10/07/07- Senior team appointed to tackle equality and human rights

The Commission for Equality and Human Rights today announces the first members of its senior management team, with four senior appointments who will report directly to Chief Executive Nicola Brewer.

�������� Carol Bernard - Group Director Corporate Management. Carol was formerly Chief Executive of Centrex, the Central Police Training and Development Authority, where she was responsible for successfully merging the organisation into the newly created National Policing Improvement Agency.

�������� John Wadham - Group Director Legal. John is currently the full time Deputy Chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

�������� Patrick Diamond - Group Director Strategy. Patrick is currently Senior Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics and Director of the international think tank, Policy Network.

�������� Ros Micklem - National Director Scotland. Ros is currently Principal of Cardonald College in Glasgow.

Further appointments for Group Director Outreach, Group Director Research and National Director Wales will be made shortly.

Nicola Brewer, CEHR Chief Executive said:

“I’m delighted that we have made these appointments. These are all high calibre people who will help shape the CEHR’s work. This is a significant step in putting the right team in place to lead the CEHR’s work.”

For further information contact Andrew Nye on 020 7215 8741 or email [email protected]. Out of hours ring 07767 272 818.

1.��� Biographies of the four appointments

Carol Bernard - Group Director Corporate Management

Carol was the Chief Executive of Centrex, the Central Police Training and Development Authority, where she was responsible for successfully merging the organisation into the newly created National Policing Improvement Agency. Carol stayed on in the new agency to design its reform programme for equality, diversity and human rights.

Carol previously headed up the National Offender Management Service in Wales. She was responsible for creating the Welsh Directorate and led the development of an all Wales Strategy to reduce reoffending for adults and young people.

Before that, Carol was employed by the National Probation Service in a variety of locations where she worked her way up through the ranks (she was one of the first female black probation officers) to become Chief Probation Officer and a member of the Board.

Carol is a qualified social worker and Human Resources professional and has a degree in Applied Social Studies, an MA in Social Policy and an MBA. She was awarded the CBE for services to the National Probation Service in the New Years Honours 2005.

John Wadham - Group Director Legal

John is a solicitor and recognised expert on human rights and equality. He has acted for clients in most of the courts and tribunals in this country, including in the Court of Appeal and House of Lords but he specialised in cases before the European Commission and Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

He has authored Blackstone's Guide to the Human Rights Act and Blackstone's Guide to the Freedom of Information Act. John was also a member of the Government's Human Rights Act Task Force.

John is currently the full time Deputy Chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Before joining the IPCC four years ago he was previously the Director of Liberty.� John has been an advocate for the CEHR for many years and was instrumental in its creation. John has a first degree from the London School of Economics and a MSc. from the University of Surrey.

Patrick Diamond - Group Director Strategy

Patrick Diamond is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics and is the Director of the international think-tank, Policy Network. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), a Visiting Fellow at the University of Northumbria, and on the board of several charitable organisations.

He has written and published widely, including most recently Global Europe, Social Europe and The New Egalitarianism [with Anthony Giddens (eds.), Polity Press]. He is formerly a Special Adviser in the Prime Minister's Policy Unit (2001-05) and the Northern Ireland Office. He is a graduate of the University of Cambridge.

Ros Micklem - National Director Scotland

Ros has been Principal at Cardonald College in Glasgow since 1997. Having started her career as a lecturer in English and Communications in Oxfordshire, she worked as an education officer in two local authorities before returning to college life.

She has been actively involved in equalities work both in her college and through her membership of the board of Equality Forward, the equalities support agency for Scotland’s college and university sectors.

As a board member of Lead Scotland and of the GalGael Trust, she is also a keen supporter of the work of voluntary organisations in promoting justice and equality.

�2.��� The CEHR is a statutory body established under the Equality Act 2006. It assumes its full powers from October 2007, including taking over the responsibilities of Commission for Racial Equality, Disability Rights Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission.

�The CEHR is the independent advocate for equality and human rights in Britain. It aims to reduce inequality, eliminate discrimination, strengthen good relations between people, and promote and protect human rights.

The CEHR will enforce equality legislation on age, disability and health, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or transgender status, and encourage compliance with the Human Rights Act 1998. It will also give advice and guidance to businesses, the voluntary and public sectors, and to individuals.

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� Copyright Scottish Disability Equality Forum 2003-2007

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