Our team

Julie has worked at the What? Centre for 33 years and started as an advice worker then going on to train in counselling and management. She has been the CEO for over 27 years and has been responsible for the overall success of the organisation. When Julie is not working at the What? Centre her interests are creative writing, art and painting, reading, politics, feminism and equal rights.

Carol has worked at The What? Centre for eighteen years, managing business aspects of the organisation such as accounting, payroll, monitoring project budgets and HR. Starting her career as a private secretary, she progressed to qualify in business office information systems and also gained a degree in psychology. Carol served as a school governor at a secondary school for eighteen years with a remit for pastoral care and safeguarding. During this time she and was proud to introduce systems to aid pupil behaviour and retention and worked on a number of changes imposed through the education system, ending her final term of office serving as Vice-Chair.

Aarthi is the newest member of the management team and has been at the What Centre for the past 2 years. Aarthi has a Masters in Counselling Psychology and a degree in Psychology and has worked as a psychotherapist prior to beginning at the Centre. As a practicing psychotherapist within the team, Aarthi's role includes being a clinician and manager of the service. Aarthi has worked in bereavement support, domestic violence, BAME issues and has also worked with asylum seekers and refugees. In a past life, she worked in project management and social research which looked at getting the voices of the community heard over various issues such as mental health and hospital services. In her spare time, she is a dancer and choreographer.