Lunch with a Leader

Alethea is passionate about the West Midlands, lives in Coventry and studied for her Masters in Management and Leadership at Birmingham. She is the Deputy Chief Executive for the region’s Police and Crime Commissioner, and the high-profile role means she is one of the most senior black women in policing governance in the country.

Alethea leads a team that works closely with communities and oversees major multi-million-pound projects designed to reduce offending and support victims of crime. She has responsibility for commissioning, safeguarding, consultation and engagement, policy development, regional working and collaboration and oversees an external budget of £18 million.

Her background and extensive experience lie in local government, police governance and accountability, strategic policy development and their legislative frameworks. Her current role includes assisting the PCC in holding the Chief Constable to account, fostering collaboration and partnership activity with statutory and voluntary bodies across the West Midlands, both regionally and nationally, and leading and managing an effective and efficient office. 

Her passion lies in community and voluntary sector involvement and co-production in the work that she does; work that impacts hugely on the communities that she serves, bringing ideas, people and inspiration to life. Away from criminal justice she is a Trustee of the Finham Multi-Academy Trust in Coventry, and for the Heart of England Community Foundation and until recently, was a Director for the Coventry Caribbean Association. 

Alethea's areas of expertise and interest include: strategic commissioning, consultation and engagement, restorative justice, victim services and public policy, diversity and inclusion, community and voluntary sector involvement.

Please submit your interest and questions for Alethea by Thursday 6th March.

David has worked at the top level of media communications including politics, education and sport for a generation. As a BBC TV Correspondent/Presenter for more than 20 years, he uniquely reported on General Elections and FIFA Men’s World Cups at the top level.

As Executive Director of the Football Association, he worked closely with four national team managers and led the organisation over thirteen years. Since 2006 he has been employed at senior levels in industry, sport and education in the Middle East, North America, Africa, and the UK.

He is a passionate believer in sport as a power for good at all levels of society and has travelled to Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Middle East to witness that power first-hand. He was one of the first members of the sport’s Anti Racism “Kick It Out” campaign and one of a small group of sports leaders who launched London’s successful bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

He has been Regional Chairman of a major bank, advised law firms on media rights and has a longstanding role as a Senior Advisor with Portland Communications, supporting on developing the consultancy’s sports offerings, among other areas. He is a keen proponent of nurturing leaders across varied industries.

David's areas of expertise and interest include: Communication Skills, International Relationships, Sport as a Power for Good in Society, Teamwork and Motivation, Nurturing leadership.

Please submit your interest and questions for David by Friday 7th March

Elizabeth Filkin CBE, is a distinguished British public servant and former civil servant. She graduated with a BSocSc Hons from the University of Birmingham. 

Elizabeth began her career as a lecturer and community worker at the National Institute for Social Work. She then held various roles, including community work services officer in the London Borough of Brent and lecturer in social studies at the University of Liverpool. She served as Chief Executive at Citizens Advice and Deputy CEO, London Docklands. She was also the Adjudicator, HMRC and Customs and Excise. 

In 1999, Elizabeth was appointed as the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, a role she held until 2002. Her tenure was marked by her commitment to upholding ethical standards in the UK Parliament. Following this, she chaired and served on numerous boards and committees, including the Audit Commission, the Financial Services Authority, and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. 

Elizabeth has also been a non-executive director for several prominent organisations, such as Britannia Building Society, Logica plc, and Jarvis plc. She chaired the Independent Advisory Group at Marston from 2014 to 2020 and was the Chair of Annington Homes from 2009 to 2018. 

In addition to her extensive professional achievements, Elizabeth has been actively involved in charitable and advisory roles. She is the Founder and President of the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse, Chair of TecSafe, Non-executive Director at Diales, and a Trustee of the Vodafone Foundation. Her contributions to public service were recognised with the award of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2014 Birthday Honours. 

Elizabeth's career reflects her dedication to public service, ethical governance, and community support. Her work has left a lasting impact on the organisations where she has served and the broader public sector. 

Elizabeth's areas of expertise and interest include: public service, ethical governance, community support, public sector.

Please submit your interest and questions for Elizabeth by Monday 10 March.

Charlene Hunter MBE is the CEO and founder of Coding Black Females, an organisation dedicated to empowering and supporting Black women in the tech industry.

She holds a BSc in Mathematical Sciences and an MSc inComputer Science from the University of Birmingham, with over 15 years of experience as a software developer andtechnical architect.

Charlene founded Coding Black Females in 2017 to address the under-representation of Black women in tech. The organisation provides a community where Black women can find role models, receive mentorship, and access professional development opportunities. Under her leadership, the organisation has grown significantly, collaborating with major corporations, educational institutions, and government bodies.

Her efforts have garnered multiple awards, including the prestigious Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2022. Charlene is a sought-after speaker and panellist at tech conferences and diversity initiatives worldwide,advocating for systemic change to create truly inclusive environments.Charlene's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the tech industry remains unwavering, as she continues to pave the way for future generations of Black women in tech.

Charlene's areas of expertise and interest include: the tech industry, black women in technology, diversity and inclusion, building communities, software development.

Please submit your interest and questions for Charlene by Wednesday 19 March.