Dr Summer Alston-Smith joins the CJA as our new Vice-Chair. Summer is the Director of Development and Insights at Advance, where she leads the organisation’s strategic direction through data-driven research and analysis. Her work focuses on identifying trends, barriers, and opportunities within both domestic abuse and criminal justice services. Combining hands-on operational experience with a strong analytical lens, Summer has expertise in securing and managing diverse funding streams, ensuring sustainable support for impactful services. Her time on the Board of Vision on Mission, a Trinidadian NGO supporting those in prison and deportees, deepened her understanding of the global criminal justice landscape.
Elsa Corry-Roake is Policy and External Affairs Manager at Waythrough. Previously, she facilitated workshops in prisons with TiPP and Pact, before working with women with lived experience of the justice system at Clean Break. She then moved into policy and advocacy roles at organisations including Crest Advisory, Revolving Doors, and Just for Kids Law, developing expertise in influencing national policy and campaigning for community-based alternatives to the criminal justice system. Elsa’s frontline experience has shaped her commitment to lived-experience-led policy. She was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to research approaches in the US that divert 16–25-year-olds away from the justice system.
Joe Tarbert began his professional career as a criminal defence barrister, representing people across the youth, magistrates’ and crown courts, before moving into the criminal justice third sector in 2021. Joe is currently Head of Programmes at StandOut, a criminal justice charity that provides coaching and through the gates support to men leaving prisons across London.
Kirsten Westlake is CEO of Two Magpies Fund and Co-founder of education charity Let Me Know, where she served as Chair for five years. Prior to this she ran the North London operations of Little Village. Before moving to the charity sector, Kirsten spent her early career in business development and marketing, in particular at the BBC. Kirsten is a magistrate in London and regular volunteer for the charity FoodBank Aid. She holds an MBA from London Business School and MA from Oxford University.
Mignon French is qualified as both a general and psychiatric nurse, and has worked in the mental health sector for over 30 years. Her professional interest in criminal justice, mental health and associated vulnerabilities has developed over the past 20 years, as she worked in the Department of Health and Social Care on significant reports related to mental health, criminal justice and women. In 2014 she was central to developing the first Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) pilot. Mignon also led on the development of the mental health pathway for NHS England health and justice. Mignon is a Magistrate and consultant within the field of Health and Justice.
Ropinder Gill is Chief Executive at Lymphoma Action and has held previous roles at a number of health charities and a children’s charity, with much of her career in income generation and fundraising. With over twenty years’ experience in the charity sector, she brings a wealth of experience in strategic development and good governance, and is passionate about the role of charities in civil society. Ropinder says, ‘I’m honoured and delighted to join the Board. I look forward to supporting the charity in its work towards a fair and effective criminal justice system that works for everyone it serves.’
