Our Trustees - Rebecca Swift Foundation

Amanda Ball - Chair

Amanda Ball is an experienced MBA qualified charity director with strong fundraising, marketing, engagement and campaigning skills, and a successful track record in delivering transformational strategic change. She brings many years’ experience as a Fundraising Director and member of the Senior Leadership team of many household name charities. Amanda is also a longstanding member the Women’s Poets Network with several of her poems published in literary journals and anthologies. She regularly attends poetry readings, and open mics, including at the Edinburgh Fringe, and she is passionate about championing other women poets. She has recently completed an MLitt with Distinction in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow.

Cathy James

Cathy James is a UK qualified solicitor and formerly Chief Executive of Public Concern at Work (PCaW) the whistleblowing charity. She currently works as a legal consultant to the charity. Through this work Cathy has advised thousands of whistleblowers, as well as organisations, government and regulators on whistleblowing systems in the UK and internationally. She has expertise in governance and risk management systems across all sectors and is an international whistleblowing expert. Cathy set up the independent Whistleblowing Commission, which made recommendations for improving the legal framework for whistleblowing the UK including a Code of Practice for employers. Before working at PCaW, she was a litigation partner in a large London law firm. Cathy was awarded an OBE in June 2015, for services to employment rights.

Jon Slack

Jon collaborates with startups and entrepreneurs who are creating positive change in the world through their work to bring more wellbeing, creativity and purpose to the lives of others. He volunteers as a Media & Messaging co-ordinator for the 'Regenerative Cultures' group within the international movement Extinction Rebellion. As well as his brand & consulting work Jon has set up and run 100s of events including literature & cultural festivals in London and the UK, and for nine years co-ordinated the member network for marketing specialists in UK book publishing.

Lisa Gee

Lisa Gee lectures in business at Ravensbourne University London, is Lead associate director of Furner Communications and a fellow of the Institute of Historical Research. Together with Professor Max Saunders she instigated the FUTURES book series, published by Melville House. Lisa’s work has spanned academia, publishing, communications/management consultancy (mostly in the arts, third and public sectors) as well as facilitation. Her most recent publication (co-edited with Mark Crosby) is William Hayley: A Biographer’s Influence on Life Writing and Romantic Networks in the Long Eighteenth Century (Palgrave Macmillan, 2025).

Alice Dewing

Alice Dewing is an award-winning publicist living and working in London. She began her career in publishing at arts communications consultancy FMcM Associates, where she assisted the team on campaigns for literary organisations including National Poetry Day, Wellcome Book Prize, The Literary Consultancy, Cheltenham Literature Festival and The Forward Prizes for Poetry. Since 2016 she has worked at Picador, Pan Macmillan’s literary imprint, where she manages fully integrated and inclusive communications campaigns across a wide range of fiction and nonfiction titles. Since 2017 she has managed the PR and marketing for Picador Poetry, working on developing and nurturing new talent, and managing tours and promotion for established artists. She is also Communications Manager for partnerships at Pan Macmillan, helping deliver partnership relationships across a broad range of sectors.

Flora Faith-Kelly

Flora Faith-Kelly is Creative Health Lead for South East London’s Integrated Care Board. Flora is passionate about the role creativity plays in supporting health & wellbeing and how Creative Health approaches support connected communities. She has previously worked in community-focused roles at organisations such as Trinity Laban Conservatoire, London Irish Centre and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. In her current role Flora focuses on growing cross-sector collaboration across health and culture sectors, advocating for the power of Creative Health within health & care & advocating for creativity as a vital tool in reducing health inequalities. Flora is delighted to be joining the Rebecca Swift Foundation Board as a keen advocate for improving women’s access to creativity and particularly creative expression through poetry. Flora is looking forward to offering her expertise around creative wellbeing to the Foundation and is excited to see the Women Poets Network develop.

Nicola Nuttall

Nicola Nuttall, originally from Lancashire, is a poet and Cultural and Higher Education sector professional living in Cornwall. She is the Director of The Charles Causley Trust and Cornwall Climate Care. She is a research impact, governance and fundraising specialist and runs her own cultural consultancy Tempus Fugit. Recent clients include the Clore Leadership Programme, Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy, the Association of Independent Museums and the Blake Cottage Trust.

Specialising in trustee development, good governance and mentoring Nicola has supported tens of organisations and hundreds of individuals to help them find and reach their true potential. She is an advocate for empathetic, compassionate and dynamic personal development and is constantly curious about the world around her.

Keira Brown

Keira Brown is a writer that has worked in the literature sector in various capacities at organisations such as The Bookseller, Blackwells, Nielsen, Booktrust, Paisley Book Festival, and the Royal Society of Literature. She's a long-standing commitment to the world of storytelling and culture and is working for a few heritage and culture-based organisations at present including UNESCO UK National Commission.

Project Manager:
Degna Stone

Please note that RSF is a small charity run primarily by volunteers. Our office hours are on Thursdays which is when we attend to emails. Thank you for your patience and support!

Legal and Financial Advisors:
Counterculture Partnership LLP
Unit NH.204, E1 Studios, 7 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1DU

Company number: 11121662

Registered charity number: 1177863

Registered Office:
5 St Johns Lane, London EC1M 4BH 3GA