Co-Founder, Community Engagement & Marketing

Shirley Powell

Over 30 years of clinical experience working in health care within the clinical and leadership arena working within the National Health Service and Independent health care sectors. She is very passionate about health and well-being issues from a professional and lived experience of poor health arising from lack of wellness over the years, witnessing others with debilitating diseases and medical conditions that could have potentially been avoided. Over the years, Shirley has worked as a professional transitional coach and mentor offering health and well-being advice and support for men, women and busy professionals by increasing health awareness and self care.
Shirley is a dedicated health and well-being expert offering comprehensive healthcare assessments to help you live well and stay well and currently offers these services Offender Healthcare organisations and the community. As Founder of Your Life in Your Hands, Shirley has also developed a successful mentoring programme “Seven Steps to Transitioning Your Life” which helps individuals discover what lies deep within, revive your hidden passion, purpose and freedom to live a deserving flexible lifestyle.
Nominated for several awards including Finalist in 2017/2018 Suffolk BME Awards, Shirley is recognised in her local community as an experienced health practitioner, motivational speaker and spiritual leader, She is also notably present at inspirational events – presenting health education sessions at local events on healthy eating, health awareness, diabetes, managing cholesterol and blood pressure. Shirley is also a regular guest on the local community radio on health matters. Projects Worked With

• Health and Well-being Events
• Community Action Group Fun day
• With Local Community representative
• African and Caribbean Community
• Health and Well-being day

Achievements and Awards

• 2017 Finalist – Suffolk BME Women Entrepreneur Award
• 2018 Finalist – Suffolk BME Special Judges Award
• Partnership drives economic growth across Norfolk

Roles & Appointments

• Health and Well-being Specialist
• District Nurse Specialist Practitioner
• Regular ICR radio guest on health matters
• Member of MpowerWe Ladies Lounge group
• Social Entrepreneur fellow of Social Enterprise
• Head of Care in Neurological Care
• Modern Matron – City and Hackney Teaching

Key Project Portfolios

• Health Consultant
• Registered Nurse and Health care Practitioner (Care UK)
• Offender Healthcare Practitioner (Virgin Care)

Co-Founder, Operations & Management

Elaine Tappin

Elaine works as a Consultant Social Worker, where she supervises, teaches and supports students and qualified social workers – mainly in the area of child protection. Her specialism is black children in the care system and has been a consultant to Local Authorities and voluntary agencies in an advisory capacity. It was a lecturer at a college where Elaine was studying for her A levels, saying there was something special about her; noting her sincerity, a people person, caring and an inspiration, that led him to believe that Elaine would make a good social worker. Elaine never realised that it was her own experience of childhood abuse and trauma that would pave the way for her career and in helping others to recover. A career that has now spanned almost 30 years. In her personal and professional life she has felt empowered to tackle some of the injustices in society of racism and discrimination, as well as deal with her own issues from the past. This has meant she has had to step out and develop herself emotionally, spiritually and physically. She has been inspired by people such as Ra Un Nefer Amen and Queen Afua. Elaine describes this as an amazing journey of self-discovery and healing, and is enthusiastic to help others to heal from the issues of their past, in order to find who they truly are and to maximise their potential. As an entrepreneur, Elaine’s services help you begin your journey of transformation and to love living, where you will learn practical ways to heal yourself as well as personal development. With us at (company), you will make yourself a priority. Elaine says life will throw all sorts of challenges at you, but these are there to make us stronger. Elaine’s anthem is “And still I rise,”

Projects Worked With

Executive Member – Council for Racial Equality

• Rape crisis – Volunteer
• Organization for Sickle cell Anemia Research
• Independent social worker/consultant on the needs of black children in care
• Kamit Training Consortium
• Independent Researcher for Barnardos & Ormiston: How children are impacted with a parent in prison

Publications

• Black children in care – Barnardos

Courses

• NLP life coaching
• Emotional Emancipation training

Roles & Appointments

• Coordinator /Chair- Sickle Cell Society Suffolk
• Core member – Suffolk African History Collective
• Consultant Social Worker
• Practice Educator (Social Work)
• Teaching Partnership (lecturing) University of Suffolk
• Trainer: Diversity & Equality, Identity

Roles & Appointments

• Emotional Emancipation Circle Facilitator
• Women’s healing support group Facilitator
• Advocate for healthier living

