The Power of a Woman Awards 2025
WOMEN IN Motivation 2025
Celebrating women of colour and their achievements.
Read through the amazing contributions made by each and every one of our worthy nominees this year. Then, all you need to do is vote for the woman that you think should be the recipient of this year’s award.
You can vote for one nominee per category.
Nicole Riley
Nicole Riley is the Founder & Director of iDEAL STAFF, a staffing agency that specialises in supplying Hospitality & Event staff. She started the business to create employment for young people that find it hard to work in conventional jobs as well as helping them gain soft skills, confidence and people management which will help them throughout life. As time has gone on and the world of flexible working has increased, her staff include not only young people but individuals who require an additional income, something that is becoming increasingly in demand, and flexible hours.
She is also an Employer Engagement Consultant at Birmingham City University. Nicole manages the link between businesses and student talent, connecting students & graduates from BCU to employment opportunities. A role that gives the opportunity to help young people striving to achieve greatness through education and learning, a role Nicole thoroughly enjoys.
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On being a black woman...
shanaze Reade
Shanaze Reade is a former Olympic cyclist and one of the most decorated athletes in BMX and track cycling history. A 9-time BMX world champion and 2-time Guinness World Record holder, she also claimed multiple world titles in track cycling, competing alongside Victoria Pendleton in the team sprint.
Shanaze’s rise to success was anything but ordinary. Raised on a council estate by a single mother, she overcame systemic barriers, ADHD, dyslexia, and challenges as a mixed-race gay woman to become a global sporting icon.
After retiring, Shanaze faced her greatest challenge yet: battling alcoholism. Reaching rock bottom, she embarked on a journey of recovery that transformed her perspective on life. Now 7 years sober, she uses her experiences to inspire others, focusing on mental health, addiction recovery, and mindset transformation.
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On being a black woman...
“Being a Black woman means embodying strength, resilience, and pride while breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes, and paving the way for others to rise.”
Diahanne Rhiney
Dr Diahanne Rhiney BCAe is an award-winning Social Change Advocate, Activist, qualified Psychologist and founder of Naked Truth Social Change Agency, the first in the UK by spearheading ambitious campaigns, including the most successful #CanYouHearUsNow Campaign giving domestic abuse a ‘face’ of solidarity and gaining a million responses within an hour of airing. Creating marketing and communication strategies to raise awareness of the social, psychological, and political issues that mostly affect marginalised groups.
She is also the founder of Strength With In Me Foundation Charity (S.W.I.M) facilitating educational campaigns and workshops to address domestic abuse and raise awareness by equipping young people with an emotional toolkit. She successfully masterminded and formed an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), lobbying for healthy relationships to form part of the compulsory teaching in UK schools.
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On being a black woman...
Aliyah Fadeela Ali
Aliyah Fadeela Ali is a trauma-informed leader, consultant, researcher, filmmaker, and founder of The Daddyless Daughters Project CIC. With over a decade of personal and professional experience, Aliyah supports girls and young women affected by family breakdown, abuse, and adversity. Her nonprofit has directly impacted over 250 girls and young women and trained over 2,000 professionals across the UK.
Aliyah specializes in working with girls with complex needs and behaviors who are at high risk of grooming and exploitation. She designs and delivers trauma-informed training and mentoring programs to reshape services, improve practice, and maximize social impact.
As a filmmaker, Aliyah’s most recent work shines a spotlight on the unmet needs of girls and young women navigating the criminal justice system. Her recent contribution to HOLLOWAY earned the Audience Best Documentary Award at the BFI Film Festival, underscoring her commitment to amplifying marginalized voices through storytelling.
On being a black woman...
Johanne Penney
Johanne Penney is the Founder & CEO of Amp Up Your Voice, an inclusion consultancy focused on helping organisations diversify authentically and become advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). With a specialisation in working with C-Suite leaders, Johanne develops long-term DEI strategies and delivers high-impact, educational workshops that drive inclusion and belonging. Her extensive experience spans over 150 organisations across sectors such as music, beauty, legal, construction, education, the NHS, energy, and more.
A recognised thought leader and public speaker, Johanne has delivered more than 50 talks, including six keynote speeches, on topics including cultural humility, psychological safety, self-advocacy, and leadership development. She is the author of “The Roadmap to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,” a practical guide designed to help businesses take meaningful action, available via her website, Amp Up Your Voice. Her work has been featured in Violet Simon’s Disruptors Magazine, and she has appeared on podcasts such as 1000VoicesUK and Black Create Connect.
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On being a black woman...
Narran McLean
I think the journey of what it means to be a black woman has everything to do with the mighty black women who paved the way for me to feel uncomfortable with remaining in the comforting victim position I had allowed myself to fall into.
