Notification banner Latest:

Whether you’re a supplier or an educator, find out what it means to be Backed by BESA Read more

For suppliers Special interest and working groups Women’s Educational Suppliers Network

Women’s Educational Suppliers Network

The Women’s Educational Suppliers Network is an informal advisory group whose purpose is to advise BESA on how to maximise women’s contribution in this industry sector, facilitate networking of women across the sector, help women supporting each other in business and career growth and raise the profile of influential women in this sector.

Apply to join

Upcoming meeting dates:

  • Tuesday 21 April 2026, 11am-1pm
  • Tuesday 14 July 2026, 11am-1pm
  • Tuesday 10 November 2026, 2pm-4pm

Hi and welcome to the Women’s Educational Supplier’s Network (WESN)! 😊

In this inclusive and supportive group we welcome both BESA members and non BESA members alike to share best practice and thought leadership; celebrate each other’s achievements; and support professional and personal growth.

Group members help build the sessions – giving suggestions for discussion topics and guest speakers to ensure everyone gets the most from the group. We work together to build a safe community where members feel able to seek advice and support from their peers.

We hope you’ll join us,

Kat Cauchi – Chair of BESA WESN

Chair: Kat Cauchi

Kat is the community engagement manager at NetSupport, the editor of R.I.S.E. Magazine and the host of the Her Tech Life podcast. Kat is a 2023 We Are Tech Women #TechWomen100 award winner and a Nexus Education 2022 Classroom and Curriculum Improvement award winner. She is a member of the Global Equality Collective, an Innovate Her ambassador and a Technocamps Girls in STEM role model.

Kat is passionate about closing gaps and creating inclusive communities where everyone can thrive, which is why she is a proud to be the Chair of the WESN. As a woman working in a tech company, she is particularly passionate about closing the gender gap in STEM.

Co-Vice Chair: Laura Knight

Laura Knight, Founder and CEO of Sapio Ltd, is a TechWomen100 Award Winner 2025 and an internationally recognised strategist in digital innovation and AI for education. She brings over two decades of teaching and leadership experience across both maintained and independent sectors. Laura helps schools, universities, and education organisations to design ambitious, responsible, and human-centred approaches to technology. She serves on advisory boards for Teachmate, the Good Future Foundation, and the Independent Schools Council. Her book, The Little Guide for Teachers on Generative AI (Sage), supports educators to explore purposeful, creative uses of AI in teaching and learning.

Co-Vice Chair: Connie Millar

Connie is a strategic and values-led product leader with over a decade of experience in the EdTech sector. Her leadership is grounded in a BSc in Psychology, attained in 2023, which shaped her understanding of human behaviour, motivation, and communication, skills that now underpin her approach to building inclusive, high-performing teams. She is also a certified PRINCE2® practitioner, bringing structured delivery, governance rigour, and programme management expertise to her leadership approach. This foundation informs her belief that leadership starts with empathy, respect, and integrity.

Read more…

A CEO for 15 years, Sven has an uncompromisingly positive, inspiring and participative leadership style, combined with a clear strategic vision, creativity, analysis and perseverance.  She leads with clarity, compassion, and collaboration, aligning cross-functional teams around shared strategic goals while fostering environments where individuals feel valued and supported. Her ability to build trust and navigate complex stakeholder relationships is a hallmark of her leadership style.

Connie combines emotional intelligence with commercial acumen, identifying trends and executing with agility to deliver sustainable growth. Her recent leadership includes major initiatives such as base migrations between software platforms, rollouts of new technologies, and consolidation of mobile applications, each reflecting her commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and sector transformation.

Her career spans both Private Equity-backed businesses and a Capita-run Public-Private Partnership (PPP), giving her a unique perspective on how different organisational models operate. This experience has equipped her with a strong understanding of governance, strategic frameworks, and the ability to adapt her leadership approach to suit varied commercial and public sector environments.

Outside of her core role, Connie is a passionate advocate for equity and aspiration. As a volunteer with Tech She Can and a STEM Ambassador, she actively supports young women in exploring careers in technology and STEM, removing barriers and inspiring the next generation of talent. She also contributed content writing to the mental health charity Kind to Mind from 2021 to 2024, supporting wellbeing initiatives through thoughtful and accessible communication. Prior to her roles within government procurement and supply chain management and education technology, Connie’s dedication to charitable work was recognised with a Joint Helicopter Force Commendation, awarded for her contributions to events supporting community causes whilst posted with HM Royal Air Force in Odiham, Hampshire.

Connie is also a proud mum to two daughters, aged 19 and 17, which fuels her personal commitment to creating a more inclusive and inspiring future for young women in education and technology.

As Co-Vice Chair of the BESA Women’s Education Suppliers Network, Connie is thrilled to help shape a future where women’s voices are amplified, leadership is inclusive, and innovation is driven by purpose. She brings not only experience and strategic insight, but also warmth, authenticity, and a deep commitment to making a meaningful difference.

The Women’s Educational Suppliers Network meets to advise BESA on:

  • Gender balance opportunities and challenges within member/Launchpad companies
  • The barriers and challenges that prevent some from achieving their potential in this industry
  • Identifying solutions to help overcome such obstacles
  • Generating proposals for BESA and others to maximise women’s contribution in this sector
  • Acting as a sounding board on the impact of proposed activities relating to women in this area of business
  • How we can best facilitate networking of women across the sector and to enable women to support each other in business and career growth by sharing information and expertise
  • How we might raise the profile of influential women in this sector, and support member organisations to maximise women’s contribution

How to join:

Joining the Women’s Educational Suppliers Network is free and open to all. 

Step 1) Click ‘Apply to join’ and login to the Portal. If you need help navigating the portal have a look at the Portal Manual or get in touch with us at eventsteam@besa.org.uk.

Step 2) Send in your application letter stating that you want to join the group using the example application letter as a guide. 

In your application you must confirm:

  • that you are happy to share ideas with the rest of the group
  • that you are committed to developing and taking the group forward
  • that you meet the group’s Terms of Reference

Step 3) Your application will then be presented to the group for approval & you’ll be emailed if your application is successful.

Meetings take place three times a year online, and you are expected to attend each meeting.

Example application letter

I am writing on behalf of (company) to apply to join the Women’s Educational Suppliers Network.

Paragraph briefly explaining your interest and experience.

Paragraph confirming that

i)You are happy to share ideas with the rest of the Women’s Educational Suppliers Network.
ii) Committed to developing and taking the Group forward
iii) You meet the Group’s Terms of Reference

Yours sincerely,

Join the community

Whether you’re joining us as a Full Member or subscribing to the Launchpad programme, your business will need to meet our membership criteria and sign up to our Code of Practice. Take the next step and see what is involved in this commitment.

Become a member