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Meet Leah Brown (Board level change consultant, trustee and author).
Leah Brown is a legal eagle turned social entrepreneur. Blend the precision of a corporate lawyer, the diplomacy of a mediator, and the vision of a social changemaker and you get Leah, a North Yorkshire native with a heart as vast as her résumé. From law courts to boardrooms, and from bustling cityscapes, she has mastered the art of turning chaos into harmony and hurdles into stepping stones.
Mark and Leah discussed Leah's role in the network, her experiences in mediation and created a wonderful trip away to Barbados in her fantasy cultural year. They finished off with the fast-paced This or That game.
With a love for deep thinking and big questions, Leah pursued philosophy and politics at Durham University, graduating in 2008.
She set her sights on law, completing her Bar Vocational Course in 2011 and dreaming of the courtroom. Unfortunately, immigration rules threw a spanner in the works, but Leah, ever adaptable, pivoted to become a solicitor.
She trained with top law firms, including Freshfields and Simpson Thacher, where she honed her skills preparing her to battle the unexpected twists of life and career.
The Wayfinding Years: From Law to Leadership
By 2017, personal and professional storms were brewing, but rather than sink, Leah found her knack for steering others through uncharted waters. Burnout during the pandemic spurred her most transformative pivot yet: she left the corporate grind, relocated to the Kent coast, and founded The WayFinders Group, a consultancy dedicated to guiding leaders and organisations through the messy business of change.
Under the WayFinders umbrella, Leah also runs BroadStairs, a mediation service, and ClearPaths, a CIC that promotes restorative justice and conflict resolution. Together, these ventures are helping to reimagine workplaces, communities, and the very fabric of how we disagree.
A Voice for Change: Writing, Podcasting, and Storytelling
Leah’s love of storytelling shines in her podcast, The Longest Day, where she interviews leaders about their most challenging moments. Guests like Sir Vince Cable, David Lammy MP, and Lord Ed Vaizey have shared their stories, inspiring listeners to embrace growth through adversity.
As a writer, Leah’s work explores themes of diversity, mental health, and resilience. Her forthcoming memoir, My Nearest Relative is Grief, promises to be as soul-stirring as it is thought-provoking.
Leadership Beyond the Boardroom
A passionate advocate for social impact, Leah serves on the boards of charities like Unseen UK and Big Green Heart. She advises organisations such as The Race Equality Commission and Kent Cricket, blending her legal expertise with her commitment to equity and inclusion.
Her affiliations read like a who’s who of cultural and professional networks: Fellow of the RSA, member of the Society of Authors, and a delegate for CSW UN Women UK. Leah’s ability to bridge divides between law and culture, corporate and community, conflict and resolution makes her a true polymath for the modern age.
Leah Brown isn’t just about fixing what’s broken; she’s about building a brighter, more reconciled world. Whether mediating boardroom disputes, mentoring future leaders, or writing her next article, she’s on a mission to make freedom personal, professional, and organisational, and a tangible reality.
For Leah, life’s greatest challenge isn’t navigating the chaos; it’s daring to believe in a future filled with harmony, equity, and growth. And if anyone can help us find the way, it’s her.
Interview summary
Mark Walmsley, founder of the Arts and Culture Network, interviews Leah Brown, a social entrepreneur and network full member specialising in mediation. The conversation highlights Leah's role as an "ego tamer," with Mark commending her contributions to the network's growth.
In the fantasy cultural year created for Leah, she shares her affection for Fountain Abbey's ruins in Yorkshire, a connection to her upbringing near Ripon and Harrogate. Mark envisions Leah enjoying a serene moment in a cafe overlooking the Abbey at dusk in June.
Mark recounts his discovery of Pomery champagne through a chance train encounter with its UK manager. Inspired by the brand's founder, Louise Pomery, a 19th-century French entrepreneur who pioneered brut champagne and supported female entrepreneurs, Mark notes the company's renewed focus on her legacy.
Mark suggests a fantasy year-long Yorkshire-funded study trip on organisational change, envisioning a book and TV deal. Leah, with her multinational perspective, chooses to base the study in Barbados for its stable weather and regional challenges. They recall a previous conversation about Bridgetown’s Warehouse and explore further plans.
In a playful scenario, Leah chooses romantic classical music, particularly Beethoven, if confined to one genre for a year.
Leah recalls a magical year in Barbados arranged by Mark, including a stay at the Crane Bay Hotel, ballet performances by Margo Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev, Thai cuisine, world championship sports, and a new art gallery in Bridgetown offering VR experiences. Leah chooses to explore the work of Esha in this setting.
Mark and Leah plan a diverse week of entertainment, including a Whitney Houston concert, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the musical South Pacific, and the film The Princess Bride.
For an upcoming lunch, Leah proposes inviting inspiring figures like Mia Motley, Oprah Winfrey, and either the Archbishop of Canterbury or the head of the UN, aiming for conversations rich in diverse stories and experiences.
Leah discusses her broad musical tastes, including worship music, with Mark introducing tracks by Kirk Franklin and David Phelps. They touch on Leah's upcoming lecture tour, book editing, and her fantasy cultural year, which surprises her with its diversity.
In a fun, rapid-fire round, Leah responds to choices such as Mac or PC, tea or coffee, and Beethoven or Mozart. Most responses align with her preferences, although she notes her tendency to tackle tasks immediately rather than procrastinate.
The interview concludes with reflections on the unpredictability of the future and the unchangeability of the past.
You can find Leah on LinkedIn here.
The WayFinders Group website here.
BroadStairs website here.
ClearPaths website here.
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Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM
Chief Culture Vulture
Arts & Culture Network
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Mark Walmsley FRSA AGSM
Chief Culture Vulture
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Such fun interviewing Leah.