Our small, tight-knit team brings together a group of dedicated staff and volunteers who are passionate about helping mums and giving their babies the best start in life.
Dr Miriam Donaghy – Founder and CEO of MumsAid. Miriam set up one of the first postnatal depression therapy groups in the UK and created a ground-breaking framework for therapeutic approaches to postnatal depression, challenging existing models of viewing it as only a medical condition. Instead she highlighted the existential crisis that many new mothers experience and the need for an individualised approach to help them recover. Her academic endeavours, combined with her work with mothers directly, led to her designing a programme of support for the postnatal period. That programme laid the foundations of a model that is still in use today.
Over the years, Miriam has worked with the leading experts and therapists in the fields of couples therapy, maternal mental health and postnatal depression as well as working directly with hundreds of new mothers, and overseeing the support of hundreds more.
Anila Destani – Finance Officer. Anila has a BA (Hons) in Maths from Tirana University and is qualified in accountancy and business administration. She worked as a maths teacher in Albania before coming to London in 2000 and first began supporting MumsAid as an admin volunteer at the end of 2013. Anila is our financial administrator and also oversees our monitoring and evaluation processes. A mother to two teenagers, Anila works part-time and is also a private maths tutor.
Jessica Svejdar – Service Coordinator. Jessica has a BA (hons) from University College Dublin and many years’ experience of working in the private sector, before relocating to London with her family in 2011. Jessica joined MumsAid in early 2015 and as the service co-ordinator, is the first point of contact for our clients and integral to the smooth running of the organisation. She is a trained Mental Health First-Aider and regularly represents MumsAid at community and nationwide events. Before joining MumsAid Jessica was a committed volunteer at the Bridge Community Centre and at her daughters’ school.
Marisol holds an AAT Level 4 Accountant Technician Qualification, and a Level 2 Customer Service certificate and brings a wealth of creative as well as technical skills and experience, gained during her past roles with women’s groups, to provide vital administrative support for MumsAid. Marisol is also an artist and over her lifetime, has been a teacher, single mum, accountant, administrator, and an events organiser. Born in South America, Marisol is widely travelled and believes that living in different countries and appreciating different cultures has given her a broad and inclusive approach to understanding people’s needs.
Harsha Rai – Clinical Supervisor She is a BACP accredited therapist with vast experience of working in both voluntary sector and in her private practice. After working in Home Start with mothers as a junior co-ordinator she moved on to work with EACH counselling and support services for substance misuse, domestic violence and mental health problems. She worked there for 25 years as a senior therapist and clinical lead. She has particular experience of working with addictions and women experiencing abuse. She is currently also working with WDP as a volunteer counsellor supporting clients with substance misuse related issues.
Kelly Jordan – Young MumsAid Advocacy Worker. Kelly has worked supporting families in Children Centre’s in the Royal Borough of Greenwich for more than 15 years. Her background is in Early Years, and she has lived experience of being a young mother, so really understands the difference getting the right support can make. Kelly is passionate about the work we do with Mothers and their babies, and the need for a safe nurturing environment where Mother and baby can be supported, grow and thrive.
Rachael Clohesy – Fundraising Manager.
Rachael has worked in the non-profit field for most of her career and is passionate about creating a more equitable society. She joins us from KORI Youth Charity, where she specialized in fundraising and organizational development. Before that, Rachael co-founded a content production company and served as the head of digital strategy at a media production company. Rachael is also mother to twin boys!
Siobhann McEvoy – Young MumsAid Therapist. Siobhann is a experienced psychotherapeutic counsellor and a member of the BACP. She was a volunteer counsellor with Place2Be as a school counsellor for ages 4-11 for 4 years. She currently works with individuals who have experienced domestic violence, substance misuse and individuals who are neurodiverse. She is a also a volunteer counsellor at Rape Crisis.
She is a mum of 4 and has a lived experience of young mums living with neurodiversity and the highs and lows involved in navigating day to day living . She has an understanding of the difficulties surrounding maternal mental health and the anxieties surrounding it. She has a BA in Object relations.
Mercy Browne – Freelance facilitator and Community Champion Mercy is a specialist Perinatal Mental Health Nurse. She holds an MSc in Mental health Practice and is NMC registered. She is also a registered mental health nurse/nurse Practioner with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust; Previously visiting Lecturer in transcultural Effect of Perinatal Mental illness at Glasgow University and Facilitator of awareness of perinatal mental health in the community.
Tanaz Assefi – Art Group Facilitator Tanaz is a London based artist that was born and raised in Iran. She studied Graphic Design in Tehran and moved to London to study for a Masters Degree in Illustration and Animation. She has been living and working in London for the past twenty one years, working as a freelance artist, participating in various exhibitions and leading art as therapy workshops as well as working with a PR company. She is highly passionate about mental health and particularly Post Natal Depression. Tanaz runs The Art of Self Expression Group as a form of art as therapy. Every week mothers join Tanaz to explore their thought process and emotional life through mark making, drawing and use of colour.