Meet the Team

Meet some of our team

mdeducational foundation was borne of the belief that young people need more than just an education at school.

I know what a difference external mental health support could have made to me. I suffered a lot from anxiety at school, which in hindsight made it very difficult for me to learn. Things my classmates would pick up quickly would take me twice as long. From the age of 4 to eighteen, I was always in the bottom class – ‘D’ – which I believed stood for ‘Dunces’. I found it upsetting and frustrating, but I also felt that I couldn’t vocalise it to my mother as I just didn’t have the words to know what to say.

When I look back at my school years, I know that if someone objective would have noticed me, talked to me, and given me techniques to deal with my anxiety, it would have set me on a brighter path- as it was, mental health was not a “thing”. In today’s schools, mental health is mercifully much higher up the agenda. But schools are under-resourced, and teachers are overstretched. Any government funding and grants towards mental health don’t go nearly far enough and are often swallowed up into the school system.

This is why we created mdeducational foundation. We wanted to provide funding to schools that directly impacts young people. It is my absolute passion. We are seeing a generation of young people coming out of the pandemic with more mental health challenges than ever, who need support now. We are delighted to be on this journey to brighten those futures in any way we can.

– Hear more from Miriam: mdeducational foundation’s story

My role as the Director of Schools & Partnerships is very much two-fold. In terms of schools, I take lead responsibility for our Schools Application and Onboarding Team. As a lead for this team I’m very much considered to be the custodian of the funding. It’s also part of my role to grow meaningful school collaborations across all our regions within the UK and Ireland and to make sure that within our contracted schools, the provision of high-quality wellbeing support is delivered via our funded Wellbeing Leads, who ultimately work towards making a difference to the life outcomes of the students.

We are all about prioritising student wellbeing. Therefore another part of my role is to proactively develop partnerships that align with our mission to deliver benefits that ultimately support our strategic plan. This involves building and maintaining strong relationships with a range of organisations to ensure long-term engagement.

As a mum of two (now adult) children, I’m all-too-aware of the significant impact that both the school environment and wellbeing support can have on a young person. I see how essential wellbeing is in every aspect of life, and support for this within the education sector is a must. Personally, I have two favourite ways to support my wellbeing: singing with a choir and visiting spas with my sister and girlfriends. Choir singing promotes wellness, reduces anxiety, and boosts the immune system, and I can definitely vouch for this. For me, self-care involves the perfect blend of relaxation and laughter, which we call the best therapy for mind and body! On top of singing and spas, spending valuable time with my children has also been incredibly rewarding, as we continue to share and create cherished memories together.

Connect with me on LinkedIn to learn more about our approach at mdeducational foundation.

– Hear more from Deirdre: Enabling schools to kickstart their long-term wellbeing strategy: Meet mdeducational foundation Director of Schools and Partnerships, Deirdre Doherty

Whilst my role of Schools Partnerships Officer is very much supporting all aspects of essential administration and supporting all team members, a huge part of my role is the facilitation of various events. For example from representing the foundation at Mental Health & Wellbeing events & conferences to the co-ordination of school Wellbeing Hub launches. This usually involves providing support to the Wellbeing Lead & Principal to ensure that the launch of their Wellbeing Hub runs smoothly.

As a mother to 3 young children I am very passionate about teaching them about their wellbeing, both within their daily lives and just as importantly within their educational settings as they navigate their school years. Having already seen first-hand the positive changes we are making within our schools, it makes me feel very proud to be part of the change that will undoubtedly impact my children when they reach their own Post-16 education journey in many years to come.

A huge focus within our team is looking after our own wellbeing. As a fully qualified Reflexologist myself it goes without saying I love nothing more than a holistic treatment. I find it really helps me to relax, reset & rebalance. When time doesn’t allow a nice relaxing treatment, a hot cup of tea and 5 minutes of peace & quiet works wonders too!

– Hear more from Coleen: Behind the scenes of mdeducational foundation: Meet our Schools Partnerships Officer, Coleen McLaughlin

As the Digital Marketing Manager at mdeducational foundation, I oversee all aspects of marketing. From strategic planning, brand management and website and social media content creation and management, to PR, blogging, events and data reporting – you name it and I’m on it. The more the hats, the merrier!