Thanks to God, I have had the privilege to perform at a high level within the performing arts industry, performing roles such as Nala in London West End Musical, ‘The Lion King’, ‘Daddy Cool’ Bony M Musical, performing three principal roles, acting in several movies, signed to major record labels, and so on. I will be running my Performing Arts Master Class Workshops in 2025, and I will use these workshops to encourage, uplift and empower the next generation of young black girls and boys and young people in general.
On being a black woman...
Paula Perry
Paula Perry is a visionary Educator, Cycle Breaking Strategist, and founder of You4Us, an organisation dedicated to empowering women to take charge of their finances and lifestyles. Through her transformative programs, Paula equips women the primary educators in families. with financial literacy tools to inspire thriving, not just surviving. She is a trailblazer in helping individuals break negative generational cycles, creating a foundation for transformation and prosperity for future generations.
Drawing from her personal journey, Paula passionately advocates for a growth mindset, proving that anyone can achieve their goals with the right strategies and determination. Her engaging workshops and seminars have impacted thousands, tackling issues such as confidence, self-belief, and financial health.
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On being a black woman...
Tomi Tieyo
On being a black woman...
“Being a black woman to me means strength, wisdom and beauty”
Joyce Fraser OBE
Joyce Fraser OBE is a distinguished British cultural advocate, academic, educator, and the founder of the Black Heroes Foundation, honouring the legacy of her late husband, Flip Fraser, the pioneering journalist, and creator of Black Heroes in the Hall of Fame.
Born in the UK to Jamaican parents, Joyce’s career spans education, leadership development, and social impact. Holding senior roles at Air Jamaica, the Australian High Commission, and City & Guilds. Lecturing at The Open University Business School and founding one of the UK’s first Microsoft-authorized training companies.
A passionate champion of Black history and culture, Joyce dedicates her later career to preserving and promoting the achievements of Black individuals. Celebrating Black history and culture, producing plays such as The Story of Claudia Jones and The Story of Flip Fraser, performed in tribute to her late husband at The Shaw Theatre, Euston, London.
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On being a black woman...
Donna-Marie Patten
Donna-Marie Patten is a highly successful Programme Director with 22+ years of strategic and operational leadership experience in Financial Services. Known for her tenacity, outcomes focus and holistic approach, she excels in delivering large-scale global managed services transformations and change management across €MM infrastructure and application portfolios.
A certified Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Master Practitioner and Trainer, Donna-Marie leverages her expertise to coach and mentor people to build high performing individuals and teams. She is a role model with her positive approach to change, having mentored women through the Aspire Foundation and served as a STEM Ambassador for young girls. Her dedication to diversity and empowerment earned her recognition as a 2022 Leader Award Finalist at the FDM Every Woman in Technology Awards and a 2024 Finalist for Diversity Champion at the Black Technology Achievement Awards.
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On being a black woman...
Christine Giscombe
Christine Giscombe, is a motivational speaker, a certified Emotional Intelligence Relationship Coach and a multi-award winning mentor.
With over 15 years mentoring experience, Christine has helped many people of all ages transition from a negative place to a positive place, enabling them to face their challenges, address their fears and embrace and celebrate who they are! She is the founder of Born to Excel® which delivers mentoring and coaching for females worldwide.
Christine has created a programme called ‘Mother & Daughter Conversations®’. This programme seeks to examine the intergenerational relationship that exists between Mothers & Daughters and how this particular relationship influences, impacts or affects the way we show up in the world. Christine uses the ‘trauma-informed’ and ‘the person-centred’ approach coupled with emotional intelligence tools in reconnecting disconnected mothers and daughters.
Mother & Daughter Conversations® under the umbrella of Born to Excel® delivers seminars, workshops, courses and events bringing healing & restoration to fractured mother & daughter relationships using the powerful use of words, and conversations. This platform provides a safe place to share and gives language and a voice to experiences that cannot be easily articulated!
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On being a black woman...
Hayat Ekeleme
On being a black woman...
“Being a black woman means illuminating the path so that young black girls can see a way out too.
As a black woman, our greatest super power lies not in illuminating our own brilliance but to bring out the same in others so they can shine too.”
Don't miss The Exciting Awards Ceremony & After-Party
9th March 2025, London
You’ve voted for your favourite nominee, now show your support and secure your place at this gala Awards night, celebrating women of colour and their achievements.
THE POWER OF A WOMAN AWARDS 2025
Sunday 9th March
De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London WC2B 5DA
THE POWER OF A WOMAN AWARDS
Sunday 9th March 2025
De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London WC2B 5DA
