AWEs Partnership with Corndel

Vicky Bennett brings over 8 years of experience as a leadership and wellbeing coach utilizing equine therapy. Vicky delivers immersive phenomenological experiences where leaders gain self-insight through unfiltered encounters with horses. The horses respond naturally to unconscious behaviours, catalysing instant “a-ha” moments for leaders. Vicky has worked with hundreds of executives, NHS staff, veterans, and neurodivergent individuals.  Her approach grounds leaders in how their presence impacts others. Vicky facilitates cathartic self-discovery in a visceral yet psychologically safe environment. She draws on modalities like mindfulness and inner child work. Vicky firmly believes people create their own realities, and this experiential learning bypasses defences, recalibrating leaders’ core identity and perceptions. Her focus on personal responsibility and “way of being” diverges from traditional coaching. Vicky is passionate about inclusive, revelatory experiences that provide triple-loop learning regardless of thinking style. Leaders regularly make commitments to positive change after her high-impact sessions. 

“Connecting people while connecting the blocks is phenomenal and it works every single time”.  Rory Berry is an experienced facilitator who specializes in using creativity, play, and immersive techniques to help teams optimize performance. With over 10 years in performing arts and improvisational comedy, Rory excels at leveraging his improv skills to teach critical life lessons that build trust and boost collaboration.  One of Rory’s signature interventions involves using Lego blocks as a metaphor for team dynamics. Rory has participants build structures together while relating the blocks to organizational challenges. This interactive, hands-on approach breaks down barriers fast, with one manager attesting “you got more out of my team in 15 minutes than I’ve got out of them in six months.” Rory also designs and delivers impactful industrial theatre scenes where participants can safely observe challenging workplace situations and experiment with responses, without the anxiety of roleplaying themselves.  At the core of Rory’s philosophy is the belief that incorporating play and creativity in learning is key to building high performing yet psychologically safe teams. Rory aims to smash through inhibitions through fun and laughter. His immersive techniques put egos aside so teams can embrace a “we over me” mentality. Rory is passionate about inclusive facilitation that provides active learning for all types of thinkers and learners. With his blend of improv, metaphor, and industrial theatre, Rory delivers truly experiential development that sticks with participants long after the sessions end. 

An experienced MD, CFO & senior leadership executive with a passion in developing other executives to be their best selves, challenging them to do the unexpected, and building their confidence. Jina and her team have a track record in equipping leaders with the capabilities and skills necessary to meet organisational objectives in today’s challenging times. In doing so, leaders transform themselves, others and the business.

Qualified and experienced personal and professional development coach and learning facilitator. Special interest in the application of neurobiology to leadership and life challenges. Fifteen years’ experience in leading high-performing teams. Former Head of Communications in the life sciences industry leading a team responsible for corporate, brand and internal communications in a Sunday Times Top 100 Company to Work For.

Alice gained the majority of her learning and development experience in the automotive and finance industries, delivering training, coaching and consultancy. She has delivered programmes both face-to-face and virtually and prides herself on utilising digital tools to provide the most engaging learning experiences. During her time with Corndel, Alice has been responsible for developing the new Business Administration apprenticeship from initial conception to delivery. This programme was designed specifically for school leavers and young professionals, with the intention of imparting the business-critical skills needed to become well-rounded members of staff. Alice creates bespoke eLearning content for custom solutions clients as part of our blended learning approach. – Winner of the EY Rising Star Award for Government Programmes – June 2023 – Winner of the Global BMW Group Retail Performance Management Award in 2019

An accomplished Data Scientist and Department Head. Andrew’s skills lie in organisational transformation and data strategy. With 15 years working in data across a range of roles, his experience has taught him the value of building talent within teams as an effective method of enhancing data capabilities and adding value to an organisation while working in a variety of industries, including finance, healthcare, retail and manufacturing has given him insights into an array of environments

