Meet the Trustees
Chair, Deputy Chair & Treasurer
Craig's bio
Craig Burgess, currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for a youth-focused volunteering charity working in schools, brings 30 years of experience working within the UK and Australia’s not-for-profit sectors.
His wide operations management expertise includes the key areas of finance, human resources, ITC and facilities/property management. He is passionate about LGBTQI+ equality and young people’s opportunities to advance themselves, both personally and professionally, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds.
Having worked in Islington for over ten years, he is keen to give back to the area he loves. He joined Voluntary Action Islington as a Trustee in December 2023.
Ken's bio
Ken the founding director of Freedom Works UK, a coaching and mentoring organisation based in Islington since January 2012. He is currently engaged in creating Rainbow In Someone’s Cloud – RISC – a community empowerment and wellbeing initiative. Ken is also a coach/employment specialist at Camden Council.
Ken has been providing leadership coaching for local residents for over 27 years and has experience of youth work in Islington from the late 80s and early 90s. Ken has lived in Islington since 1984.
Jorge's bio
Jorge Llorens joined Voluntary Action Islington as Treasurer and Trustee in December 2019. He has worked for more than 20 years in the finance sector, in London and Madrid. Throughout his career in investment and corporate banking, he has held senior management roles in international organisations including Goldman Sachs, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and BBVA, in areas such as Mergers & Acquisitions advisory, Financing and Client Coverage.
Jorge is passionate about contributing his experience in finance to benefit the broader community, working with organisations that help people achieve better outcomes. He is currently an Investment Director at Social and Sustainable Capital, one of the UK’s first fund managers specialising in social impact investing.
Jorge is also a Treasurer and Trustee at the Poetry Translation Centre.
Trustee Board Members
Ali's bio
Ali Jabeen currently serving as the Women’s Association for Networking and Development (WAND UK) Chief Executive Officer.
She has over 20 years’ experience in trustee and director positions, working for several charities that support vulnerable families and their children. Ali has worked as Deputy Chair for Home-start Camden & Islington and is also one of the founding members of the board of trustees of Home-start London. Ali has held the post of Operations Manager for the Elfrida society parents project (ESPP) for over 8 years. She is also a member of the ‘Camden Partnership for Educational Excellence’ decision making team and the Chair of the strategy group for the ‘Camden Parent Council’.
Ali specialises in Parenting Support and has run her own practice to ensure support for families with learning disabilities broadens within communities. She also has extensive knowledge of human rights and the rights of the child and family law.
Ed's bio
Ed O’Connor is a senior executive with over 35 years’ international leadership experience across Corporate Real Estate, Media and Hospitality, having worked and lived across Europe, MENA and Asia-Pacific.
Throughout his career, Ed has held senior leadership positions with responsibility for developing and delivering business strategy, leading large direct and outsourced teams, managing complex property portfolios and delivering operational improvement. He has extensive experience in organisational restructuring, change management, stakeholder engagement and working constructively with trade unions.
Ed brings a broad range of skills to the charity sector, including strategic leadership, governance, people management and organisational change. He is experienced in working with boards and senior stakeholders, providing strategic insight while helping organisations remain focused on their objectives, values and long-term sustainability.
He is committed to using his experience to support organisations that make a positive difference in their communities. Ed brings a collaborative, pragmatic and inclusive approach, alongside a genuine interest in helping charities achieve their social purpose and maximise their impact.
Anjna's bio
Anjna has lived in north London for over 30 years and has a long-standing commitment to community life in Islington.
From 2018 to 2026, Anjna served as a councillor for Tollington Ward in Islington, including chairing the Council’s Employment Sub-Committee. In 2024/25, she served as Mayor of Islington, establishing the Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Service to Islington as part of the Mayor’s Annual Civic Awards. She also spent a year as a council-nominated trustee of Cripplegate Foundation.
Before entering local politics, Anjna volunteered with numerous charities and community organisations. This included providing organisational support to the Stress Project and Stuart Low Trust, supporting creative writing with Ministry of Stories, helping children with reading through Beanstalk’s programme in Islington schools, and participating in and helping to deliver Talk for Health programmes supporting mental health in the borough.
Anjna was also a trustee of her local community centre, Brickworks (Hanley Crouch Community Association), for six years before becoming Mayor. During the Covid pandemic, she volunteered with Brickworks food bank, sorting donations, delivering food parcels with Mutual Aid partners and collecting supermarket donations.
Brickworks was chosen as Anjna’s Mayor’s Charity during her mayoral year, reflecting her belief that everyone should feel welcome in Islington.
Santa's bio
Santa is a Strategic Account Director, working for RSA Insurance. She has been with RSA for over ten years in various strategy, account management and data analytics roles. Prior to that Santa was a Strategy Consultant working for OC&C. She has been involved in various pro bono projects supporting international development and local community charities, as well as mentoring teenagers in North London schools.
Santa has always been passionate about gender equality in the workplace and was on the Board of the City Women’s Network. She joined Voluntary Action Islington as a Trustee in September 2020. Santa lives in Islington with her husband and two young children.
Daniel's bio
Daniel is an Islington resident who began his journey with VAI in 2023 as a digital communications volunteer before joining the board of trustees in 2025.
As a Project Management Degree Apprentice in the consulting sector, he brings fresh perspective and practical project experience.
Previously, he worked at PPCP, an IT social enterprise training young people and supporting community centres across the borough. During this time, he got involved in social action programmes that brought him closer to local residents and their challenges, strengthening his commitment to the community. Drawing on his lived experience, Daniel champions apprenticeships and advocates for young people pursuing non-linear paths.
In his downtime, he enjoys exploring his passion for photography.
Ken's bio
Ken is a political campaigner and political media relations adviser with over 30 years’ experience, including twice being a Political Adviser for the UK Labour Party, serving as Head of Politics and Media for a UK trade union, and providing political and communications advice at boardroom level for large businesses and not-for-profit organisations.
In recent years he has focused on environment and climate change campaigning, particularly on phasing out fossil fuel dependency.
He was formerly UK Oil and Gas Campaigner for Global Witness, and currently works for Stamp Out Poverty, acting as the UK Advisor to the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative. He has also served as a Councillor in the London Borough of Newham.
He was Co-Chair of Labour’s affiliated environment and climate campaign, SERA, and devised and led the 2025 SERA General Election campaign which resulted in over 100 SERA members being elected to Parliament.
Trustee Recruitment
There are currently vacancies available for trustees at Voluntary Action Islington:
Voluntary Action Islington is seeking new Trustees who are or have been active in Islington’s Voluntary and Community sector as staff, volunteers, service users or Trustees. We are also interested in people who have an understanding and experience of financial and personnel issues, fundraising and working with other organisations in the voluntary, statutory and private sectors.
We would like our new Trustees to bring with them new ideas, skills and energy to help drive the organisation forward. We are particularly interested in ensuring that VAI’s Trustees reflect the diverse nature of the community in Islington.
Many local organisations are also looking for trustees and information about these is often available through our Volunteer Centre.
Current Vacancies
Please visit our Vacancies page for details of the role and how to apply.
If you have further questions or wish to apply, please contact:
Navinder Kaur, Chief Executive at navinder.kaur@vai.org.uk