Lisa has two roles at CFO. She manages the Supporting Communities through Covid 19 Fund, providing ‘grants plus’ support to 26 grantees and other community groups and charities in Oxfordshire. Lisa is also the lead for Community-led Planning and Community Review services and training to help strengthen social infrastructure for communities across Oxfordshire, based on ABCD principles and practise. Her portfolio includes 13 years in international development working with partners and community groups in Asia, Africa and Latin America to develop, implement and evaluate poverty/ low-income housing projects and associated projects (water and sanitation, community development, disaster response, land rights and microfinance etc.). She also has a varied background in art and design as a designer in the fashion industry, an art and design lecturer in further and higher education and pursuing academic research via an MA and PhD in Fashion and Technology. A feature of her approach is the use of creative facilitation to support community engagement and social action.

Tessa previously worked for the Community Council for Berkshire for 10 years, teaching and putting on training events, managing funding for community projects, and carrying out consultation events. More recently, she has helped communities in West Berkshire develop Parish Plans and supported them to carry out projects from the plans. She has been working with Thatcham Town Council to get their Parish Plan refresh adopted by West Berkshire Council and to reconnect with all their amazing volunteers after all the hard work of producing their plan. Tessa likes walking, gardening, reading and loves singing, co-leading a community choir in Newbury.