Meet The Judges 

Our Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners of each category have been chosen by our Independent Judging Panel. The Judging panels names and profiles are all below. No Judges took part in judging of any categories they have affiliations or close relationships with or shortlisted finalists that are known to them on a personal level, full disclosure was carried out at the start of the panel and Judges were spilt into separate pods to ensure fairness to all shortlisted finalists.

Our Shortlisted  finalists will be filmed in the fantastic Location of The Firing Line Museum Cardiff Castle on Wednesday 12th June. These videos will then be used on our extensive media campaign and will also be played on the evening itself, you will also receive your finalist certificate and get a chance to network with other finalists on this fantastic morning.

All our Shortlisted Finalists / Supporters have the opportunity to secure your tickets between  28th May – 14th June.

All money above costs from our awards will put back into our  Veteran community via our small grants scheme for small grass routes Charitable organisations that support our Veteran Community and with a turnover of under 100k PA. 

Dan Keane – Chief Project Officer Vindico

Within my current role within Vindico, I focus on delivering the organisation’s growth strategy by overseeing the successful delivery of the diverse project portfolio; ensuring alignment and delivery of both customer and business goals.

Prior to joining Vindico, my experience was obtained within the Defence and Higher Education sectors, having held multiple leadership roles responsible for wide-ranging and varied operational services and portfolios.

It’s great to be involved with the Welsh Veterans Awards as part of the judging panel, as supporting the veteran (and wider military) community is something that the business and I are very keen on and care a great deal about.

Knowing how difficult it can be to transition from military to civilian life, as well as also being very aware of the talent and capability that our Armed Forces Veterans possess, I’m thoroughly looking forward to hearing about the successes of the people nominated for the awards and delighted to be able to contribute to their well deserved recognition.

 

 

My name is Natasha Baker. I am a qualified BACP accredited Integrative therapist that has worked within the helping sector for over 18years. For the past  8 years I have worked as the Director of People and Culture at Sierra Nevada Corporation Mission System UK Ltd., a role that highlights a profound commitment to fostering an inclusive and dynamic workplace environment for veterans. My 8-year career has dedicated to strategic human resources management and organisational development at Sierra Nevada Corporation Mission System. A company founded in Wales and strives to foster homegrown talent

Sierra Nevada Corporation Mission System UK Ltd. has experienced significant growth. Starting from a modest team of 5 veterans, the company has expanded to a robust workforce of over 100 employees, with veterans comprising more than half of the team. This remarkable achievement underscores a commitment to providing career opportunities for veterans, leveraging their unique skills and experiences.

I am honoured to be part of The Welsh Veterans Award judging panel, committed to recognizing the extraordinary talents and accomplishments of veterans who continue to serve their communities and industries with distinction. Not only am I a passionate in the support Sierra Nevada Corporation Mission System Uk Ltd offers, but I am a proud veteran’s wife who supported her husband within his military career.

Francesca Bamsey – Senior Associate Solicitor

I am a specialist military solicitor at Hugh James based in our Cardiff office. I work within the military team representing serving and former military personnel.

I am delighted to be part of the Welsh Veterans Awards Judging Panel again this year. Since it’s launch in 2019, my firm Hugh James have been proud sponsors of the Veterans Awards and I have attended the majority of the events held in Wales, England and Scotland and I was honoured to be asked to present an award at the Scottish Veterans Awards in April 2023.

I am looking forward to hearing the inspiring stories and recognising the fantastic achievements of our finalists this year and celebrating their success at the Welsh Veterans Awards in July.

 

 

Kathryn Wing, Director of Quality and Compliance Director at the Educ8 Training Group

 

Kathryn Wing is the Director of Quality and Compliance at the Educ8 Training Group, who offer a range of fully-funded Apprenticeship Programmes across Wales.  Educ8 are proud sponsors of the Veteran Owned Business Award, a fantastic category showcasing a range of inspirational businesses and passionate business owners.

