The Team


Liz Tapner MBE   Chief Executive Officer

liz-tapner

Liz is the driving force behind Selnet and responsible for developing it into the major infrastructure organisation that it is today.

A chartered business adviser and business mentor, she has extensive experience of business support programmes having worked for, and with, local authorities across the North West throughout her career. She specialises in finance and accounts and is able to support clients in all aspects of financial planning.

Liz’s main role as CEO is to ensure that Selnet can deliver on its contracts and that the business is sustainable for the long term. To do this, she works closely with the board of directors to make sure that the whole team pulls in the same direction.

Liz is perhaps best known in Lancashire as an advocate for the social enterprise sector and regularly undertakes speaking engagements and media articles to promote the work of local social businesses. She represents Lancashire as a sub-region of the North West.

Liz has received national recognition for the achievements and impacts of her work:

Follow Liz on Twitter at @LizTap55

 

 

Andrew Glover   IT & Web Services Coordinatorandrew

Andrew has been with Selnet since 2008; his skills and knowledge have grown as the organisation has developed and he remains an invaluable member of the Selnet team.

Within his current role he maintains a Selnet web presence across all operational activity. Andrew supports the delivery of the Building Better Opportunities programme, leading all technology and website activity, particularly the partnerships’ online project delivery resources. Andrew administrates the main event in the Selnet calendar – the Annual Awards. He supports members and partners with web-based and IT concerns and works across all programmes supporting the team’s delivery. He is responsible for all electronic systems and is able to troubleshoot and fix most any operational difficulties.

 

 

Alison Davies   Programme Manager

alison-daviesAlison has a background in managing European funding programmes, regeneration and external funding gained over a 15-year career working in local government in Great Manchester and Lancashire. She then moved into the VCSE sector building up strong networks and prior to joining the Selnet team worked for Disability Advice West Lancs, based in Skelmersdale.

She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and over her working career she has gained valuable experience and knowledge within the business and public sector and their funding regimes.

Alison brings these skills and experience to work with the Selnet Building Better Opportunities team and embraces the challenges in working with the diverse partners as Project Lead Officer working across the BBO projects.

 

 

Dawn Welham   Network Co-ordinator

Dawn is an award-winning project manager and Chartered Business Advisor with a passion for social enterprise and cross sector collaborations. She has been working in Lancashire in support of the social enterprise sector since 2009 and became a Director of Selnet Ltd in January 2012, representing the interests of waste and environmental social enterprises. Her professional experience builds on formal qualifications including a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Business. 

In 2017 Dawn joined the Selnet team as our Network Coordinator and maintains a position on the board. Dawn leads on Selnet’s communications, programme brand compliance and bid writing. Within our Building Better Opportunities Programme Dawn leads on communications, design of project marketing materials and has become something of an expert in EU branding rules.

 

 

Nina Cowell   DRIVE Project Coordinator

Nina has been with Selnet for a number of years and has progressed within the organisation developing both her personal and professional skills. Her latest move sees her working as Project Coordinator on the ERDF funded DRIVE project, collaborating with partners supporting businesses across Lancashire that are just starting-up or seeking opportunities to grow and develop.

Nina joined the team in 2017 as project administrator for Building Better Opportunities, later stepping up to the role of Monitoring and Compliance Officer. She comes from a background in primary teaching and supporting children with special needs, before this spending many years in the retail sector, where she picked up her outstanding customer service skills.

 

 

Yvette Holden  Membership Lead Officer

Yvette joined Selnet in October 2020 in the wake of the Covid-19 nationwide lockdown. She will engage new and existing members in our Network, as we support our sector’s continued operation through challenging economic circumstances and meeting a wide range of social need.

Yvette brings 10 years’ experience working within a membership organisation, concentrating on members’ services and identifying support needs. Her aim as Membership Lead Officer is to give Selnet membership new energy, build relationships with members and identify needs and opportunities; all so we can better help our sector to develop, connect, grow – and thrive!

 

 

Surri Yallanki   Monitoring and Compliance Officer

Surri joined Selnet in April 2017. She has a background in finance and administration and experience of working within European Social Funding and Study Programme. Surri’s role as part of the Building Better Opportunities programme is monitoring partners’ financial claims as part of our Monitoring and Compliance team.

 

 

Daisy Carlyle-Ryan Partner Support Officer

Daisy joined Selnet’s team in January 2022 after graduating from Liverpool John Moores University with a BA(hons) Health and Social Care. She has a strong interest in the social care sector, as well as experience in customer service. Daisy will utilise these skills and her bubbly personality to fulfil her role supporting our partners to deliver Selnet’s three Building Better Opportunities projects. Daisy will be the first point of contact when you call the office and always willing to help.

 

 

Tracy Worden  Team Leader (Under One Roof)

Having been an experienced practitioner working on previous furniture reuse contracts Tracy is now moving into an exciting new position as Senior Application Pathways Co-ordinator for Under One Roof.

Tracy brings a wealth of experience in project delivery, having worked on numerous projects with Selnet since 2012. She has excellent communication and interpersonal skills and has wasted no time at all implementing support systems for the Under One Roof team. Tracy will help to ensure that the essential household goods and support offered runs efficiently and effectively and support reaches those who really needs us.

 

 

Thomas Harrison  Application Pathway Coordinator

Working for previous private sector employers Tom had a number of administrative roles including a role in which he was analysing financial information and drafting annual reports for a debt management organisation.

He came to Selnet in July 2017 as part of the Building Better Opportunities (BBO) project team, where he dealt primarily with monitoring and compliance issues relating to project participants and supporting delivery partners with their queries.

Tom has progressed and developed his skills while at Selnet and now works within the Under One Roof team, responsible for the delivery of Lancashire’s Essential Household Goods and Support Scheme. As an Application Case Worker, he works with customers, partners, and links in with external agencies who also offer services and support to people in crisis.

Tom is a valued member of the team who has an admirable ability to absorb and process large amounts of data, and maintains internal systems and processes to ensure optimum performance of the Under One Roof scheme.

 

 

Victoria Osten  Applications and Pathway Co-Ordinator

Victoria joined the Under One Roof team in December 2022 after spending over a decade as a teacher, working in both a secondary school and an adult college. Her teaching experience brought her into contact with many vulnerable individuals and families who often needed more than just education, inspiring her move to Selnet’s Under One Roof team.

Victoria is keen to help people settle in their new homes, feel part of their local community, and reach their own potential.