Gemma has over 20 years experience in the charity sector. She joined Refuge in March 2025 from Save the Children UK where she had worked since 2007 following previous roles at the NSPCC, Cardinal Hume Centre and WaterAid. A dedicated advocate for social justice that centres those with lived experience, Gemma held a number of senior positions at Save the Children UK, ultimately serving as Executive Director of Fundraising and Marketing before becoming interim CEO in February 2024. Gemma is now eager to make a lasting impact at Refuge, the UK’s leading provider of specialist domestic abuse services. The epidemic of VAWG is intolerable, requiring bold leadership, creative solutions and collaboration. Gemma is a proud Trustee and Deputy Chair of London’s Air Ambulance.

Rebecca Hilsenrath KC (Hon) is the CEO of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. She previously served as interim Ombudsman and Director of Strategy.

Before joining PHSO in 2021, Rebecca was Chief Legal Officer and then Chief Executive Officer of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Rebecca trained as a lawyer and began her career at Linklaters. She then held a number of roles in the then Government Legal Service before a five year stint as CEO of LawWorks (the Solicitors Pro Bono Group), a national charity facilitating free legal advice to community groups and individuals in need.  She set up the National Pro Bono Centre in Chancery Lane and has sat on the boards of a number of charities and advice agencies, including the Bar Pro Bono Unit and the Mary Ward Legal Centre.

She holds two honorary doctorates awarded in recognition of services to law and is currently the Chair of Governors of the London Academy of Excellence in Tottenham, sponsored by Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and Highgate School.

Rebecca was made an Honorary King’s Counsel in January 2025 and in April 2025 she was appointed to the Civil Justice Council as an alternative dispute resolution member.

Natalie Queiroz MBE is Victims Advocate for West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner. Alongside the Commissioner, Natalie is responsible for holding the Police to account in upholding victims’ rights, as well as ensuring associated Criminal Justice agencies uphold the Victims Code. Natalie is also the ‘Victims Voice’ both locally and on a national level.

Natalie has extensive professional and personal experience.

Initially 19 years in the pharmaceutical industry, reaching strategic managerial level roles, Natalie founded a social enterprise focussed on prevention of youth violence and enabling youth empowerment. In 2022 she received an MBE for Services to Young People and the Prevention of Knife Crime.

Natalie is a lived-experience expert, surviving a violent attempted Domestic Homicide, by stabbing, whilst 8 months pregnant, at the hands of her then-partner in 2016.

Natalie is resolute on putting the victim at the heart of her work on both a regional and national scale.

Emma Jones is the Assistant Director of Victim Services at the social business Catch22, where she oversees dedicated teams supporting victims of crime across Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Greater Manchester, and London. With over a decade of experience championing victims’ rights, Emma leads both the operational delivery and strategic development of Victim Services within the organisation.

She brings extensive expertise in guiding victims through their recovery journey and is passionate about creating victim-led, person-centred responses within the criminal justice system. Working closely with commissioners, staff, and partners, Emma focuses on designing effective, responsive services for victims and proactively addressing gaps in provision.

As Domestic Violence Victims’ and Survivors Champion within County Durham and Darlington, in collaboration with the Police Crime Commissioner and partners, I advocate for victim/survivor voices.  My focus is to enhance the experiences of the criminal justice system for victims’ and survivors of domestic abuse.  I take an independent approach to gathering and understanding the lived experiences of survivors by conducting individual interviews, discussion groups and general conversations, ensuring their voices are authentically represented. My goal is to genuinely address the needs of survivors and embed such needs in all relevant issues related to policies, planning and commissioning where domestic abuse is an issue.

Matthew Scott was first elected as Police and Crime Commissioner in May 2016, becoming the country’s youngest PCC. He was re-elected in 2021.

Prior to that he worked as a parliamentary manager in Westminster and has also served as a local Conservative councillor. He has a degree in Public Policy, Government and Management from the University of Birmingham.

He is married and a father of 3 young children and a passionate advocate of keeping young people safe. He has commissioned a popular online safety and healthy relationships programme for schools in Kent and has been a keen supporter of the Kent Police cadets and mini cadets.

He also chairs Bluelight Commercial, a PCC owned procurement company designed to deliver value and expertise to all bluelight organisations as well as ensuring responsible use of public resources.

Councillor Kevin Anderson is currently the Cabinet Member for Police, Crime and Civil Contingencies at Wigan Council.  He also serves as Wigan Council’s representative on the Greater Manchester Police and Fire Panel which holds Deputy GM Mayor Kate Green to account.

Kevin was first elected to Wigan Council in 1994 and has been a Cabinet Member for over 20 years covering portfolios including Community Safety, Housing, Best Value, Performance and Adult Social Services.

He also has over 30 years’ experience of working in social housing and was a Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing for 25 years.  Kevin is a passionate advocate for the voice of victims being heard and their needs being met.

Christabel Yeboah [she/her] is the Co-Founder and Chief Vision Officer of the UK’s first national gender-based violence support service dedicated to Black femmes. With over a decade of experience in the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) sector across legal, frontline, leadership and strategic roles, Christabel’s mission has always been to center Black women in every narrative.

As a Gender-based Violence Specialist Consultant, she advises the private and statutory sector, police, local authorities and wider organisations on the intersections of experience within marginalised communities. Her work equips professionals with the tools, context and insight needed to take tangible steps towards meaningful change.

Christabel chairs the Global Majority Heritage Domestic Abuse Partnership Forum for London and as an accredited Domestic Homicide Review Chair, brings specialist expertise to reviews involving Black women and girls. She also serves as a Board Member of the Youth Justice Board, ensuring the voices and experiences of Black communities inform national decision-making.

Gemma has over 20 years experience in the charity sector. She joined Refuge in March 2025 from Save the Children UK where she had worked since 2007 following previous roles at the NSPCC, Cardinal Hume Centre and WaterAid. A dedicated advocate for social justice that centres those with lived experience, Gemma held a number of senior positions at Save the Children UK, ultimately serving as Executive Director of Fundraising and Marketing before becoming interim CEO in February 2024. Gemma is now eager to make a lasting impact at Refuge, the UK’s leading provider of specialist domestic abuse services. The epidemic of VAWG is intolerable, requiring bold leadership, creative solutions and collaboration. Gemma is a proud Trustee and Deputy Chair of London’s Air Ambulance.