Joy Burnford is the Founder and CEO of Encompass Equality (previously My Confidence Matters) and a recognised gender equality trailblazer. 

With over 25 years' experience as a business leader, non-exec director, podcast host and speaker, Joy helps organisations accelerate their journey towards sustainable gender equality by providing them with strategic advisory services, research and a range of practical solutions that create equitable places to work.

As author of bestselling book ‘Don’t fix women: the practical path to gender equality at work’, host of ‘The Equality Conversation’ podcast and contributor of over 70 articles on Forbes.com, Joy has interviewed hundreds of senior business leaders, board members, CEOs, authors and experts, and has been cited in national, business and HR press. She regularly speaks at conferences and industry events and sits on the UK’s Chartered Management Institute Women’s Advisory Committee and the Financial Times Women at the Top Advisory Board. 

Joy is an active supporter of the Unleashed Women campaign led by the Hunger Project UK charity whose mission is to end hunger and poverty by pioneering women-centred strategies. She is also a Non-Executive Director and Vice President of the East of England Co-op, playing a key role in ensuring the long-term success of the business, shaping future direction and overseeing governance, policy and strategy decisions.

She is a busy wife and mum to two wonderfully different children and a puppy called Ziggy, and so understands the challenges that many women face on a daily basis!