Unapologetic: The Strength and Leadership of Lesbians

Lesbian, queer, gay — whatever word you use, it carries power. For queer women, that power is rooted in a long history of resistance, community‑building, and trailblazing leadership.

Join LGBT Foundation and Pride in Leadership for a panel discussion celebrating the influence of lesbian identity and exploring how lesbians fuel change, transform the status quo, and model courageous leadership.

We’ll reflect on the battles, breakthroughs, and resilience of the last 30 years, and how these experiences have shaped the confidence, clarity, and conviction of lesbian leaders today. We’ll explore how visible lesbian leadership inspires others, especially lesbian women and emerging queer+ leaders, offering a powerful reminder that living unapologetically can open doors for entire communities, and how lesbians can continue to thrive in the workplace despite the challenges of today.

Everyone is welcome – don’t feel that you can’t come if you are not a lesbian or a woman.

Book your place here.

Speaker biographies

Amanda Collier

Amanda is a former Detective Chief Inspector with the Metropolitan Police Service, with nearly three decades of experience including major crime and counter terrorism policing.

Beginning her career at Islington Police Station in North London, she quickly qualified as a Detective and went on to work on murder investigations across the capital. She was later promoted to Detective Sergeant and spent several years leading investigative teams across North London before moving to Counter Terrorism Command at New Scotland Yard.

During her counter terrorism career she was involved in a number of high-profile and internationally significant investigations, including the attempted murder of MP Stephen Timms by Roshonara Choudhry, the murder of Lee Rigby by terrorists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, and the attempted airline bombing by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. As part of the latter investigation, she travelled to Nigeria representing UK Counter Terrorism and worked alongside United States intelligence partners to progress the international inquiry.

She also served as a forensic coordinator before becoming the National Coordinator for HM Special Forces operations, working with the UK’s elite units including the SAS and SBS. She later progressed to Detective Inspector at the National Counter Terrorism Coordination Centre, collaborating closely with UK intelligence agencies on national security operations.

Promoted to Detective Chief Inspector, she became Business Change Lead responsible for helping to establish the Counter Terrorism Operations Centre in West London, a major programme designed to enhance national collaboration across counter terrorism policing. Her final role before retiring from the Metropolitan Police Service in 2020 was within the Metropolitan Police Intelligence Hub, where she coordinated several hundred staff supporting intelligence across London policing.

Since retiring, she has focused on travel, charitable work and maintaining a strong commitment to health and wellbeing. In 2025 she appeared on the BBC reality series The Traitors (Season 4), following an extensive and highly competitive selection process.

During the programme’s medical screening she was unexpectedly diagnosed with a serious genetic heart condition, a discovery that has profoundly shaped her outlook. She is now passionate about raising awareness of genetic heart disease and hopes to work with organisations such as the British Heart Foundation to encourage early testing and prevention.

Drawing on her experience in counter terrorism, leadership under pressure, and personal resilience, she speaks about decision-making in high-stakes environments, leadership in male-dominated professions, and the importance of health awareness and life beyond policing.

Jax Effiong

GMCA/GMFRS Diversity and Inclusion Manager, and Chair of the Board of Trustees at LGBT Foundation.

Jax started her career path as a 14-year-old volunteer 46 years ago! (DJ-ing in her local youth club) this led to a professional Career in Youth Work and Community from supporting young people leaving care and living independently, to developing Learning programmes that enabled many young people to recognise their strengths and capabilities as they navigated adulthood.

Jax spent many years utilising urban outdoor adventure as a Canoeing / Climbing coach with families and young people on the margins of our communities. Setting up the first Black and Asian girls and women’s water activity workshops at her centre, supporting Girls’ & Young Women’s spaces, 50 plus spaces and disability spaces with a focus on young men’s needs through time away from housing estates to rural spaces.

Jax is committed to incorporating intersectional approaches in her work, that includes safe and honest conversations around identity. Being her authentic self, enabling self-care, strength, visibility, role modelling and inclusive leadership behaviour, ensuring platforms are shared and accessible to others.

Jax joined the fire service in 2011 as a Community Safety Manager, and I’m one of the co-founders of the most recent LGBTQ+ staff network, established in 2016. I Supported the development of other staff networks across the organisation. Ensuring joint events each year inclusive of LGBTQ+ History Month, Black History Month, and many more key events throughout the year, driving inclusive change for underrepresented and marginalised groups in the workplace, with a focus on Race, Gender, LGBTQIA+ and Disability equity.

Jax now manages a range of Staff Networks, Forums and platforms in the workplace, she is a Coach, Mentor, Designated safeguarding officer and lead for national benchmarking programmes that includes working in partnership with Stonewall UK. (Ranked 34th and 1st Emergency Service 2024). Race Equality Matters UK (Trailblazer Bronze award 2024 -2026), White Ribbon UK, Disability Confident Scheme (Employer), and Centre for better Ageing UK.

Jax’s role is to advance equality and equity in the workplace and help demonstrate inclusive cultural improvements year on year. Ensuring staff learning and employee voice is valued. Influencing leaders and the workforce through inclusive insights and celebrating diversity at every opportunity, shaping a real sense of belonging.

Jax is her authentic self, a Lesbian woman of colour, her beliefs and values are at the heart of what she brings to work, volunteering, and part of her every day.

Recent accolades include Excellence in Fire Awards – Most Influential LGBTQ+ Individual in Fire 2023 and Stonewall UK Changemaker of the Year 2024.

Laura Wilkinson

Laura Wilkinson (she/her) is the Managing Director of LGBT Foundation, the UK’s largest health and wellbeing charity for LGBTQIA+ people. She leads the organisation’s national operations, strategy and teams, ensuring that services remain community-led, responsive and genuinely life-changing. Each year, LGBT Foundation supports more than 55,000 people across the UK.

Laura’s connection to the organisation is deeply personal. At the age of 15, she and her mother called the LGBT Foundation Helpline during a vulnerable period in her life. That experience of being supported and heard continues to shape her values and leadership approach today.

Her career has consistently centred on community power and the belief that leadership should create space for others to thrive. Prior to joining LGBT Foundation, Laura led a social integration charity focused on reducing isolation by connecting older and younger neighbours. Earlier in her career, she managed youth programmes, ran language schools and taught English abroad. Being openly lesbian in these roles enabled colleagues and young people to see themselves reflected in leadership, something she had longed for growing up.

Laura’s journey has not been linear. While working in regional Australia in her mid-20s, she returned to the closet for safety reasons. This experience strengthened her commitment to building workplaces where no one feels compelled to hide their identity.

She is passionate about visibility as a force for protection, empowerment and transformation, and is dedicated to championing inclusive workplaces and ensuring underrepresented LGBTQIA+ communities have access to support, representation and power.

Book your place here.