A Few Words About
Our Team
This is a current list of our fabulous team.
CEO
Dr Sarah Lewis
Dr Sarah Lewis, DCrimJ, MSc, BSc (Hons), FHEA, is the Founder and Director of Grow Transform Belong CIC, Director of Penal Reform Solutions, and a globally recognised leader in cultural transformation across criminal justice systems. She has worked and researched in frontline probation and prison environments since 2004, specialising in therapeutic correctional relationships, staff wellbeing, and organisational culture change.
Dr Lewis began her career in probation and psychological intervention, later training probation officers and teaching criminology and criminal psychology at the University of Portsmouth. Her work is grounded in deep experience, evidence, and compassion, and driven by a belief that safer and more humane systems are built on relationships, trust, and a shared commitment to growth.
She is the creator of the Growth Philosophy — a research-informed framework for transforming organisational culture that emphasises connection, learning, and human dignity, developed from pioneering research in Norwegian penal settings. This philosophy underpins international projects, leadership training, and the Growth Alliance network, which collectively aim to embed growth-centred practice in prisons, community services, and justice reform initiatives around the world.
Dr Lewis provides strategic consultancy, training and cultural advisory work to prison systems and justice leaders across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, and is a published author and sought-after keynote speaker on growth-centred practice and humane justice.
Head of People/Quality
Carianne Burr
Carianne brings over 25 years of experience in the criminal justice sector, supporting teams and services with a strong focus on quality assurance, staff development, and wellbeing. She is deeply committed to supporting growth and championing strengths-based approaches. Her work is guided by a passion for fostering positive change, resilience, and sustainable practice.
Operational Lead
Dan Reynolds
Dan brings over 10 years of frontline and strategic experience in the criminal justice sector, with a strong focus on leadership, culture, and people development. A former prison officer, Dan is deeply committed to supporting middle leaders who hold complex systems together, helping them lead with clarity, confidence, and courage. His work is rooted in lived experience and guided by a belief that justice systems can be more human, inclusive, and effective through values-led leadership and cultural change.
Senior Digital Consultant
Kam Stevens
Kam works with GTB as a digital consultant in penal reform. He has lived experience of prison and uses this knowledge and experience to create digital work to promote personal growth, raising awareness of the key issues that exist within the prison service. Kam is currently at University studying film production and is a Longford Trust scholar.
Senior Growth Consultant
Justine MSC
Justine is a Senior Growth and Research Consultant at Grow Transform Belong, specialising in qualitative research, co-production, and supporting culture change across the criminal justice system through evidence-informed, relational practice.
Since joining Grow Transform Belong in 2022, she has led and contributed to national research and reform projects focused on mental health, electronic monitoring, gambling-related harms, and recovery pathways in custody. Her work includes co-designing and delivering training for prison leaders and staff, providing growth supervision for middle managers, supporting organisational culture change programmes, and co-creating international projects. She also leads GTB’s social outreach and communications, including our partnership with Portsmouth University.
Justine holds an MSc in Criminology and Criminal Psychology from the University of Portsmouth, with research focused on care, rehabilitation, and reintegration. She brings over six years’ experience from the voluntary sector, including work within a national prisoner charity and as a Consultant with Penal Reform Solutions. Her work is guided by a strong commitment to rehabilitation, reintegration, and supporting people to build healthier, more meaningful lives.
Growth Consultant
Kelly Till
Kelly is a highly experienced criminal justice practitioner and consultant, with over 20 years’ experience working across probation, youth justice, trauma-informed practice, and multi-agency systems. Her work spans frontline delivery, court-based assessment, programme design, and international consultancy, grounded in a deep understanding of risk, trauma, and desistance.
Kelly began her career in local authority services before spending over 18 years within HM Prison and Probation Service, working with adults and young people in both community and court settings. She is highly skilled in risk assessment, crisis intervention, safeguarding, and motivational approaches, and is known for her ability to build strong, trusting relationships across diverse and complex contexts.
Alongside her probation practice, Kelly has worked as a Consultant with Penal Reform Solutions, delivering and co-designing intervention programmes in the UK and internationally, including training probation practitioners overseas. She now works as a Consultant with Grow Transform Belong, where she brings her extensive frontline experience, trauma-informed expertise, and facilitation skills to support culture change, practitioner wellbeing, and effective, relational practice across justice and allied systems.
NON-EXEC DIRECTOR & VOLUNTEER
Steven Penson
40+ years’ experience working in the commercial business sector. Steve started his working career as an automotive technician has gone on to work for blue-chip companies, rising to director level. Steve is a volunteer using his business and people development skills to help reduce reoffending with men leaving HMP Guys Marsh. Young Enterprise – working with young adults to prevent them getting into crime and Sported UK volunteering to support the business side of sporting clubs who work in their local communities.
Security Manager
Richard Lewis
Richard has been a loyal companion of GTB. He was here, supporting us since day 1! Our little pig (his nickname) has been supporting and helping to protect the staff, especially our director (Sarah).
Advisor
Julie Eden-Barnard
Julie is a Senior Lecturer in Community Justice, primarily working with learners who are training to be Probation Officers. Prior to working in academia she was a Probation Officer and over 13 years of practice has given her a wealth of experience, with a particular expertise in working with women involved with the justice system . Julie has a strong sense of justice which has motivated her to challenge social injustice and seek out opportunities to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable community.