The criminal justice charity Women in Prison has named its next chief executive.
Sonya Ruparel will join the charity from the anti-poverty organisation Turn2Us, where she was director of programmes and partnerships.
Ruparel will replace Kate Paradine, who announced in November that she would step down after seven years in the role.
She will remain at the charity until Ruparel starts in July.
Paradine told Third Sector that she planned to take a break and would make decisions about any future jobs after that.
Ruparel has held a number of senior roles in the charity sector, including at ActionAid, Defeating Deafness and Barnardo’s.
She said: “Women in Prison is doing such important work with women to create social justice for those who are so often let down by the systems that are meant to support and protect us all.”
Women in Prison’s income has increased steadily since 2018, according to financial filings with the Charity Commission, including during the coronavirus crisis.
Its income rose from £2.2m to £2.4m in the 12 months to March 2020, and then to £2.8m the subsequence year.
The accounts say this was due to ongoing support from existing funders and commissioners, and that “additional Covid-19 funding was available in the short term”.
