Hestia recruits first head of equity, diversity and inclusion

Crisis charity Hestia has appointed Samantha Uwadiae as its first head of equity, diversity and inclusion.

Uwadiae joins from the Digital, Media, Culture and Sports government department where she was talent, diversity and senior leaders performance manager. She will help to continue Hestia’s work to strengthen its workforce by creating a more equitable, diverse and inclusive business, while also representing its “respectful, genuine, dedicated and collaborative” values.

Uwadiae said: “What excites me about joining Hestia is the organisation’s genuine commitment towards creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive organisation.

“I appreciate their dedication towards wanting to build an inclusive culture, their courage to challenge themselves and their admission that more needs to be done and willingness to work in collaboration with staff, volunteers, and service users to identify, understand and address inequities. This helps their people feel respected and more able to bring their authentic and full selves to work, free of discrimination and barriers.”

Pat Ryan, chief executive for Hestia, added: “Our staff and volunteers build honest, respectful relationships with our service users to support and encourage them to lead their own recovery process. We are committed to ensuring all of Hestia’s people can play a full role in the life of the charity and to continuing on our journey to achieving that.”