Meet the Team
mdeducational foundation team works passionately to promote, develop and support wellbeing initiatives to better support students across the UK and Ireland
mdeducational foundation team
Prioritising student wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do as a team!
At mdeducational foundation, our team of talented and committed professionals works collaboratively to ensure we are on a strong path together. Inspired by our passionate Co-Founders, Miriam and Tarquin, and their focus on giving back to the local community and changing the script for today’s young people, we remain fully dedicated to doing all we can to make life better for 16-18 year-olds across the UK and Ireland.
Our team is driven by the charity’s mission and vision, bringing a unique set of skills and a shared passion for making a positive impact on student wellbeing. Each member plays a crucial role in fostering an environment where post-16 students can thrive, through education and beyond.
Together, we are committed to our mission of making sure that all post-16 students feel supported in every aspect of their wellbeing, helping them on their journey to a brighter future. We are aiming for a world in which every student has access to the wellbeing support that they need, without delay.
Get to know the passionate individuals who are driving our mission forward. Learn more about their roles, their contributions to our foundation, and how they are making a difference in the lives of young people every day.
Leadership
Leah Iles – Chief Executive Officer
I think back to when I was in sixth form and there was no such thing as mental health. Even though we’ve come a long way since then, and mental health is much more openly discussed now, there’s still a real gap in mental health provision for young people.
I’m passionate about the fact the foundation is supporting more than just mental health. In fact, we’re really supporting the overall wellbeing of 16-18-year-olds to prevent them from getting to the point of leaving school and feeling like they haven’t achieved what they (or someone else) wanted them to. I’m passionate about offering young people the guidance to make the right choices about their future.
I really admire the work the team has done to date to get our first wellbeing professionals into schools. My vision is now to see this flourish and to be able to support more schools as quickly as possible. In an ideal world, I’d love to have a Wellbeing Lead support every school and every pupil.
To do this, we need to break down the barriers between schools and us, and see how we can help smooth the process, whether that’s through helping with recruitment, resourcing or whatever else they might need. We want to make this support as much of a no-brainer option for schools as possible.
Hear more from Leah: One year towards a brighter future – Leah Iles, CEO at mdeducational foundation
Meet some of our team
Deirdre Doherty – Director of Schools & Partnerships
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.
Hear more from Deirdre: Enabling schools to kickstart their long-term wellbeing strategy: Meet mdeducational foundation Director of Schools and Partnerships, Deirdre Doherty
Catherine Llewellyn – Clinical Supervisor
As the Clinical Supervisor here at mdeducational foundation, I have the pleasure of working closely with the Wellbeing Leads in various educational setting across the UK and ROI. My role involves creating learning relationships, monitoring and evaluating whilst standarising good practice all round, developing training and resources for the Wellbeing Leads to use within their Wellbeing Hubs. I provide regular Clinical Supervision and support, creating a reflective space to share, discuss and gently challenge, supporting Wellbeing Leads to maintain professional boundaries and keep updated in all areas of wellbeing for young people. I facilitate open communication and collaboration among the Wellbeing Lead team, fostering a supportive and cohesive environment, by encouraging peer support and shared learning.
I bring and share a breadth of knowledge and experience working with young people for over 30 years who have faced varying challenges in life, from the private sector to statutory to charitable organisations. My fervent desire in supporting young people is as evident today, this is why it is such a privilege for me to carry on this work vicariously through the Wellbeing Leads and support our charity’s mission of ensuring all post-16 students feel supported in every aspect of their wellbeing.
In terms of my own wellbeing, I am grateful for living close to the beach, I can take a drive in my campervan, park up and enjoy the view (the sound of the waves is most calming!). My two Pugs Dexter & Otis are also the best listeners and the best company! (Dexter is himself, a qualified Pets as Therapy Pug!)
Hear more from Catherine: Empowering support for Wellbeing Leads – an interview with mdeducational foundation Clinical Supervisor, Catherine Llewellyn
Coleen McLaughlin – Senior Administrative Officer
Whilst my role of Senior Administrative 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 Senior Administrative Officer, Coleen McLaughlin
Susanna Neuvonen – Marketing Executive
As the Marketing Executive 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
Learn more about mdeducational foundation
