Jeremy Foster - Chairman
Jeremy Foster is a senior financial services audit and capital markets partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and will shortly be retiring after 37 years with the firm. Jeremy is building a portfolio of adviser and trustee roles, and sees his role at GivingTime as being very complementary to his leadership and chair roles at work, as well as his lifelong interest in education. Married with three grown up children, his interests include music, opera, and he is a keen triathlete and tennis player.
Chris Paterson - Founder & Trustee
GivingTime is a programme founded by Chris Paterson, an experienced business leader, facilitator and executive coach.
Having developed a highly successful commercial career spanning multiple markets and sectors, Chris trained as a coach and first experience being coached at the age of 40. The experience proved life-changing and Chris was left with a sense of “I wish I had experienced coaching sooner in my life”. This was the inspiration to start GivingTime. Through coaching, Chris realised that his purpose in life is to grow leaders. GivingTime gives young people the opportunity to learn for themselves through being coached and through the volunteering they undertake in return.
From the initial pilot in 2015, it became clear that GivingTime had the potential to grow into something much bigger, so Chris put the idea out to others; connecting with coaches, colleagues, friends and mentors who have all contributed skills, time and ideas to develop GivingTime.
GivingTime is now a registered charity working with a collection of highly experienced coaches, coach supervisors, advisors and consultancy partners.
Jessamy Sheppard - Co-founder & Trustee
Jessamy Sheppard is a business coach specialising in professional transformation and business development. She joined GivingTime in 2016 as a founding trustee and has been instrumental in building the GivingTime operations, marketing communications and partnerships, as well as coaching young people as part of the programme.
Prior to training as a business coach, Jessamy held a variety of roles in the private sector. She worked in specialist marketing recruitment with high-profile consumer organisations, providing consultation on talent acquisition and team structure. Prior to that, Jessamy worked at Coty Inc, where she managed consumer brand marketing across UK and international markets. Her additional not-for-profit work includes leading the head office of TABEISA, a non-profit entrepreneurship training scheme in South Africa. She also delivers Coach Training for the MOE Foundation and is a member of the Association for Coaches.
Jessamy has a keen interest in education, emerging technology and start-up businesses. She travels regularly and enjoys foreign culture, arts, architecture and literature.
Dino Laudato - Trustee
Dino is a business coach, facilitator and accomplished business leader supporting emerging leaders to find their voice. He joined GivingTime in its infancy as a coach and now as a trustee because he believes the awareness young people develop of themselves in their formative years influences their choices and the kind of professionals and people they develop into. Dino has a strong track record of supporting the development of young leaders both in and out of the corporate structure.
Dino discovered coaching as part of his leadership journey and noticed, that like his 7-year-old, people are a lot more effective, resilient, and energised when doing what they choose to do.
Away from work, I am married to with two young daughters who are a constant source of leadership learning. In general, they occupy most of my time whether I’m taking them to an activity (dad cab) or participating with them. I enjoy being outdoors be it walking, running (so I can indulge in my passion for food), skiing and cycling with the family.
Annalisa Alexander – (Education) Trustee
Dr Annalisa Alexander is the Head of Outreach and Widening Participation at Imperial College London. As a STEM graduate (Durham University, BSc(Hons) in Biological Sciences) with a postgraduate degree as well (PhD in Plant Ecology at Imperial College London) she understands the difficulties school pupils and teachers face with the ever-changing science curriculum in the UK. Annalisa has worked in Outreach at Imperial for 18 years and manages a large team of passionate scientists who coordinate and deliver a huge portfolio of STEM programmes to pupils from 4 years to 18 years old. Pupils who are underrepresented in University are the focus of their work, along with low-performing schools and teachers who are required to teach outside of their specialism. In 2014 Annalisa qualified as a management coach for the College and provides support to members of staff who are facing change, transition or experiencing personal difficulties. Outside work, Annalisa is a keen runner and baker when she isn’t trying to organise her menagerie of animals and two very energetic young boys. There is rarely a quiet moment in the Alexander household.
