About us
Through our mission, vision and values, our people drive this business.
“Chart the uncharted…” is about leaders move through uncertain times with empathy and courage to unearth opportunities that lie in wait.
“…make a difference” is all about the difference-making people on the journey, the diversity of skills and stories, while having a shared common vision supported by our values – to help clients make a positive difference.
Leah Brown FRSA
Founder and CEO
Leah Brown FRSA started her legal career working for food industry tycoon, “The Chicken King”. After being called to the Bar, working for a commercial hotel chain, and training at Freshfields, she specialised in mergers and acquisitions at Simpson Thacher in London, being seconded to Melrose Industries and Triton Partners. She moved in-house to a boutique hedge fund where she supported the partnership in a management buy-out, ejection of the CEO from the FCA register, the first litigation on stop-losses, and disputes within the partnership.
At a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund, Leah led on an investigation into embezzlement and fraud. In 2021, she delivered a strategic exit as General Counsel and Company Secretary to the entrepreneur who referred to his entire workforce as “dumb dolphins” in Forbes and later fired 900 employees on Zoom.
She was headhunted for a blockchain-based fractional art start-up whose executive who fired his entire team the day before their equity vested. After supporting a crypto technologist in exiting his CEO from the business, Leah became an accredited mediator.
Since founding The WayFinders Group, Leah has delivered successful complex Board mediations, advised organisations on cultural misalignment, ill-fitting strategy, mission and scope creep, and supported a number of high-profile executives with strategic and operational challenges. She is passionate about creating lightbulb moments where people believe they can achieve things that previously felt impossible, and excels at holding space for egos and conflict. A pioneer at heart and wired for relationship, Leah is unafraid to step with you into the unknown.
What do clients say about Leah?
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“Leah possesses an extraordinary range of skill-sets that reflect a unique balance of emotional and intellectual intelligence that delivers world class professionalism and problem-solving for any organisation, institution or entity."
Board Of Directors
Krisztina Mair
Kristi is a philosophical theological educator, author, and speaker, with a focus on truth and trust.
She has worked with people from around the globe finding ways forward in difficult environments. She has a passion for excellent leadership, good governance and the formation of communities of shalom, which is why WayFinders resonates with her strongly.
She has managed multiple stakeholders interests and has worked with people from around the globe to find ways forward in difficult environments.
Shelley Ruck
Shelley has over 15 years experience working in the charity sector in numerous and varied roles. She has spent all her career working globally and cross-culturally from Asia to Africa to Europe and Latin America. Her passion for justice and fairness drives all her work and decision-making, yet at the heart of all organisational success lies people. From her experience, she passionately believes that an organisation is only as good as its people and success depends on good relationships.
Shelley brings a wealth of experience in change management, having successfully delivered a number of global digital system transformation projects, as well as having spent time coaching individuals and advising on organisational change and restructuring. She is often found advising and consulting on strategy, governance and compliance, including safeguarding. She spent part of her early career supporting banking and legal sectors in compliance.
Shelley is determined, proactive, pragmatic and wants to see people and organisations thrive. She brings a unique perspective that combines strategy, operations but remains deeply people-focused. Her varied career and diverse background has taught her to listen carefully to both what is said and unsaid, making her a keen observer and problem solver.
Outside of work Shelley can be found running, cooking for friends, enjoying good red wine and serving at church.
Leah Brown FRSA
Alongside her role as a social entrepreneur and a recovering corporate M&A lawyer, Leah brings a wealth of experience as a professional speaker, podcast host, mediator, non-fiction writer.
Leah was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 2011, and qualified as a solicitor at Freshfields LLP in 2015. After working in public and private M&A at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Leah had a successful career as an in-house lawyer culminating in the delivery of a successful exit in 2021.
In addition to running the business, Leah hosts The WayFinders Group’s weekly leadership podcast called The Longest Day, and is a regular political commentator on Mid-Atlantic Podcast
She is scheduled to deliver a TEDx talk in November 2024. Her debut novel, Breach, and debut memoir, Citizen of Nowhere are awaiting publication. She is also an accomplished musician.
She sits on the faculty of the Society of Mediators, is on the board of Unseen UK, is a trustee of Big Green Heart CIO, and is a board advisor to Kent Cricket.
She is based in Broadstairs with her micro dog, Saphy.
Krisztina Mair
Kristi is a philosophical theological educator, author, and speaker, with a focus on truth and trust.
She has worked with people from around the globe finding ways forward in difficult environments. She has a passion for excellent leadership, good governance and the formation of communities of shalom, which is why WayFinders resonates with her strongly.
She has managed multiple stakeholders interests and has worked with people from around the globe to find ways forward in difficult environments.
Shelly Ruck
Shelley has over 15 years experience working in the charity sector in numerous and varied roles. She has spent all her career working globally and cross-culturally from Asia to Africa to Europe and Latin America. Her passion for justice and fairness drives all her work and decision-making, yet at the heart of all organisational success lies people. From her experience, she passionately believes that an organisation is only as good as its people and success depends on good relationships.
Shelley brings a wealth of experience in change management, having successfully delivered a number of global digital system transformation projects, as well as having spent time coaching individuals and advising on organisational change and restructuring. She is often found advising and consulting on strategy, governance and compliance, including safeguarding. She spent part of her early career supporting banking and legal sectors in compliance.
