Meet the team
We are a small charity with national reach. Our passionate team of staff are dedicated to improving access to Restorative Justice for people affected by crime.
Sara Dowling
Sara is our CEO. She has over 30 years experience working in the charity sector and has a strong background in charity leadership, organisational development and income generation. She is responsible for the leadership and day-to-day management of Why me?. Working closely with the Board, Sara will support the development of our long term strategy and ensure Why me? is a sustainable and well run organisation.
Before joining Why me? Sara was Deputy CEO of RoadPeace, the national charity for road crash victims, an organisation that supports victims of road crime. It was through this work that Sara observed first hand the failures of our Criminal Justice System to support victims, deliver meaningful justice and prevent suffering. Sara is passionate about the possibilities of Restorative Justice to transform lives.
Kate Aldous
Kate is our Deputy CEO. She works alongside our CEO, Sara Dowling, to secure the organisation’s future stability and support current staff and projects. She brings a wealth of experience from her senior role at Clinks and knowledge and understanding of the charity sector and the Criminal Justice System. She has a passion for Restorative Justice and non-violent communication.
Keeva Baxter
Keeva Baxter is our Communications and Campaigns Manager. She uses our social media platforms, newsletter and website to promote Why me?’s work and the wider use of Restorative Justice. She also manages Why me?’s events and forums, bringing together the Restorative Justice community to discuss key issues in the field. Keeva is currently leading our project on the use of Restorative Justice for Domestic and Sexual Violence.
She graduated from Sussex University with a degree in law and went on to study a Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Masters degree. Through her studies she learnt about how beneficial Restorative Justice can be for people affected by crime and the importance of empathy and dialogue.
Isabelle Gius
Isabelle Gius is our Communications and Campaigns Officer. She assists with our social media content, newsletter, website, and other public-facing campaigns with the aim of increasing access to Restorative Justice through engaging communications. Isabelle is a 2024 Time to Shine Leader with the Rank Foundation.
Isabelle graduated from the London School of Economics in 2023 with a Master’s degree in Gender, Development, and Globalisation, and previously she worked as a journalist and fact-checker. She was introduced to Restorative Justice through her involvement in harm reduction spaces, and she is committed to centring the experiences of people who use drugs and other marginalised people in order to improve the Criminal Justice System.
Mark Hamill
Mark is our Restorative Justice Trainer and Service Coordinator. For the last eight years, Mark was an RJ worker with Cheshire Youth Justice Service. Prior to this, he worked in education, firstly as a teacher and then as a teacher educator, trainer and consultant. In all of these roles, he sought to resolve conflict through restorative practices. Born and raised in the North of Ireland, Mark is only too aware that the world needs more people and organisations dedicated to the cause of peace and reconciliation.
Mark is a father to three grown-up children and, last year, became a grandfather to two adorable babies. In addition to his wife and family, he also loves the 3 Rs – running, the Robins (Altrincham Football Club) and Radiohead.
Cheryl Jacob
Cheryl is our Team Administrator, supporting the IT, HR and financial processes of the charity, helping with event and training administration and providing general office support to the Why me? team.
After graduating, she worked in conference logistics and as Fundraising Manager for the charity UK Youth, before establishing her own events and hospitality venue. There, she was responsible for all the day-to-day multi-tasking and administration involved in running a small business for over 15 years and qualified as an AAT accounting technician to help her to take on the challenges. She was drawn to the Restorative Justice sector after learning of the remarkable ability of the process to aid healing, reduce reoffending and transform lives.
If you are interested in joining the Why me? team, check for vacancies on the Get Involved page.
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