<p dir="ltr">Ciara Eastell is an experienced senior leader working within the cultural, HE and social enterprise sectors. She runs a consultancy and coaching business, where her work typically focuses on supporting CEOs and senior teams to lead their teams effectively through change and transition.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since 2019, Ciara has also worked as a Professor of Practice at the University of Exeter Business School, where she leads on external engagement for the Centre for Leadership. She facilitates a number of networks across the Business School, teaches on both the MBA and Level 7 Senior Leader programme and hosts the Leading Edge series, which attracts some of the country’s leading thinkers. </p> <p dir="ltr">She was the founding Chief Executive of Libraries Unlimited, the charity that runs 54 libraries across Devon and Torbay. She led Libraries Unlimited’s development and growth during its first 3 years. During Ciara’s tenure, the organisation was selected as one of 50 organisations recognised by Nesta and the Observer as a ‘New Radical’. In recognition of her national work as President of the Society of Chief Librarians (2014-16), she was awarded an OBE in 2017. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ciara was a National Council member of Arts Council England from 2018 – 2022, contributing to the development of <em>Let’s Create </em>as well as the organisation’s response during the pandemic. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Sheffield in 2019 and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.</p> <p dir="ltr">She was one of the original Clore Fellows, almost 20 years ago, benefitting from support to build her leadership skills and her cultural networks at a formative time in her career. <br /></p>