safelives
Bristol
Our Chief Executive, Suzanne Jacob OBE, leads the below senior leadership team
(SLT) and overall operational management of SafeLives. The SLT is assisted by a
team of dedicated professionals with a variety of backgrounds and experiences.
Suzanne Jacob OBE, CEO Having worked at SafeLives for three years – including
two years as Deputy CEO – Suzanne became Chief Executive in December 2017.
Immediately before joining SafeLives, Suzanne spent several months working in
Delhi for Breakthrough India, an organisation which campaigns against violence
and discrimination against women and girls. Prior to this, Suzanne spent nearly
a decade with the UK Home Office. Here, she worked extensively on national
security matters, established the National Crime Agency as a significant new
part of UK law enforcement, and acted as Private Secretary to the Minister
responsible for crime and policing. Suzanne worked for several years on security
for the London 2012 Olympics, and was awarded an OBE in 2013 for her work on
intelligence collection and analysis, and enforcement activity. Suzanne
volunteered for seven years on the Victim Support helpline, providing first
response for victims of all crime types. She became a Trustee of Crimestoppers
UK in April 2021. Jo Silver, Director of Quality and Innovation Jo is
responsible for designing and piloting exciting new and effective interventions
to end domestic abuse. Jo provides expert advice on activities, policy messages
and practice, she works with national and local commissioners, funders, policy
makers and partners to make this happen. Jo rejoined us in January 2014, having
spent two years as senior consultant at the NSPCC in Cardiff. Jo was Caada's
(SafeLives' former name) director of professional development between 2006 and
2012. She also worked for the police for ten years in the public protection unit
and at the Women's Safety Unit in Cardiff. Jo Gordon, Chief Operating Officer Jo
is responsible for effective and efficient internal management of the
organisation, making sure that SafeLives lives by its values of being human,
rigorous and brave. Jo took up the role of Chief Operating Officer in July 2018.
Prior to this, Jo was Head of Learning and Accreditation at SafeLives having
joined in 2005 as a freelance trainer. Jo started her career as a youth and
community worker. She worked for ten years at North Devon Women’s Aid prior to
SafeLives and is committed to tackling the issue of domestic abuse. Jo is also a
volunteer at her local homeless shelter. Liz Thompson, Director of External
Relations Liz is responsible for our external relations activity, working with
colleagues to forge and maintain great relationships with the wide array of
people who are vital to our work; find new opportunities to develop and
replicate what we do; and secure the support and income we need to help people
and their families live safely and well. She joined in 2019, following a decade
leading communications for the Royal Shakespeare Company. She started her career
in the commercial sector at public relations agency, Burson-Marsteller, and her
previous experience includes external relations, fundraising and management
roles in the public sector, at the Environment Agency and Countryside
Commission, and at the charity Turning Point. She also trained as a volunteer
substance misuse counsellor at Addaction, and worked at their first needle
exchange in Bethnal Green.
