MEET THE TEAM AT BLACKBURNE HOUSE
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM
Our team are passionate about supporting local women to achieve their potential.
ANDREA RUSHTON
CEO
Andrea has worked at Blackburne House for 12 years, 8 of which have been part of the Executive Leadership Team. She played a vital role in steering the organisation through the pandemic, ensuring Blackburne House innovatively rose to the challenge of supporting the education and wellbeing of women.
Prior to joining Blackburne House, Andrea was a successful social entrepreneur within the environmental field. More recently in Blackburne House Andrea managed the assets, a successful portfolio of projects and a range of social business areas that all contributed to supporting our education work. Known for her ability to transform enterprise and project ideas into meaningful business operations, Andrea has a proven track record in delivering social and economic change and improvement.
LISA MAIRAH
Director of Business Development & Communications
Lisa has a career that spans over 20 years working within the Social Enterprise Sector. She works to ensure that Blackburne House provides an effective and innovative eco system that supports the social mobility of women from across the Liverpool City Region. In addition to this Lisa leads the North West branch of the Global School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) supporting the creation and growth of social businesses who positively impact social change in some of the most deprived communities across the , North West.
BLACKBURNE HOUSE BOARD
The Blackburne House and WTEC boards are made up entirely of highly-skilled, female leaders, who share a passion for empowering and supporting the personal and professional progression of other women.
LIZ CROSS
Chair of Blackburne House
A social entrepreneur, organisation and business consultant and experienced NED. Liz Cross (BSc(Hons), MBA, MBPS) has been on the Board of Blackburne House Group since 2011 and Chair since 2014 and has been actively involved in many aspects of its work and development since 1992.
ANNETTE HENNESY
Vice Chair of Blackburne House
Annette has an extensive track record of collaborative and creative leadership in the criminal justice system and beyond, lately as CEO of the Merseyside Probation Trust. She is committed to changing the mindsets and perceptions about leadership as a coach, a NED and an advisor in supporting those outside of mainstream communities to discover their potential.
JAYNE WORTHINGTON
Chair of Education & Quality Committee
Jayne Worthington is Group CEO of The Progress Group, a group of companies headquartered in Liverpool that are dedicated to changing lives through the power of education and training. She brings with her a vast array of skills and experience. Jayne was previously the Managing Director of The Growth Company - Education and Skills, a social business which was the largest apprenticeship and work-related training provider in Greater Manchester. Prior to joining The Growth Company, Jayne was Assistant Principal at the City of Liverpool College and has enjoyed working her way up to over 15 years in senior leadership positions in the further education sector, including being a Governor of West Cheshire College and a Non-Executive Director of Inspira (Connexions Cumbria).
Jayne has also worked across government departments to develop national and regional skills and employment policy and strategy and was the Leadership and Management Policy Lead at the Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills as well as National Skills & Employment lead for the North West Development Agency.
CLAIRE DIXON
Chair of The Finance, Audit & Risk Committee
Claire has over 20 years’ experience in social housing working at housing associations within Liverpool in a variety of roles. Currently she is Deputy Chief Executive at Plus Dane Housing.
Claire is Chartered Member of the Institute of Housing and have been a trustee and Board Member at Blackburne House since 2018. From 2020 she has held the position of Chair of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee. Her route into management started back in 2006 when she studied for a Chartered Institute of Management qualification at Blackburne House.
NINA ROBERTS
Board Member
Nina is a commercial director with fifteen years’ experience across public, private and third sectors, where she developed strategies and generated revenue for clients and businesses. Previously, she worked for Culture Liverpool and helped deliver the large-scale and internationally acclaimed cultural events programme, before moving to The Guide Liverpool. She has a keen interest in building partnerships, driving brand awareness and growing investment for businesses she believes in.
Nina has a passion for supporting the education and empowerment of women in Liverpool and joined the board in March 2019 and forms part of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee.
SALLY-ANNE WATKISS
Chair of SSE North West Advisory Board
Accountant with 25 years experience in a FTSE 100 company. Now supports social enterprises and community businesses with finical planning and business support. Sally-Anne is a board member at Kitty's Launderette, The Bluecoat, Avela Services and Homebaked Cooperative bakery and a school governor for The Aspire Federation in Birkenhead.