Achievement Award Nominees
Brita Fernandez Schmidt
Driven by her purpose, Brita believes that every woman has a fierce power to fulfill her dreams. She coaches women to help them transform their lives by awakening, and acting on, the power they have within. Brita is an advocate and promoter of women’s power, women’s rights and equality and the author of Fears to Fierce.
She recently served as the Executive Director of Women for Women International – UK and was the Senior Vice President for Europe and External Relations globally. She co-founded Women for Women International in Germany in 2018. Brita is also the Chair of the Network Gender Action for Peace and Security and Chief Adviser to Fair Share. Previously she was the Programmes & Policy Director at Womankind Worldwide and she started her career as Policy Officer at the European Women’s Lobby.
Debra Charles
Being diagnosed with Dyslexia at a young age, Charles often placed herself in the box of limitation where the words “I can’t” and many impossibilities reign strong. Though it wasn’t an overnight process to realising this herself, if you trace Charles’ life now, you will see her love for technology alongside the roles that on paper, she wasn’t actually qualified for but was still employed into at the likes of Westinghouse and Apple, was only the making of an extraordinary woman.
Charles recalls the day she saw her dyslexia as a positive, as opposed to the negative thoughts that had taken refuge in her mind since she was a child. She realised that she saw things differently and that was a strength not a weakness. Due to her dyslexia, she knew she always had to do more, so she had dedicated a longer time to prepare for an upcoming meeting whilst working at Westinghouse. Her counterparts on the other hand, had just shown up. It was a light bulb moment for the tech entrepreneur. Her dyslexia no longer excluded her, it made her an asset.
Novacroft is the digital transformation and business process outsourcing organisation that Charles founded in 1998 after the passing of both her parents. The company boasts over 500 team members, who she refers to as ‘superheroes’ who make a difference everyday. Today, 32 million people use their products and services and the likes of Transport for London (TfL) and the Royal British Legion (TRBL) can be found amongst their clients.
Dr Vanessa Ogden
As CEO of the Mulberry Girls Trust and headteacher of Mulberry School for Girls in Tower Hamlets, where she has served for 15 years, Dr Vanessa Ogden is shaping the young female minds of tomorrow.
After studying theology and religious studies at university, Dr Vanessa’s feet first led her to the world of banking, though she quickly discovered that it wasn't a career she wanted to pursue. “I really wasn't sure what I should do next, because, you know, in those days, you sort of had a career for life. You chose your career and that was what you did. It's very different now and I'm glad it's different now.” For Vanessa, it was expected of her to find a job and earn her keep. That wasn’t enough for her. “I looked at three different things,” she recalls. “One of which was teaching and schools,” she continues. “I remember when I started, in that first few weeks of my training as a teacher, it was like waking up suddenly into this world, which was full of colour, life and imagination. It felt very different to where I had been before and I kind of knew instantly that it was the right fit for me,” I can hear the peace in her tone as she speaks.
Trained at the UCL Institute of Education, Dr Vanessa highlights the importance of building genuine relationships with students. “The fact that as a teacher in your classroom, you stand or fall by what you do in those lessons every day. Part of the thing about teaching, is that you engage your mind with other minds. That's how it works. The connections are really important. The relationships that you have are really important.”
Lady Tessy Ojo CBE
As a child, Lady Tessy Ojo MBE was taught the value of leadership without a title. It was the principle of, "if you see something that needs doing, just do it, without waiting on someone else to fix it."
It’s safe to say that her entire life has embodied this exact teaching. Not only is she a multi-award-winning social change advocate, a mother, and wife but she’s the CEO of one of the UK’s most respected charity foundations - the Diana Award.
It is to no surprise that Tessy has won WOTC’s Icon award for her continuous work supporting the younger generation. Through the Diana Award, created in honour of the late Princess of Wales, she has helped empower thousands of young people to fight the good fight and understand the potential they have to create change in their own communities.
Tracey Woodward
With almost 4 decades in the industry, Tracey Woodward is the industry go-to. She contributed to the success of numerous brands such as Estee Lauder, Donna Karan, Marks & Spencer Beauty and Aromatherapy Associates. A CEW Board Member, Tracey has now taken the helm of purpose-driven brand Modern Botany, as the director of strategy and innovation.