CIAO’s had its very own Coronation as we bid farewell to Liz Cross, our fabulous Founder Chair, and welcomed Karen Ainsworth as her successor. 

Liz was with us from the start back in 2010 and one of our first coaches in HMP Styal. Though her heart remained with CIAO’s clients, she soon devoted her time, energy and wisdom to establishing and chairing the board (a role recognised nationally). As Liz said:

“I am proud to have been here from our beginnings, humbled to have been witness to the impact we make and wiser for those who have challenged, supported, led and governed with me. Now is the right time for me to step back from the Chair role and to be a ‘friend of CIAO’. I will continue to love and to talk of our work and to look for opportunities for CIAO to reach more people.”

Karen, to whom Liz passed the baton, combines great governance expertise with a social housing and community safety background. She was the CEO of a community mediation service delivering training, mediating in communities and working with grassroots groups to support them to develop their ‘voice’ and manage conflict more effectively. Her knowledge of CIAO’s worlds is further strengthened by board roles include organisations addressing domestic abuse, substance misuse and skills and enterprise services.

The very best gift we could ever give our outgoing Chair was the charity she played such a fundamental role in creating passing the milestone of coaching 1,500 men, women and children in our prisons and communities. 

We couldn’t have done it without you, Liz.

Ciao e grazie mille! xx