Our people
Summer Simpson
Senior Researcher
Summer brings expertise in qualitative research and community engagement, driven by a commitment to tackling inequality and strengthening social infrastructure, connectedness, and place-based approaches.
Aderonke Ademola
Research Officer
Aderonke brings experience in research, education, and advocacy, with a focus on EDI and the criminal justice system, alongside skills in qualitative methods and inclusive education.
Nairat Ali
Innovation Practitioner
Nairat brings robust process-thinking and creative flexibility to participatory research, with a focus on racial and migrant justice, intersectionality, and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
Grace Hardy
Innovation Practitioner
Grace brings a passion for community empowerment and corporate sustainability, driving innovative strategies that strengthen the relationship between business and society while championing equality, social value, and climate resilience.
Julie McLaren
Interim Director of Sustainability and Just Transition
With leadership experience from across the research and innovation system, Julie is passionate about democratising place-based innovation to recognise the ingenuity of citizens and communities in shaping their neighbourhoods, towns, and cities.
Laetitia Lucy
Social Impact Lead
Laetitia Lucy joined the Young Foundation in 2024 after working as a Social and Economic Impact Consultant at Arup. She is passionate about empowering people to improve their lives, and leveraging investment to create lasting social and economic impact in the most deprived neighbourhoods.
Marwa El-bahti
Corporate Resourcing Administrator
A dedicated professional with extensive experience in executive coordination and compliance, Marwa is skilled in streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency. Passionate about supporting leadership and team success, Marwa is excited to contribute her expertise to The Young Foundation’s growth.
Damian Hebron
Senior Innovation Practitioner
Damian is passionate about involving citizens in decision-making and has worked for more than 20 years in arts, health, campaigning and community engagement. He has campaigned extensively to promote the impact of creativity on people’s health.
Sean Croghan
Interim CEO and Chief Operating Officer
Sean is our Interim CEO and COO, working to ensure quality delivery of our work and mission. He is passionate about developing strong teams, solving complex problems, and using data and technology to improve decision-making and maximise impact.
Sarah Hogg
Communications Associate
Supporting social media and communications activity at The Young Foundation since 2020, Sarah has extensive experience driving reputation and reach for a diverse range of charitable organisations and companies.
Rose Mosse
Associate, The Young Foundation
Co-creating collaborative, generative and transformational experiences, Rose is fascinated by systems and making sense of them. She has an MSc in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability, is a fellow in Social Innovation, and a student of Process-Oriented Psychology.
Isabella Pereira
Interim Co-Director of Research, Institute for Community Studies
Previously Head of Qualitative Research Methods at Ipsos’s Social Research Institute, Isabella is a qualitative and mixed methods expert with more than 15 years’ experience in researching vulnerable audiences. Her published research includes work on the resettlement of Syrian refugees for the Home Office, and on the Living Home Standard for Shelter.