We are delighted to announce that Elizabeth Booker has been appointed Interim Director of Communities at Catch22 after a rigorous recruitment process.
The Interim Director of Communities is a newly created role, following the internal move of the Director of Community Links, Chi Kavindele.
Reporting to Kate Wareham, Strategic Director for Young People, Families and Communities (YPF&C), the Interim Director of Communities will oversee day-to-day operations at Community Links and will also be part of the wider YPF&C Senior Leadership Team. A key focus of the role will be helping to define the future ‘Communities’ portfolio and embedding these services effectively as part of the wider YPF&C hub.
Elizabeth joins Catch22 from Alternative Trust East London, a Newham-based charity supporting vulnerable families around pregnancy and early parenthood where she has been the Director since July 2020. Elizabeth knows Community Links well having served as the Chair of the Community Links Advisory Committee since March 2021 when Community Links merged fully with Catch22. She is a current local councillor for Little Ilford Ward in Newham and serves as an advisor and trustee of several charities.
Elizabeth will join Catch22 on a part-time basis from October 2023, before taking on the role full-time from November 2023 for a period of 9 months. Fahad Baig, Assistant Director, will lead Community Links during September and work closely with Elizabeth when she starts her role.
Outgoing Director of Community Links, Chi Kavindele said,
Having worked alongside Elizabeth in her capacity as Chair of the Advisory Committee for over two years, I have no doubt that Community Links will thrive under her leadership. I am also looking forward to seeing how her vision for the future of ‘Communities’ at Catch22 unfolds.
Commenting on her appointment Elizabeth Booker said,
I have lived in Newham my whole life and I am passionate about the power of local community-centred approaches to deliver transformational public services across the country. I am excited to grow and embed these approaches at Catch22.