Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Referees
Timeline
Generic
Isobel Mckenna

Isobel Mckenna

London

Summary

Director with 14 years experience in frontline homeless services in London, 10 of which have been at management or director level. Leads with compassion and transparency, facilitating communication both internally and externally and driving continuous improvement in service delivery. Expertise in trauma-informed care, psychologically informed environments and working in a constantly changing funding environment. Experience providing operational oversight, coaching, mentoring and training to a range of teams and developing innovative interventions to reduce instances of rough sleeping and the impact it has on individuals.


Overview

26
26
years of professional experience
11
11
years of post-secondary education

Work history

Area Director

Thames Reach
London
06.2022 - Current

Overseeing 27 distinct teams with a combined budget of £16 million pounds, delivering accommodation, street outreach and health interventions to vulnerable adults across London, Surrey and Sussex, liaising with Central Services including finance, people, property, fundraising and communications in order to ensure the smooth running and operational viability of all teams as well as developing new business.

Area Manager

Thames Reach
London
06.2020 - 06.2022

Operational oversight of 8 hostels and assessment centres.

Pathway Manager - Lambeth Borough

St Mungo's
London
01.2019 - 06.2020

Assessing and arranging all client moves across 450 bedspaces within the Lambeth Vulnerable Adults Pathway, which consisted of numerous hostels and supported housing units.

Lead Manager - Robertson Street Hostel

Thames Reach
London
06.2018 - 01.2019

Managing a 42 bed hostel for people over 40 years old with complex needs.

Lead Manager - Shroton Street Hostel

Thames Reach
London
09.2016 - 06.2018

Managing 30 bedspaces across 3 sites, housing people with histories of homelessness and complex needs.

Senior Practitioner - The Waterloo project

Thames Reach
London
06.2015 - 09.2016

Deputy Manager in a 19 bedspace hostel for people with complex needs which was the first Psychologically Informed Environment Pilot within England with embedded psychologists working alongside management and staff.

Project Worker - The Chrysalis Project

St Mungos
London
05.2014 - 06.2015

Keyworker in a hostel and supported housing project specialising in working with women engaged in street based prostitution.

Lead Worker - Graham House Hostel

Thames Reach
London
12.2011 - 05.2014

Keyworker in a 69 bed hostel in Vauxhall specialising in working with people with recent histories of rough sleeping and challenging behaviour. Held specialisms in domestic violence and data recording as well as leading on trainee development.

Trainee

Thames Reach
London
02.2011 - 11.2011

Intern

European Women's Lobby
Brussels, Belgium
10.2009 - 02.2010

Paid intern contributing to work with the European Policy Action Centre on Violence Against Women.

Intern

Immigrant Council of Ireland
Dublin
01.2009 - 07.2009

Supporting the Anti-Trafficking Coordinator.

Various Admin and Retail positions

Various
Dublin and London
01.2005 - 01.2009

Administrator in Affinity Insurance and McCarrick Woods Engineers. Sales assistant in Lush and Waterstone's.

Sailing instructor

Irish National Sailing School
Dun Laoghaire, Dublin
06.1999 - 08.2005

Completed RYA Dinghy Instructor course and taught sailing to children and adults.

Education

Level 2 and 3 Certificates - Counselling

Morley College
London
09.2014 - 06.2016

MPhil - Women's Studies

Trinity College Dublin
09.2005 - 06.2006

Bachelor of Arts - English and Philosophy

University College Dublin
09.2002 - 06.2005

Leaving Certificate -

Newpark Comprehensive School
09.1996 - 06.2002

Referees

Kristian Draper

Director of Services

Thames Reach

kristian.draper@thamesreach.org.uk

Timeline

Area Director

Thames Reach
06.2022 - Current

Area Manager

Thames Reach
06.2020 - 06.2022

Pathway Manager - Lambeth Borough

St Mungo's
01.2019 - 06.2020

Lead Manager - Robertson Street Hostel

Thames Reach
06.2018 - 01.2019

Lead Manager - Shroton Street Hostel

Thames Reach
09.2016 - 06.2018

Senior Practitioner - The Waterloo project

Thames Reach
06.2015 - 09.2016

Level 2 and 3 Certificates - Counselling

Morley College
09.2014 - 06.2016

Project Worker - The Chrysalis Project

St Mungos
05.2014 - 06.2015

Lead Worker - Graham House Hostel

Thames Reach
12.2011 - 05.2014

Trainee

Thames Reach
02.2011 - 11.2011

Intern

European Women's Lobby
10.2009 - 02.2010

Intern

Immigrant Council of Ireland
01.2009 - 07.2009

MPhil - Women's Studies

Trinity College Dublin
09.2005 - 06.2006

Various Admin and Retail positions

Various
01.2005 - 01.2009

Bachelor of Arts - English and Philosophy

University College Dublin
09.2002 - 06.2005

Sailing instructor

Irish National Sailing School
06.1999 - 08.2005

Leaving Certificate -

Newpark Comprehensive School
09.1996 - 06.2002
Isobel Mckenna