Sandra Johnson is the Director of Sandra Johnson Consultancy, a UK based practice dedicated to advancing career development, social mobility, and personal branding for professionals across all sectors. As Chair of this year’s Social Mobility Conference, she brings a powerful blend of lived experience, leadership, and advocacy to the conversation.

Across a distinctive 35 year career, Sandra has worked at the intersection of commercial strategy, communications, policy, and programme delivery. She spent two decades in senior roles within the UK Civil Service, serving in Whitehall departments including the Cabinet Office, the Department for Business, HMRC, the Home Office and the Office for National Statistics. An award-winning manager and Accredited Commercial Specialist, she was seconded to lead the website content for Census 2021 – the largest communications campaign in the UK.

Her career also includes serving as Head of India, where she led bilateral engagement between the UK and Indian Governments on the Newton-Bhabha Science Fund, and as Head of Communications for the Government Commercial Function. She now contributes to the profession as a GCF Assessor.  Sandra was headhunted to FTSE companies and completed her corporate career in 2024 to lead her own consultancy.

Sandra is a long-standing champion of social mobility, drawing deeply on her own challenging journey of overcoming significant barriers to education, opportunity, and belonging. She is committed to equality and currently serves as a voluntary member of UN Women UK, contributing to the development of gender-equality policy. She is also a Judge for the Business Culture Awards and Ethnic Minority into Leadership Civil Service Awards, recognising excellence in organisational culture and inclusive leadership.

Sandra’s ethos for her career

“We have to become what we cannot see.”

The Rt Hon the Baroness Garden of Frognal (Sue) PC MA FCGI Hon FCIL Hon FCIFE

The Baroness studied French and Spanish at St Hilda’s College, Oxford (1962–65). In 1965 she married Tim Garden, and over the course of his 30 years in the RAF they moved 24 times before eventually settling in London. Her husband, Air Marshal Professor Lord Garden KCB, passed away in 2007.

She worked for 20 years with City & Guilds before being appointed a Liberal Democrat life peer in 2007. During the Coalition Government (2010–2015) she served as Government Whip and Minister, Baroness-in-Waiting to the Queen, and was appointed to the Privy Council in 2015. She is currently Deputy Speaker and speaks on Higher and Further Education, Apprenticeships, and Skills.

Her voluntary work includes the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), SSAFA Forces Help, the War Widows’ Association, the Air League, and the Cadet Health Check team. She served as Master of the World Traders Livery Company in 2008–2009.

She has two daughters, four grandchildren

Rob Wilson is a former Member of Parliament for Reading East and Minister in the Cameron and May Governments. He spent 12 years as an MP and 10 years serving on the Conservative front bench with roles in higher education, health, DCMS, Treasury and Cabinet Office. He spent three years as Minister for Civil Society 2014-17. Before politics, Rob was an entrepreneur and founded businesses in the health and technology sectors using innovative and disruptive technology to develop new markets. He continues to have a strong interest in new technology. Since leaving Whitehall and Parliament, he has invested in new tech companies and taken a number of business roles that are in areas of interest, but particularly in new breakthrough technologies and products. Rob writes for the Daily Telegraph and has published two books ‘5 Days to Power’ and ‘Eye of the Storm’.

Paul Mahy-Rhodes is Educational Outreach Programme Manager at NATS, leading innovative, data-driven strategies to widen access to careers in aviation and engineering. Drawing on nearly two decades in engineering design and delivery and holding a BSc (Hons) in STEM from The Open University, Paul combines technical insight with a strong commitment to social mobility. He created NATS’ first STEM outreach programme, using data analytics to align engagement with the Social Mobility Commission’s State of the Nation report—ensuring outreach reaches the students who need it most. Recognised as a finalist at the 2025 Aviation Industry Awards, Paul brings passion, purpose, and a belief that opportunity should be something everyone can see themselves in—and reach for.

Dr Peter Wilson is Head of Public Policy at the Youth Futures Foundation, where he works to shape a fairer labour market for young people, particularly those facing the greatest barriers to employment. Peter brings expertise in education, skills, and labour market policy. Prior to joining Youth Futures, he led research, engagement, and impact at Policy Connect, supporting the work of the Skills Commission and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Skills, Careers & Employment. He holds a PhD at the intersection of politics, philosophy, and economics, with research focused on how labour market policy should respond to involuntary unemployment. He is passionate about bridging rigorous research and real-world policymaking to tackle inequality and improve outcomes for young and marginalised people.

