Coalition members & biographies
Dr Charlotte Proudman, Founder, Right to Equality
Charlotte is an award-winning barrister with extensive practice in complex trials and appellate cases. Ranked as Legal 500's Leading Junior, she handles high-value matrimonial finance, children's cases, and complex male violence against women matters.
Winner of 'Advocate of the Year' 2023 and highly commended 2024. As Cambridge Research Associate, she researches gender inequality, domestic abuse, and FGM. Author of 'FGM: When Culture and Law Clash' with doctorate from King's College, Cambridge.
Charlotte drafted key legislation raising marriage age to 18, criminalising child marriage, and introducing FGM Protection Orders. Legal advisor to Our Streets Now and Plan UK.
Sara Dowling, CEO, Why Me?
Sara brings over 30 years of charity sector experience to her role as CEO of Why Me?, focusing on strategic direction and organisational development. With expertise in charity leadership and income generation, she ensures long-term sustainability whilst overseeing growth in restorative justice.
Previously Deputy CEO at RoadPeace, supporting road crash victims, Sara gained invaluable insight into Criminal Justice System failings, particularly victim support and healing needs.
This experience deepened her passion for restorative justice's transformative potential, driving her commitment to
Why Me?'s mission of promoting restorative justice as a powerful tool for healing and societal change.
Leah Brown FRSA, Founder of The WayFinders Group
Leah is founder and CEO of The WayFinders Group, a qualified solicitor, accredited mediator, and architect of the Coalition for Institutional Accountability.
She compiled and published the groundbreaking white paper "From harm to healing: rebuilding trust in Britain’s publicly funded institutions" in June 2025, documenting how institutional self-protection costs billions of taxpayer money annually and calling for restorative approaches.
Drawing on legal experience at Simpson Thacher and Freshfields, Leah founded The WayFinders Group in 2022 to promote organisational repair. She hosts The Longest Day Podcast, AddressTheHarm®️podcast, and is an agented writer represented by Watson, Little.
The Reverend Andrew Dodd, Canterbury Cathedral
Andrew combines residentiary Canon duties with resource stewardship and Cathedral fabric protection. His role encompasses overseeing buildings projects across Canterbury Cathedral estate and leading Net Zero Carbon environmental sustainability initiatives.
Previously Team Rector and Area Dean of North East Lincolnshire for nine years, he established Grimsby Minster as a civic centre and arts hub. Originally trained as Civil Engineer with Surrey County Council, Andrew later trained at Westcott House, Cambridge, ordained in Southwark Diocese in 2000.
His theological specialisms include practical/pastoral and contextual theology, alongside experience in social entrepreneurship and public administration.
Dr Sam Fowles
Sam is a public lawyer specialising in constitutional, administrative, information, and planning/environmental law, inquests, and public inquiries.
He has appeared in leading cases including Miller/Cherry v The Prime Minister, Hamilton v Post Office, and The Liberal Democrat Party/Scottish National Party v ITV, at every tribunal level including the Supreme Court. Member of Cornerstone Barristers, Senior Visiting Fellow at Centre for British Democracy (King's College London), and Director of the Institute for Constitutional and Democratic Research.
His practice focuses on ground-breaking constitutional and administrative law matters, representing clients in high-profile public law cases across multiple jurisdictions.
Shelley Ruck
Shelley is an accredited mediator and director of The WayFinders Group with over 15 years' charity sector experience across Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America.
Her expertise spans change management, digital transformation, restructuring, leadership development, governance, and compliance. Determined and pragmatic, Shelley's passion for justice drives her work.
Her humanitarian aid experience includes living in DRC and South Sudan, building team capacity and training organisational systems. Growing up in South Africa and working internationally for 22 years has taught her to listen carefully to spoken and unspoken communication, making her a keen observer and problem solver.
Mandu Reid
Mandu is a strategist, funding specialist, facilitator, and movement-builder working at the intersection of politics, sport, public health, and social impact. Former Leader of the UK Women's Equality Party and first person of colour to lead a national political party in British history.
She helped deliver London 2012 Games and oversaw the Mayor's £60+ million Sports Legacy Programme, evolving it into "Sport Unites" strategy.
Her diverse experience spans Olympic-scale programmes to political campaigns, focusing on making change happen for those left out or behind. Mandu specialises in strategic thinking, creative problem-solving, connecting resources and people, and unlocking potential.
