Team

Essia, a young leader of Tunisian-Palestinian heritage, is studying International Relations and Arabic at SOAS, University of London. Her passion for global affairs and supporting displaced communities stems from seeing the impact of war on her family, driving her commitment to addressing the challenges faced by those affected by conflict and hardship.

Growing up in West London, Essia witnessed the struggles young people face, shaping her dedication to youth development. She has worked in various roles, including as a Teacher Assistant in Lebanon and volunteering with Solidarity Sports in London. Through her involvement with Earls Court Youth Club and Young K + C, she has seen the importance of safe community spaces for youth.

Now contributing to Lightbulb Trust’s internal communications, Essia’s multicultural background and dedication to social impact fuel her passion for youth advocacy, ensuring marginalised communities have the support and opportunities they need to thrive.

Catia Silvestre is a Portuguese professional based in London with extensive experience in community engagement and the arts. With a decade in the charity sector, they have worked with organisations such as Citizens Advice, Mencap, and the NHS Social Prescribing Service, providing direct support, managing operations, and fostering community empowerment. Alongside their work in the sector, Catia is also an artist and researcher at the Royal College of Art.

Salome and Ben are married and live in West London with their twin son and daughter. Salome grew up in Kensington, Ben between Islington and Hammersmith. They met while studying English Literature at Oxford University.

Salome went on to work in publishing at Penguin Books and has long been involved with her family’s charitable foundation, The A G Leventis Foundation, as well as being a full-time mum. She is currently also training as a counsellor.

Ben is a film producer – having worked as an executive in Los Angeles – who has also authored several bestselling books, all of which were published by Simon & Schuster with partner charities. His recent projects have included hosting the podcast Ex Libris, which championed libraries and independent bookshops with the help of some of today’s greatest writers. Ben currently serves on the board of trustees for Libraries Connected, the charity representing all the public library services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

They founded The Lightbulb Trust in 2019, intent on providing enhanced life chances to children growing up nearby who are less advantaged than their own.

Siena grew up in Hammersmith and now lives in West London with her husband and two daughters. Siena is committed to The Lightbulb Trust’s mission of social empowerment. 

She is a lawyer with more than 15 years of experience in corporate law and is qualified in both the US and England. She has worked at leading global law firms and spent 8 years at a Fortune 100 organisation and serves on the boards of a number of their companies. She currently works at a FTSE 10 global consumer goods company advising on their venture investments and mergers and acquisitions in Europe and Africa. She loves mentoring young people and volunteers at mentoring organisations.  

Shuen worked closely with Salome and Ben to establish the Lightbulb Trust. She shares their belief that everyone deserves the right to an education and that foundations in literacy enable a fundamental shift in how one thinks, acts and behaves towards our fellow human beings.

Shuen brings over 25 years of experience in investment management. She is currently Head of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) at Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets based in London. She also serves on the Development Board of Ashden, a non-profit organisation that aims to bring sustainable energy to all.

Luisa is Brazilian and a former journalist with 20 years’ experience in the social innovation field. She spent the past decade working in the education sector in the UK where she was part of the founding team at Apps for Good, one of the country’s fastest growing EdTech charities.

Before becoming an independent consultant, Luisa led Pearson’s social innovation strategy and delivered accelerator programmes for over 40 start-ups working to improve literacy and education globally. Following her passion for education and innovation, Luisa joined the Lightbulb Trust in 2020 as Director. Luisa currently lives in Barcelona with her husband and three children.