International Women's Day 2022 by Roedean School

Speakers Ama Agbeze 1

Kirstie Macleod 11

Shelley Bennett 2

Alice Mara 12

Suzanne Bennett 3

Phati Mnguni 13

Anabela Chan OR 4

Dr Catherine Mottram 14

Carey Fitzgerald OR 5

Dr Hannah Robbins 15

Dr Emily Grossman 6

Yasmina Sabbah 16

Professor Dame Celia Hoyles 7

Eve Shepherd 17

Dr Suzie Imber 8

Ethel Sibanda 18

Dr Kirsty Lawton 9

Teresa Waldron 19

Dr Natasha MacBean 10

Roedean’s Festival Celebrating Inspiring Women

2022

Women in the 21st century have more opportunities in society than ever before. At Roedean, we are in the fortunate position to take advantage of some of these developments. However, women still very often face inequality, and, for many, this is rooted in education: 62 million girls worldwide still do not receive an education because of their gender, and 15 million girls will never enter a classroom. We therefore strive at Roedean to empower our young women and girls, and to confirm their belief that they can effect change and make a difference in the world. To mark International Women’s Day 2022, Roedean is proud to hold its annual Festival Celebrating Inspiring Women on 8 March. The School is delighted to welcome a diverse group of nineteen speakers to this year’s event, some of whom are speaking at Roedean, while others are addressing the Festival virtually. Our speakers are at the forefront of their fields, and they are covering a wide range of topics, including an all female orchestra in the Middle East, space travel, contemporary sculpture, bee-keeping, and decolonising aid. We hope that hearing our speakers’ experiences at this Festival is exciting, enlightening, and empowering for our students - we hope that they are encouraged and inspired to take full advantage of opportunities presented to them, to strive to break the bias, and to feel free to chase their dreams. Dr Ross Barrand, Deputy Head: Co-Curriculum and Outreach

Ama Agbeze MB

“Going for Gold on the Gold Coast” Ama Agbeze is a Commonwealth Gold Medalist, and has been dubbed ‘a marvel of the modern netball world’, having played in Australia, New Zealand, and England, and across five positions on the court. Agile and adept, the experienced defender currently plies her trade for Severn Stars, bringing a wealth of knowledge to the Vitality Netball Superleague. Ama made her international debut in 2001 and has won 100 England caps to date. A great orator and motivator, she was named England captain in 2016 and led the Vitality Roses to their historic gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She was deservedly inducted into the England Netball Hall of Fame in recognition of her contribution to the sport in England. Since 2001, she has committed herself to England Netball with one driving ambition; to reach the very pinnacle of her sport, regardless of the sacrifices she has had to make. Along the way there have been moments when she has been dropped from the squad and had to battle her way back in, there have been moves to Australia and New Zealand to take advantage of the higher level of club competition, and there has been the challenge of being apart from her Kiwi husband when her career brought her back to the UK. Throughout all of this, there has also been the need to maintain her income through work outside netball – with Ama practising as a lawyer alongside her sport. Through all of these challenges and difficult decisions, it has been Ama’s sense of self-belief and ambition that has allowed her to battle against the uncertainty and kept her drive for the top.

t e n n e B y e l l She

“From One Family to Another – a Sustainable Future” Shelley is the founder of Pelican Parcels, a Brighton & Hove-based charity, that was set up in 2018. Pelican Parcels has grown rapidly during the pandemic, supporting over 3,700 children and pregnant mums in 2021. Shelley was recently recognised as ‘Community Hero’ at the 2021 Sussex Business Awards. Previously, Shelley worked in PR for over 15 years, supporting a range of arts organisations and charities, where communications, influencing, and connecting people are key skills. After gaining a degree in Music, she worked in classical music publishing in London, representing leading composers and editing scores, after which she moved to Brighton to head up the press office for the Brighton Dome and Festival. Shelley is mum to three children, which was the inspiration for starting Pelican Parcels, but also led to her joining the Board of Trustees of Amaze, a local charity helping children and families with disabled children.

