South Yorkshire Charity Welcomes STEM Powerhouse to Board of Trustees 

South Yorkshire Charity Welcomes STEM Powerhouse to Board of Trustees 

The local women’s charity, YWCA Yorkshire, is pleased to announce the appointment of Cassandra Brown to its Board of Trustees. 

With nearly 40 years of experience in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), Cassandra is a dedicated advocate for women and girls achieving in science and engineering professions and actively participates in STEM and WISE outreach programmes. Other charitable projects include using technology to address hearing loss in vulnerable groups, particularly in Malawi where she works with the Yorkshire led initiative, ‘ENT Malawi’. Throughout her career, she has worked in the UK, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. 

Born in Glasgow, Cassandra travelled widely as a child, before moving to South Yorkshire and completing her undergraduate BSc in Astronomy and Chemistry at the University of Sheffield in 1985. Her lifelong learning journey has included further studies in Galactic Astronomy and Modern Cosmology at Liverpool John Moores University and diverse fields such as space physics, particle physics, computer programming, data analysis, marketing, communication, and the transfer of technology for the advancement of human health in pharmaceuticals and medical devices. 

For the past 25 years, Cassandra has been at MED-EL, a global hearing implant company dedicated to supporting people in overcoming hearing loss through innovative hearing implants and other med-tech solutions. 

Commenting on her appointment as a YWCA Yorkshire Charity Trustee, Cassandra said: "I've spent my career channelling the resilience I developed as a child and my STEM background to grow successful businesses that make a meaningful impact with life-changing technology. I am passionate about empowering and inspiring other women and girls to access education, build confidence, and develop skills so that they can live life to their full potential. When I got the opportunity to join the Charity Trustee Board with YWCA Yorkshire, I jumped at the chance. YWCA Yorkshire supports upwards of 250 people seeking safety and services because of domestic violence, abuse, homelessness and poverty.  Their compassion and expertise is awe-inspiring and it’s a privilege for me to work with them in their mission to create a better future for women, children and families here in South Yorkshire.” 

YWCA Yorkshire’s six-strong Charity Board is Chaired by David Forrester, Head of Centre of Excellence for Visualisation at Siemens Digital Industries. The Board benefits from the expertise and commitment of leading professionals working in the private and public sectors in roles that span health, tech, community projects and homelessness provision.  

Of the new appointment, David Forrester, Chair of Trustees said: “We are delighted to welcome Cassandra Brown to the Board. We are a local charity with a huge remit to support women, children and families across South Yorkshire, and our communities will benefit greatly from Cassandra's professional experience and networks, as well as her determination to empower and advocate for women and girls.”