The BSGM Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Group

Aisha Lysejko: Joint Chair Coopted

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Aisha is Head of Service Delivery and Employer Engagement at The Brokerage, a social mobility charity taking a systems approach to equity and inclusion in  professional careers. She has led strategy and team to deliver impactful programmes for early talent and employer partners. Her current focus is The Brokerage's Changemaker work; innovative programmes that support employers to recruit, support and retain underrepresented talent.

Aisha's professional career has focused on social impact, early careers equality and empowerment; with a particular focus on issues affecting people from marginalised backgrounds. She is a fierce champion of human multigenerational leadership and youth-voice. This stance is reaffirmed by her experiences pursuing a career at the Bar, co-leading the EDI strategy for the UK's innovation foundation, Nesta, and supporting underrepresented talent throughout her career.

Prior to joining The Brokerage, Aisha worked in large and small organisations, to support the scaling of their social impact. She’s led on Operations, Finance, People, Culture and EDI; as well as programmes aimed at empowering underrepresented young people by activating their lived experience as a tool for change.

Kerry Leeson: Joint Chair Coopted

Chief Executive Alström Syndrome UK

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Alström Syndrome UK (ASUK) was established in 1998 and is a registered charity providing information and support to individuals and families affected by Alström Syndrome (AS) and to the service providers working with them. ASUK works in partnership with Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham to deliver a highly specialised service, funded by NHS England. As a patient led organisation, the needs and wishes of people affected by AS remain at the heart of everything we do. We aim to; provide personalised support, raise awareness, conduct pioneering research, and enable better treatments and monitoring through the AS multi-disciplinary clinics. 

ASUK co-founded Breaking Down Barriers in partnership with The Sylvia Adams Charitable Trust.

Breaking Down Barriers is a network of over 70 organisations providing support to people affected by rare and genetic conditions. We work together to learn, develop, and share good practice. Promoting equity, diversity and inclusion is at the centre of what we do. Our Experts by Experience Advisory Group help us to understand the lived experiences of people from diverse, marginalised and under-served communities who are affected by rare and genetic conditions. We create safe spaces for learning and collaboration, deliver training and run a community outreach project. We unite and strive for equitable access to services and support for all.

Kerry has lived experience as her son is diagnosed with AS which is an ultra-rare and complex condition. She is a patient representative on the England Rare Diseases Framework Delivery Group and is co-applicant on various NIHR funded research studies. Kerry has been involved in various UK, EU and global projects focusing on rare diseases, genomics and drug development and is experienced in patient and public involvement and engagement.