Prisoners’ Education Trust (PET) has appointed three new trustees, including the Director of Communications at the Bar Council, a consultant with wide-ranging experience in the justice sector, and a Team Leader at St Giles Trust.
Sally Burnell is the Director of Communications for the Bar Council – the representative body for the barrister profession in England and Wales. Sally has communications and campaigning experience across the membership, charity and not-for-profit sectors. She previously worked for Nacro, the social and justice charity and, during that time, volunteered as a prison visitor.
Sally studied Politics and Parliamentary Studies at the University of Leeds and later completed the NCTJ Certificate in Newspaper Journalism. She has worked in Westminster, the Senedd, and local government.
Jo Easton has worked in policy, communications and research roles for various charities in the justice and human rights sectors, including INQUEST, the Human Rights Clinic at Essex University, the Magistrates Association, the Independent Monitoring Board and Lay Observer (IMB/LO) Secretariat and Unlock.
Jo completed a PhD in Human Rights Law, which looked at the participation of bereaved families in investigations following deaths in custody. Her thesis was published as a book. She currently works as a consultant and career coach.
Oluseun Sowole is a dedicated community advocate with a sound understanding of the criminal justice system and extensive experience supporting vulnerable individuals.
At St Giles Trust, a nationwide charity known for supporting vulnerable people, Oluseun has held various roles, from caseworker to Team Leader. He has worked alongside NHS teams and school mentors to support young people affected by exploitation, mental health issues and serious violence. He has trained professionals in safeguarding, spoken at the Home Office on youth violence, contributed to police training on gang-related crime, and continues to volunteer in his local community.
A recent participant in the ELEVATE CJS leadership programme, Oluseun continues to champion education, justice and positive change. He completed the PET Trustee Development Programme and has now become a full board member.
Paul Kelly, chair of PET, said:
I’m delighted to welcome Jo, Sally and Seun to PET’s board.
At a time when public spending is being squeezed and the Prison Service is under tremendous pressure, access to education remains a cornerstone of rehabilitation. Our three new Trustees bring a wealth of knowledge and experience that will help PET to maintain our focus on delivering for our learners.
I’m particularly pleased that Seun is the second person from our Trustee Development Programme to join our board.
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