgina is a multi-business owner whose work spans academic coaching, Gentle Sleep Coaching for families, and health coaching as a nutrition and hormone balance practitioner. She uses her personal journey through teaching, motherhood, and entrepreneurship to help women recognize their hidden value, reframe invisible skills, and build sustainable independence.

Esther Ng’ang’a is a Kenyan-born educator, health professional working in a maternity ward, author and speaker based in the UK. She holds a Bachelor of Education and a postgraduate qualification in Special Education and Inclusion. Her journey through education, entrepreneurship, migration, motherhood and rebuilding after difficult personal circumstances has shaped her passion for helping women recognise their value and create greater choices for their lives. Esther is the author of You Are Not Responsible for His Character and the creator of Behind the Pulpit, a platform centred on healing, truth, restoration and purpose. Through storytelling and honest conversations, she encourages women to invest in themselves, establish healthy boundaries and recognise that independence often begins by identifying the skills, knowledge and strength they already possess.

Rachel Coombes is a qualified Career Consultant and founder of Time to Refocus, helping people create more fulfilling careers that align with their values, wellbeing and aspirations.

With a Level 7 Diploma in Careers Education, Information & Guidance from the University of Warwick and thousands of hours of experience in career development, Rachel takes a holistic approach to career guidance. Her work combines professional expertise with her background in wellness and her love of the outdoors, using nature as a space to slow down, reflect and gain perspective. A keen sea swimmer, surfer, kayaker and walker, Rachel is passionate about helping people step away from the noise of everyday life and reconnect with what really matters to them.

Caroline Gayle-Dunne has worked tirelessly to support people in the community, with a strong focus on marginalised groups in Cornwall, particularly women of colour and their families. She is a mental health nurse, counselling psychotherapist, and trauma-informed mental health practitioner.

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She began her career as a mental health nurse before training as a counselling psychotherapist and supervisor, specialising in supporting women and children affected by domestic abuse and survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Caroline has continued to work in deprived communities across Cornwall, supporting people with complex needs and trauma through a variety of roles aimed at tackling health inequalities and strengthening social capital.

She is co-founder of the Inspiring Women Network and currently leads the Youth Empowerment Programme Still I Rise.

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For the past eight years, she has also supported people living with substance dependence, helping them to address trauma and improve their lives.

For a good many years I lived and worked among women in conflict areas and complex societies, with refugees and women on their own with their children, without the help of men. 
 

Through my own lived trauma and healing I have learnt the power of somatic practices in helping to soften pain, both emotional and physical, and return home to myself. 

No need to repeat the painful stories, it is possible through practices such as movement, touch, rhythm and sound to build more space, safety and flexibility in your body.

Born and brought up in Cornwall, Maggie has a great love for the county and has tried to make efforts to give back. She returned to Cornwall not long after University to work as a teacher and she has worked across different schools in mid Cornwall since 2001. She also had the wonderful opportunity to spend several years developing an Outreach Programme at The Royal Cornwall Museum for Secondary school students. She considers herself a lifelong learner and attained and MA from Bristol University in 2023 in the field of Black Humanities. She has also been fortunate enough to represent the county and the UK and Northern Ireland in fencing achieving a Commonwealth silver medal in 2008. She now coaches fencing and has two school clubs.

For a good many years I lived and worked among women in conflict areas and complex societies, with refugees and women on their own with their children, without the help of men. 
 

Through my own lived trauma and healing I have learnt the power of somatic practices in helping to soften pain, both emotional and physical, and return home to myself. 

No need to repeat the painful stories, it is possible through practices such as movement, touch, rhythm and sound to build more space, safety and flexibility in your body.

Rebecca Radmore is IWN’s Programme Development Lead, bringing a passion for community empowerment, inclusion and creating opportunities for women to thrive. She initiated, designed and now leads the development of IWN’s flagship Ignite programme, a Women’s Empowerment, Leadership & Enterprise Lab, supporting women to build confidence, develop their skills and realise their ambitions.

With a background spanning community development, strategic partnerships, fundraising and evaluation, Rebecca has worked across education, housing, health, international relations, governance and human rights. She is also a community arts and cultural producer, photographer, documentary filmmaker and founder of Firesoul Media, bringing a creative, storytelling-led approach to her work.

Rebecca is committed to building inclusive communities where women feel connected, valued and empowered to shape their futures.