WHO WE ARE
Members, Directors, Colleagues, Board of Reference
Our members are a diverse group of facilitators, managers, coaches, trainers, consultants, HR professionals, learning and development consultants and charity and community representatives.
The founders of AoF are Brian Watts and Bella Mehta who work with trusted partners on the educational and psychological philosophies underpinning AoF as well as the design and delivery of courses, ongoing development, accreditation and resources. They are advised and supported by board members (Professor Paul Barber, Dr Mike Field, Dr David Best, Robin Shohet).
Our Community Manager, Emily Barrett, takes the lead on communication with new and established members, and our General Manager, Ashleigh Hall, leads operations and administrations.
The Association of Facilitators Management and Governance Team represents a wide range of personal profiles, professional interests, strengths, skills, backgrounds, life circumstances, and outward appearances but shares a commitment to developing individuals as facilitators, including ourselves, and facilitation as a profession.
My early background is in the Police Service where I specialised in learning and development, teacher training, and the assessment of staff in their attainment of Higher Education qualifications. There I discovered my vocation as a facilitator and began exploring the world of group facilitation and its interface with leadership and performance.
I have a mixed educational background which includes music, biochemistry (to graduate level), information technology (to masters level) project management, systems theory, constellations, personality types, counselling, writing & editing, leadership, change management, gestalt and group facilitation (to post-graduate level). I am currently studying the psychology of climate change.
Paul Barber (PhD, MSc, BA, EAGT, RNT, RNMS, RMN, SRN, Fellow Roffey Park, Hon Dip Integrative Psychotherapy).
Dr David Best has operated at the most senior levels of commerce for over 20 years providing strategic and IT advice in complex, international organisations. He was a Senior Partner at Deloitte Consulting during the 90s where, as a member of the International Training Committee, he was responsible for training in the UK Consulting practice. He is trained as a Gestalt practitioner and has considerable experience in applying principles of personal development and group dynamics from Gestalt, Integrative Psychotherapy, and Transactional Analysis within leadership teams. He currently coaches private and public sector organisations and Chairs several voluntary bodies, as well as maintaining his private practice in Gestalt.
Robin Shohet has been teaching supervision through the Centre for Supervision and Team Development (www.cstdlondon.co.uk) for 40 years. He has been at the heart of the supervision profession as it has spread from the counselling, psychotherapy, and social work professions into medicine, education, and business environments. He is the author and co-author of a number of books, including the seminal work ‘Supervision in the Helping Professions’ now in its fourth edition. His two latest books are In Love with Supervision with Joan Shohet (2020) and Supervision as Spiritual Practice due out December 2024.
Ashleigh has a number of years of experience as an Office Manager and administration professional. Ashleigh is well-versed in a multitude of programmes and platforms and uses them to ensure all administrations functions work as smoothly as possible.
My career has centered around fostering positive relationships, connecting people, and creating impactful collaborations. With a background in higher education, I specialise in bridging the gap between academia and industry, bringing together communities, organisations, and businesses to exchange ideas and develop innovative projects.
I have been working as an independent facilitator and trainer for over 20 years, and during that time have worked with small and large organisations in the private, public and third sectors. I have worked with people at all levels of organisations, from boards and top teams, to people on the front line, to service users and communities.
Dr Leslie Groves Williams is a seasoned facilitator and expert in organisational learning and change, with nearly 30 years of global experience. She has led over 150 assignments across 34 countries, working with UN agencies, NGOs, donors, and academic institutions. Leslie specialises in inclusive, participatory processes that help organisations navigate complexity, engage in courageous conversations, and drive meaningful, lasting change. With a PhD in Social Anthropology and four years of psychotherapy training, she brings a unique blend of intellectual depth, emotional intelligence, and a grounded, humanistic approach to every engagement.Governance
The Association of Facilitators is structured, operated, directed, and governed in such a way as to assure a high quality of service to Members.
The Directors are responsible for the Association’s strategic direction and all operations and services provided to members. They receive support and joint supervision from the Board of Reference and others as appropriate.
To date, four Board Members have been invited to join us as a direct result of their outstanding experience, credibility, and reputation in organisational development, complex systems dynamics, facilitation, and supervision. We are proud to say that they are engaged in and fully supportive of our vision, values, and aims and stand by our provision of support, development, training, and accreditation to the Association’s Members.
The Association of Facilitators Board Members oversee our governance, challenge and support us.
Members of our Board of Reference occasionally offer supervision or course modules to AoF members that reflect their specialist areas, particularly on the longer Certificate or Diploma programmes.