Chair

With over 20 years of experience in community engagement, participation, and co-design, Kate is a Company Director at VISAV Limited, that provides market-leading community messaging systems for public safety and social cohesion. Kate leads on strategic national partnerships, national events and conferences and account management for the flagship product, Neighbourhood Alert.  The National CRM system enables effective communication and collaboration between the police, local authorities, community groups, and residents.

Kate is also an experienced charity leader, with a strong background in policing, crime prevention, community safety, independent advice and guidance, housing and homelessness, poverty and social inequality. In 2010 Kate established the National charity for Neighbourhood Watch, working across all the police forces in England and Wales, the UK Home Office, and government ministers.  By redeveloping the community lead movement and introducing a digital platform to create and join schemes, the decline in membership ceased and then in turned doubled.  In 2018, Kate took on the CEO role for Coventry Citizens Advice, leading the charity through the Covid-19 pandemic and Cost of Living Crisis.

Kate has a Post Graduate Diploma in Policing and Social Conflict and a BA (Hons) in Criminology and Social Policy and has co-authored a chapter in a book on burglary prevention.  Her mission throughout her career has been to create positive social change and empower communities to have a voice.

In her own time, Kate is a keen gardener and allotment holder, and loves travelling around the UK with her family and elderly pre-loved Collie dog, Blaze.  Whist the rest of the family are away, Kate’s two pre-loved cats, Simba and Kitty, take on the mantra of ruling the world (supported by the cat sitter of course).