Board Members
meet our leadership team
Molly Forbes (she/her) / executive director & Founder
Molly Forbes is an author, campaigner and journalist. Molly’s first book, Body Happy Kids, was published by Vermilion (an imprint of Penguin Random House) in 2021. As an experienced presenter, journalist and public speaker she has appeared on many outlets including BBC Breakfast, Woman’s Hour, This Morning, Radio 1’s Newsbeat, C4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch and Heart Breakfast speaking about children’s body image, mental health and parenting. In 2019 Molly was one of the hosts of Channel Four’s Naked Beach, a pre-watershed reality documentary series about body confidence. Molly is the founder and Executive Director of Body Happy Org, managing the organisation and also an active member of the workshop facilitator team running sessions in schools with educators and children. Molly also runs our corporate training sessions for brands invested in creating a culture of positive body esteem. Read more about her here.
RACHEL HOBBS (she/her) / Non-exeCUTIVE director
Rachel Hobbs is a trainee teacher and former Communications Consultant with a background in Communications for the charity sector in the areas of health, mental health, young people and prison reform. Prior to working in Communications Rachel was a broadcast journalist for the UK's largest commercial radio company. Rachel sits on the board of Body Happy Org as a Non-Executive Director.
Dr Tosin Ajayi-Sotubo (she/her) / non-execUTIVE director
Dr Tosin Ajayi-Sotubo is a medical doctor specialising in General Practice. She is also the founder of the health education platform Mind Body Doctor. Tosin’s work has been featured in Vogue, Glamour, BBC News, Refinery29, Women’s Health and, most recently, Channel Four’s Embarrassing Bodies. She sits on the board of Body Happy Org as a Non-Executive Director advising on health education, research and advocacy projects.
Sarah Goulden (She/Her) / Non-Executive Director
Sarah Goulden is a project manager who works closely with business founders. Having launched her career in higher education working with companies including Santander, Vodafone, and Deloitte, managing projects that bridged the gap between education and industry, Sarah now works at Form, a growth and leadership consultancy, leading the project management team. Sarah works closely with business founders, senior leadership teams and public sector clients, and spearheaded the launch of one of Liverpool City Region's industry leading business support programmes, which has supported 170+ ambitious businesses to grow sustainably. Sarah is based in Liverpool with her husband and two kids, and sits on the board of Body Happy Org as a Non-Executive Director.
Researchers
We have partnered with the University of Lincoln on a research project to measure the impact of a whole-school approach to body image. meet our researchers on this project.
Dr Kamila Irvine (she/her)
Kamila is a Senior Lecturer in Body Image and Eating Disorders at the School of Psychology, University of Lincoln. Her research interests focus on body image in the context of eating disorders. Kamila is supporting Body Happy Org design research evaluating our CPD workshops.
olivia palmer(she/her)
Olivia is a registered Nutritionist (ANutr) and Trainee Health Psychologist (BPS). Olivia is designing research to measure the impact of Body Happy Org workshops and resources.
Our education team
Meet our workshop facilitators and learning resource creators.
DENISE SANDERSON-ESTCOURT (SHE/HER)
Denise Sanderson-Estcourt is a Coach, HR trainer and creator of the Body Confidence card deck, a resource to boost body image in adults. Denise runs our CPD and Student sessions in South East London.
Amy west (she/her)
Amy West is a body inclusive HAES pre and post natal qualified personal trainer and fitness instructor and part of the FPAWS network. Amy delivers Body Happy CPD and workshops and student sessions in the North East.
Faye Capp (SHE/HER)
Faye Capp is a teacher who worked with us to help create our original Body Happy Kids workshop for teachers. Outside of Body Happy Org, Faye works full time as a teacher specialising in SEND. She now runs twilight Body Happy Org CPD sessions in and around Coventry, as well as virtually.
AMY SNELLING (SHE/HER)
Amy Snelling is a former primary teacher and weight inclusive postnatal fitness specialist. Away from Body Happy Org, Amy has campaigned for a more inclusive fitness industry and runs a non-diet evidence-based fitness business with a focus on postnatal exercise. Amy works with us to expand our archive of learning resources and create evidence-based training material for adults who work with children and young people.
victoria henry(she/her)
Victoria Henry is a primary school teacher and PSHE co-ordinator. She has been working in international schools for ten years and is on a mission to ensure the next generation is empowered by positive body image and self-esteem. Victoria works with us to create PSHE resources for primary school children and to deliver workshops virtually for us, as well as bringing the Body Happy message to the international schools community in the Middle East. Victoria also runs our monthly teacher peer-support group.
