Meet our Trustees

The Role of a SMEF Trustee

At SMEF, our dedicated trustees are the driving force behind our mission and the effective operation of our charity. They take on the crucial responsibility of providing strategic leadership, meticulously overseeing our finances, and making pivotal decisions that are in alignment with our goals. With their collective expertise, our trustees play an instrumental role in guiding SMEF towards realising our mission and creating a positive impact within the diverse communities we serve.

Our trustees also work diligently to ensure that we meet all legal and regulatory requirements, uphold our cherished values, and consistently act in the best interests of our beneficiaries.

  • Neelam Devesher DL

    CHAIR

  • Hayet Shahrazaey

    TRUSTEE

  • Prof Aftab Ala

    TRUSTEE

  • Tek Gurung MBE

    TRUSTEE

  • Thomas Dunkley

    Thomas Dunkley

    CO-TREASURER

  • Liz Tinsley

    CO-TREASURER

  • Monjur Elahi

    TRUSTEE

  • Philip Goldenberg

    TRUSTEE

  • Dr Mohamed Kharbouch

    TRUSTEE

  • Sonal Sher

    TRUSTEE

Chair - Neelam Devesher MBE, DL

Neelam, a Deputy Lieutenant for Surrey since June 2021, brings senior management experience from the public sector. She chairs Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum and the Surrey Police Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel. Neelam is also the Vice Chair for Community Foundation for Surrey.

She is dedicated to addressing issues faced by minoritised communities, promoting equality, and building community cohesion. Neelam's leadership spans public, private, and community sectors, with expertise in political awareness, change management, policy development, and fundraising.

Neelam has passionately supported SMEF since its very early conception days and has helped to build SMEF into the organisation it is today, with a higher profile in the county delivering much needed projects and empowering minority ethnic voices.  She has an in depth understanding of the issues faced by minoritised communities and she has set up numerous projects focusing on improving the quality of life for the most vulnerable people in our communities

Neelam envisions SMEF as an empowered organisation, advocating for minoritised communities, building community cohesion between diverse communities and shaping policies locally and nationally to help address discrimination, racism and promote fairness and inclusion.

Hayet Shahrezaey - Trustee

Since arriving in the UK in 1990, Hayet has served as a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai’s of Guildford, promoting unity in diversity and community service.

Proficient in French, Persian, and a qualified Arabic interpreter, Hayet has contributed her language skills to police stations, courts, and hospitals. She is also a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Accredited Holistic Therapist, operating a Rapid Empowerment Practice at the Guildford Institute.

As a Trustee of SMEF, Hayet focuses on supporting refugee families and envisions SMEF as a safety net for refugees, aiding their integration and settlement in Surrey. She also conducts weekly 30-minute online devotional/reflection sessions to promote wellbeing and spiritual growth among SMEF members and the wider community.

Professor Aftab Ala - Trustee

With 30 years in the NHS and a PhD from University College London, Professor Aftab Ala is a renowned specialist in gastroenterology and liver diseases. He holds the position of Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Surrey, Guildford, and serves as a Consultant Hepatologist at King’s College Hospital, London. Professor Ala envisions SMEF as a catalyst for addressing healthcare inequalities, enhancing access to healthcare, and improving education opportunities for minority ethnic communities in Surrey.

Thomas Dunkley - Co Treasurer, Trustee

Thomas Dunkley is the Principal Finance Officer at Surrey County Council as well as Treasurer for a wide variety of charities across Surrey. Tom is a CIPFA finalist accountant who specialises in public sector financial accounting, ensuring Statement of Accounts are published to meet Statutory requirements and proper accountability for the public. Tom is originally from South Yorkshire, studied Chemistry at the University of Nottingham and is inspired to work in the public sector due to his family upbringings in public service.

Tom brings skills as Treasurer that will contribute to SMEF vision of developing unity amongst the diverse communities with an active focus on improved wellbeing for all in Surrey. He is enthusiastic about making a real difference in the community through embracing Diversity and effective joint sector working.

Tom’s Vision for SMEF is that SMEF is a charity with an excellent reputation for delivering projects that make a difference with clear impact, evidence and provide value for money and is trusted by funders and communities.

Liz Tinsley - Co Treasurer, Trustee

Coming soon

Tek Gurung MBE- Trustee

A Camberley resident since 2000, Tek Gurung brings the benefit of his rich and varied military experience, of over 40 years service in the British Army, to the organization; firstly as a regular commissioned officer for 36 years and a further four years with the Territorial Army (now known as the Reservist),  with A Company 3 PWRR based in Farnham.  Since retiring in 2012, he has devoted much of his time to voluntary work, in particular to help look after the growing number of Gurkha veterans, their wives and widows who have come to call England their home. For over ten years now, he has striven to Educate, Engage and Empower his community in Surrey Heath leading to greater Independence and Integration for the individuals, in the same way facilitated by SMEF for its much wider and diverse membership in Surrey County.

An open, approachable personality with excellent communication and organizational skills, Tek has not found it difficult to gain the trusts of others and to establish a good working relationship at any level. This has stood him in good stead in getting on with all the necessary contacts in the civilian environment in carrying out his voluntary welfare work. 

Monjur Elahi- Trustee

Monjur Elahi MCIPS is a Procurement and Supply Chain professional working with the NHS. Monjur also supports public accountability through his role as an Independent Panel Member with Surrey Police. Moreover, Monjur brings in his 10 years’ of Trustee experience for a UK Charity.

