Mentorship Matters Event | What's On | The University of Aberdeen

Mentorship Matters Event

Event Host

Tracey Slaven

Tracey became University Secretary and Chief Operating Officer on 4 January 2021. The University Secretary is responsible for ensuring the quality of information presented to Court and for safeguarding the standards of good governance expected of universities. As Chief Operating Officer, Tracey is responsible for providing direct line management of the Professional Services directorates and their performance in support of Aberdeen 2040.

Tracey was previously Deputy Secretary Strategic Planning at the University of Edinburgh from 2013. During her time at Edinburgh, Tracey was responsible for a broad portfolio including Court Services, Strategic & Business Planning, Student Recruitment & Admissions, Widening Participation and Data Protection & Freedom of Information - as well as co-ordination of the submission to REF2014 and REF2021. In taking forward her roles, Tracey also draws on significant experience of Higher Education policy and strategic change leadership with roles in the Civil Service, Government agencies and in the private sector.

In 2018, Tracey became an independent Trustee on the HESA Board, ensuring insight into issues and challenges facing the Scottish Higher Education sector.

Mentors

Martina Chukwuma-Ezike

Martina Chukwuma-Ezike is the Rector at University of Aberdeen and is also Chief Executive of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation , Scotland's only dedicated asthma charity, which she founded in 2009. Martina Co-developed the Grampian Respiratory Improvement Project for NHSG and is a sitting member of the Grampian Respiratory Improvement Group; She is a member of the Cross-Party Group on Lung Health at the Scottish Parliament and member of the Association of Chief Officers of Scottish Voluntary Organisations, mentoring and supporting newly appointed Chief Executive Officers. Martina is an ardent supporter of women in business and an active mentor of business owners across the UK.

Martina has a range of skills and experience occupying several management positions within the oil and gas sector and from her time leading a charity with national reach. Martina has won several awards for community service and was recognised alongside nineteen other women for making a significant contribution to the Northeast of Scotland by the Lord Provost of Aberdeen. Martina is a graduate of the University of Aberdeen, having completed her MBA in 2009.

Gillian Fowler

Gillian has worked within Marketing and Communications for over 20 years, first beginning as a newspaper senior sub editor before making the decision to move into the corporate world, predominantly within the oil and gas industry. Education and professional development has remained centre to Gillian's successful career, whereby she first graduated with a degree in Publishing Studies before some years later, a MSc in Marketing and is now midway through her PhD. Further to this, Gillian is a Chartered Marketer and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, has won awards in industry for her work, and is a strong believer in bridging the gap between industry and academia.

In addition to her corporate career and academia commitments, Gillian has ran her own marketing agency, adventure business, launched spinal charity BackStrong (which continues as a community group) as also continues to help clients through her mindset coaching business, Usana Mindset. She has received various accolades for her work, and has a deep passion for helping others move beyond perceived boundaries and live life fully.

As Gillian commented, “only you can decide which path you walk; open your mind to new possibilities. Live life fully. Be true to yourself”

Julia Leng

After graduating from the University of Aberdeen in 2019, Julia went on to work in the Careers and Employability Service, first as a Graduate Trainee and now as a Careers Adviser. In her current role she supports students as they move from university to the world of work or look to enhance their employability during their studies.

She is passionate about making the most of every opportunity and learning through experience. This drive pushed her to join the Officer Training Corps and become a bp Student Tutor whilst at university. More recently she attended COP26 as an official observer and has signed up to lunch-time Tai Chi classes.

Dr Madhuri Thakur

Madhuri has a Bachelor degree in Medicine, MSc in Psychology and a postgraduate diploma in CBT and groupwork. I am a registered practitioner with BACP and BABCP.

For Madhuri, mental health is not only her job or career, it is her passion. Madhuri believes in empowering people to bring the desired changes in their lives. She has worked in the NHS for a number of years. She has years of experience of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as well as person centred counselling. She works in the University of Aberdeen as a Specialist Mentor - Mental Health.

She has also developed her own practice. Madhuri is also associated with mental health organisations such as ACIS and Momentum where she worked with people with various mental health issues or people suffering from brain injury.