50 INSPIRING FEMALE ROLE MODELS IN THE NORTH EAST
■ Lauren Laverne – musician turned DJ and TV presenter
■ Jen Hartley – direct of Invest Newcastle
■ Bridget Phillipson – Houghton and Sunderland South MP; Shadow Education Secretary
■ Roisin Currie – chief executive of Greggs
■ Sara Davies – founder of Crafter’s Companion and Dragons’ Den panel member
■ Steph McGovern – TV star and podcaster
■ Helen Dalby – editor-in-chief for Reach North East and chair of trustees at the Sunshine Fund
■ Prof Karen O’Brien – vice chancellor and warden of Durham University
■ Ally Thompson – co–founder of Michelin–starred Northumberland restaurant Hyem
■ Ann Cleeves – creator of Vera and writer of award-winning crime fiction
■ Isabella West – founder of fashion hire business Hirestreet and Forbes 30 Under 30 alumni
■ Laura Brewis – founded of We Are Culture CIC and Big Issue Changemaker 2024
■ Amanda Staveley – co-owner of Newcastle United
■ Catherine McKinnell – MP for Newcastle North; Shadow Education Minister
■ Dame Margaret Barbour – philanthropist and chair of Barbour
■ Alison Gwynn – chief executive of North East Screen
■ Amanda Bailey – director of the North East Child Poverty Commission
■ Helen Golightly – chief executive of the North East LEP
■ Duchess of Northumberland – founder of Alnwick Garden and Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland
■ Anne-Marie Trevelyan – Berwick MP and Foreign Office Minister
■ Helen-Ann Hartley – Bishop of Newcastle
■ Dame Irene Hays – chair of Hays Travel and former top civil servant
■ Rhiannon Hiles – chief executive of Beamish Museum
■ Sophie Barley – editor of ChronicleLive
■ Dame Norma Redfearn – elected mayor of North Tyneside
■ Dehenna Davison – MP for Bishop Auckland and former Levelling Up Minister
■ Giselle Stewart – studio director at Creative Assembly North and champion of UK computer games sector
■ Chi Onwurah – Newcastle Central MP and Shadow Science and Innovation Minister
■ Sarah Green – chief executive of NewcastleGateshead Initiative and National Trust board member
■ Siân Buchan – co-owner of Pine restaurant
■ Natalie Ibu – artistic director and joint chief executive of Northern Stage
■ Lucy Bronze – international footballer
■ Kim McGuinness – Northumbria police and crime commissioner and Labour mayoral candidate
■ Reshma Begum – North East development manager for Federation of Small Businesses
■ Marie Nixon – musician and theatre director at Sunderland Empire
■ Helen Stanton – owner of Forum Books, The Bound and the Accidental Bookshop
■ Melanie Reay – manager of Sunderland AFC women’s team
■ Steph Edusei – chief executive of St Oswald’s Hospice and diversity champion
■ Tracey Dickson – leader of South Tyneside Council
■ Heidi Mottram – chief executive of Northumbrian Water and deputy chair of North East LEP
■ Fiona Hill – writer, national security adviser, chancellor of Durham University and Trump irritant
■ Jill Scott – former international footballer-turned-TV star and ‘Queen of the Jungle’
■ Lucy Winskell – Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear and chair of North East LEP
■ Liz Mayes – chief executive of The Common Room
■ Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards – musicians
■ Amanda Hopgood – leader of Durham County Council
■ Birju Bartoli – chief executive of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust
■ Anna Hedworth – chef and proprietor of the Cook House and Long Friday restaurants
■ Beth Lincoln – author and winner of Nero Award for best children’s book