Suzanne Bennet

“Bees and their Superpowers” Suzanne Bennett is a Trustee of the British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA) and has been a beekeeper for 10 years. The BBKA has over 25,000 members who keep bees for a hobby. The BBKA’s charitable objectives are to further and promote the craft of beekeeping, and to advance the education of the public on the importance of bees in the environment. Suzanne is also a member of the Central England Co-operative’s Member Community Council, which embraces sustainable development goals while building connections between Co-op members, colleagues, and local people, by planning activities, events, and classes. Suzanne has a Master’s degree in Public Communication and is a Senior Engagement Advisor at the Environment Agency, currently bringing stakeholders together to improve water quality in England. She has held senior communications, editorial, and press office roles at the Department for Education, Highways England, Natural England, and a local authority. While working in the civil service, Suzanne took a sabbatical to teach English as a Foreign Language in Japan. Suzanne is married with two grown up children, and is a Friend of her local park, which involves litter picking and general maintenance of this valuable ‘green lung’ for everyone to enjoy.

Anabela Chan OR

“Fine Jewellery Designer & Visiting Lecturer at the Royal College of Art” Anabela Chan is a London-based award-winning designer, who arrived at jewellery from a prestigious background in architecture and fashion. She is a champion for laboratory-grown gemstones paired with high jewellery designs, artisanal craftsmanship, and a focus on sustainable innovations. Her creations are worn and loved globally by Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, J.Lo, Taylor Swift, and members of the Royal Families. With no advertising and strictly discovered through word of mouth, her unique jewels and objets-d’art are presented at some of the most exclusive boutiques in the world. Anabela grew up in London and Paris, and trained at the world-renowned Royal College of Art and Gemmological Association of Great Britain. She finds her inspirations from her extensive travels to the exotic and the orient, collecting gems and treasures along the way from local markets, nature, and the intriguing people she meets. Through an alchemy of precious, natural, and manmade materials, Anabela combines elegant sculptural forms with dream-like romanticism and thought-provoking narratives. Originally trained as an architect and a specialist in print and embroidery design, Anabela worked with Architect Lord Richard Rogers and Fashion Designer Alexander McQueen in London for 7 years, before returning to jewellery to launch her eponymous label in 2014. In 2021, she became a Visiting Lecturer at the Royal College of Art. Anabela Chan is listed as Walpole’s British Luxury Brand of Tomorrow in 2020, and among The 50 Most Influential People in British Luxury in 2022.

Carey Fitzgeral

“From East London to Hollywood – One Woman’s Journey” An experienced Film and Television Entrepreneur, Producer, Mentor, and Coach, Carey is a Visiting Lecturer and Academic Tutor, specialising in career development in Film & Television for the University of Hertfordshire and the University of Sunderland, as well as Film Schools and organisations globally. She is the Managing Director of Silver Mountain Productions, the global film & TV production and worldwide distribution organisation, as well as being a Producer and Partner at Ballpoint Films and CEO of Wise Women, the female empowerment training business. She is on the board of mentors for ScreenSkills Ireland, and is regularly called upon to mentor mid-career individuals for Women in Film & TV and Birds Eye View. Carey is Chair of Irish Film London and Co-Chair of The Business of Film & TV, whose aim is to bridge the gap between Academia and the Media World, creating job-ready graduates. Over the years, Carey has enjoyed Oscar Nominations and A List Film Festival Selections, along with a wide range of commercially successful high-end TV commissions. She is regularly called upon as a panelist or expert at international Film & TV Festivals and events, and is also the Co-Chair of Ashford Place, the London-based social inclusion Charity.

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Dr Emily Grossma

“Too Sensitive for Science?”

Emily is an expert in molecular biology and genetics, with a Double First in Natural Sciences from Queens’ College Cambridge, and a PhD in cancer research. She also trained and worked as an actress and singer, and as a Maths and Science teacher, and she combines her skills as a science communicator, broadcaster, public speaker, author, trainer, and activist. She talks about science on the TV and radio, gives inspirational talks in schools, universities, and at live events, writes books and articles about science, and helps others to communicate clearly about their work. Her aim is to show people just how exciting science is, and to make it more accessible by explaining complex concepts in a fun and engaging way. She is passionate about changing the perception of what it is to be a scientist, and she campaigns to increase diversity by encouraging more young people, especially girls, to choose careers in science. She enjoys sharing her experiences as a woman in science – such as challenges she has faced around sexism, lack of confidence, imposter syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and mental health issues – in such a way that might support and inspire others to reach their potential and attain their goals.

Professor Dame Ce

“Celebrating Mathematics @ Roedean: Making Women More Visible” Celia Hoyles taught mathematics in London schools from the late 60s, before moving into higher education. She was inspired by the vision of Seymour Papert to use digital technology to open access to mathematics, and has led many research and development projects to promote this aim. She worked to change the public face of mathematics by co-presenting a popular TV mathematics quiz show, Fun and Games, which topped the prime-time ratings between 1987 and 1990. Celia was first recipient of the International Commission of Mathematics Instruction (ICMI) Hans Freudenthal medal in 2004, and the Royal Society Kavli Education Medal in 2011. She was the UK Government’s Chief Adviser for Mathematics (2004-07), and the Director of the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (2007-13). She was President of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) (2014-15). Celia was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2004, and a Dame Commander in 2014.

