Well Grounded is delighted to announce the appointment of Lea Valentini as its new Co‑Director. With both Co‑Directors now being women, this transition marks a powerful moment in the organisation’s evolution, one that reinforces its commitment to shared power, and inclusive leadership.
Well Grounded’s Co‑Director model reflects a simple yet transformative belief: leadership is strongest when it is shared. By embracing collaborative and relational leadership, the organisation ensures that diverse perspectives shape its strategy, culture, and direction. Welcoming Lea into this role further strengthens Well Grounded’s commitment to women’s leadership and to modelling the inclusive, power‑sharing practices it advocates for across civil society.
Lea joined Well Grounded in 2021, bringing extensive experience from her years working with civil society in the Congo Basin region, including six years based in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Over the past four years, she has played a pivotal role in the organisation’s development, leading strategic planning, strengthening monitoring and learning systems, nurturing relationships with funding partners, and guiding programme development and delivery.
Known for her grounded, reflective, and humble approach, Lea has consistently championed ways of working that are simple, responsive, and genuinely locally rooted. Her leadership is shaped by a deep belief in transforming how organisations support and accompany civil society actors.
Lea joins the existing Co‑Director in a partnership built on mutual trust, collaboration, and a shared vision for Well Grounded’s future. Together, they will continue to nurture an organisational culture where power circulates rather than concentrates, and where leadership is understood as a collective practice, not a singular position. Their shared stewardship reflects Well Grounded’s long‑term commitment to transforming civil society support from the inside out.
Lea said: “I am honoured to step into this co‑directorship at Well Grounded, a model of leadership that deeply resonates with my values. Shared leadership, especially between women, creates space for more balance, care, and diversity in how decisions are made. My career has been rooted in working in solidarity with local organisations in the Global South, particularly across the Congo Basin, and I see co‑directorship as a powerful way to embody the relational, collaborative approach I believe in. Like many of us, I carry a strong personal connection to nature and forest landscapes, which has long fuelled my commitment to protecting biodiversity and safeguarding vital natural resources. Bringing this passion into a shared leadership role feels both natural and energising, and I am excited to help guide Well Grounded’s next chapter alongside my co‑director.”