Team and Collaborators

Emma Phipps - Compere

Emma is Managing Director for MD2MD, an exclusive community of operational SME business leaders ambitious to achieve even more business success by becoming even better leaders. Emma has been with the company for over a decade and was involved in the pivot to online during the pandemic and its continuing growth, including the introduction of Women in Leadership in 2022. She is passionate about MD2MD being a diverse, empowering community, that is a force for good, for its members, team, partners and indeed the entire business community as a whole.

Jo Luke - Compere

Jo is Business Development Director for MD2MD and previously worked in male dominated environments, initially in engineering departments, both in the public and private sector (local authority & WS Atkins, a global engineering design consultancy) and then latterly as Owner/Director of a construction company, Jo passionately believes in the value and perspectives that women bring to leadership. She recognises that globally women have become engines for economic growth & are critically important to improving business outcomes. Jo is proud to facilitate the Women in Leadership groups.

Kate Lloyd - Interviewer

Kate is a leadership and career development specialist and certified executive coach who works with individuals and organisations to inspire and cultivate behaviour change, with the aim of creating more equitable, emotionally intelligent and productive workplaces. She regularly speaks at events and facilitates workshops and conversations on subjects that she believes require greater attention and collective action, empowering female leaders being one of them!

Prior to founding her business, Second Chapter, Kate spent fourteen years leading high performing teams to design and deliver global communications campaigns for a range of iconic brands including Pepsico, Mercedes Benz, Mars and Sainsbury’s. On the Board of Directors at AMV BBDO Kate honed her interest in talent development and performance and now combines her expertise as a coach and L&D specialist with a wealth of understanding of a global business, leadership and brand communications across multiple sectors.

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Lucy Pitt - Collaborative Session Leader

Lucy is a bold entrepreneur and pioneering leader in strategic innovation and business growth. As Co-Founder of UptakeAI, she has staked her claim in the rapidly evolving landscape of generative AI, establishing a clear path when others were still grappling with possibilities. Her deep commitment to building a culture of continuous learning and social collaboration has set uptakeAI apart as a forward-thinking leader in the field. By championing curiosity and knowledge-sharing, Lucy has empowered teams to navigate and harness AI’s potential confidently, sparking a renewed sense of joy and purpose in their work.

Lucia Santa Maria - Collaborative Learning Leader

Lucia has over three decades experience as an award-winning costume designer for film and television, she’s worked with A-list icons like Kim Cattrall, Antonio Banderas, Joanna Lumley, and David Schwimmer to name only a few. Her ability to craft compelling visual identities for characters is matched by her skill in leading large teams under pressure, delivering exceptional results on tight budgets and impossible deadlines and inspiring confidence and collaboration, even in the most challenging environments.

Her blend of creativity, humanity, and grit led Lucia to her second career as a Transformational Coach. As a Master NLP Practitioner and Clinical Hypnotherapist, she now works with visionary leaders, creatives, and change-makers who want to lead with impact and authenticity. Her workshops and coaching sessions are vibrant, empowering spaces where participants discover their strengths, overcome obstacles, and chart bold, meaningful paths forward. Whether guiding a business leader to harness their unique talents or helping a group collaborate effectively, Lucia brings wisdom, humour, and a results-driven approach to everything she does.

Claire Ebbs - MD2MD Executive Community Manager

Claire is MD2MD’s longest serving team member and has managed the events and logistics through the pandemic and beyond and has been an indispensable part of it’s evolution to the diverse community it is today. MD2MD prides itself on retaining its inclusive community feel throughout its growth and Claire has managed to ensure the same level of support to members despite their ever increasing number. She’s ensures everything runs smoothly behind the scenes and while you might not see her on stage, Claire will be working diligently throughout the day to make sure your experience is top-notch!

Laura Bradley - MD2MD Head of Marketing

Laura manages all marketing for MD2MD and knows that what we offer has to be top quality. She has been integral in ensuring that while raising MD2MD’s profile we don’t lose our integrity and vision for MD2MD to continue being a community where employees, staff and collaborators empower each other through mutual support. Laura is often in attendance at Women in Leadership events and is passionate about supporting and promoting the success of it’s members.

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