Sophie Radford is Head of Partnerships at Zero Gravity – the tech platform transforming access to top universities, apprenticeships, and careers for school and uni students across the UK.

Since launching in 2020, Zero Gravity has used technology to rapidly scale their community to 31,000 students and deployed £2.3 million in scholarships. Through mentoring, masterclasses and a thriving community, they propel unrecognised talent into high-impact futures.

Sophie leads partnerships with 30+ top employers and 1,700+ educational institutions, connecting them to high-potential students from low-opportunity areas. Her work ensures businesses tap into the next generation of resilient, driven talent – wherever they are.

Zero Gravity meets students where they are – both in location and in life – using tech to spark human connection and level the playing field to opportunity.

Mark Williams is a Professor of Human Resource Management in the Centre for Research in Equality and Diversity and School of Business and Management at Queen Mary University of London. His research specialism is socio-economic class and working conditions in the United Kingdom. He is an Expert Advisor to the Office for National Statistics and the Social Mobility Commission. 

Sandra Johnson is the Director of Sandra Johnson Consultancy, a UK based practice dedicated to advancing career development, social mobility, and personal branding for professionals across all sectors. As Chair of this year’s Social Mobility Conference, she brings a powerful blend of lived experience, leadership, and advocacy to the conversation.

Across a distinctive 35 year career, Sandra has worked at the intersection of commercial strategy, communications, policy, and programme delivery. She spent two decades in senior roles within the UK Civil Service, serving in Whitehall departments including the Cabinet Office, the Department for Business, HMRC, the Home Office and the Office for National Statistics. An award-winning manager and Accredited Commercial Specialist, she was seconded to lead the website content for Census 2021 – the largest communications campaign in the UK.

Her career also includes serving as Head of India, where she led bilateral engagement between the UK and Indian Governments on the Newton-Bhabha Science Fund, and as Head of Communications for the Government Commercial Function. She now contributes to the profession as a GCF Assessor.  Sandra was headhunted to FTSE companies and completed her corporate career in 2024 to lead her own consultancy.

Sandra is a long-standing champion of social mobility, drawing deeply on her own challenging journey of overcoming significant barriers to education, opportunity, and belonging. She is committed to equality and currently serves as a voluntary member of UN Women UK, contributing to the development of gender-equality policy. She is also a Judge for the Business Culture Awards and Ethnic Minority into Leadership Civil Service Awards, recognising excellence in organisational culture and inclusive leadership.

Sandra’s ethos for her career

“We have to become what we cannot see.”

Sandra Johnson is the Director of Sandra Johnson Consultancy, a UK based practice dedicated to advancing career development, social mobility, and personal branding for professionals across all sectors. As Chair of this year’s Social Mobility Conference, she brings a powerful blend of lived experience, leadership, and advocacy to the conversation.

Across a distinctive 35 year career, Sandra has worked at the intersection of commercial strategy, communications, policy, and programme delivery. She spent two decades in senior roles within the UK Civil Service, serving in Whitehall departments including the Cabinet Office, the Department for Business, HMRC, the Home Office and the Office for National Statistics. An award-winning manager and Accredited Commercial Specialist, she was seconded to lead the website content for Census 2021 – the largest communications campaign in the UK.

Her career also includes serving as Head of India, where she led bilateral engagement between the UK and Indian Governments on the Newton-Bhabha Science Fund, and as Head of Communications for the Government Commercial Function. She now contributes to the profession as a GCF Assessor.  Sandra was headhunted to FTSE companies and completed her corporate career in 2024 to lead her own consultancy.

Sandra is a long-standing champion of social mobility, drawing deeply on her own challenging journey of overcoming significant barriers to education, opportunity, and belonging. She is committed to equality and currently serves as a voluntary member of UN Women UK, contributing to the development of gender-equality policy. She is also a Judge for the Business Culture Awards and Ethnic Minority into Leadership Civil Service Awards, recognising excellence in organisational culture and inclusive leadership.

Sandra’s ethos for her career

“We have to become what we cannot see.”