Staff

Ros Davies (Chief Executive)

Ros has more than twenty years experience of maternal and child health and sexual and reproductive health in the international development field. She has managed and provided technical support to developing country programmes across Africa, Asia and Latin America and is an experienced advocate. Immediately before joining Women and Children First in 2007 Ros was a freelance management consultant for UNAIDS, prior to which she was Chief Executive at Interact Worldwide, a UK-based sexual and reproductive health and rights NGO, for five and a half years. Previous roles include Consultancy Services Director and External Relations Director at International Family Health and Director of Latin America Programmes for Marie Stopes International.  Ros holds an MA in Area Studies (Latin America) from the University of London’s Institute for Latin American Studies and is Vice Chair of the Child-to-Child Trust.

Ruth Duebbert (Head of Policy & Advocacy)

Ruth has been working in international development since 2002, focusing on policy and programme management in Asia, Europe and the South Pacific. Ruth manages our maternal, newborn and child health work in South Asia as well as UK and international advocacy. Before joining Women and Children First Ruth worked on health at the child rights organisation terre des hommes (Germany); and education, HIV&AIDS and participation and governance for Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). This included years as an in-service teacher trainer in remote districts of North West China. Ruth has an MSc in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS, University of London), specialising in children, gender and development. Ruth also has an MA from the Universities of Edinburgh and Bologna, speaks six languages and is passionate about women’s rights and travelling.  Ruth's country experience includes Bangladesh, People's Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, South Africa, Thailand, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Cassie Williams (Programmes Manager)

Cassie has worked in international development for six years. She spent two years in Rwanda working with OVC and one in Ethiopia working with vulnerable families before returning to the UK where she worked for three years with a London based INGO whose geographical focus is Sub-Saharan Africa and the former Soviet Union. She has previously focused on vulnerable children and their families, including maternal and child health.  Participatory approaches to development are particularly important to Cassie and she has worked closely with a number of communities to ensure that programme interventions have been timely and a direct response to the needs of communities. In her previous role she was responsible for new programme design and development, M&E and organisational direction and growth.  Cassie holds a BA (Hons) from Oxford and an MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS – University of London) and very much enjoys taking evening courses in relevant topics.

Sandy Gravette (Trusts fundraiser - part-time)

Sandy has recently joined Women and Children first bringing over 20 years fundraising experience in a wide range of national and local charities including the British Red Cross, Raleigh International, the Princess Royal Trust for Carers (now Carers Trust), Action for Children and Scope.  She has raised money for a range of issues and causes including health and social care in the UK and international development programmes addressing lack of water and sanitation, environmental degradation, sustainable livelihood initiatives and capacity building. Sandy holds an MA in Psychology from the University of Edinburgh.

Caroline Rogers (Fundraiser - New Media and Individual Donor Development part time)

Caroline used to be the Administrator at Women and Children First and moved into the role of Fundraising in July 2012. She has over 14 years solid experience in both the voluntary and private sectors including setting up office systems, administration, management, event organisation and training. She is a running enthusiast and has a degree in Psychology plus half one in Fine Art. She has worked in a variety of environments, including some time in Tanzania as a volunteer for Health Projects Abroad, building health centres in remote villages.