About Ladiesfirst Professional Development…

✔ We don’t have an eligibility criteria as we believe that all women regardless of status have something to offer. The only request we make is that you have aspirations and the desire to help other women.

✔ The organisation is based on three principles which we refer to as the 3 I’s – to Inspire, to Inform and to Introduce. We hold a series of monthly events where you will either hear from an Inspirational speaker, attend an informative business skills workshop and be introduced to new people. Our aim is for our network to be an incubator for ideas and development for all women.

We are an organisation who welcome members and drop in guests, which ever fits in with each individuals’ busy lifestyle.  Whether you run your own business, work within a business or seeking inspiration for a change of career.  We are an inclusive network involving women of all backgrounds and cultures regardless of what stage they are at in their business life or career.

At Ladies First we have always promoted wellbeing and more than ever 2020 has highlighted the need to stay healthy, both mentally and physically, with this in mind we are delighted to welcome our new partners in Health & Wellbeing – Air Aesthetics & Wellness Clinics www.airaesthetics.co.uk

Why Join us:

Our meetings and events are personalised and not based on numbers, unlike many Networking Companies, we build confidence amongst our members and guests by our unique personal approach.

We Build lasting business relationships by bringing Professionals together through Events.

The faces behind Ladiesfirst Professional Development..

Tracey McAtamney

Director Ladies First

tracey@ladiesfirstnetwork.co.uk
www.survivingbereavement.com
www.stbernadettetrust.org.uk

 

Tracey became a Director of Ladies First in March 2017; she introduced monthly lunches and VIP events. ln October 2017 she was instrumental in launching the Ladies First Business & lnspirational Women Awards.

Author of Hidden Strength, and founder of Surviving Bereavement which offers Pop up Bereavement Cafe”s across Warwickshire and west Midlands and provides support for those going through the grieving process including presentations on how to create a compassionate culture within the workplace. The foundation also provides free memory boxes to children and young adults.

ln 2021 Tracey trained as a Grief Recovery Specialist.

She is a Trustee of the St. Bernadette Trust, Coventry, a charity working to assist sick and handicapped people and a member of the Zoe’s Baby Hospice Business Group.

Prior to this, Tracey has over 30 years’experience in Practice Management and Legal Accounts, for ten years she was a Director of Warwickshire Legal Recruitment, working in association with Warwickshire Law Society.

 

Karen Massey

Director Ladies First

karen@karenmasseyphotography.co.uk
www.karenmasseyphotography.co.uk

With nearly two decades of experience as a corporate and commercial photographer, I have honed my skills to craft visual narratives that resonate witmy clients. My journey in the world of photography has been a continuous exploration of creativity, pushing boundaries to capture the essence of businesses and their unique stories.

As the newly appointed Director, my role goes beyond the lens; it extends into strategic visual communication. I am dedicated to partnering with businesses to create visual content that not only meets but exceeds their goals. I bring a blend of technical proficiency and artistic flair to every project.

In addition to my professional achievements, I take immense pride in founding the Leamington Business Awards. This initiative stems from my commitment to recognising and celebrating the outstanding contributions of businesses, fostering a sense of community, inspiring excellence and collaboration.

Prior to becoming a Director of LadiesFirst, I have eperience of being a Director and Leadership within the British Institure of Professioanl Photography (The BIPP), The Master Photographers Association (The MPA) and also as Vice President of the Federation of European Photographers (The FEP).

Meet our Ambassadors

Arti Halai

Ambassador

Arti spent more than fifteen year’s working as a television presenter, reporter and producer for some of the UK’s largest organisations including the BBC and ITV.  She went on to co-found, build and successfully exit two seven-figure businesses – a PR agency and creative design agency. An Executive Coach, she says success comes from the ability to talk to ourselves with compassion, courage and clarity and then execute with knowledge, focus and confidence.  

Arti is passionate about empowering and helping women and young adults on their journey to success. She is board advisor to Auris Tech Ltd and an ambassador for Every Child Needs a Mentor.