Celia Hoyles

r e b m I e i z u S r D

“Adventure in Space” Suzie Imber is an Associate Professor of Planetary Science at the University of Leicester. She specialises in understanding the impact of the Sun and the solar wind on the magnetised planets, a research area known as Space Weather. Suzie is a Co-Investigator on the X-ray spectrometer on board the joint ESA/ JAXA BepiColombo spacecraft, which launched in October 2018 and will arrive at Mercury in 2025. She will use this data to characterise the unique X-ray aurora recently discovered at Mercury. Suzie was also the winner of the BBC2 series, entitled ‘Astronauts: Do You Have What it Takes?’, during which twelve candidates were put through astronaut training with Canadian astronaut, Chris Hadfield. She endured challenges such as taking her own blood, speaking Russian while in a centrifuge at 5g, and carrying out emergency procedures on the NASA undersea astronaut training facility, Aquarius. Suzie will receive a letter of recommendation from Chris Hadfield to support her application to the European Space Agency astronaut training programme. Suzie was an England U21 lacrosse player, an elite rower, and is now a highaltitude mountaineer. She has written computer code to automatically identify mountains in South America, and found hundreds of mountains that had never been identified before. She sets off annually to scale these incredibly remote, unclimbed mountains, exploring new regions of our planet, and even discovering Incan ruins on the summits. She is currently training to be part of Edale Mountain Rescue – a volunteer organisation called out to handle emergencies in the Peak District where she lives.

Dr Kirsty Lawto

“The Pandemic, Medicine, and Motherhood”

Dr Kirsty Lawton is a dually accredited Internal Medicine and Geriatric Consultant Physician, who completed her physician training during the Covid pandemic. She studied Medicine at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and worked in India and Kenya before graduating in 2009. She had worked as junior doctor in the NHS for 10 years before being plunged into the frontline of an unforeseen crisis taking place in her hospital and across the world, a once in a generation pandemic. She has spent much of the last 2 years on the battlelines of A&E, acute medical units, and Covid wards, fighting a new disease in a dynamic, rapidly evolving situation. She found herself in the extraordinary situation of witnessing first-hand the deep reserves of strength, kindness, selflessness, and service demonstrated by her friends and colleagues, in the face of unprecedented uncertainty and heart-breaking loss of life. At home, she embraced the stark contrast of her work with home-schooling her two young children, painting rainbows to stick in the window, and writing symbolic love letters of hope and optimism to the NHS. Kirsty lives in Brighton and Hove with her young family. She loves yoga, sea swimming, running, and scuba diving. She will explore with you some courageous reflections of the pandemic, how to navigate being a woman in Medicine, motherhood, and what really matters in the final analysis.

e B c a M a h s a Dr Nat

“Building a Career in Academia and Climate Change Science”

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Natasha MacBean is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Indiana University in the USA. Her research addresses policy-relevant scientific questions related to the terrestrial ecosystem responses to climate and environmental change. Natasha is a leading expert on using a wide range of field and satellite datasets to test, develop, and constrain earth system model predictions of feedbacks between the carbon cycle and climate. Her work spans scales from ecosystems to the globe. One of her current research interests is on better understanding interactions between vegetation, carbon, and water cycles in dryland ecosystems. Natasha serves on numerous scientific steering committees, and is Co-Chair of the Analysis, Integration, and Modelling Earth Systems (AIMES), which is a global research project of Future Earth. Future Earth is a 10-year interdisciplinary and international initiative, aiming to build knowledge on global change and to find solutions for sustainable development. She is also an editor for the American Geophysical Union’s Journal of Advances in Modelling Earth Systems (JAMES). Before joining Indiana University, Natasha was a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE) in Paris, France, and a Research Associate in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona. She completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Earth Sciences at the University of Oxford, before earning her PhD in Land Surface Modelling and Remote Sensing in the Department of Geography at 10 University College London.

