experts in engagement and policy analysis
Core collective
Talat Yaqoob
Talat has led projects and campaigns across the third sector, specialising in gender equality, intersectionality, education and workplace equality and political participation. Learn more about Talat
Email Talat on info@thecollectivescotland.co.uk
Kate Nevens
Kate has worked both internationally and across the UK with specialisms in peace building, participation, facilitation, research and feminist policy analysis. Learn more about Kate
Email Kate on kate@thecollectivescotland.co.uk
Ellie Hutchinson
Ellie’s specialisms include violence against women and girls, children and young people, participatory research and wellbeing . She takes a trauma informed approach to all her work, and is particularly interested in feminist justice and creative practice. Learn more about Ellie
Email Ellie on info@thecollectivescotland.co.uk
Mansi Panjwani
Mansi is a peacebuilder and an international facilitator and trainer. Mansi has worked on projects across inter-governmental, international and national organisations, NGOs, and companies on themes such as humanistic leadership, organisational happiness and well-being, human rights, conflict transformation, and peacebuilding.
Iffat Shahnaz
As lifelong campaigner committed to social justice justice and equality Iffat works with progressive organisations committed to social change and tackling social exclusion and discrimination, Specialising in gender based violence, community education, facilitation, service development and change management. For more on Iffat go to her website
Megan McHaney
Megan has a background in policy, advocacy, lifelong & community education and organisational development. Megan has worked in the UK and internationally on education policy, citizenship education, developing organisations’ capacities to achieve their strategic and project goals, training, facilitation and online learning. For more info visit her website
Collaborators
Jessica Armstrong
Jessica is a Project Manager with experience designing, planning and implementing strategic and operational projects. She works with third sector, membership and community programmes, tech startups as well as corporate organisations. Her work focuses on enabling people to meet their goals through clear communication and effective processes.
You can learn more about Jessica's work and the projects she's contributed to on LinkedIn.
Briana Pegado
Briana is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts with experience of nearly a decade as an award-winning social entrepreneur and senior manager in the creative industries in Scotland. She specialises in anti-racism training, inclusive board recruitment, senior manager headhunting, membership modelling, organisational strategy, facilitation, monitoring, and evaluation, grant writing, coaching for third sector organisations using anti-oppressive, feminist approaches to her work. She has worked with local authorities, national arts organisations, knowledge exchange platforms, and Scottish government initiatives.
Nuzhat Uthamani
Nuzhat is a primary teacher and antiracist education expert. As founder of the Global Citizenship Education Scotland Practitioners Network, she models the teaching and learning of the values of equality and social justice across the curriculum.
Nuzhat is the Vice Convenor of the EIS Union’s Antiracist Sub Committee and supports fellow colleagues as part of the EIS BAME Network in Glasgow. As a member of the Pass the Mic project, Nuzhat is a passionate spokesperson for teacher rights and is a regular education commentator on mainstream news media.
Nuzhat is also a mother of two school age children and passionate cook.
Kirstie Ken English
Kirstie Ken is a mixed methods social researcher with experiences across a range of different projects. Their interests and expertise are in the production and use of equality, diversity and inclusion data, gender, sexuality and human rights. Kirstie Ken is an experienced educator, currently working as a tutor in Quantitative Methods at the University of Glasgow. They have a passion for promoting data literacy skills in an accessible manner. To find out more about their work visit their website.
Zemeta Chefeke
Zem is a multilingual primary teacher with expertise in antiracism and cultural competency. She is actively involved in the EIS Union, currently serving as Assistant LA Secretary, Executive Treasurer, and School Rep.
With decades of practical experience, Zem has provided training across various sectors, including social services, health, government, and education, spanning Canada, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and the UK. She has developed and delivered social justice and management courses for students and professionals at the University of Calgary, School of Social Work.
Zem has co-facilitated online sessions focusing on anti-racism and cultural competency for teachers. Additionally, she has provided training sessions for Scotland’s National Centre for Languages (SCILT).