Stephanie Roberts-Bibby is the Chief Executive Officer and Accounting Officer of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB), the independent public body responsible for overseeing the youth justice system and advising ministers on how to prevent children from offending, reduce reoffending and improve outcomes for children, victims and communities.

A highly respected public sector leader with almost 30 years’ experience in criminal and youth justice, Stephanie began her career as a Prison Officer at Feltham Young Offender Institution. She has since held a range of senior operational and strategic leadership roles across the justice system, including governing three prisons, leading major national transformation programmes, serving in ministerial private office, and acting as Chief Operating Officer before becoming Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Board.

Since joining the YJB in 2018, Stephanie has played a pivotal role in shaping national youth justice policy and practice. As Chief Executive, she has led the organisation through a period of significant change while overseeing a budget of more than £100 million and serving as Accounting Officer. Under her leadership, the youth justice system has continued to achieve record low numbers of children entering the system and in custody, while maintaining a relentless focus on preventing and reducing offending, protecting the public and delivering better outcomes for victims, children and communities.

Stephanie is recognised for her commitment to evidence-informed practice, partnership working and system leadership. She is passionate about creating safer communities by preventing offending, supporting victims and helping children to lead positive, crime-free lives. She believes lasting public protection is achieved not only by responding effectively to offending behaviour, but critically by addressing its causes, challenging harmful attitudes and providing opportunities for children to change. She has championed initiatives to reduce unnecessary criminalisation and improve outcomes for children from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, including leading the development of the innovative London Accommodation Project, which provides community-based alternatives to custodial remand.

Known for combining operational credibility with strategic vision, Stephanie works closely with government departments, local authorities, policing, health, education and third-sector partners to drive improvement across complex systems. She is a strong advocate for prevention, early intervention and evidence-based approaches that improve outcomes for children, strengthen public confidence, support victims and keep communities safe.

Outside work, Stephanie enjoys running, cycling, knitting and spending time outdoors and with family and friends. She is married and has a daughter and three cats.

Professor David Ormerod CBE, KC (Hon) is a leading expert in criminal law and criminal justice. He is Professor of Criminal Justice at University College London, a practising barrister at Red Lion Chambers and Editor in Chief of Blackstone’s Criminal Practice. He served as Criminal Law Commissioner for England and Wales from 2010 to 2019 and was an expert adviser to the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. In 2026, he was appointed by the Ministry of Justice as Expert Adviser to lead the independent review of the Future of Criminal Courts for Children, examining how criminal courts deal with child defendants and options for longer-term reform.

For the last three years Louise has led on the London Accommodation Pathfinder. A trailblazing alternative to custodial remands, the project seeks to address the disproportionality of black and mixed heritage children in youth custody and reduce the number of children being remanded to the secure estate.

With over 20 years experience in youth justice Louise has led a number of initiatives including the YJB pathfinder on Constructive Resettlement, as Head of Resettlement Partnerships and Employment at Novus with oversight of employer led services in 43 prisons and as Youth Justice Lead within the Greater Manchester Public Service Reform team working on consortium approaches to resettlement and justice devolution.

Zeba Chowdhury is a Senior Change Manager in Youth Justice at the Youth Endowment Fund, where she is working on diversion and improving outcomes for children and young people. She began her career as a frontline prison officer in a young offender institution, gaining first-hand insight into the realities of the criminal justice system. She later worked across criminal justice and exploitation within the West Midlands Violence Reduction Unit, contributing to efforts to prevent violence, reduce harm and strengthen support for vulnerable young people. Drawing experience across frontline practice, prevention and system change, Zeba is passionate about developing evidence-informed approaches that help children thrive and avoid unnecessary contact with the justice system.