hello@nijah.co.uk

Henri Baptiste
CEO of Pathway Housing Solutions

Henri Baptiste has more than two decades of senior‑level experience working to meet the housing needs of society’s most vulnerable, with deep expertise in residential social work, development and management of homes and hostels, community regeneration and social enterprise leadership.

He specialises in creating and scaling community‑led housing models that not only provide safe, stable accommodation but also deliver outreach and tenancy support to help residents rebuild stability and independence.

Henri is Co‑Founder and Director of Pathway Housing Solutions, a community housing organisation based in the East Midlands that develops innovative, people‑centred housing initiatives as pathways out of homelessness and housing inequality.

June Gomes
Director of Social Innovation

June has over 20 years of experience working across the charity and third sector, with deep expertise in grant and tender bid writing, community engagement, race equality, charity governance and organisational development.

She specialises in delivering fundraising, governance and community engagement support, helping organisations strengthen their leadership, sustainability and impact.

June currently delivers the Growth Accelerator for Social Enterprises, supporting social enterprises and charities to sustain, scale and grow their work.

Areas of expertise:
– Governance
– Strategy
– Compliance

Iris Lightfoote
CEO of The Race Equality Centre

Dr Iris Lightfoote has over 20 years of experience leading community-focused organisations, with deep expertise in racial justice, anti-discrimination services, community engagement, charity governance, and policy development.

She specialises in delivering leadership, advocacy, and empowerment initiatives, helping communities and organisations challenge racial inequality and strengthen their impact.

Dr Lightfoote currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of The Race Equality Centre (TREC), where she leads programmes supporting individuals and communities affected by racial disadvantage, drives organisational strategy, and contributes to wider discussions on social justice and equality.

Tobias Gould
Director of Business Innovation

Tobias is a social entrepreneur with a strong background in market research, business innovation, and social ventures. He has supported over 70 businesses to innovate their business models through design thinking, strategic pivoting, and creative problem-solving.

He specialises in helping social enterprises and businesses strengthen their growth strategies, operational impact, and sustainability.

Tobias currently delivers the Growth Accelerator for Social Enterprises, is a Fellow with the University of Leicester, and contributes to the Government’s Help to Grow course, supporting organisations to innovate, grow, and create social impact.