Pauline Edden

Ambassador

Pauline Edden is an IT Consultant and Project Manager.  With a BSc (Hons) in Computer Science,  she started her career in Computer software development, before moving into IT communications.  She has managed major IT projects and transformations for a number of Blue Chip companies internationally.  She fundraises for charity on a voluntary basis, and was awarded ‘Lifetime Influential Woman Award’ in 2017 by ‘Ladies First Professional Development’  and ‘Lifetime Woman of Achievement Award’ by Women of the Year Luncheon and Awards’ in 2019.

Natasha Blacklock

Awards Co-Ordinator
natasha@ladiesfirstnetwork.co.uk

Hi, I am Natasha, and I am the Senior Executive Assistant to Fleur Sexton DL at PET-Xi.

PET-Xi is a high-energy training specialist whose multi-award-winning teams work tirelessly to make a difference to people’s lives, firing up their minds with engaging and positive learning experiences designed to help school students to achieve their target grades, jobseekers to get back into employment or those in business to upskill and progress with their goals. I am CIM Level 4 trained, and I also recently joined the board at Coventry & Warwickshire First.

Outside of the office, I enjoy socialising with friends, good food and wine and hot holidays. I am a keen gym-goer and runner, during lockdown I even became a run leader at my local run club!

I got involved with the Ladies First Awards 5 years ago, and it was an honour to be a part of such a lovely evening. Every lady that is up for an award wholeheartedly deserves an award and every year I say, “I am so glad I am not responsible for making the decisions as they are all an inspiration”.

Karen Jones

Ambassador

It is a joy to be part of the Ladies First Networking Group, like-minded women who are inspirational in business and in life – and I’m proud to be asked to be an Ambassador.

Born in Sutton Coldfield, I’ve thrived in the Midlands, shaping my expertise in luxury lifestyle through editorial roles at Live 24 Seven and Touch Base magazines.

Beyond publishing, I’m deeply involved with The Giles’ Trust Brain Tumour Fund. My passion and dedication for the Trust was born out of a family tragedy. My wonderful niece, Sophie, was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of 15 and lost her battle to this cruel disease two years later. Despite her young age, she inspired so many people and in her memory, as a family, have gone on to raise tens of thousands of pounds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

In my spare time, I love going on long walks in our beautiful countryside, going to the theatre and eating out with friends and family. I also enjoy travelling to France, Italy or Cape Town, which in my opinion is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Amanda Chalmers

Ambassador

A journalist of 30 years and former newspaper editor, Amanda Chalmers is ideally placed to get your brand message across through her award-winning agency Chalmers News PR.

Amanda’s extensive knowledge, experience and media contacts are key to her proven track record of success, working with businesses, organisations and charities to achieve their specific PR goals – and at a fraction of the cost of advertising.

Connecting with your target audience has never been tougher – thanks to increased competition among a growing community of SMEs, as well as social media saturation and busier lifestyles. Amanda will not only take that burden away but deliver tangible results.

She works closely with clients to create a bespoke PR campaign for news and trade media as well as offering professional consultation and training – and all at a price point that’s accessible to SMEs.

As a one-woman agency, the clients will always deal directly with the person whose name is ‘above the door.’

Kirsty Leahy

Ambassador

Kirsty Leahy is a multi-talented media personality with over 20 years of experience in radio presenting, live event hosting, and DJing.

Despite undergoing major back surgery at a young age, she transformed her passion for performance into a successful career, captivating audiences with her vibrant personality and down-to-earth charm.

Kirsty’s career highlights include winning a National Radio Award for her charity beer campaign and fulfilling a lifelong dream by interviewing Kylie Minogue. Committed to giving back, she serves as a board director for a community interest company in Oxfordshire and actively supports local charities.

Kirsty’s zest for life is evident in her pursuits, from running marathons for charity to learning DJing in just six weeks for Breast Cancer UK. Currently freelancing with BBC CWR, Kirsty continues to inspire as a radio presenter, live event host, awards MC, DJ, and motivational speaker.

 • Radio Presenter.     • Presenter/Live Event Host.     • Awards Host & MC.    • DJ.     • Motivational Speaker.

Ruth Bridges

J Roberts SPV