The Core Team - Welcome to Striding Out!

Elaine Owen, CEO

2008-04-30T13:21:17Z

Elaine Owen is a multi award winning entrepreneur, coach mentor and business consultant with a very strong passion and an impressive track record of managing and delivering hiqh quality coaching and training services. She has run a commercial B2B training and coaching company for the last 18 years, and Striding Out will be the social enterprise that complements her existing organisation, with a focus on supporting young people and disadvantaged groups to achieve success.

She has a passion for doing good whilst doing good business and is a technical expert in digital marketing & learning and development, working with leading organisation's including Google.

Elaine regularly writes for The Edge business magazine. She is a business panel expert for BBC Radio Merseyside and Elaine has been the subject of two television business documentaries.

Her awards include;
UK Business Mentor of the Year 2008
Business Person of the year 2009
Women on their way awards 2010 for outstanding contribution to Women's learning and development
Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts & Commerce 2009

Elaine has been working with Striding Out over the last year, and is excited about the opportunity to continue and grow the good work of the organisation across the UK.

Donna Costello, Communications Coordinator

2012-11-13T15:44:05Z

A graduate of Liverpool John Moores University with a BA Hons in English Literature and Imaginative Writing, Donna pursuit a career in retail management throughout a variation of locations within the North West. Her unique perspective and ability to communicate with others has aided her ability to succeed over the years and in turn have led her to her new home at Striding Out

Hannah Robinson, Personal Assistant

2008-04-30T13:21:17Z

A graduate of Kent University with a BA Hons in Politics and International Relations, Hannah has enjoyed a variety of PA and sales roles in the Medical, Law and Recruitment sectors. Her previous work experience has only worked to hone her flexible but determined work ethic, and her love of new challenges.

Her ambition and drive are inherent in the work she does, and Hannah is both excited and expectant about the future with Striding Out.

Howard Bailey, Head of Learning and Development

2011-12-29T10:21:55Z

Howard is a passionate, accomplished Learning and Development Consultant and accredited Co-active Coach with demonstrable experience gained in developing training and support infrastructure for the education and private sectors.

A positive and proactive leader with a successful track record in undertaking training needs analysis of clients, developing curriculum, designing and implementing of learner focused training projects in a variety of mediums and quality improvement programmes.

Personable with strong planning and management skills who remains focused on objectives whilst ensuring a compelling and rewarding learner journey.

Howard leads on delivering Striding Out services in the Yorkshire and Humber Region and also acts as Head of Striding Out’s ILM Centre nationwide.

Barbara Wilkinson, Finance Director

2011-12-28T21:29:02Z

Barbara is the Financial Director of Striding Out. She is a qualified book-keeper and manages the financial requirements of the organisation, working closely with our Accountant Pratish Patel of Tax Clarity.

Paula Gardner, PR Support

2011-12-28T21:45:42Z

Paula Gardner provides training and support in PR and Media Relations to our team of coaches.

Paula Gardner is probably the best known PR coach in the UK. She has over 20 years experience in the PR industry, including running her own PR agency, and is the author of the respected PR and marketing handbooks Get Noticed and Do Your Own PR.

Richard Jenner, Online Optimisation

2011-12-29T10:54:48Z

With over 12 years experience, Richard has been involved in the search and digital marketing arena since its early inception. Richard works for Organic Development, who provide our web and online optimisation support.

Prior to Organic, Richard worked as a senior account manager at one of the UK’s largest Direct Marketing Agencies, and more recently heading up the marketing and communications team for a high-end software development firm

Pratish Patel, Accountant

2011-12-28T21:48:36Z

Pratish, a Chartered Certified Accountant, is the practice partner at Tax Clarity. He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. He has over 15 years accountancy experience and has worked for accountancy practices both large and small.

He particularly enjoys helping smaller businesses develop and grow from being reliant on their owner to being sustainable entities in their own right.

He also has first-hand experience of the consultancy market having worked for Netscape/ AOL, RSM International and Alliance Boots so he is well equipped to advise clients from both sides of the fence.