- BIO
Response: Please see attached
- PROVIDE IN-DEPTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU AND YOUR CURRENT JOB ROLE.
Response: I am a former nurse, journalist with West-Indian World Newspaper, Television Presenter for Black Variety Television, Scriptwriter for Cougar Records, Civil Servant, Coordinator of five consecutive government funded African-Caribbean projects to address the underrepresentation of the Global Majority across sectors of industry, and a Business Training Coordinator of a Community Enterprise Development Agency helping to launch more than 34 SME businesses including an award-winning Milner who received £90,000 in funding from the BBC. While in this role I wrote an ethnic women in business programme and delivered it, which was when I recognised that my passion was teaching and promoting educational and career opportunities for underrepresented groups. My career in Higher Education began in 1993 at Middlesex University, and before my departure in 2024, I led 23 undergraduate and postgraduate modules, and nine postgraduate programmes including the Executive MBA Programme, reputedly becoming the first black female academic in the UK to lead such a programme. I was also Co-Chair of the university’s Anti-Racist Network and successfully led the application for gold-embedded recognition for a UK Investors in Equality & Diversity (UKIED) award. I also wrote an EDI final-year undergraduate module from my research that explored cultural meanings of respect and how these meanings manifest in behaviours, that promoted greater cultural awareness, harmonious working among those of difference, while addressing team conflict that had a positive impact on learning outcomes. The popularity of the module resulted in its delivery in Mauritius and Dubai besides the UK. The impact of my EDI work and publications is why I was invited by The Bank of England, Deloitte, KPMG, and the Academy of Management based in the USA to share insight to my EDI expertise and practice. This was also why I was commissioned by the Metropolitan Police Service to undertake a diversity project to aid stop-and-search, promote cultural awareness and help improve community relations. This work is embedded as a key aspect of the Met’s mandatory training for their new recruits annually. I also wrote a `Diversity Best Practice Teaching & Learning Toolkit` to decolonise the curriculum and to enable educators to know how best to adopt a more inclusive approach to teach diverse learners. Since 2024, I have been employed as a Director of the Academy of Policing & Criminal Justice and as an Associate Professor of Sustainability Management at the University of East London, where I am also a Co-Director of the Noon Research Centre that focuses on equality, diversity in business and social inclusion.
- Why do you feel you have been selected for the Head of Diversity & Inclusion Award?
Response: Perhaps due to my track record of success, impact, and in-depth D&I knowledge, hence why in June 2026 I was headhunted by the UK Top Ranked 39 Chambers Law firm to act as an Expert Witness in a discriminatory complaint made against a top UK University, writing a report of my findings and conclusions, which were
Well-received and acknowledged as exceptional.
- What diversity initiatives have you implemented within your workplace across the following diversity strands?: Age | Disability | Gender | LGBT | Race | Religion & Faith
Response: I am the co-lead of a UK wide youth wraparound careers and education pathways initiative called 360 Degrees of Hope (H360), founded by my co-lead who is Chair of the National Police Chief’s Council. I introduced this collaborative initiative to UEL, which is governed by the Noon Centre, which targets 18–24-year-old NEET (Not in Education, Employment and Training), young people who reflect the 9 Protected Characteristics of the UK Equality Act 2010. Collaborators include Network Rail, the CPS and several UK Police Forces such as Kent Police and British Transport Police who have offered jobs, Internships and work placements to young people who sign up to H360. I am also UK Country Chair of the prestigious G100 Club Higher Education & Industry Connect Wing. G100 boasts100 top Global female leaders across 100 countries including Heads of States, Entrepreneurs and Professional Practitioners, whose quest is to close the gender gap for women across sectors. In this role I have organised several high-profile events bringing national and international thought leaders together to identify solutions for closing the gender gap held at e.g., the Houses of parliament and on campus.
- What impact have these initiatives had on your workplace?
Response: Promoted greater interest in UEL and its programmes, raised the profile of colleagues who I have recruited as Advisory Council Members of my G100 Club Wing, promoted collaborative working opportunities, resulted in job offers for some of our students.
- Have you or your company received any accolades as a result of your work surrounding equality, diversity & inclusion?
Response: Yes, for example I have received numerous recognition awards for my work in this area including a British Empire Medal confirmed in the Kings Honours List of 2025, which was my second Kings Award. I also received a United Nations Global Award in 2024 plus others listed in my bio attached. These achievements have been published by the university’s press team to celebrate staff success and in so doing the university’s.
- Please provide a name and contact details of a person we can contact to make this evidence credible.
Response: Professor Siraj Sait. S.sait@uel.ac.uk