Co-Founder, Operations & Management

Imani Sorhaindo

Imani works as a qualified Holistic Health Practitioner, Events Manager and Trainer in KMT Rising.
 The mission of her company is to assist in the empowerment and positive transformation of individuals and groups across the globe. She has extensive working leadership experience as a Curriculum manager and Quality Assurance Lead across Suffolk. Imani’s personal journey is a testimony to her drive and determination towards the advancement of all people who want to improve their quality of life. Coming to England in 1976 and having to deal with racism within the society and in the education system she experienced self-doubt, obesity, internalised oppression and teenage motherhood. Through this journey she developed her own inner resources and resilience to overcome fear and self-doubt leading her to DARE TO BE BOLD! This journey has created the dynamic, inspirational leader, motivator, healer and spiritual development facilitator we see today. Imani is the Director of KMT Rising and a Co-Founder at Be Me Like We Ltd. With over 30 years of extensive people skills and leadership experience in the field of Education and Quality Assurance, she works to help transform lives through Holistic Health and Equalities. Her work locally, nationally, and internationally as a Lecturer, Author, Mindfulness Trainer, and Holistic Health Practitioner has helped hundreds of people to transform their lives. Imani’s personal journey is a testimony to her drive, tenacity, and determination towards the empowerment of all people. Through her own personal journey towards self-actualisation, she now supports others to tap into their inner resources, resilience to overcome fear, anxiety and self-negation so that they can be their healthier and authentic selves. An inspirational leader, author, group facilitator, coach, and Equalities consultant. KMT Rising offers a range of Holistic Health and Empowerment Services for individuals, groups and organisations, specialising in Mindfulness, stress reduction, women’s womb-health, meditation, confidence-building, and energy work. KMT Rising customers, medium to large businesses and organisations have commented that Imani’s work is ’transformative’, ‘truly life-changing’, ‘inspiring’, ‘powerful’, ‘absolutely necessary’, challenging people to go beyond the norm. Her annual ‘Exhale’ event in Suffolk offers a weekend for women to come together in a safe, supportive and transformative space to educate, liberate and empower themselves to WELLNESS. KMT Rising customers have commented that Imani’s work is ’truly life-changing’, ‘inspiring’, ‘absolutely necessary’, and that it ‘challenged me to change for the better’!.

Projects Worked On

• Women on the rise!
• Men’s empowerment in prison
• Race Hate Crime Buddy Scheme
• Summer of Health – London
• Noire Wellness Hubs – London
• Fibroids lecture – University of West Indies, Dominica
• The Womb-an Series online Webinars
• Empowering Black Men in Suffolk prisons

Courses Delivered

• Creative visualisation for women
• Mindfulness meditation
• Life coaching for beginners
• Professional coaching
• The Art of Breathing
• Community development – Black perspective
• African queens throughout history
• Equality and Diversity

Qualifications

• BA Hons in Education 2:1
• PGCE
• Diploma in Youth and Community Work
• Internal Verifier
• Diploma in Holistic Health
• Diploma in Acupressure
• Homeopathy for the home

Roles and Appointments

• • Director of KMT Rising
  • Co-Director BeMeLikeWe
  • Co-Founder Global Fibroid Alliance
  • Curriculum manager
  • Professional and Wellness Coach
  • Holistic Health Practitioner
  • Freelance writer
  • Event manager at Exhale
  • Group director and facilitator of Women’s Womb-wellness group
  • Community Outreach volunteer
  • Chair or Suffolk African History Collective (Volunteer)
  • Chair of Race for Change (Volunteer)
  • Secretary of Windrush Select Committee

Key Project Portfolios

• • Exhale events
  • Womb-wellness support groups
  • Dare to be YOU! – Project
  • Women in the Caribbean Online Wellness Hub
  • Working on her book on fibroids due out in November 2020

Co-Founder, Finance & Operations

Karen Walker

Karen is the Founder of KarMarTri Ltd. and a Co-Founder of Be Me Like We Ltd. KarMarTri helps people to align with your purpose in your journey by making a mindset shift from where they currently are to where they dream and desire to be. Karen’s story is remarkable. Having expeienced many emotional challenges in her life including obesity, alcoholism, abuse, and addiction to cigarettes, She made her shift with a positive mindset, belief, determination, self-development and visualisation techniques and now supports others who want to improve in areas of their lives. By sharing information gained over decades of research and practice, Karen has inspired many others to get their life back on track, in better order and shape; she continues to use the wisdom, philosophies and teachings to be the best version of herself and believes her destiny is facilitating others with their transcendence. KarMarTri helps and supports people that are tired of settling for less, to believe in themselves and discover the abundance of their abilities and potentiality so that they can finally Get Out Of their Way, and accept they are the creator of their own circumstances. We are born creators, birds fly, fish swim, plants grow, we create, we are the only species on this planet that have this luxury! KarMarTri organises and runs self-empowerment events themed “Create Your Life Experience”, group workshops, retreats, Lifestyle Programmes and offers 1-2-1 Coaching in person or virtually that will help you to clear out what is in your way and build a bridge from where you are, to where you want to be. Karen believes, we all have the potentiality and capability to be the creator of our own reality. Create Your Life participants, and customers would tell you KarMarTri’s speciality is truly seeing what’s possible for them, and then being a stimulus to help them reach that higher level.” Projects Worked On

