Women on Boards
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supporting more women into the boardroom

Bursary Programme

The only barrier to the boardroom should be talent. Our Bursary offers our signature support to women with high board potential.

Women on Boards is the UK’s most impactful NED network. We know what works to support talented professionals overcome the hurdles to contribute their skills and perspectives as non-executive directors.  

Our Bursary Programme offers women, who would not otherwise be able to afford it, places on our signature Boardroom Journey worth over £2000 to help them begin or progress their board careers.

We have launched our Bursary Programme for applications on International Women’s Day for the past seven years. We hope to do so again next year. Keep in touch via our newsletter or social media to hear about it.

We are extremely grateful to our sponsor:

7th
annual bursary programme
200+
applications annually
32
participants to date

Meet the 2025 Cohort

Congratulations to our awardees for 2025!

Janet Ayoola

Janet Ayoola

Janet Ayoola is a Social Worker, Safeguarding Advisor, Independent Chair and podcast host. Janet possesses a deep-seated passion for supporting vulnerable groups and has held trustee and committee roles at The Kids Network and Guide Dogs. She is also committed to encouraging more social workers to consider board roles.

Janet is keen to become the Chair of a charity and build a portfolio of Non-Executive roles in the future. She plans to utilise the Women on Boards bursary to enhance her governance and leadership skills.

Jerryanne Hagan-Tetteh

Jerryanne Hagan-Tetteh

Jerryanne is at the start of her career, making her mark in the research sector, focusing on the amplification of underrepresented voices. Her accomplishments include presenting research findings at the House of Lords and the MRS Gen Z Summit.

Her current experience setting up the board for a community fund initiative has inspired her to gain wider board experience. Jerryanne is eager to develop her skills and contribute to broader conversations, particularly in board settings where diverse perspectives are essential.

Lesley Sutherland

Lesley Sutherland

Lesley is a results-oriented leader with 30 years’ experience in the life science industry. She is passionate about mentoring and empowering others, with a strong commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace, following her own experience of barriers to career development.

Since transitioning out of full-time employment, Lesley wants to leverage her extensive experience working with a range of organisations, from startups to large biotech and pharmaceutical companies, to make a difference in the boardroom.

Samina Chaudhary

Samina Chaudhary

An experienced Portfolio Manager and Fund Analyst with a deep focus on equity manager/fund selection, and sustainable investing; Samina has built an impressive career working with organisations such as Barclays Bank UK and Cavendish Ware.

Following maternity leave, Samina is seeking to enhance her skills and re-enter the workforce with the goal of securing a board position in the future. She is also a mentor through the One Degree Charity, supporting young people from less advantaged backgrounds by helping to develop their self-belief and transforming their academic performance.

Stephanie Hayle

Stephanie Hayle

Stephanie’s boardroom journey began at 22, when she was elected as a Student Union Director at the University of York. Since then, she has brought her passion for health equity and inclusive education to a variety of leadership roles, including her current position as a Non-Executive Director at the Independent Living Fund Scotland.

Living with a disability that limits her ability to work in conventional full-time roles, Stephanie is actively seeking opportunities to build a portfolio career. Through the Bursary programme, she hopes to strengthen her strategic leadership capabilities, broaden her network, and gain greater insight into cross-sector governance, particularly as she explores opportunities beyond health and education.

Participant Six

Participant Six

Our sixth Bursary participant would prefer to participate anonymously. She is a mother and an experienced pharmacist with a diverse background working in tertiary care and primary, urgent, and emergency care settings.

She is currently pursuing a PhD focused on the well-being of the rural and coastal healthcare workforce. Her dedication to nurturing the next generation of pharmacists is demonstrated through her mentorship of pharmacy students. During her maternity leave, she joined the Local Governing Board of a local school and now hopes, with our support, to gain a Non-Executive Director role to strategically support and ensure organisational accountability for the benefit of those the organisation serves and is responsible for.

Bursary Success Stories

Photo of Heidi Malaure - 2024 Bursary recipient

 

Heidi’s commitment and passion for developing a non-executive career stood out when she applied to our Bursary programme in 2024.

Within a few months of engaging with our resources, she secured a fantastic Chair role at Benslow Music, an arts charity that inspires musicians of all ages and abilities to develop and express creativity.

Read Heidi’s story here.

 

 

Ruth joined our 2023 Bursary Programme to secure her first board role and impact her community. As a mature STEM PhD student and working mother, she aimed to contribute to discussions on diversity and inclusion.

Through the Bursary, she utilised resources and support networks, ultimately securing her first board position with Al Masaar, a charity promoting race and equality in the Forth Valley. 

Read Ruth’s story here.


Our Bursary Programme winners have been from a variety of different career stages and backgrounds – and the programme has helped them progress in their careers, secure board positions and contribute to their communities.

In 2023, we invited four past participants to share their experiences during and after the Bursary programme on our popular podcast – it was so good we had to split the episode into two parts!

Listen here to our Bursary Programme participants’ stories

Feedback from previous Bursary particpants:

I'm grateful for the Women on Boards Bursary, which has provided me with valuable tools and support as I develop my portfolio career. The resources have been incredibly helpful and I've made great connections. Thanks to the Bursary, I was able to attend the Communicating with Impact Masterclass, which I found both informative and inspiring!

Eoife Huo

2024 Bursary recipient

Applying for the Bursary opened a door for me. I plan to stay with the network once my Bursary membership ends, as I understand the value of being part of a network and receiving support, especially as a career changer.

Heidi Malaure

2024 Bursary participant

The Women on Boards Bursary was instrumental in helping me move into a Board role after stepping down from full-time work due to disability. The content of the bursary - adapted by the team to reflect my circumstances - took me through crafting a board-level CV and applications, focusing on my strategic value-add, and prepping for the interviews involved, as well as expanding my network enormously.
An absolute highlight was the Board CV masterclass, which I credit for transforming how I thought about and presented my skill set. Becoming disabled can turn your world upside down personally, workwise, and financially, so I have been phenomenally grateful for the support and expertise the bursary has enabled me to access.

Nicky Passmore

2023 Bursary participant

The Bursary has benefited me in many ways, from building my network and improving my skills, to boosting my confidence when applying for roles. I recommend it to anyone who’s thinking of applying.

Ruth Ashaye

2023 Bursary participant

I can't recommend this Bursary programme enough. The help and guidance you get are invaluable. Go for it!

Afshan Moeed

2021 Bursary participant

The Women on Boards bursary has been life-changing for me. More than anything it demonstrated and validated how a portfolio career could work as an option for me, as a voluntary sector professional. And I am now well on my way to creating one.

Linda Owen

2020 Bursary participant

Read more about previous participants here:

More about 2024 Bursary Programme
More about 2023 Bursary Programme
More about 2022 Bursary Programme
More about 2021 Bursary Programme
More about 2020 Bursary Programme
More about 2019 Bursary Programme