Tessy Ojo CBE is passionate Civil Society Leader who has spent over two decades driving change for children and young people in the areas of social justice, youth leadership and social equity.
In 2020, Tessy was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours with a CBE – Commander of The British Empire for her services to children and young people. She is the Chief Executive of The Diana Award – the only charity that bears the name of Diana, Princess of Wales and through it has developed internationally recognised programmes that give young people skills to thrive and create positive change in their communities globally.
With over twenty-two years in third sector leadership and expertise in redefining outcomes for with young people, Tessy played a founding role in the building and sustainability of the charity, bringing strategic clarity and innovative approaches leading to a 360-degree turnaround of the charity’s growth and global industry recognition.
Always passionate about making a difference, Tessy holds various influential positions such a non-executive director at Comic Relief, IWILL Board (a partnership between National Lottery and DCMS), The BBC’s Appeals Advisory Committee, the UK Council for Child Internet Safety, and the Royal Cyberbullying Taskforce, where she focuses on social justice and social equity.
Her dedication to fostering social change extends beyond her professional commitments. She is actively involved in campaigns and philanthropic endeavours, demonstrating her passion for creating a positive impact. In 2017, she set up the first All Party Parliamentary Group on Mentoring to advocate for careers mentoring to be part of the Government’s plans for youth engagement and youth social action.