I am passionate about leveraging my experience, skills and knowledge to support our charity’s mission of ensuring all post-16 students to feel supported in every aspect of their wellbeing, helping them on their journey to a brighter future. Working here is incredibly rewarding, as it allows me to focus on making a positive impact on young people’s lives.

Outside of work, I enjoy keeping my creativity alive through various crocheting projects, experimenting with new baking recipes, deep-diving into board games and exploring other fun crafts. On top of the creative side of things, I also love spending time in the countryside and nature foraging berries and mushrooms, preferably in my home country of Finland, in a small cottage by the lake. At mdeducational foundation, we cherish our Wellbeing Days – valuable opportunities to ensure that while we champion prioritising student wellbeing on our day-to-day, we also remember to recharge our own batteries. During my last Wellbeing Day, I had a fantastic time walking alpacas – check out how my experience was here.

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn to learn more about my work and the exciting initiatives at mdeducational foundation.

– Hear more from Susanna: Shining the spotlight on student wellbeing: Meet Susanna Neuvonen, Marketing Executive at mdeducational foundation

Our Ambassadors

My background is rooted in both clinical work and research, with a strong focus on mental health and wellbeing. Over the years, I have worked in various roles across charitable organisations and healthcare settings—from support worker to low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapist. This has given me the opportunity to work with a diverse range of individuals, including children with learning disabilities, adults facing addiction and homelessness, and people navigating complex mental health challenges.

My interest in mental health began early in life, shaped by a personal experience. In our final year of secondary school, my best friend struggled severely with his mental health. Despite my efforts to support him, long waiting lists and inadequate resources meant he didn’t receive the care he needed. After several suicide attempts, I saw first-hand how quickly someone’s mental health can deteriorate without timely support. It became clear to me that with the right guidance and interventions in schools, his story could have been different. That experience has stayed with me and continues to drive my commitment to student mental health.

I’m currently undertaking a PhD on the U-WELL project with ATU Donegal and Ulster University funded by Research Ireland. This research explores how the transition from secondary school to university affects students’ mental health across the island of Ireland, aiming to understand the key factors that influence wellbeing during this critical period.

Learning about the charity’s mission immediately resonated with me. Our passions aligned naturally. I have visited schools both with and without their Wellbeing Leads and the contrast is striking. In schools supported by mdeducational foundation, students appear more open, emotionally aware, and supported.

– Hear more from James: Championing student wellbeing: Meet James Sweeney, the first mdeducational foundation Ambassador

My name is Julia, and I’m currently 23 years old. I work as a Forensic Multimedia Officer for Thames Valley Police, a role that involves attending crime scenes and creating digital court presentations. Through my work, I help deliver justice for victims of crime, and my main goal every day is to make a difference by helping others.

I grew up in Sheffield and lived there my whole life until two years ago, when I moved to Oxfordshire for work. Back home, I have an older brother named Luke, who has severe brain damage and is on the autistic spectrum. While I love my brother with all my heart, growing up with a sibling who has special needs had a significant impact on my upbringing and mental health. I often had to navigate the world on my own, which was incredibly challenging.

During secondary school, it became clear that I was really struggling with my mental health. The pressure of schoolwork and exams only made things feel more overwhelming and isolating.

One of the main reasons I wanted to partner with the mdeducational foundation is because of my own experience with mental health challenges during that time. The resources the foundation provides would have made a huge difference for me—and I know they can help many others in similar situations. Without the support of my sixth form, I likely wouldn’t have gone on to university or found my way into the job I now love.

– Hear more from Julia: Turning adversity into advocacy: Meet Julia Darby, mdeducational foundation Ambassador

Join us to champion a brighter future for our young people

We are looking for passionate and enthusiastic volunteer ambassadors to support our mission as we aim for all post-16 students to feel supported in every aspect of their wellbeing, helping them on their journey to a brighter future.

This is why we need you! Learn more via the button below: