Adam is joined by Jess Camburn-Rahmani, Chief Executive of Cerebra, a UK charity supporting children and families living with brain conditions.

Jess takes us on a fascinating career journey: from a VSO placement with an indigenous communities NGO in Uganda, to community development in Swansea, to building Elrha, a humanitarian research and innovation organisation, from a single £250k project grant into a 40-staff organisation with over £40 million of lifetime funding, before making a significant move into the disability sector.

This is a conversation full of hard-won wisdom about what it really means to lead without being the expert, how to build an organisation that isn't dependent on its founder, and why the relationship between a CEO and their board is one of the most undervalued assets in the charity sector.

Together, Adam and Jess explore:

• How a VSO placement in Uganda shaped a career built on humility and listening
• Building Elrha from a single grant into a global humanitarian research and innovation organisation
• Leading through personal loss and knowing when it's time to move on
• The 18-month wobble many working parents experience, and why a brilliant board chair can make all the difference
• Why calling your charity "a family" might be doing your team a disservice
• The dangers of founder syndrome and how to leave an organisation at the right time
• What drew Jess to Cerebra and the growth journey she is leading there now
• Why every CEO has imposter syndrome, and why that is actually a good thing
• The leadership mantra she has carried throughout her career: give credit when things go well, take accountability when they don't

About Cerebra Cerebra supports children and families across the UK living with brain conditions, from neurodivergent conditions through to rare diseases and birth injuries. All services are free of charge. Find out more at cerebra.org.uk and listen to their podcast, The Calm and the Complicated, on all major podcast platforms.