The chief executive of a charity with a mission to end the ignorance about M.E. is in the running for one of the UK’s leading awards for directors.
Sonya Chowdhury of Keynsham-based Action for M.E. has been shortlisted in the Public and Third Sector category of the Director of the Year Awards 2023.
Staged by the Institute of Directors (IoD), the awards showcase and celebrate the leadership, achievements and contributions of directors across a wide range of categories.
Hundreds of applications were received and considered by a judging panel made up of 20 directors, senior managers, non-executives, academics and other specialists to produce this year’s finalists.
Sonya, pictured, took over as chief executive of Action for M.E. in 2012. Following her appointment, the charity carried out a full root and branch review of its activities, which led to the publication of a bold and ambitious agenda for change.
This increased transparency and clarity for the charity, contributing to increased collaboration with stakeholders at every level.
Sonya said: “People with M.E. are at the heart of everything we do. Our purpose is to end the ignorance, injustice and neglect experienced by people with M.E.
“We do this by meeting need now while taking action to secure change for the future.
“Everything we do is in service of achieving three goals, which we call our strategic touchstones, to tackle these challenges: improve the lives of people with m.e., inspire action at all levels, and invest in change.”
Prior to joining Action for M.E., Sonya worked in senior management roles for leading children’s charity Barnardo’s where she was head of business support for two days a week and national lead for the family strategic partnership for the remaining three.
She co-pioneered the Innovating Futures programme which used a newly-created business generation model to help advance the practice of voluntary sector leaders.
The Director of the Year Awards this year are the first England-wide awards since 2018 and take place during the IoD’s 120th anniversary.
Winners will be announced at a black-tie ceremony at the IoD’s prestigious headquarters on London’s Pall Mall on 29 September.
The Public and Third Sector category is one of nine that will be contested on the night.
