Breaking Barriers to Women's Leadership

Join the Birmingham Leadership Institute (BLI) and our panellists to explore the life cycle of women’s health and how they have tackled systemic barriers to progression.

The BLI, in collaboration with the University of Birmingham Women’s Network, aims to #BreakTheBias around women’s health in systems, from School through to the workplace. Our panellists will explore how they have enacted organisational, systemic, and personal change to break down barriers on topics ranging from period poverty and mental health, returning to work following giving birth/raising a child, and the menopause. Everyone is welcome to join the conversation as we celebrate the achievements of women and call to action to focus on the change still needed to achieve true global equality for women and girls.

The panel includes:

Jeneva Patterson - Practice Leader, Organization Leadership and Senior Faculty EMEA at the Center for Creative Leadership, Harvard University

Jeneva Patterson specialises in leadership development and executive coaching.  She made it through many years of perimenopausal stress and appreciates being on the other side of that challenging time.  Using her personal and professional insights, she is eager to dialogue with others about how to more effectively navigate the challenges, big and small, of this time of life.

Andrea Stephens - Headteacher, Colton Hills Community School

Andrea is committed to serving the needs of the most vulnerable and impoverished students within our communities. She seeks to tackle educational and social disadvantage by raising attainment through poverty proofing strategies and through providing students with culturally and knowledge rich experiences. 

Andrea has been teaching for over 20 years and a senior leader for 13 of these. She holds an MSc in Educational leadership and is currently exploring issues relating to educational disadvantage as part of her doctorate in Education. 

Fiona Wilkie – Deputy Director of Campus Services, University of Birmingham

Fiona Wilkie joined the University of Birmingham in February 2021, as Director of Business and Operations - Campus Services. Prior to taking up this appointment Fiona held several Directorate level roles at the University of Bristol.

Fiona was the Director of Business Management and Support within the Campus Division, appointed to shape and execute strategy and provide strategic direction for Business Management and Support functions, including Administration, Finance, Project Support, Information, Technology and Communication (ITC), HR, Procurement, Health and Safety.

She was promoted in 2010 to Deputy Director of Residential and Hospitality Service and was responsible for a diverse portfolio of professional services teams: including Retail and Catering; Property and Facilities Management; Business Services, Conference and Events; Accommodation Services; Health and Safety and Residential Life Services. She also led the division’s business partnering for, Finance, HR, Procurement, Business Continuity Planning and Risk Management.