Emily is based in the UK and has lived and worked extensively in the Global South. She has an early career background in medicine, public health and research and spent the last decade as the founding CEO of the award-winning international feminist NGO, Irise International, building the global movement for menstrual justice for all. In this role, she worked with diverse stakeholders to develop and deliver a strategy to put periods firmly on the global, national, and local agendas by building powerful cross-sector coalitions, equipping grassroots movements and harnessing high-impact evidence.

She is now an independent consultant specialising in social and systems change work and a trustee of the 50:50 Parliament campaign that aims to increase representation of diverse women and transform political leadership in the UK. Her consultancy clients range from local government to grassroots charities to international campaigns focusing on strategic learning exercises for complex, advocacy and change-focused initiatives committed to anti-oppressive practice and radical progress.

Marlene is a Kenyan social entrepreneur and creative who runs a Nairobi-based international consultancy business specialising in evaluation and storytelling, alongside a community-based initiative using art to improve the mental health of youth and children. She plays an active part in UK conversations about how to decolonise aid and shift power, including as a trustee of The Small International Development Charities Network (SIDCN). Recent work includes review and development of Theory of Change and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Systems for Worldwide Radiology and Thrivin’ Together.