Kirstie Macleod

“The Red Dress – An Award-Winning Gobal Collaborative Embroidery Project 2009-2022.” The Red Dress Project, conceived by British artist Kirstie Macleod, provides an artistic platform for women around the world, many of whom are marginalised and live in poverty, to tell their personal stories through embroidery. Over 13 years, from 2009 to 2022, pieces of the Red Dress embroidery have travelled the globe while being continuously added to. Constructed out of 76 pieces of burgundy silk dupion, the garment has been worked on by 320 women and 7 men, from 42 countries, and all 136 commissioned artisans were paid for their work. The rest of the embroidery was added by 191 willing participants or audience-members at various exhibitions and events. Initially, the project sought to generate a dialogue of identity through embroidery, merging diverse cultures, with no borders. Over the years, however, through the individual stories of the women involved, the dress has come to be a platform for self-expression, an opportunity for the women to have a voice to tell their personal stories. Some of the women are now re-building their lives with the help of embroidery, by using their skills or being trained in embroidery to earn a decent and consistent living.

Alice Mara

“Working Small, Thinking Big” A recurring theme in Alice’s work to date is the built environment, and its personal, social, and cultural significance. She now produces digitally printed ceramic pieces, which are about what generates a sense of place, and the stories that go on in and around a building or place. In 2010, she created an exhibition for the Eagle Gallery in London, which marked the beginning of her large-scale works of digitally-printed buildings and urns in ceramic. It was opened by Grayson Perry and had a tremendous response. She made some large photographic urns, and the main piece was “The Street”, which was a set of 22 small urns in the form of houses. Each house told a different ‘story’, represented by images in the windows, which allow the viewer to eavesdrop on the lives of the inhabitants. Alice is interested in why people decorate their houses so individually, and how this conforms to or clashes with conventional notions of ‘taste’. She is also fascinated by the stories that play out in buildings, and how what goes on behind closed doors is sometimes at odds with the public-facing façade: she wants to look in – to the clothes, culture, and lives of the people inside. These narratives are an ongoing theme in her work – she is interested in people’s social circumstances and what brings them to the building they are in. Her work crosses artistic boundaries – it has been classed as printmaking as well as ceramics, and this has enabled her to show my work at The London Original Print Fair, at The Royal Academy of Arts. Last year, she won the Ottillie Helen Wallace prize for best female sculpture. She has also won the Queensberry Hunt Prize for innovative ceramics and the 12 Ella Doran prize for best new designer, and she has been nominated for a Designboom Award.

Phati Mnguni

“Against the Odds, The Power of Visualisation and Visioning in Becoming the Change You Want to See in the World” Phati Mnguni, short for her long African name, Siphatisiwe Patience Mnguni, is an International Mixed Media Visual Artist, known for her Batik work, which challenges boundaries between Painting and Textile Design, African Art, and European Art. She was born and brought up in Bulawayo / Matabeleland, Zimbabwe, a descendant from South Africa, of the Matabele, Nguni clan. She is a mother of two, and has lived in Sussex since December 1998. Phati has been a positive contributor in schools and the community she lives in. She believes in using her story to impact others positively. She writes short books, and is an inspiration to young people, single mothers, and anyone who has a dream and struggles to believe in it. She is a UK-based visual artist, speaker, mentor, therapeutic expressive art coach, creator of The P.H.A.T.I. brand signature system, which helps women identify their past story, heal from past pain, and use the power of their story to create visions in alignment with their life journey, see their value, and become the change they want to see in the world. Her most recent work has been as a Young Women’s Engagement and Group Lead for Hummingbird Project, working with young women, and men, using her coaching skills to help them empower themselves through their experiences.

t t o M e n i r Dr Cathe

“The Importance of Earth Science for the Future of our Planet” Catherine completed her undergraduate studies at the University of St Andrews, before moving to the Open University to work on her PhD in Himalayan tectonics. During her PhD, Catherine had an incredible time out in the eastern Himalaya, studying and collecting some of the most beautiful rocks on Earth, aided by many cups of Darjeeling tea! Catherine went onto spent time as a Fulbright postdoctoral scholar at the University of Santa Barbara, USA, and a Killam postdoctoral fellow at Dalhousie University in Canada, before moving to the University of Portsmouth in 2017, where she is currently a Senior Lecturer in Structural Geology and Tectonics, and Course Lead for Geology. Catherine’s research focuses on faults and dating deformation in the crust, investigating the hows, whys, whens and wheres of some of the most important processes for deforming our planet. Her research has taken her all over the world, from India and Bhutan, to Greece, the Alps, and the Yukon in Canada. She is passionate about science communication and enthusing others to love rocks as much as she does. When not looking at rocks, Catherine can be found exploring the wilds of Scotland, camping, hiking, paddleboarding, jogging, playing her violin, or hanging out with her cat, Lord Clarence.