“This is the second year I have represented the Educ8 Group on the judging panel and I continue to be inspired by the individuals and organisations nominated.  The contribution veterans make to the Welsh economy should not be under-estimated.  The nominations have been of an exceptionally high standard and the winners deserve to highlighted as a group, determined to give something back to their community”

 

Lisa Rawlings  –  Sierra Nevada Corporation Mission Systems UK

Lisa spent 25 years in the Royal Air Force as a Flight Operations Manager, serving worldwide. Working within the Armed Forces Community she has founded 3 Veteran Hubs in Gwent, is Co-Founder of the Female Veterans Alliance and Chair of the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee (VAPC) Wales. Since leaving she has also achieved a Masters in Global Governance.

Lisa now works for Sierra Nevada Corporation Mission Systems UK a trusted leader in innovative, advanced technology solutions and open architecture integrations for aerospace and national security customers.

Winner of the Role model of the Year 2022 and Overall Champion of the Welsh Veteran Awards the same year she has supported the awards since inception and truly honoured to be on the judging panel.

 

Peter Davies – Army Veteran, Business Owner, Regional Director, Wales (Army Benevolent Fund).

Peter Davies is a dedicated British Army veteran, embodying a rich heritage of military service spanning five generations within his family. With an illustrious career of over 23 years in the British Army, Peter’s commitment to the mission of the Veterans Awards runs deep.

Currently serving as the Regional Director for the Army Benevolent Fund in Wales, Peter is fervent about advancing its mission, reaching diverse audiences to garner support and aid for those in need. His exemplary service was recognized in 2016 with the prestigious Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours military list, underscoring his remarkable dedication to the British Army.

Beyond his noble work with the Army Benevolent Fund, Peter is also a director at Gum Blitzer Ltd, a leading commercial cleaning enterprise offering top-tier services across the UK. He takes pride in steering his team towards excellence, fostering enduring client relationships.

In his leisure pursuits, Peter embraces adventure with gusto, tackling challenges such as the gruelling Marathon des Sables and traversing over 100 marathons globally. His adventurous spirit extends to cycling in America and the French Alps, trekking to Everest Base Camp and Mount Toubkal, and recently conquering a 100km journey across the Sahara and Jordanian deserts, as well as scaling Jordan’s highest peak, Um Dami. He embodies a philosophy of embracing life’s opportunities to the fullest.

As a distinguished judge for the Welsh Veterans Awards, Peter brings a wealth of experience and empathy to the table. He intimately understands the trials faced by veterans and their families, and remains resolute in honouring and celebrating their invaluable contributions and achievements.

 

 

Nicholas Ledingham – Chief Operating Officer, Credas Technology Ltd, Cardiff

Nicholas is a former Royal Navy Artificer and Officer

Since leaving the Navy I have held board level positions in multiple industry sectors, leading multi-national and multi-cultural teams across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Having experienced first-hand the breadth of talent that exists in our Armed Forces, I am proud to be able to join in recognising the achievements and initiatives of the 2024 finalists. As a leader within one of leading tech ventures in Wales, I am pleased to support the Welsh Veterans Awards.

 

 

Jack Dickinson – Solicitor, Hugh James

I am a military solicitor at Hugh James, based at our head office in Cardiff. I specialise in providing legal representation and legal services for veterans and currently serving members of the armed forces.

I am also involved with various groups in the veterans community, and fundraising for key veterans charities.

Hugh James have proudly sponsored the Veterans Awards since 2019, and I have seen the awards grow from strength to strength. I look forward to meeting all the finalists and celebrating the difference they have made,

and their incredible achievements after transitioning to civilian life.

 

 

 

Sarah Stafford – Forces Employment Charity 

Sarah is based in Wales and joined the Forces Employment Charity (FEC) in February 2018 following a career over 20 years in the Financial Industry.

I joined the FEC to work on the Career Transition Partners (CTP) a contract which is the official resettlement provider on behalf on the Ministry of Defence who supports service leavers 2 or 5 years pre and 2 years post leaving the military.

I am the Employer Relationship Manager, and my region covers all of Wales I work with employers to manage relationships from large multinational employers to more local SMEs helping them with their recruitment activities.

Sarah is a member of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation