Each Future Leaders candidate is paired with a senior mentor from our cross-sector network. These mentors provide a ‘safe space’ sounding board for candidates, as well as invaluable experience and insights from their own careers. See here for more about mentoring.
Karl Astbury – Lead – Programs, Climate & Health, Resilient Cities Network
Karl is a climate resilience and health equity specialist working at the intersection of urban systems, community development and strategic investment at the Global Resilient Cities Network. He leads place-based resilience programmes in Greater Manchester and internationally, supporting cities to address climate risk, inequality and public health through practical, community-centred interventions. His work spans local government partnerships, philanthropy, infrastructure stakeholders and grassroots organisations, translating evidence into delivery. Karl has extensive experience in civil contingencies and urban policy, and is particularly interested in embedding resilience into everyday decision-making rather than treating it as a separate agenda. He lives and works in GM. Karl is a Leaders Plus alumnus.
Jemma Billing – Associate Director of Nursing, Quality & Safeguarding, NHS GM ICB
Jemma brings 15+ years of nursing experience across both provider and commissioning roles in the NHS. She is a skilled communicator who thrives in complex systems, bringing partners together to drive service improvement through collaboration and shared purpose. Passionate about reducing health inequalities and championing patient advocacy, Jemma is committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate care. As a mentor, she offers insight, support, and a reflective space for aspiring leaders to grow in confidence and capability. Jemma is a Leaders Plus alumna.
Debra Cooper – Partner, Hill Dickinson
Debra is a banking partner at Hill Dickinson LLP who specialises in real estate finance. Her clients include a broad mix of institutional lenders, debt funders, alternative lenders and borrowers on both investment and development transactions. She has also worked on several Green and Sustainability linked loans. In the past 18 months Debra has been the lead real estate finance lawyer on transactions totalling over £1.5billion in debt. Debra is also chair of the Northern Investment Property Forum and on the Northern LandAid board. In 2025, Debra won Professional Advisor of the Year at the NW Props Variety Dinner and Professional Services Leader. She has children aged 11 and 14 and is a keen ultra runner.
Najwa Jawahar – Associate Director – Design Management, WSP
Najwa Jawahar is a Chartered Structural Engineer, Fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers and multi-award-winning design professional with over a decade of experience delivering complex multidisciplinary projects. She currently works as a Design Manager, leading teams on major schemes across the UK. Alongside her technical expertise, Najwa is deeply committed to mentoring and leadership development. She supports early-career and mid-career professionals, helping them build confidence, overcome internal barriers and refine their leadership style. She also serves as a mentor on the Institution of Structural Engineers’ Elevate programme and holds board positions shaping inclusive leadership in Greater Manchester. Najwa is also on Future of GM’s board of directors.
Chithra Marsh – Director, Buttress Architects
An experienced architect, Chithra works predominantly on Future High Street, Towns and Levelling Up-funded projects. She is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion. At Buttress, she is responsible for coordinating and strengthening the practice’s social value and health & wellbeing initiatives, and champions cultural diversity. Chithra is also a strategic ambassador for social enterprise PLACED, National Chair for Women in Property in 2024, a North West representative on the RIBA National Council and co-chair of the RIBA North West’s Equality, Diversion & Inclusion Committee.
Kate Martyn – Director | Heritage Consultant, Donald Insall Associates
Kate is a director at DIA, leading the Manchester studio and Northern Heritage Consultancy team. Formerly a Senior Design and Conservation at Westminster City Council she has a degree in Architectural Studies and a Masters in Historic Conservation. She is a full member of the IHBC, chair of the Victorian Society (Manchester Region), a trustee of the Greater Manchester Building Preservation Trust and sits on the Places Matter Design Review Panel and Manchester City Council’s Heritage Panel.
Bethan McCaw – Assistant Director – Place, GMCA
Over the past 14 years Bethan has worked in a range of housing and regeneration roles, including internationally at Vancouver City Council. She joined the GMCA in 2018, where she works in the Place Directorate supporting GM authorities to deliver their housing and growth ambitions. Her role includes managing investment through the Brownfield Housing Fund and Evergreen Surplus Fund and most recently, leading the coordination of the Growth Locations programme across GM. Prior to GMCA, Bethan worked for the Homes & Communities Agency as a Senior Manager. Bethan is also a member of the RTPI and a Prince2 Project Manager, and is a Future of GM Leaders Plus alumna.
Deborah Murray – Executive Director, Groundwork GM
Deborah’s career in regeneration has spanned public, private and charity sectors. She joined Groundwork Greater Manchester in 2011 and became Executive Director 3 years ago where she leads a multi-disciplinary team of 120. Her role is to set the vision and direction of the organisation and to ensure that the resources are available to deliver against that vision, ultimately delivering positive outcomes for people, communities and places in Greater Manchester. Deborah is a big believer in working in genuine cross sector partnerships to get things done. She loves nothing more than getting out in nature to relax and recharge.
Sarah Beth Riley – Service Manager – Commercial Development, Wigan Council
Sarah leads public-sector regeneration and development projects across the Wigan borough. An ARB-registered architect, she brings extensive private-sector experience delivering high-quality affordable housing and large-scale mixed-use schemes. Alongside her professional role, Sarah serves on the Finance Committee for Poplar HARCA and is an active mentor with Future of GM, Women in Architecture and Public Practice, supporting the next generation of built-environment professionals.
Tony Shepherd – Assistant Director for Education & Early Years, Oldham Council
Tony leads Education & Early Years Services in a Greater Manchester borough. His experience is in schools and councils across the North of England and he specialises in development and improvement. He has led successful programmes in mathematics, attendance, attainment, achievement, partnership and basketball. As a Future Leaders alumni, Tony values the opportunity to collaborate across sectors and is keen to support colleagues to make Greater Manchester the best place that it can be. Tony is a Leaders Plus alumnus.
Alex Vogel – Senior Development Manager, Muse
Alex brings over 10 years’ experience in residential and mixed-use regeneration projects. At Muse he is leading the delivery of Oldham Town Centre, set to deliver up to 2,000 new homes alongside commercial and retail opportunities and public realm spaces. More recently, he is leading the transformation of Eccles Town Centre and thoroughly enjoys working in the regeneration space alongside his public sector partners. Alex is passionate about the built environment and driving high-quality, sustainable development in and around the North-West. Alex is a Leaders Plus alumnus
Marc Watterson – Associate Director, Arup
Marc has 30 years experience as a Town Planner working in local government and consultancy. He currently leads a town planning, transport panning and economics team at Arup, across Manchester and Liverpool, and sits on the Manchester Strategic Leaders group within our Manchester office. Marc delivers planning permissions, policy, research and regeneration work for a wide range of clients mostly in the north west of England. He prides himself on high quality work outputs, happy clients and perhaps most importantly, and happy and successful team. Marc is a Leaders Plus alumnus and is on FoGM’s board of directors
Ruth Welford – Assistant Director for Special Projects, Barnardo’s
Ruth has a 30-year postgraduate career in the third sector, leading multi-agency teams and partnerships. Ruth has held regulated roles on Adoption Panels, Safeguarding Boards and Domestic Homicide Review Panels. She is a school governor and a trustee for the Co-op Academies Trust. Ruth is an alumnus of Common Purpose, GM Leaders Plus and a Leaders Plus Fellow. She is passionate about creating better conditions for all children. She is committed to anti-racist practice both as a mother of a Black child and through years of service within diverse communities. Ruth is a Leaders Plus alumna
Follow this link to see the mentors from GM Leaders Plus, running March-January.
Recent Events
July 1 – Summer Celebration + Alumni Awards
Our summer celebration brought that network back together. Alongside recognising our alumni award winners, we heard from bursary recipients on the vital role of the voluntary and community sector in shaping better places. Congratulations to our award winners, recognised for their leadership in Inclusive Growth, Impact, Collaboration, Climate & Resilience and Innovation. Their work is creating stronger communities, more sustainable places and better outcomes across Greater Manchester. See more.
May 13 – Mentor Dinner: How do we help people and places feel safe(r) in such volatile times?
Caroline Field, partner at event sponsor PA Consulting, led an insightful discussion to our full house of mentors at new venue Elnecot in May. Coming just before UKREiiF, this was timely chance to make new friends, share thought leadership with an influential audience & have a lovely meal with our brilliant volunteers. See the write-up here.
For details on our events and for early invitations, join our mailing list.