Community Panel Members
Sharon Grant
Sharon has lived in Haringey for over 30 years. She began her career as a university lecturer in social policy. She became a Haringey councillor in the 1980s and then worked in Parliament running the office of the late Bernie Grant MP until 2000. She was appointed Chair of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement for Health in 2002, before becoming Chair of London TravelWatch in 2008.
She also sits on The Food Standard Agency’s Advisory Committee on Consumer Engagement, and is Chair of Haringey Citizens Advice Bureau, as well as being trustee of the Bernie Grant Arts Centre and other charities.
Claire Kober (Chair)
Claire worked in the voluntary sector, in a number of policy roles for national charities including being the Head of Policy for Family Action before being elected to represent Seven Sisters ward in May 2006. She became Leader of the council in 2008 and believes passionately that local people should be involved in the decisions that affect their lives; no more so than in the regenerating of Haringey through schemes such as Tottenham Hale; improving housing and supporting local businesses.
Michael Polledri
Michael is Chairman of Lee Valley Estates, the “umbrella” organisation comprising a number of different companies, partnerships, and LLP’s with substantial commercial property interests in and around London’s’ Lee Valley. Michael established this organisation himself over 23 years ago and one of the 18 sites owned by Lee Valley Estates is the forthcoming development Hale Village which comprise homes, retail and community space. In addition to Michael’s commercial interests, he also plays a substantial role in the local voluntary sector and is a trustee on educational and charitable organisations.
Alan Strickland (Vice Chair)
Alan has been a councillor for Noel Park ward in Haringey since May 2010. Alan serves as Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Social Inclusion, with responsibility for planning, economic and physical regeneration, social inclusion, libraries, leisure, culture and the Olympics. Alan is overseeing the Council's Tottenham Regeneration Programme.
Alan’s professional background is in the voluntary sector, where he currently works part-time as head of policy for a national charity. Alan has served as a trustee of a number of organisations.
Tony Hartney
Tony is head teacher of Gladesmore Community School in Tottenham. The School has been judged to be outstanding by Ofsted in successive inspections and was awarded the Royal Crest in 2011 for excellent work with the community and exceptional levels of student progress.
Symeon Brown
Symeon is currently the senior researcher of the Guardian and London School of Economics collaborative study in the riots, on secondment from the Black Cultural Archives. He has a background in community organising and is a co-founder of the youth-led organisation Haringey Young People Empowered (HYPE).
Sheila Peacock
Sheila was the Headteacher at Earlsmead Primary School in Tottenham for eleven years, alongside being the mother of five, the grandmother of ten and great grandmother of three. She has been a Councillor for Northumberland Park for 18 years, working hard to ensure that future generations will be proud to live in Haringey.
Father Simon Morris
Fr Morris is the Vicar of S. Mary's, Lansdowne Road and the Good Shepherd, Mitchley Road. He is also Chair of Governors at Coleraine Park Primary School. He has lived in Tottenham for over three years.
Jo Olsson
Jo is a Tottenham resident. She is currently Director of Children, Education and Families Services at Thurrock Council. Before joining Thurrock in 2009, Jo spent the previous five years as deputy director of children services at Waltham Forest where she helped transform Waltham Forest's service from "in special measures" to "good with some outstanding features". She spent most of her working life in children's services, NCH (the children's charity), NSPCC and local authorities - mostly in child protection - and all in London.
Eugenia Geraghty
Sister Eugenia Geraghty belongs to the Congregation of the Servants of Mary and is a Parishioner of the Parish of St. Ignatius, Stamford Hill. As a teacher, she has spent most of her life over the last thirty years living and working in Haringey Schools. Her last teaching appointment was at St. Francis de Sales Primary School in Tottenham, where she was Headteacher from 1986 – 1994.
Now, she is privileged to be working in her Parish of St. Ignatius and, as part of that, is happy to be an active member of North London Citizens. She is very concerned for all the people of Tottenham, and is eager to help in the rebuilding and restoring of relationships in her local community.
Georgina Walters
Georgina is a resident member of the Homes for Haringey Board. She has lived in north Tottenham for over 30 years and is an active member within her local community. She aims to use her skills to promote and build better communities, tackle important issues such as anti-social behaviour and help provide better housing services.