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Dr Hannah Robbi

“Can Musicals Change our Worldview?”

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Hannah is Assistant Professor of Popular Music and Director of Black Studies at the University of Nottingham. She works on American musical theatre, focusing on gender, race, and queerness. Hannah is particularly interested in how musicals represent and erase people from different backgrounds. She has published work on The Wizard of Oz, Hamilton, and Frozen, and is currently working on topics to do with belonging, intersectionality, and Blackness in musical theatre.

Yasmina Sabbah

“Breaking Stereotypes Through Music” Yasmina Sabbah is a Lebanese choir and orchestra conductor who holds a Masters of Music in Conducting from the University of Cambridge. As one of the only female orchestra conductors in the MENA region, it remains her mission to break stereotypes by using her platform to elevate the image of Middle Eastern women in leadership positions, and to empower young musical talents by fostering an open and inclusive mindset through the power of music. In July 2021, Yasmina Sabbah was appointed as conductor of the Firdaus Orchestra, a pioneering all-female musical ensemble developed exclusively for Expo 2020 Dubai under the patronage of Oscar-winner AR Rahman. Set to perform at all major events and celebrations at the Expo, the orchestra brings together musicians of 23 nationalities from the MENA region to create an innovative sound by merging Western, Eastern, and Oriental instruments, and performing a varied repertoire from classical western symphonic works to oriental and newly commissioned pieces. In parallel to her conducting career, Sabbah has also been very active as an educator, her work aiming to have a hand in forming better citizens by focusing on the advancement of music education in the region, and creating equal opportunities and platforms for young students in learning music and sharing in musical experiences. She has taught at the American University of Beirut and the Lebanese American University, and has led the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music Children and Youth Choirs.

Eve Shepherd

“Sculpture – Traditional Methods with a Contemporary Twist” Eve Shepherd has been described as ‘unique in the world of modern sculptors’ by Professor Anthony Stone, a former President of the Society of Portrait Sculptors. Using traditional mediums and methods with a contemporary twist, Eve has the consistent ability to produce works, which, though often challenging to the viewer, portray an exquisite sensitivity and honesty rarely seen in contemporary sculpture. Her work has the power to capture emotion and move the immoveable. In 2000, Eve was invited to become a member of the prestigious Society of Portrait Sculptors, and an Associate Member of The Royal British Society of Sculptors. She received a commendation and The Pangolin Award in the Tiranti Prize for Young Portrait Sculptor (2002), for her work “self portrait”, and was widely acclaimed when she exhibited “Dignified” in their summer 2003. As an artist, Eve has undertaken many commissions as well as focusing on her own work. Alongside her own sculpture, she is currently working on major commissions, two being to produce full body portraits of Physicist Professor Stephen Hawking, one for Cambridge University and one for Cape Town University. Recently, The Ministry of Defence in London has been approached with a view to display Eve’s twice life-size war hero statue of Henry Allingham.

d n a b i S l e h t E

“Expert in Measuring Results in International Development, and Advocate for the Decolonisation of Aid.” Ethel is a Roedean parent and an expert in International Development, with a BSc (Hons) degree in Psychology and Master’s in Development Studies, working as a Principal Consultant at Itad Ltd. For close to 20 years, she has specialised in the niche area of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning, which involves assessing the efficiency and impact of aid investments. Ethel is based in Brighton, but works across the globe with private and public donors, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, United Nations agencies, and government aid agencies like the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office. Through her work, she independently evaluates projects, advises on how to improve results, where and how to invest or de-invest, what works for whom and in what contexts; and, shares learning and good practice across different countries. Lately, she has been advancing the agenda of ‘decolonising aid’ with both funders and partner organisations in the Global South.

Teresa Waldro

“Managing Director – Deaf-initely Women” Teresa talks about her journey being a deaf-blind woman involved in the Deaf community, Disabled People’s movement, advising on inclusion for deaf and disabled people for Councils, Acas and Government, via the Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board and the Equality & Human Rights Commission. During this time, Teresa also worked full-time is a Senior Manager at the Derbyshire Law Centre and is now Managing Director of Deaf-initely Women. She also does occasional sittings for Ministry of Justice Social Security and Child Support Tribunal service, as a Disability Qualified member for Personal Independence Payment appeals. Teresa will also talk about Rose Ayling-Ellis’ struggle to be accepted as an actor. She will discuss what Rose’s achievement in winning Strictly Come Dancing 2021 means for deaf women, the deaf community, and in society.

Notes

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