Molly bouch (she/her)
Molly Bouch is a primary school teacher based in Sussex who specialises in Art. She has a passion for promoting positive body image and food neutrality, helping children to appreciate and understand their own bodies whilst practising kindness towards themselves. Molly creates teaching resources for primary schools, for the Body Happy Org Teaching Hub
Mo Cahill (she/they)
Mo Cahill is a trained Educational Mental Health Practitioner, experienced facilitator and arts producer. Specialising in supporting the wellbeing of her participants through the arts, she has worked with numerous educators, students and families to support children and teachers with their mental health. Mo delivers our Body Happy workshops across South London.
Frances Healer (she/ her)
Frances Healer is a registered Dietitian (RD), Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor and a weight inclusive Women’s Health Pilates instructor. She is passionate about dismantling diet culture, protecting against eating disorders and supporting neurodivergent affirming dietetic care. She is currently undertaking her dissertation around neurodivergent affirming care within Dietetic practice as part of her MSC in Health Psychology. She lives by the sea in South Wales with her partner, twin daughters and son. Frances delivers our Body Happy workshops in South Wales.
Dr garcia Ashdown-Franks
Garcia Ashdown-Franks is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Brunel University London. Her research interests include physical activity, mental health, body image and stigma. She has worked with children and adults in her research, and has taught university students at Canadian and UK institutions. Garcia delivers Body Happy workshops in and around South East London, and occasional CPD training for PE teachers and sports coaches further afield and virtually.
Dr Molly moffat (she/her)
Molly Moffat is a Doctor who works in general practice and paediatrics. She practices from a weight-inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming perspective, celebrating diversity of body and of minds. Molly delivers Body Happy CPD workshops for health professionals in and around Gloucestershire, as well as virtually for those further afield.
becca holmes (she/her)
Becca Holmes has over 15 years experience working therapeutically with children and young people and is extremely passionate about mental health, breaking diet culture and promoting positive body image. Becca is a qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner and a fitness instructor based in Hull., leading a project facilitating mental health and emotional wellbeing workshops in secondary schools, as well as training and workshops to promote disordered eating awareness. Becca runs Body Happy Org CPD and student workshops in Hull and the East Riding.
Kate Elliott (she/her)
Kate Elliott is a BAMBA registered Mindfulness teacher, and works with children to use mindfulness techniques and strategies to support the children (and their parents) to develop self-awareness, boost self-esteem and build a toolkit to manage the challenges that come their way. Kate works in clinical and educational settings and facilitates workshops for Body Happy Org in Kent.
Emily Wilson (She/Her)
Emily Wilson has ten years experience as a secondary school teacher, and firmly believes that young people deserve to thrive in whatever body they are in. She has two young girls of her own and is passionate about supporting children in appreciating that all bodies are good bodies. Emily delivers Body Happy Org sessions in Scotland.
Claudine Rane (she/her)
Claudine Rane is a body image and mindset coach, working predominantly with women and girls (inclusively) to help them escape and avoid the diet trap, and help them appreciate their bodies and feel happy, healthy, safe and confident in their bodies and themselves, just as they are. She runs mother and daughter empowerment circles and offers one to one coaching. Claudine runs our workshops in Sussex.
Aya Wingate (She / Her)
Aya Wingate is a children’s eating disorders dietitian having worked in NHS eating disorders services for the past eight years. As well as running Body Happy CPD workshops and student sessions in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, Aya also works as a trainer for The Body Project, an eating disorders prevention programme with the National Eating Disorder Association.
Denise wogan (she/her)
Denise Wogan is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor, Professional Life Coach and Registered Nutritional Therapist. Denise delivers Body Happy CPD workshops and student sessions in Ireland, as well as virtually.
