Conference & AGM 2023

Edd Baldry works as Director of Innovation at Torchbox. For the last five years, Edd has been focusing on AI trying to find ways it can make lives better. Edd has worked with companies like Google and Dyson along with many of the UK's biggest charities.

Clare leads CFG’s Policy & Communications Team having spent her career in a range of policy, political and communications roles. Before moving into public affairs and comms as a freelancer in 2015, Clare worked for an MP in the north east of England for more than a decade, helping communities with issues from flooding to power supply. Previous to joining CFG, Clare was Head of Communications and External Relations for charity infrastructure body NAVCA.

Clare is a Chartered PR Practitioner and Member of the CIPR and has a long track record of volunteering. She's a passionate advocate for Northumberland and the north east, and people are often surprised she doesn't work in tourism. When she’s not working she can be found outside on her bike, running, walking or pretending the sea is not that cold, really. 

Zoe Amar is founder and director of Zoe Amar Digital, a social enterprise and digital agency who help charities lead change with confidence, developing strategies which increase their resilience, income and influence. She is chair of The Charity Digital Code of Practice, and  blogs for Third Sector and others.  Zoe is the co-author of The Charity Digital Skills Report and co-host of the leadership podcast Starts at the Top. She has 15 years’ experience of sitting on charity boards. She is currently a trustee of Charity Digital Trust. She  is a previous winner of an Inspiring Communicator award from Charitycomms and was named Changemaker of the Year at The Pros Awards.

David is Programme and Partnerships Lead at CAST, a charity which helps organisations use technology for social good. He has over 15 years of experience developing support networks in the social impact space, at both grassroots and international level. 

His work at CAST currently focuses on designing and delivering cross-sector support programmes to help UK not-for-profits  improve their digital capability. He’s also supported hundreds of local charities through Tech for Good Brighton - a volunteer-led community initiative he set up to bring together the local social and tech sectors - and is a founding member of the Tech for Good UK Organisers’ Network.  

A passionate advocate of digital inclusion, he has experience in running successful digital inclusion partnerships and sits on the Community Board of the Digital Poverty Alliance. 

When not working, you can usually find him by (or in!) the sea with his young family.

There are billions of data points being generated in our sector everyday, shouldn’t we start to make sense of all the numbers? With over a decade’s experience in the third sector, Magid has carved a niche in the data analytics and AI, by translating complex datasets into actionable and tangible insights. As the Director of Evidence & Insight at Catch22 (a progressive social enterprise delivering public services) Magid is at the forefront of innovation, dedicated to bringing cutting edge analytics to frontline services.

With expertise in analytics, strategy building, and forming high performance data teams, Magid has honed his skill across various charities, including NSPCC, Comic Relief and The Children’s Society. On a mission to make data accessible, Magid's strength lies in disseminating the right information, with precision, turning complex datasets into easy-to-grasp insights. Magid also serves as a trustee for Refugees at Home, the UK’s largest independent hosting charity

Andy Bell has spent his adult life building apps and sites: for the last 5 years, he has focused on helping charities and social impact organisations. He helped build VONNE's Going Green Together website. He's currently focused on building machine learning systems to identify and prioritise vulnerable customers at HelpFirst.ai.   

As an AI strategist and experienced management consultant, I’ve dedicated my career to understanding and implementing AI across various business sectors. My journey in consulting, marketing, operations, HR, and business development has given me a broad perspective, which I now apply to the dynamic field of AI. My current focus is on developing AI strategies and training programs, along with implementing Microsoft’s AI maturity model, to help organizations navigate the evolving landscape of technology.

What drives me is the belief that AI is not just another tech trend, but the cornerstone of our future - a generalist tool reshaping every facet of how we work and live. My commitment is to offer AI solutions that are not only innovative but also practical and accessible. Whether working with individuals or large corporations, I strive to make AI understandable and usable, ensuring that it serves as a powerful ally in their quest for efficiency and growth.