Based in Dorking, Monjur leads on delivering projects to improve health resilience among vulnerable adults, subsidised physical activity sessions for women across Dorking, Redhill, and surrounding communities.

As a Trustee, Monjur is committed to strengthening inclusive community engagement, improving health and wellbeing outcomes, and supporting skills development to enhance employability across Surrey. He is particularly motivated to apply his corporate expertise to enhance organisational efficiency and identify sustainable funding opportunities for SMEF.

Philip Goldenberg - Trustee

Philip Goldenberg has been a top City lawyer, specialising in company and constitutional law; has chaired a quoted company; has been a non-executive director of the CBI; has been a Treasurer and Trustee of The Royal Society of Arts; has chaired a national charity; has been Deputy Chair of the Electoral Reform Society; has been an active Liberal Democrat locally and nationally, contesting seven Parliamentary elections and serving as a Woking Borough Councillor for 13 years (he also advised the Liberal Party when it merged with the SDP and co-authored the original Constitution of the Liberal Democrats, and drafted what became the 2010/5 Coalition’s Machinery of Government Agreement); is active in interfaith work inter alia as a former Trustee of Woking People of Faith; is a co-Deputy Chair and Interfaith Officer of the North West Surrey Reform Synagogue, which he also represents on the Jewish Board of Deputies; and has also recently actively involved with the formation of Progressive Judaism.  He is a published author of many articles and of a book entitled “Walking through Different Worlds – Annoying People for Good”, which is a series of essays on organisations with which he has been involved. 

Sonal Sher - Trustee

Sonal Sher is a community leader, charity founder, and governance specialist known for her principled, evidence‑driven approach to addressing the real challenges faced by minority‑ethnic communities in Surrey and across the UK. She is recognised for her willingness to ask difficult questions, challenge organisational jargon, and ensure that decisions are based on substance, accountability and equity across the board. 

Sonal is the Founder and Chair of GIVE, a Surrey‑based mental health and wellbeing charity focused on early intervention, reducing loneliness, and strengthening community support networks. She previously founded the award‑winning KStJB Volunteers’ Covid Support Group, which mobilised hundreds of volunteers and supported thousands of residents during the pandemic — work that led to the Lord‑Lieutenant’s Award for Community Service and the BBC Make a Difference Community Group Award.

Her public‑sector experience includes serving within Surrey County Council’s Adults, Wellbeing and Health Partnerships Directorate Equality Group, where she scrutinised policy, challenged systemic barriers, and pushed for practical, measurable change. She also led community‑focused projects within Surrey County Council, working with marginalised groups, VCSE organisations, and statutory partners to develop solutions rooted in real‑world need.

As founder and Co‑Chair of the Surrey County Council Interfaith Network, Sonal helped establish a platform for honest dialogue between diverse faith communities, advising senior leadership on cultural literacy, supporting recruitment, advising on conflict management, and organisational decision‑making.

She is a long‑standing member of the Surrey Police & SMEF Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel, where she brings a clear, analytical perspective to community engagement and policing. 

Nationally, Sonal has contributed extensively to Parliamentary and community advocacy, including work with the All‑Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus, where she curated policy development, governance, and engagement between communities and Parliament. She also advises the Hindu Forum of Britain, helping create and shape systems and frameworks that influence how faith, culture, and identity are represented in education, ensuring that representation is thoughtful, balanced, and not dominated by whoever shouts the loudest.

Her wider leadership includes roles as the founder and Trustee of the Surrey Hindu Cultural Association (SHCA). She also devotes her time in supporting Surrey SACRE, and the Religious Council of England & Wales, where she contributes her experience to strengthen cultural literacy, accurate representation, and informed dialogue.

Across all her roles, Sonal is known for her strategic clarity, cultural insight, and commitment to honest, solutions‑focused work. As a trustee of the Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum, she brings deep experience in governance, leadership, community engagement, and systems‑level thinking, ensuring that minority‑ethnic communities across Surrey are not only represented but genuinely understood.

Dr Mohamed Kharbouch - Trustee

Dr Mohamed Kharbouch is an accomplished IT professional specialising in IT Service Delivery Management and IT Implementation Management. He is recognised for his strong commercial awareness, multilingual communication skills, and leadership capabilities. His career includes managing technical teams, overseeing complex change initiatives, and implementing governance programs with a strong emphasis on risk controls and operational resilience.

Beyond his professional IT roles, Dr Kharbouch is deeply engaged in community leadership. Since 2018, he has served as a trustee at Runnymede Muslim Society (RMS), contributing his expertise to the organisation’s strategic and community initiatives. He also holds several other voluntary and civic roles, including:

  • Chairman of Wokingham Muslim Society

  • Patient Representative on the Surrey Area Prescribing Committee (APC)

  • Member of the Racial Advisory Group in Surrey Police

  • Chair of Governors at Slough & Eton Business College

  • Registered School Speaker for educational outreach across the South East

  • Thames Valley Police:

    • Chair of Berkshire East Community Scrutiny Panel.

    • Chair of the Chairperson Forum and

    • Independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board (ISOB) Member

He is widely recognised for his work with young people, sharing experience and knowledge to help inspire future generations, and for his contributions across both professional and community sphere