Meet our Trustees
The Role of a SMEF Trustee
At SMEF, our dedicated trustees are the driving force behind our mission and the effective operation of our charity. They take on the crucial responsibility of providing strategic leadership, meticulously overseeing our finances, and making pivotal decisions that are in alignment with our goals. With their collective expertise, our trustees play an instrumental role in guiding SMEF towards realising our mission and creating a positive impact within the diverse communities we serve.
Our trustees also work diligently to ensure that we meet all legal and regulatory requirements, uphold our cherished values, and consistently act in the best interests of our beneficiaries.
Chair - Neelam Devesher DL
Neelam, a Deputy Lieutenant for Surrey since June 2021, brings senior management experience from the public sector. She chairs Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum and the Surrey Police Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel. Neelam is also the Vice Chair for Community Foundation for Surrey.
She is dedicated to addressing issues faced by minoritised communities, promoting equality, and building community cohesion. Neelam's leadership spans public, private, and community sectors, with expertise in political awareness, change management, policy development, and fundraising.
Neelam has passionately supported SMEF since its very early conception days and has helped to build SMEF into the organisation it is today, with a higher profile in the county delivering much needed projects and empowering minority ethnic voices. She has an in depth understanding of the issues faced by minoritised communities and she has set up numerous projects focusing on improving the quality of life for the most vulnerable people in our communities
Neelam envisions SMEF as an empowered organisation, advocating for minoritised communities, building community cohesion between diverse communities and shaping policies locally and nationally to help address discrimination, racism and promote fairness and inclusion.
Ajibha Judi Linney MBE - Trustee
With over 40 years of experience spanning the NHS, Local Authorities, and voluntary and community groups, Judi has a remarkable background. Her roles as a nurse, midwife, health visitor, and Director of Public Health reflect her dedication to healthcare.
In 2008, Judi was honored with an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her outstanding contributions to healthcare and community relations. Her voluntary work includes founding Twins Trust UK, serving as a hospital Governor, and assisting with ESOL training for refugees.
Of South African Indian origin, Judi values fairness, respect, and equal opportunities. Her vision for SMEF is to empower minoritised communities to reach their full potential and collaborate with partner organisations to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion.
David Munro - Trustee
David Munro, a resident near Farnham, Surrey since 1987, has a rich history of public service. After leaving the British Army, he became an elected local Councillor in 1995, holding various roles at Surrey County Council and Waverley Borough Council.
He served as Chairman of Surrey County Council and was proud to support SMEF as one of his principal charitable interests. As Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner from 2016 to 2021, he championed SMEF through his Community Safety Fund and led efforts in Equalities, Diversity, and Human Rights.
David's commitment extends to various voluntary roles, including governance at Surrey schools, a Treasurer position at a national classical music charity, and trusteeships in Farnham's youth support sector. He's also passionate about promoting cycling and involvement in bell-ringing and the arts.
David envisions SMEF as a strong advocate for all minoritised ethnic groups in Surrey, dedicated to rectifying injustices.
Hayet Shahrezaey - Trustee
Since arriving in the UK in 1990, Hayet has served as a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai’s of Guildford, promoting unity in diversity and community service.
Proficient in French, Persian, and a qualified Arabic interpreter, Hayet has contributed her language skills to police stations, courts, and hospitals. She is also a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Accredited Holistic Therapist, operating a Rapid Empowerment Practice at the Guildford Institute.
As a Trustee of SMEF, Hayet focuses on supporting refugee families and envisions SMEF as a safety net for refugees, aiding their integration and settlement in Surrey. She also conducts weekly 30-minute online devotional/reflection sessions to promote wellbeing and spiritual growth among SMEF members and the wider community.
Professor Aftab Ala - Trustee
With 30 years in the NHS and a PhD from University College London, Professor Aftab Ala is a renowned specialist in gastroenterology and liver diseases. He holds the position of Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Surrey, Guildford, and serves as a Consultant Hepatologist at King’s College Hospital, London. Professor Ala envisions SMEF as a catalyst for addressing healthcare inequalities, enhancing access to healthcare, and improving education opportunities for minority ethnic communities in Surrey.