Shelley is determined, proactive, pragmatic and wants to see people and organisations thrive. She brings a unique perspective that combines strategy, operations but remains deeply people-focused. Her varied career and diverse background has taught her to listen carefully to both what is said and unsaid, making her a keen observer and problem solver.
Outside of work Shelley can be found running, cooking for friends, enjoying good red wine and serving at church.
Leah Brown
Alongside her role as a social entrepreneur and a recovering corporate M&A lawyer, Leah brings a wealth of experience as a professional speaker, podcast host, mediator, non-fiction writer.
Leah was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 2011, and qualified as a solicitor at Freshfields LLP in 2015. After working in public and private M&A at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Leah had a successful career as an in-house lawyer culminating in the delivery of a successful exit in 2021.
In addition to running the business, Leah hosts The WayFinders Group’s weekly leadership podcast called The Longest Day, and is a regular political commentator on Mid-Atlantic Podcast
She is scheduled to deliver a TEDx talk in November 2024. Her debut novel, Breach, and debut memoir, Citizen of Nowhere are awaiting publication. She is also an accomplished musician.
She sits on the faculty of the Society of Mediators, is on the board of Unseen UK, is a trustee of Big Green Heart CIO, and is a board advisor to Kent Cricket.
She is based in Broadstairs with her micro dog, Saphy.
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Advisory Board
- Other advisors include:
She earned her BA from UC Santa Cruz and PhD from Harvard University. Lerita completed the Spiritual Guidance Program at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation and promotes contemplative spirituality, the living wisdom of Howard Thurman, and uncovering the peace and joy in one’s heart on her website, leritacolemanbrown.com and other social media platforms.
She appears in the documentaries, Back Against the Wall: The Howard Thurman Story, and The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song. Her book, When the Heart Speaks, Listen—Discovering Inner Wisdom was published in 2019. Lerita’s latest book, released in 2023 is What Makes You Come Alive: A Spiritual Walk with Howard Thurman.
Lerita is a most grateful heart (29 years) and kidney (19 years) transplant recipient and survivor of several other medical ordeals.
She lives in Stone Mountain, Georgia.
Rachel has just finished as Head of Student Ministries at the Christian Medical Fellowship. For almost seven years, she headed up a team of 4 staff and 100+ volunteers, shaping and delivering the vision to unite and equip Christian medical, nursing and midwifery students from across the UK and Ireland to live and speak for Jesus in their studies, chosen profession and beyond. Thousands of students have been impacted by her work with CMF as she built authentic communities, discipled young people and developed the healthcare leaders of tomorrow.
Previously, Rachel worked as a clinical fellow (expertise portfolio) for Integritas Healthcare CIC, an international NGO that focuses on detainee healthcare. This role involved undertaking clinical telemedicine into prisons in the South Pacific, working alongside patients, consulates and prisons to support and advocate for the healthcare needs of foreign nationals detained abroad and supporting expert witness work within the global and UK secure environment system.
Rachel also sits on advisory and governance boards for several UK faith-based charities. She supports them in a variety of different ways, from enacting their vision,promoting fiscal responsibility and accurate financial reporting and complying with UK charity law.
The key theme among all of Rachel’s portfolio roles past and present is her passion for people. Her patience, compassion, kindness, eye for detail and analytical skills all stand her in good stead as she works to help both organisations and people to thrive and flourish in all aspects of their life.
He joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 1986; his formative years included policing public order events such as the poll tax riots and criminal justice disorders. Later, Shaun’s career focused more into areas of fighting Serious and Organised Crime, Counter-Terrorism and combatting Police Corruption. High profile events within which he played a significant role included the Ladbroke Grove Rail Disaster, Hatfield Train Crash, UK response to the Tsunami, and high profile homicides. He was the lead commander for combatting gang violence within London.
Since 2013 he has been the National Police Chief Lead for preventing Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. This included working with Government, third parties and the Independent Anti Slavery Commissioner over the last decade. This crime type is one of the most abhorrent and knows no boundaries in exploiting humanity across the globe. Working with academia, particularly the University of Exeter, has provided the greatest insights, supported by victims and the third sector to identify the routes into slavery and consequently some of the most effective means to prevent it.
As Chief Constable Shaun says working for the communities of Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, supported by incredible colleagues and tireless partners has been a true honour.
She sits on a number of charity boards. In these volunteer roles she seeks to advise organisations in the development of comprehensive marketing and branding strategies that break down barriers to customer connection and unlock income opportunities. She continues to publish and her most recent output is a chapter on what it is to be a human person in the context of consumer wellbeing for an edited collection entitled ‘Fostering consumer wellbeing’ published by Springer, June 2024.
Sue has extensive experience of strategic marketing consultancy as well as expert advisory experience in curriculum development and doctoral examinations at a number of UK and European universities. She gained a qualification and experience in coaching at the University of Hertfordshire and she is also a qualified Ignatian spiritual guide. She is now available for one to one personal development and accompanying.
As a non-executive board member and trustee she focuses on encouraging and evaluating delivery of innovative user-focused solutions and services.
To do this she combines her extensive experience and skills to instil confidence and capability with a coaching style.