Our team

Anna Ritchie Allan, Executive Director

Anna is Executive Director, and has overall responsibility for the delivery of Close the Gap’s work. She leads on strategic advocacy, participates in a range of strategic level working groups, and works closely with Lindsey and Iona on policy. Anna’s background is in research, labour rights, and violence against women.

Lindsey Millen, Head of Policy and Development

Lindsey is Head of Policy and Development. She leads on Close the Gap's employer engagement and works with Anna and Iona on Close the Gap’s policy work. She supports private and third sector employers to close their gender pay gaps, and works with public sector employers to improve their performance of the public sector equality duty. She also develops policy papers, reports and consultation responses to highlight women’s experiences of the labour market, and leads on Close the Gap's advocacy work on gender equality in education policy and social care.

Kelsey Smith, Head of Equally Safe at Work

Kelsey runs Close the Gap’s employer accreditation programme, Equally Safe at Work. She works with employers in local government, NHS boards, Scottish Government and third sector to develop gender-sensitive employment practice. She engages with a range of stakeholders including employers, violence against women organisations and partner organisations to strategically link work on violence against women to addressing women’s labour market and economic inequality.

Iona Brown, Policy and Parliamentary Manager

Iona manages Close the Gap’s parliamentary engagement work. She builds relationships with parliamentarians, political parties and committee staff, as well as developing briefings and consultation responses for parliament. Iona also monitors parliamentary and legislative developments relevant to women’s labour market equality. She also works closely with Anna and Lindsey on Close the Gap’s policy work. Iona’s background is in feminist economics with a focus on women’s labour market participation, modern apprenticeships and the Scottish economy. She is currently working towards her PhD in economics.

Laura Martins, Programme Officer

Laura works on the delivery of Close the Gap’s employer accreditation programme, Equally Safe at Work, in Scotland’s local government. She supports local government employers to progress gender equality at work and prevent violence against women through the accreditation process. Laura also works with an advisory group of stakeholders to provide advice and guidance, and delivers progress updates to the group. Her background is in advocacy and international human rights law.

Leonie McConnell, Programme Officer

Leonie works on Close the Gap’s delivery of Equally Safe at Work, the employer accreditation programme. She engages with employers across the third sector and NHS boards to support them in making their employment practices gender-sensitive, to advance gender equality at work and prevent violence against women. Leonie’s background is in social policy (research methods) with a focus on the gendered impact of the equalisation of the State Pension age.

Patrycja Kasprzak, Communications & Administrative Assistant

Patrycja coordinates Close the Gap's social media and websites. She assists with event management and the development of publications and other digital resources. She also provides day-to-day administrative support to the team, and contributes to the effective running of the organisation. Her background is in communications, marketing strategy, and business management.

Related publications

Annual review 2018-19