From a family of teachers, Brian is aware of the importance of education and the opportunities that good teaching offers. After a post graduate degree in the States, he qualified as a barrister. Brian practiced for 30 years in crime before becoming a Judge at the Old Bailey in 2001. He had the privilege of being the senior Judge and Recorder of London. Brian has been able to serve on The Portal Trust board for a number of years and as a former Chairman was able to institute a number of reforms for better training and accountability. He is pleased to be part of the wide contribution that the Trust has, and continues, to make.

The Reverend Trevor F Critchlow is Rector of Stepney and has a background in business and social enterprise. He wrote the business plan which started St Martin-in-the-Fields restaurant, bookshop, market and gallery and was the first General Manager. He also planned and built the conference centre and guest house at St Matthew’s Westminster. Trevor believes that the energy, discipline and professionalism of the commercial world are vital in the voluntary sector.

Sophie is a Common Councilman for the City of London, first elected in 2009 and holds the position of Deputy Chairman for Licensing. For her day job she currently works for a global technology company and has previously worked for a global fund manager; communications agencies; in the Policy Unit of the Institute of Directors; and for an executive search firm in New York. Educated at her local state schools in Hayes and Hillingdon, Sophie read American Studies at Brunel University before completing a Masters in International Political Economy at the University of Leeds. Outside of professional life, Sophie has held positions as Chairman of Finance for a local authority school, and as a Governor for both the City of London and Christ Hospital schools, as well as a trustee for the independent charitable trust, Trust for London. She is also currently a Non-Executive Director for the Ulysses Trust.

David Hogben chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. He has a background in telecommunications, and was a key player in the privatisation of the UK telecoms industry and subsequently advised governments and telcos internationally. He has a proven track record to managing director level in regulation, compliance, strategic development, customer service, business planning and corporate governance.

A keen supporter of providing outdoor learning opportunities for young people, David was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the community for his work in making sailing accessible to all.

Denise Jones has lived in Cable Street, Wapping, since 1967. She trained as a Graphic Designer at Brighton College of Art. She is also a qualified teacher and taught in junior schools in Tower Hamlets. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of East London in 2008 for services to culture and regeneration in East London and is a Freeman of the City of London 2002.

She owns a small business, Brick Lane Bookshop Ltd that promotes literature through author events in the shop and in schools. Her independent publishing company BLB Press Ltd runs an annual short story prize, promoting new writers work in published short story collections and podcasts.

She served as a Labour Councillor for St Katharine’s and Wapping Ward from 1994-­2022. She is a former Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader, Lead Member for Culture and Heritage, Adult and Health, and the Civic Mayor and was Chair of Mile End Park Partnership that built the £27m Millennium Park. She led on changing LBTH libraries into Idea Stores. She has been Chair of the Mayor’s Loneliness Taskforce since 2018, working with local partners to find ways to alleviate loneliness for people of all ages in the borough.

Denise is a co-­founder and Director of the Rich Mix Cultural Centre that celebrates the diversity of multicultural London through arts and educational programmes, She is a Board Member of Young V&A, Trinity Buoy Wharf, Aldgate & Allhallows Foundation, Create London, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, and a Director of Mulberry Academy Trust.

She has served on the Boards of Tower Hamlets NHS Primary Care Trust, Arts Council London, Museum of London and Docklands, Wilton’s Music Hall Trust, Visit London, Tour East, Whitechapel Art Gallery, CIDA, Eastside Arts, Half Moon YPT, ALG Culture & Tourism, Greenwich & Docklands Festival, Women’s Library Council, Heritage of London Trust, TH Homes, East End Homes, Cultural Industries Development Agency, St Katharine’s and Shadwell Trust. East End Community Foundation and East London Foundation Trust (health).

As Rector of St Botolph without Aldgate, the Reverend Laura Jørgensen is an ex-officio trustee of The Portal Trust (formerly Sir John Cass’s Foundation). Since ordination in 2000, Laura has been involved with early years, primary and secondary schools, independent schools and higher education both in and out of London. Laura is a Governor of The Aldgate School (formerly Sir John Cass’s Foundation Primary School). Her particular interest is in access to education for kids from the poorest backgrounds.

Jenny Moseley was Assistant Vice President of the National Geographic Society with responsibility for marketing the Society’s products, including National Geographic Magazine, across Europe. She is also an experienced fundraiser, working for a number of national charities as a direct marketing consultant. She has been Chairman of the Direct Marketing Association UK and a Vice President of the Federation of European Direct and Digital Marketing. Jenny’s current career is as Director of permission marketing data protection consultancy, Opt-4.

Fancy joined the Board in February 2022 having initially been a Trust Ambassador

Fancy has spent her entire professional career (and personal life) in service to social, economic, environmental, and racial justice/equity. She has done this as a fundraiser, business development leader, grant-maker, action researcher, director/executive, and activist/campaigner for various organisations including The Social Innovation Partnership (TSIP), The Young Foundation, CityYear UK, and ippr’s Migration Equalities and Citizenship team. Fancy also proudly served on the board of Praxis Community Projects and Enterprises and is a member of IMPACT100.

Over the past two years, as a Strategic Advisor to TSIP, and through her start-up social impact advisory business (The Dot & The Line) Fancy has been on a mission to support individuals and organisations to mobilize resources (human, financial, etc) and rigorous learning for positive social impact. In this capacity, she has worked with The Black Global Trust, WorldSkills UK, British Science Association, The Wellcome Trust, Guys & St Thomas’ Charity (GSTC), London Community Foundation/Met Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), Black Thrive, Pilotlight, The Ubele Initiative, and Migration Exchange (housed at Global Dialogue), to name a few.

Fancy is acutely passionate about issues affecting underserved communities especially children, young people, refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.

The Board appointed Fancy as the Portal Trust’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Champion in February 2023.

Ratidzo Starkey is a Member of the Secretariat for the Financial Stability Board. She leads on the FSB’s communications and public relations and is based in Basel, Switzerland. Prior to moving to Switzerland, Ratidzo was Head of Outreach and Education at the Bank of England, responsible for driving the Bank of England’s public engagement activities, the development of the Bank’s education programme and the Bank’s Museum. Ratidzo also worked on the Covid Corporate Financing Facility, leading the Bank of England’s support for businesses during the COVID-19 crisis.

Ratidzo was born and attended school in East London. She began her career at the Bank of England before moving to the private sector where she worked as an Economist in a number of risk functions at Barclays Capital and Lloyds Banking Group. She has a BSc (Hons) in Economics and Finance from the University of York and an MSc in Finance, Economics and Econometrics from Cass Business School.

As a previous recipient of a Sir John Cass’s Foundation Scholarship, Ratidzo is a strong proponent of educational equity and social mobility. She was co-chair of the Bank of England’s Ethnic Minority Network and is also a school governor

Sarwar is a solicitor and currently Group General Counsel & UK Company Secretary of a global company. Motivated by a desire to give back, he is passionate about the power of education to transform lives. Sarwar previously served as a Global Fellow of the Prime Minister, as well as a Governor at the London School of Economics, where he read Law as an undergraduate. Sarwar holds an MBA from BPP Business School.