Sunil Amar - Co-Treasurer
Sunil is an experienced finance professional with senior leadership roles at global banks like UBS and Credit Suisse. His expertise covers corporate finance, wealth management, venture capital, and real estate.
With excellent communication skills, Sunil builds trust and bridges diverse backgrounds. He has led culture change programs and continues to serve corporates and high-net-worth clients.
Committed to improving ethnic minority lives, Sunil excels in charity fundraising. He envisions SMEF as a respected organisation, delivering quality projects and achieving sustainability through diverse funding sources.
Tek Gurung MBE- Trustee
A Camberley resident since 2000, Tek Gurung brings the benefit of his rich and varied military experience, of over 40 years service in the British Army, to the organization; firstly as a regular commissioned officer for 36 years and a further four years with the Territorial Army (now known as the Reservist), with A Company 3 PWRR based in Farnham. Since retiring in 2012, he has devoted much of his time to voluntary work, in particular to help look after the growing number of Gurkha veterans, their wives and widows who have come to call England their home. For over ten years now, he has striven to Educate, Engage and Empower his community in Surrey Heath leading to greater Independence and Integration for the individuals, in the same way facilitated by SMEF for its much wider and diverse membership in Surrey County.
An open, approachable personality with excellent communication and organizational skills, Tek has not found it difficult to gain the trusts of others and to establish a good working relationship at any level. This has stood him in good stead in getting on with all the necessary contacts in the civilian environment in carrying out his voluntary welfare work.
Thomas Dunkley - Co Treasurer
Thomas Dunkley is the Principal Finance Officer at Surrey County Council as well as Treasurer for a wide variety of charities across Surrey. Tom is a CIPFA finalist accountant who specialises in public sector financial accounting, ensuring Statement of Accounts are published to meet Statutory requirements and proper accountability for the public. Tom is originally from South Yorkshire, studied Chemistry at the University of Nottingham and is inspired to work in the public sector due to his family upbringings in public service.
Tom brings skills as Treasurer that will contribute to SMEF vision of developing unity amongst the diverse communities with an active focus on improved wellbeing for all in Surrey. He is enthusiastic about making a real difference in the community through embracing Diversity and effective joint sector working.
Tom’s Vision for SMEF is that SMEF is a charity with an excellent reputation for delivering projects that make a difference with clear impact, evidence and provide value for money and is trusted by funders and communities.
Meeta Joshi - Trustee
A Guildford resident for 29 years, Meeta brings a diverse skill set to SMEF. She holds qualifications in Physics, IT Telecoms Engineering, Media & Developmental Communication, and is an accredited Strengthscope consultant.
With experience spanning private, public, semi-government, and NGO sectors, Meeta has managed multimillion-pound IT/Telecoms projects for blue-chip organisations like Ericsson and Vodafone in the UK. She's also an accomplished TV Producer, Director, and Editor, having worked on national telecasts in India.
Recognised for her community work, Meeta was recently awarded by a community organisation at the Houses of Parliament. Her passion for coaching, empowering women, and supporting human rights is evident through her involvement in UN sessions and interfaith speaking engagements.
As a Trustee, Meeta aims to elevate SMEF's profile and influence future policies, emphasising multicultural diversity and collaboration among faith communities for peaceful coexistence
Tushar Raval - Trustee
Tushar Raval brings over 25 years of experience in Human Resources, having operated at senior levels across both public and commercial sectors. His expertise spans key areas of HR, with a deep understanding of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, particularly in relation to the people factors that influence employee engagement and the integration of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) strategies.
Tushar is also well-versed in corporate governance and currently provides HR consultancy and executive coaching to a diverse portfolio of clients, helping organizations optimize their people strategies and leadership practices.
In his spare time, Tushar enjoys playing golf—where he claims he's perfected the art of searching for his ball in the rough—and hiking, proving he’s equally comfortable navigating both boardrooms and bunkers.
