About Us
Caroline is Executive Director of 3DI. She has held leadership positions with several charities and has extensive experience of governance, fundraising and the use of evidence to measure and demonstrate impact. She is affiliated to the Third Sector Research Centre at the University of Birmingham where she has worked and published academic research (including with Paul) on how charities and funders can best utilise evidence to inform their decision-making.
Paul is one of the UK’s foremost academics in the social sector. He is Professor of Social Intervention, University of Birmingham based in the Third Sector Research Centre and also an Affiliate Professor at the University of Malta. His work is methodologically based in three main areas: Systematic Reviews, Trials (many of them randomised) and Methods Advances in Complex Interventions. Topically, his work is wide ranging and embraces Charity and Non-Profit Evaluation, Education Interventions for Children, as well as broader policy advice for policymakers.
Scott serves as Chair of a major UK social care charity with over 1,000 employees and as Executive Chair of a leading social investment fund. He was previously a member of the England Committee at the National Lottery Community Fund and Executive Chair of the UK’s first long-term social impact investment fund.
Scott brings extensive experience in board leadership, governance, grant-making, strategic planning, and both social and impact investment.
Llorenc is fascinated by the role and potential of research in supporting and improving policy and practice. He has worked with a broad range of organisations, including central and local government, as well as within the voluntary sector.
His primary research interests focus on issues affecting children and young people, and on innovation in the support they receive.
Llorenc is currently undertaking a PhD exploring the role, potential, and limitations of research in informing practice. He received his research training at the Universities of Oxford and Bristol and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.
He also serves as a School Governor for a federation of small primary schools in rural Somerset.
Dr Ellie Brown is an independent consultant working across justice, education, arts and the charity sector. She specialises in strategy, policy and evaluation, and has led a wide range of research and impact projects, turning complex evidence into clear, practical insight.
She has previously served as Chief Impact Officer and Director of Projects within education charities, where she led strategy, impact and evaluation functions and oversaw high-quality programme delivery. Ellie holds a PhD in Criminology and is dual qualified as a solicitor and barrister. She combines analytical depth with senior leadership experience in organisational development, governance and service design.
Ellie is also a trustee of a grant-making charity, giving her strong insight into philanthropy, funding strategy and effective grant-making. Her work is grounded in a commitment to social justice, equity and evidence-informed practice, and a strong belief in education as a catalyst for positive change.
Cressida is a multilingual research and project support professional with experience across communications, educational, corporate, and charitable sectors. She holds a BA (Hons) in French and Russian from the University of Bristol and is passionate about contributing to international development, humanitarian, and public sector initiatives.
Sarah brings over fifteen years of senior-level support experience across the private, corporate, and non-profit sectors.