• Mentoring Pupils and Students in Schools
• Youth at Risk Mentor

Courses

• Springboard for Women
• NLP, Life Coach and Mentoring
• The science of vegan and vegetarian diets
• You and Your Money (Open University)

Roles & Appointments Held To Date

• Vision Board Workshop Practitioner
• Hostess of Mpower Ladies Lounge
• Founder member and Business Manager, Suffolk Credit Union
• Family Support Practitioner, Foster & Adoption
• Sales and Recruitment Manager, Virgin Vie
• Civil Servant – Manpower Services Commission
• Assistant to Community Relations Officer

Co-Founder & Compliance

Franstine Jones

Franstine is the Founder of Binspyred and a Co-Founder of Be Me Like We. Franstine has over 20yrs of experience in the public, private and voluntary sectors with expertise in delivering equality and diversity training. Franstine’s expertise has been focused in the delivery of training to create awareness and understanding of unconscious bias, equality and diversity, discrimination law and hate crime. From a lived experience, she have overcome mental and physical abuse, depression, low self-esteem and feeling devalued. This is she is so passionate about helping others, expecially, women overcome adversity in their lives and not let it define who they are. In addition to the work Binspyred is involved with, Franstine also dedicates time to support women who lack confidence but would like to make the necessary changes in their lives to be who they are meant to be. Franstine works with young people who through no fault of their own, have not had positive influences in their lives and need some focus and direction to help them make good choices. The “Rise Up Wise Up” programme provides a platform for young people to be involved in discussions and participate in activities that impact positively in their lives. Franstine has been involved in a peer mentoring programme for young people in school and graduates from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds, who are studying Law and Social Sciences. Key Project Portfolios

• CIPD Graduate
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion expert

Projects

• University of Suffolk Black Asian Minority Ethnic Mentoring Forum
• Rise Up Wise Up Youth Forum
• Ipswich Caribbean Experience (ICE) project
• Our Communities Speak Consultation Project

Publications and Productions

• Mind the Blind Spot Unconscious Bias training package
• Hate Crime training package
• Equality and Diversity legislation training
• Discrimination Law training

Roles & Appointments

• National Black Police Association President and Vice President roles
• Diversity and Equality officer
• Partnerships Manager
• Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner

Co-Founder, Business Development, Strategy & Marketing

Roland Gilbertson

Roland is a Venture Coach, Serial Entrepreneur, Investment Consultant and Employment Consultant with 15+ years prior experience in Community Development, Education, Training and The Creative Industries in various disciplines as a Producer.   Founding Member of Be Me Like We, Transform21, ConnectMyTalent, Digital High Media, ThinkBiznes and TheBiznesLab, Roland helps founders and entrepreneurs build business models that can attract investment to scale & grow.   As a Venture Coach & Growth Marketing Consultant with over 10 years of professional experience, Roland has coached thousands of business owners and entrepreneurs across the globe from ideation through to launch and beyond. Roland specialises in Business Modelling, Branding and Marketing with a focus on Customer Relationships, Brand Experiences and Digital Transformation.   A recognized player in the startup eco-system, Roland is also a consulting scrum master for several incubators & 2 University based Accelerators. He is a regular speaker on topics related to entrepreneurship, business success strategies, investment and growth marketing.   Roland has a solid track record in creating business development Eco-systems, working closely with local & regional councils on Educational & Training Strategies for Entrepreneurship across a number of industry disciplines. He has also managed & coached entrepreneurs through various UK Government backed Startup Schemes including O2ThinkBig, Startup UK, NWES – NewAngliaLEP & Virgin Media Business.   He currently coaches entrepreneurs and business owners via a Business Accelerator and Support Programme (Inbiz1000 – which he co-founded) in partnership with the University of Suffolk – dedicated to reaching, developing and supporting up to 1000 Black Owned businesses in Suffolk over 10 years.   Over the years, Roland developed a passion for Creative Innovation and Entrepreneurship, winning a full scholarship to attend the National Film & Television School’s first Entrepreneurial Program. He now combines that passion with the business development and marketing experience gained at StartUp UK to help startups and corporates innovate and grow.   Roland has a Masters Diploma in Creative Entrepreneurship with an extensive working history within the creative industries , especially, in Television, Music and Film as a Producer.   He advises businesses on Digital Transformation & coaches founders on business model development, go-to strategies, sales, business growth, branding, digital and growth marketing.