Sophie Walker will be leaving Young Women’s Trust this month, with current Chief Operating Officer Abi Shapiro taking up the role as Interim Chief Executive Officer.
Over the last year, Sophie Walker has led the charity into an organisational redesign and strategy refresh that has brought an energetic new focus on economic justice and support for the most marginalised young women.
Sophie will be taking up a new role as Chief Strategy Officer at leading feminist law firm McAllister Olivarius.
Jo-ann Robertson, Chair of Young Women’s Trust said:
“Over the last year Sophie has renewed Young Women’s Trust’s focus to be a leading feminist organisation championing the lives and experiences of young women up and down the country.
“Sophie has worked tirelessly to help young women when they needed it most and we are very grateful for the contribution she has made to the organisation. We wish her all the best in her important new role.
“I am delighted that Abi Shapiro will be taking up the role of Interim Chief Executive for the next six months as we look to find a new Chief Executive for the organisation. She will be working closely with the senior management team, the Board and the staff team to ensure Young Women’s Trust continues its vital task in ensuring economic justice is achieved for all young women.”
Sophie Walker said:
“Staff and young women together worked really hard to create and rally around a clear mission, vision and flagship projects to grow Young Women’s Trust into a force for the future. It’s been a privilege to do this with them. I’ve been hugely impressed by their unrelenting drive every day to support young women, including through the challenges of Coronavirus.
“I am proud that Young Women’s Trust now campaigns for recognition of the unpaid and unvalued work of women; that we smashed our fundraising targets and our Emergency Fund is providing direct financial support to migrant women and other most marginalised women during the pandemic.
“I’m leaving because I was made an offer I could not refuse from a hero of mine. Ann Olivarius, who coined the phrase ‘date rape’, has been at the forefront of defining and prosecuting revenge porn and is a leading legal expert in sex discrimination and violence against women, has asked me to join her US-UK law firm as Chief Strategy Officer as the law squares up to be a central battleground for social justice in these difficult times.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have the chance to work with so many women and men determined to make the world a better place. I wish my friends at YWT all the best.”