Sam Taylor is a highly esteemed Senior Project Manager renowned for her strategic acumen and innovative approaches to leading high-profile events. Her extensive background is fortified by a PRINCE2 certification and a BA (Hons) in Decorative Artefacts from De Montfort University, which equips her with a unique blend of artistic vision and precise project management skills. Sam’s expertise is evident in her ability to craft and execute extensive event portfolios, resulting in the delivery of globally acclaimed conferences, award ceremonies, and exhibitions. Sam excels at captivating participants and driving business growth while maintaining rigorous budget control. A frontrunner in adopting mobile technology within the events sector, Sam has significantly enhanced stakeholders’ experiences, improving engagement levels among delegates, sponsors, and exhibitors. This innovation has also facilitated the more efficient collection and use of data, establishing new industry standards. Her dedication and outstanding performance have been acknowledged with numerous awards, including the Best Association Awards Event for BIFM Awards and the Event of the Year at the 2018 PPA Scottish Magazine Awards. Sam’s insights and expertise have made her a respected thought leader in the field, and she has been invited to share her knowledge at prestigious events like the Technology for Associations Congress, further solidifying her standing as an expert. Her versatile leadership skills have been instrumental in launching impactful projects for her clients.

Michelle Piearcey is an accomplished Project Manager and Programme Coordinator, contributing her skills to Corndel’s Custom Solutions. Her role involves overseeing diverse facets of programme management, ensuring smooth operations and alignment with organisational goals. Prior to her tenure at Corndel, Michelle served in pivotal roles at Avado as an Education and Mentoring Programme Coordinator and at FastFutures and Skills Bootcamps as a Learning Experience Coordinator. She refined her proficiency in virtual training, psychology, and Microsoft Excel in these positions. Michelle also boasts extensive experience in team management, having held positions such as Team Manager, Resource Planner, and Trainer at NHS Scotland and MAG. Her roles included steering teams to ensure safe, compliant operations, efficiently managing resources, and delivering high-standard training sessions. Michelle possesses a First-Class BSc Honours degree in Psychology and a Distinction in a business-related module from The Open University. Additionally, she holds certifications in AVSEC Management – Level 3 and RFX – Advanced from the Civil Aviation Authority and is a member of The British Psychological Society. With her comprehensive experience, multifaceted skill set, and robust educational background, Michelle stands out as a stellar project management and programme coordination professional, significantly contributing to any team she joins.

Sayara Beg is a ISACA Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer™ (CDPSE™) and ODI certified Data Ethics Facilitator with over 25 years of professional experience including training and consultancy data-centric Analytics programmes. Sayara has experience working in Telecoms, Shipping, Media, Banking (Retail, Asset, Wealth & Investment), Insurance (General & Wholesale), Charities & Third Sector.

Minesh Patel has 15+ years of extensive Financial Services experience across an array of fields, including Financial Reporting, Financial Control, Investment Management, Finance Strategy, Project Management, and Management Accounting. Minesh was the Winner of the Finance Leadership Development Network at Barclays Bank. He has a BA (Hons) in Finance and Business and an AET, Teaching and Training Qualification.

Helen Martin has over 30 years’ experience in professional and financial services, and technology. She holds an MSc. in Coaching and Behavioural Change, is a certified Business Psychologist and is a member of the Association for Coaching. Helen is a school governor and is a non-exec Director at a social housing association.

Ed Ryan has 7+ years of coaching experience, 13+ years of programming experience (R, Python, SQL, SPSS + others) and 13+ years of using data analytics to solve important real-world problems in climate change, air quality modelling and financial modelling. Ed has a PhD in Applied Mathematics, MSc in Statistics, MMath undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Statistics and Two teaching qualifications (PGCE in Mathematics and Associate fellow of the Higher Education Academy).

Wakil Sarfaraz is data-scientist with BSc Mathematics (University of Sussex), MSc Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing (University of Oxford) and a PhD Mathematical Modelling and Computational Biology (University of Sussex). Wakil has experiene working in Cancer and Genomics, Gene Therapeutics, Analytics and Product Development. His greatest strengths are communication, problem-solving and flexibilty.