The back up team

Helen Lawrence

Helen is a versatile office co-ordinator with extensive experience in office management both in the UK and her home country of Canada. Since 2000 Helen has run her own freelance business providing effective office support for small businesses. Acting as PA to Director, Ruth Cook, Helen juggles Ruth's busy work schedule as well as providing administrative support for action learning sets and other clients.

Gail Plant

With an extensive background in communications Gail is a press and public relations professional with experience of working for not for profit organisations. A member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, Gail has worked largely in the public and voluntary sectors including heading the PR team of a major public transport provider. Currently running her own freelance business she looks after Action Learning Associates' communications initiatives, customer liaison and major projects.

Diane Ward-Campbell

With extensive experience and knowledge of business administration, Diane has spent the past 10 years as a virtual assistant providing efficient and effective administrative support services for Action Learning Associates and other small businesses. Diane handles contractual and financial client liaison and organises the company's training courses and leadership development work. Diane also helps bring together clients from all sectors to form effective action learning sets as well as liaising with clients to set up in-house action learning sets.

Chirine Harb

A welcome new addition to the ALA back-up team Chirine runs a freelance business managing accounts for several UK companies, implementing marketing and sales strategies to target new client acquisition and developing new business. She also assists her clients set up company procedures related to bookkeeping, management accounts, data analysis, creating and managing client databases and general back-office actions.

After graduating University with a Masters in Architectural Management Chirine moved to Dubai and joined a turnkey design organisation as a junior account manager handling small design projects. Her strong administrative and management skills saw her managing huge relocation projects for the likes of Gillette, Kellogg’s, Microsoft, Dubai Internet City and Media City.