Meet Our Talented Team

Since the start of Leaders in Community we’ve been run by young people, for young people.
Some of our decision-makers on our Board and staff team are under 30 and live or work in Tower Hamlets. With an intimate understanding of the needs of local young people, we design relevant and accessible programmes to realise our ambitions, and those of the community we serve.

Syed Uddin
CEO

Syed is the CEO of Leaders in Community (LiC) and a founding member in 2006. Syed has over 15 years’ experience of working in the charity sector, empowering young people through leadership, social action, and governance.

Syed’s work involves giving young people a voice and ensuring they are equipped to challenge any
inequalities they face. Syed is passionate about promoting grassroots community involvement,
cohesion and activism.

His team has raised over three million in grants for the charity and has enjoyed success in bringing in
corporate partners to help the charity reach a wider audience.

Since 2021, Syed has led on initiatives that have generated £5.9M worth of social value outcomes for marginalised communities and young people.

The programmes he has helped to pioneer and develop has earned Leaders in Community the Queen’s Award in recognition of LiC’s services to young people and the wider community.

Olivia Antwi
PARTNERSHIPS & SERVICES MANAGER

Olivia brings a unique blend of artistic background and youth development expertise to her role. Trained in theatre and dance, Olivia’s journey is marked by a fusion of creativity and strategic thinking.

Olivia’s career is defined by her dedication to youth development – she has mentored young people through critical life stages, gaining invaluable insights into their challenges. Her experience as an Artistic Director allowed her to merge her artistic passion with youth engagement, using creative projects for personal and community development.

At Leaders in Community, Olivia leverages her diverse experience to foster strategic partnerships and oversee our youth- led projects. She applies her multifaceted background to create innovative
programmes, focusing on empowering young individuals and strengthening community bonds.
Olivia’s approach combines artistic expression with practical skills, making her a dynamic leader in community development and youth empowerment.

She holds a First-Class Honours Bachelor’s degree in Drama and Performance and a Master’s in Art Policy Management, complemented by a PRINCE2 qualification in project management.

Linda Appiah-Spick
PR & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Linda is an experienced digital and traditional marketing communications professional. Having
worked in sales and marketing for big brand organisations such as Waitrose HQ, Heinz and Lactalis McLelland UK. Over the last 10 years, she has worked in the not-for-profit sector and education at elite business schools in world renowned universities and in high achieving secondary schools and colleges.

At these institutions, she was the first person in post (think intra-preneur) to set-up and develop their online presence, increase brand awareness and communicate their unique offering and values to attract their ideal customers. Linda puts these skills and expertise to work as a digital
marketing entrepreneur providing web design and social media marketing services to female small
business owners and teaching the subject too. She is passionate about closing the digital divide gap.

Linda loves using the power of words to connect people to great products and services that can bring them happiness, joy and/or transform their lives for the better. She truly believes that digital technologies are a gateway to life-changing opportunities for organisations and the people that they serve to.

Mohamed Elmessiah
MARKETING & INSIGHTS

Mohamed’s journey with LiC began when he was 13 years old. As a young person taking part in the live band project, he found himself performing at events, speaking at Parliament, shadowing the Permanent Cabinet Secretary, and championing social causes. These extraordinary experiences ignited a passion that would shape his life’s path and his principles to be rooted in community work, activism, and creative freedom.

He took on the role of youth trustee and volunteer, injecting fresh perspectives into LiC’s governance and day-to-day work. But it was as an intra-preneur that Mohamed started developing innovative programmes like Be.Leaders, crafting monitoring and evaluation tools, and building a dynamic marketing department that propelled LiC to new heights.

Today, Mohamed continues to wear many hats. He’s the Bee host of LiC’s ‘Bees in a Pod’
community podcast, and our in-house creative disruptor. He also manages ‘Community Tales’, his own videography social enterprise that supports community organisations to showcase their remarkable work.

Job Kabamba
PROJECTS & PARTNERSHIPS

Job is a passionate educator who embodies the belief that “A man who wants to lead the orchestra
must turn his back on the crowd,” and, “Director over speed”. Focused on achieving meaningful
results, he prioritises getting the work done before celebrating success. He is dedicated to self-improvement and fostering a culture of mutual support. Through his work with young people, Job is committed to nurturing future leaders and empowering them to realise their full potential.

Job has created meaningful opportunities for young people on the Teviot Estate and Tower Hamlets by forging partnerships with companies including, BNP Paribas, Telehouse, Sky Up, Brands2Life and Barclays who provide work experience and/or career insight days.

Job also runs the summer holiday programme at LiC giving young people a safe space for personal
and career development, training sessions and paid work opportunities to enhance their CV for UCAS and job opportunities.

Job is a passionate advocate of promoting positive wellbeing. His approach to youth engagement,
which incorporates empathy, warmth, and his rich lived experience, are responsible for achieving
consistently high youth retention levels across all the award-winning programmes he has helped to
develop here at Leaders in Community.

Humaira Begum
COMMUNITY PROJECTS LEAD

Humaira is the Community Projects Lead at LiC. Her journey with LiC began at the age of 13, when
she first joined the Be.Inspired programme as a young person.

Inspired by the support and guidance she received during her formative years, Humaira went on to pursue further education and work in events management before returning to LiC with a passion for giving back to her community.

In her current role, Humaira develops and facilitates meaningful relationships, ensuring that young people and residents are connected to opportunities that allow for growth, leadership, and social change.

Humaira plays a key role in organising community events and facilitating social action placements,
helping young people build skills and make a positive impact in their communities. Humaira is
committed to empowering the next generation, just as she was empowered through LiC.

Marisa Boksh
FRONT-OF-HOUSE & ADMIN OFFICER

Marisa previously worked as an Administration Officer for a development company based in
Stratford, for 10 years, where she was involved with the day-to-day running of the business and
company administration. Marisa first got involved with LiC during the pilot of the Food Coop back in 2022, where she volunteered to help run the Coop by setting up the market stalls, serving the customers and project logistics.

Over the next couple of years, Marisa continued to volunteer and support the growth and
development of the LiC Food Coop as well as support other start up projects.

Marisa is now involved in the day-to-day running of LiC as a full-time staff member, providing
essential administration and projects’ support to the CEO and Delivery Leads. She also helps run activities held at the Teviot Centre, ranging from the breakfast club and tea and coffee mornings to the Food Coop and community events.

Over the years, Marisa has undertaken many courses, including; Autism awareness, childcare and
leadership/financial independence. As a school governor for a local primary school, Marisa is passionate about supporting the development of young people and their families.

Melanie Salisbury
FOOD CO-OP COORDINATOR #JustFACT

Melanie is the Food Co-op Coordinator at LiC, where her passion for nutrition and community well-
being shines through. Her work involves partnership building, volunteer recruitment, well-being
support and food justice campaigning.

Melanie has over 15 years of experience in charity fundraising, food waste campaigning and working
on fair food initiatives. With a rich background in the arts, she spent over a decade as a photographer, documenting the natural world and the diversity of cultures and lifestyles through traditional techniques. This creative lens informs her holistic approach in health, nutrition and community.

Melanie’s experience in sustainable and organic agricultural farming, as well as her work in
specialised cooking and recipe development, serves as an excellent foundation in the world of
nutritional education and leading health campaigns.

When Melanie is not at LiC she works as a registered nutritional therapy practitioner specialising in
mental health at various clinics in East London.

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