CIPA statement

CIPA staff profile

Dwaine Hamilton, Head of Membership

What are your present duties at CIPA? I shouldn’t take full credit as its completely a team effort but I’m ultimately responsible for the team that deliver:

The CPD programme – yes behind all of those amazing webinars, seminars and conferences you’ll find the Membership Team and behind them, you’ll usually see me. Membership renewals – usually the person who hounds the person who hounds you for your annual subscription. Course delivery – Getting a grip of course delivery, especially at this unprecedented time is a big task but alongside our brilliant volunteers, the Events and Professional Development Coordinator and I are keen to make improvements to how CIPA delivers its courses.

When did you join CIPA? April 2014.

What do you like most and least about the job? I love that I get to work with a diverse group of individuals with a range of skills. I enjoy utilising my skills and applying them in an organisation that is continuously growing. I also enjoy watching my team grow, learn new skills and take on new challenges which working at CIPA will always bring. Let’s face it, it would be boring if it didn’t.

Something i like least about the job? Right now, I would say the current office layout I have doesn’t work best for me but that’s probably because it’s the same space I live in. However in normal conditions, I genuinely can’t think of anything substantial that’s worth writing about.

What is the state of your desk at this moment? My desk is my breakfast table at the moment. I currently have a copy of our events insurance policy which has been read a large number of times recently. My daughter wrote a story about me and placed it on the table, so that’s currently on my desk too. My work desk, well the last time I saw it, it was clear with a copy of the CIPA Journal and my “B*£l$*%t button which is only used in extreme circumstances… can I say this?

How do you like to spend your time outside work? I’d love to say playing football but it seems like an age since I’ve been on a pitch, online gaming, socialising (a nice word for having a beer) and spending quality time with the family. Not in that order by the way!

What is your favourite food? Mum’s cooking… but at work the team mock me for always making Spaghetti Bolognese. It’s not that it’s my favorite, it’s just that unfortunately my culinary skills are limited to about four dishes. If I’m out, I can never say no to a good steak.

What is your favourite drink? Long Island Ice Tea. I don’t drink it that much as it usually means I don’t remember my night. I’m hoping all pictures have been deleted.

What is your favourite place you’ve visited? Jamaica as a whole but if I were to be specific – Dunns River Falls

What place would you most like to visit? Brazil

The person you most admire or would like to meet, and why? Paulo Coehlo to discuss where his ideas of spiritually motivated characters were created and to also say thank you. His books did wonders for me growing up.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? “Try and surround yourself with people smarter than you” said to me by my Mum many many years ago on my way to secondary school. I remember it vividly as there was a whole thought process as to what smart people looked like. I think my Mum was stitching me up. In the end I sat next

to a person who was armed with absolutely everything in his pencil case.

What would you do if you won the Lottery? Combination of a few things; firstly seek financial advice, then spend some on a holiday and looking after close family then invest in something that could possibly earn us more money.

What would you do if you became Prime Minister? Getting serious now… I could say a number of things but if were to pick one, try and take key services like the NHS and policing out of party politics so that the foundations are secure.

What is a book, film or piece of music you’ve enjoyed recently? I’ve just watched part 4 of Money Heist on Netflix, which I found very engaging. I also stumbled upon The Capture on BBC iPlayer which is also worth a watch if you’re struggling during the lockdown stay safe period.

What are three words you’d use to describe yourself? Stoic (at times), straight-forward, supportive

Where would you like to be in five years? Personally, I’d like to be in a bigger family home with a garden, (lockdown has been tough) with my daughters (warning off potential boyfriends!).

Professionally, I have aspirations of being at an organisation, membership or otherwise, where I’m able to take the disruptive and creative approach (from Lee and Neil), matched with my own at a Chief Executive level.