Jeanette Thompson-Wessen (SHE/her)
Jeanette Thompson-Wessen is a qualified Intuitive Eating Nutritionist and food tech teacher. Jeanette works with us as a workshop facilitator and consultant teacher, running our CPD training sessions and creating teaching resources around body image. Jeanette delivers in-person CPD training and student workshops for Body Happy Org in Kent, as well as virtual sessions for those further afield.
emily robson (she/her)
Emily Robson is a primary school teacher of ten years with a specialism in KS1. Emily has worked on senior management teams within schools, leading on creating environments that support all children to feel good about who they are. She has also been PE lead for ten years, working to break down barriers to movement and sport and help children find movement they enjoy. Emily delivers in-person CPD and student workshops in Kent and South London, and virtual sessions for those further afield. Emily also helps to create teaching resources for the Body Happy Org Teaching Hub.
Anupa Roper (she/her)
Anupa Roper is a former teacher of 17 years, children's author of bestselling book 'Sparrowlegs' and a mum of two. After struggling with her own body image from a young age, Anupa is passionate about prevention of body image issues in the young. Anupa runs our student workshops and CPD staff training sessions in the East Midlands.
Jess Barratt (she/her)
Jess Barratt is a youth and social impact entrepreneur, consultant and facilitator, having developed and led peer-support programmes in schools for 10 years with her organisation Franklin Scholars. Also a mum of three, Jess has a personal passion for raising Body Happy Kids and helping others to do the same. Jess delivers Body Happy workshops in and around Thanet in Kent.
Sam Kennedy Christian (she/her)
Sam Kennedy Christian is an accredited career and life coach, certified Fair Play Method facilitator, and mum of two. She supports mothers through her coaching practice, The Float Space, having trained as a coach in 2021 with International Coaching Federation (ICF) and accredited Barefoot Coaching. Sam has 15 years of experience leading teams in local, national, and international not-for-profit and public sector organisations including the UK Labour Party, Save the Children, and The Financial Ombudsman Service. Sam is part of our Kent workshop delivery team.
Claire hodgson (SHE/HER)
Claire Hodgson is a Training and Education Facilitator for eating disorders and body image as part of PEDS. A mum of twins, Claire is keen to create an environment for young people to flourish, removing appearance based stigma. Claire delivers Body Happy CPD workshops and student sessions in the East of England, as well as virtually for those further afield.
Charlotte Gill (She/her)
Charlotte Gill has over 12 years’ experience as a Key Stage 2 teacher including being the Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) coordinator across the school in her most recent role. She believes education for young people should be more than just academic success and places equal importance on developing life skills too. As a mum of two, Charlotte is passionate about promoting positive body image to young people as a key part of their wellbeing. Charlotte delivers Body Happy Org sessions in West Yorkshire.
Janine Parry (She/her)
Janine Parry, a former Teaching Assistant from Manchester with 15 years’ experience working in schools. She believes firmly in the "whole child" approach, and her role supported children both academically and emotionally too. In her former roles, Janine has implemented many initiatives to help children explore, understand and unpick their emotions in fun, engaging sessions. Janine runs student workshops in Manchester and the North West.
CARA BOLTON (THEY/THEM)
Cara Bolton has experience working with young people in schools and various childcare settings. They are passionate about helping children combat all the negative influences around body image in order to foster a new generation of body happy people. Cara runs Body Happy Org’s student sessions in London zones 1-6 and some parts of Hertfordshire.
Hollie Jones (she/her)
Hollie Jones is a trainee counselling psychologist on University of South Wales’ doctorate programme, alongside working in GP surgeries in the Stroud District area of Gloucestershire as a Young Persons Link Worker. She has worked in inpatient eating disorder settings previously, as well as various community mental health settings and is very passionate about body image and disordered eating. Hollie has completed her certificate in Practitioner Skills for Eating Disorders and Adolescent Eating Disorders, and she is also a trained facilitator for The Body Project. Hollie delivers Body Happy Org workshops in Gloucestershire.
Donna Lacey (she/her)
Donna is a trained Physician Associate in the NHS who has moved into Education as a clinical lecturer in Pharmacy and PA Studies teaching communication, professional and clinical skills to Under and Postgraduate students. Donna is a Mum of two who is passionate about removing weight and body bias messages in healthcare to improve access to healthcare for people in all bodies, taking a person-centred approach to health. Donna runs our workshops in Berkshire.
MIchelle Thompson (she/her)
Michelle Thompson is a creative practitioner and facilitator. She has been delivering workshops with young people and the adults who support them for 15 years. Michelle has worked in schools and educational settings across the country and has joined us to start delivering Body Happy workshops in the East. Her motto is 'imagine, create and connect' and she is committed to using her work to encourage social change and promote social connection and positive self-esteem.