Steering Commitee
Adele Baumgardt
Adele is an independent consultant having previously worked in Equal Opportunities Commission. Now a self-employed consultant on all aspects of equality and diversity, Adele's experience includes delivering equality strategies in public, private and voluntary sectors with particular expertise in the new 'positive' equality duty.Adele was the Wales Commissioner for the Women's National Commission until December 2010 when the Commission was closed as part of the Westminster Government's quango review. She is on the management Board of Women's Equality Network Wales and is actively campaigning for both the Welsh and UK Governments to support systems to engage with Welsh women.
Adele was a Board Member of Sport Wales until March 2012 and has actively worked on increasing women and girls participation in sport for a number of years. She was appointed as Vice Chair of Sport Wales in September 2012.
In February 2013 Adele was appointed as Wales representative to the Social Security Advisory Committee responsible for advising all social security Ministers on legislation and policy.
Adele has worked extensively with Housing organisations and with a range of partners in the criminal justice system specifically on the equality duty of the Equality Act 2010.
Anita Davies
I have been involved with WMAD since 2006. In May 2012 I was successful in being elected onto my local Community Council. As part of this role I am a school governor and attend various forums and Strategy groups representing parents who have children with disabilities or people with sight loss. In addition to my voluntary work I am a Development Manager for Cardiff Institute for the Blind covering Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot. I have 2 children 15 and 6 years old. I enjoy learning and practising alternative therapies. I very much enjoy both my work and voluntary work. My experience with WMAD has taught me a lot about myself and given me the confidence and the ability to be where I am today. I have been involved with WIPL and active citizens and had the opportunity to meet wonderful women along the way.
Dawn Mannay
Dawn Mannay is a Lecturer in Social Science (Psychology) at Cardiff University and holds the posts of Associate Lecturer at the Open University and Visiting Lecturer at the University of Newport; as well as being involved with the Women Making a Difference Program. Dawn holds a PhD in Social Science, MSc in Social Science Research and Education BA from Cardiff University. Dawn's research interests revolve around class, education, gender, geography, generation, violence and inequality; and she employs visual, creative and narrative methods in her work.Henah Akhtar
Participant representativeHodan Hersi
Race Equality First
Jan Stephens
Jan is a Co-ordinating Lecturer from Cardiff University whose research and teaching interests focus on encouraging women from disadvantaged backgrounds into Higher Education. Cardiff University's Centre for Lifelong Learning provides the academic side of Women into Public Life and Women into Management. The courses are accredited at CWFW 4 and can be combined with other courses at the Centre for Lifelong Learning for student progression.Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.cardiff.ac.uk/learn
Maria Mesa
Oxfam Cymru
Emma Richards, Chwarae Teg
Emma joined Chwarae Teg in 2005, initially to work on the Ready SET Go project which encouraged women into science, engineering and technology sectors and later on the Potentia project, supporting business service agencies to better understand the needs of women and lone parents.During 2008, Emma was seconded as Director of Wales Women's National Coalition where she worked to ensure that gender equality was built into the decision making process at all levels of government.
Since 2009 Emma has worked on the £12.5m ESF and Welsh Government funded Agile Nation project, firstly as Regional Project Manager for South East Wales and latterly as Project Development Manager with responsibility for managing the development of all aspects of the project. Emma also manages the educator's strand of the Agile Nation project, including Fair Foundations, a unique programme working with primary schools to create gender aware learning environments.
Owain ap Gareth
Electoral Reform Society
Sikiya Adekanye
I am Sikiya Adekanye and sit on the WMAD Steering Committee as a participant representative. Between 2010 and 2011, I did all three WMAD courses. I also participated in the first WMAD Active Citizen's program. I was asked to join the steering group as a course participant. I went on to train to deliver the program. I have since been a co-tutor in the delivery of the Engendering Change and Women into Public Life courses.
Rhian Connick
Rhian Connick is the Head of the National Federation of Women's Institutes Wales Office. Previous roles have included working in leisure management and in the field of disability.Rhian's early career was within a school for children with visual impairment, which gave her an insight into how the environment around us can have a detrimental effect on the lives of those with a sensory impairment. She then returned to full time education and on finishing a degree entered the leisure industry and worked in a busy Cardiff leisure centre, engaging the with local community on a variety of projects.
From there in 1992 she moved to the charity Scope and ran a leisure and activity project for children with physical disabilities. Rhian is a member of the BBC Audience Council for Wales and was interim Chair of Cynnal Cymru the Sustainable Development Forum for Wales in 2011.


