About us
Find out more about LEYF and how we put families and children at the heart of all we do.
June O’Sullivan OBE
Chief Executive
June is an accomplished leader with a proven record of driving social impact in Early Years education. As the creator of LEYF’s sustainable business model and the LEYF Pedagogy for Social Justice, she has championed the belief that every child, regardless of background, deserves the opportunity to thrive.
Known as an inspiring speaker, author, and media commentator, June’s expertise spans social business, child poverty, and sustainability. Awarded an MBE in 2013 and an OBE in 2023 for her services to education, she continues to advise international governments and organisations on Early Years Education and Care (EYEC) to foster long-term social change.
Mike Gartska
Chairman
Michael Garstka is a Senior Partner with the global management consultancy Bain & Company.
Based in Bain’s London office, Michael works with a select set of senior executives and shareholders on strategy-driven corporate transformations and turnarounds. His work primarily focuses on the telecommunications and energy/utility sectors.
Som Holliday
Chair, Social Impact Committee
Som is a Partner at the global management consultancy, Bain & Company, and the proud mother of a young daughter.
She has spent the last 15 years helping leadership teams transform the performance of their organisations.
Som is passionate about social impact, and has led strategy projects for a number of local and international NGOs.
Tony Perkins
Tony is Chief Executive of LHA London, a registered charity providing affordable and secure accommodation for young working people and students.
He has 30 years experience in redevelopment and construction projects and is Company Secretary of LHA London & LHA Services. Tony also works with the LHA Fund to support small London housing charities.
Georgia Hart
Georgia Hart (she/her) is Global Head of Brand Strategy at AMD, a Fortune 500 technology company, with around 15 years’ experience in integrated marketing. Having begun her career in fast-paced tech start-ups, she is passionate about the power of brand building and leads the Global Brand Team from London.
She spent seven years on the board of a national youth development charity as its first ‘Young Trustee’, advising on communications, marketing and brand. Georgia also volunteers with educational charities working to close the attainment gap in UK education.
Ravi Verma
Ravi is an experienced finance executive who has worked across Broadcast Media, Hospitality and Leisure industries, working for owner-managed, FTSE 100 PLCs and private equity-backed businesses. Ravi specialises in providing strategic direction and operational efficiencies that recommend actions on how to add value and support the growth of a company.
A member of multiple Capex committees, Ravi has overseen +£1bn of capex projects across multiple geographical locations. Ravi is also the Chair of the ESG leadership team at Gravity Media, responsible for driving the Sustainability and Diversity and Inclusion strategies.
Anu V Sarkar
Anu Sarkar (she/her) is Global Head of Leadership Strategy and Development at Deutsche Bank, with over 20 years’ experience across Banking and Engineering. She is a trusted partner to senior leaders and brings expertise in leadership development, succession, talent management, training, D&I and organisational development, particularly in change-focused roles.
Born in India and having lived in several countries, Anu values diversity and cultural awareness in shaping business and society. A qualified Executive Coach, she has worked extensively with senior leaders and emerging talent, and is a regular speaker on leadership, diversity and equity. She is passionate about equity in education, seeing early years as the foundation for nurturing diverse future leaders.
David Rae
Originally from Scotland, David is a Partner at EY, where he leads technology and data-driven change in Sustainability and ESG. With over 25 years in strategy, technology and data, he is passionate about innovation, diversity of thought and creating inclusive cultures, with a strong focus on social equality and mobility.
He previously held senior roles at BP, including CIO, Group CTO and Head of Digital for the trading arm. Beyond his Trustee role, David has a lifelong interest in music and remains a passionate, if often disillusioned, supporter of Scottish sport.
Kirsty Reed
Kirsty joined as the Lead Safeguarding Trustee in 2022, Kirsty is experienced at working with all levels of an organisation to provide insight, expertise, a reflective space and developing joined up approaches to change theory, strategic planning and transformation.
With over 20 years experience working within education, the voluntary and community sector and the public sector, leading and transforming services for babies, children, young people and their families with particular expertise in early childhood systems, early support and early help.
Wajeha Qureshi
Wajeha is a Director within Macquarie Asset Management’s Real Estate team in Europe, where she drives the acquisition and active management of real estate investments throughout the UK and broader European markets. She specialises in opportunities within the living sector.
She draws on a comprehensive 15-year career managing large-scale partnerships and providing strategic oversight as a board member for real estate development and asset management firms. Her expertise is built upon a diverse foundation in construction, design, and finance.
Wajeha holds a Master’s in Real Estate Finance from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University. Wajeha is a strong believer in the power of education, advocating for equal access to education as a primary driver for sustainable social change.
James Hicks
James is a Chartered Surveyor and Head of Corporate Real Estate at Gilead Sciences where he is responsible for the global real estate portfolio. He specialises in developing and implementing innovative real estate solutions that align with the strategic goals and objectives of the organisation. He holds an MSc in Real Estate Development from the University of Westminster and a BA in History from the University of Leicester. James is a passionate advocate for social mobility and enabling greater access to careers in the real estate sector.
Shirley Paddock
Nursery Ambassador
Having qualified and worked in early years for 50 years, I retired from my role as an Area Operations Manager in December 2023.
During my 50 years, I have had the privilege of gaining both work and life experience in a variety of roles. I began as a residential social worker in 1973, followed by positions as a nanny, nursery nurse, senior nursery nurse, deputy nursery manager, nursery manager, senior nursery manager, early years advisor for the City of Westminster, Ofsted inspector, and finally Area Operations Manager.
During those 50 years I worked for 6 different employers and loved all my roles, each teaching me that the child always must remain at the heart of what we do. We teach children in partnership with parents and each other.
When I retired, it was a sad day but also a new beginning and my role as a LEYF ambassador confirms that you can take the girl out of LEYF but never LEYF out of the girl.
Mary Wynne Finch
Nursery Ambassador
Mary was born in North Wales and has lived in London for over 30 years, with time abroad in Paris and Milan working in sporting events and at the British Consulate. A Welsh speaker fluent in French and Italian, she later trained as a nursery teacher and has spent 25 years teaching in London’s private sector nurseries, driven by a belief in the role of early education in creating a more equal society.
For over 30 years, she has been a Patron of the Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, supporting families of seriously ill children. She is also a Trustee of Oriel Plas Glyn-Y-Weddw and serves as LEYF Nursery Ambassador, visiting nurseries and linking them with the Board.
