Jo is a Digital Leader in the charity sector. She has worked in a range of UK Charity organisations in both management and consulting roles, and is now Director of Impact and Innovation at Turn2Us. She has recently been appointed as a Trustee to 360 Giving.
Jo was our first joint Intersticia-Newspeak Fellow and helped us develop our relationship with Newspeak House.
Jo’s LinkedIn page
What has your Fellowship enabled you to do, explore, or gain that you wouldn’t have otherwise?
Having worked in the UK charity sector for 10 years, specialising in digital transformation, I decided to take a career break to refocus my energy and understand where I can make the most impact through my work in the future. The Fellowship from Intersticia has enabled me to step confidently and unapologetically into the grey. I have been given the time, space and support to better understand myself and rebuild from the foundations up. I have been able to travel to India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the US and Mexico and I’ve taken courses in yoga, scuba diving, art and improv comedy. Each country and diverse learning opportunity has given me a different lens with which to view my character and has inspired me to think differently. Even more importantly, I’m now part of a strong network of Fellows who are each doing amazing work with incredible social impact. We share honestly, listen deeply and support each other to excel in our chosen fields.
What impact has your Fellowship had on your ability to lead in the 21st century?
Thanks to the Fellowship, I now truly believe I have the courage, creativity and curiosity to be a great leader. While I know that these characteristics were within me all along, I didn’t have the clarity or the confidence to fully access them. I have now established strong foundations of self knowledge and I know I’ll be a better leader as a result. Intersticia is very forward looking in its attitude to leadership for organisations in the 21st century. The time we spent together on the Leadership Retreat allowed me to explore the changing needs of teams and the individuals within them. My horizons are broader and I’m more aware of complexities and challenges as a result.
What impact has your Fellowship had on your ability to lead in the 21st century?
I never expected that I would want to work for myself, but thanks to the support of Intersticia, I realise that my character and skills are best suited to starting my own organisation. I’m committed to making an impact in the charity and arts and culture sectors, and I’m excited for the future. I didn’t expect the Fellowship would help me to explore personal relationships as well as professional ones, but one of the many things I’ll take away from this time is that everything is connected! I hope to continue to work with our network of Fellows and spread what I’ve learned outwards to others who can benefit from what I’ve learned.
