Senior Leadership Members

Aspire’s Senior Leadership Team are responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day management of Aspire. 

Christina has over 20 years experience of employment support, at Aspire and in her previous employment with DWP. She has worked at Aspire for 7 years and has led on the programme delivery of all Youth Service activity, including creating employment and training opportunities for young adults. Christina is now responsible for all Aspire Education, Training and Employment programme delivery to include Get Connected, Restart, Social Prescribing and Aspire’s core ETE team. Christina is also the senior manager with overall safeguarding responsibility.

Justin, who joined Aspire in 2021 to lead finance, human resources, information technology and facilities, loves using his skills and experience to bring value and continuous improvement into the third sector. He is a Chartered Management Accountant, holds a Masters in Business Administration and has over twenty years experience working in both commercial and non commercial environments, including ten years in one of the UK’s leading international charities and an extended period volunteering outside the UK, with a Christian charity, focussed on supporting breaking the cycle of poverty caused by leprosy through the provision of healthcare and schooling.

Jessica has been on her Aspire adventure since 2018. Initially within the Trailblazer Project, through supporting the establishment, and delivery of, Aspire’s own Homelessness Prevention service to, most recently, extending her oversight to all Housing and Homelessness Prevention services at Aspire. Our accommodation focuses on progression support – enabling our residents to grow their confidence and abilities and to embrace options and opportunities to move on to safe, secure and stable lives. Jessica also works in collaboration with The Oxfordshire Homelessness Alliance in our collective provision of Homelessness prevention and Housing First. Jessica has spent 10 years working in services offering support to overcome exclusion.

Nicci was most recently the Director for Early Intervention at the Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, a position she held for six years. In this role, she led strategic, partnership and operational plans for early intervention and targeted support. Starting her career in housing and benefits, Nicci has also been a Regional Director for Family Action, led delivery of the Troubled Families programme and held strategic roles in community safety, working closely with partners like health, probation and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Nicci has considerable experience of commissioning and delivering services to support people with challenging circumstances and complex needs. She has a genuine commitment to co-design and production to ensure that people and communities have access to the support they need when they need it. Nicci offers an impressive track record of supporting organisations to deliver effective impactful services and attract and secure funding for new initiatives.

Dea Merkaj is the Head of Education, Training & Employment (ETE) at Aspire. With over 11 years of experience in youth services, she has dedicated her career to helping young people—particularly those facing complex challenges—access opportunities to thrive.

Her background spans frontline support, programme development, and strategic leadership, all driven by a deep commitment to empowerment, inclusion, and long-term impact.

In her role at Aspire, Dea leads the organisation’s efforts to design and deliver high-quality education, training, and employment pathways. She works closely with partners, employers, and community stakeholders to build tailored support systems that meet the diverse needs of Aspire’s clients. Dea oversees service delivery, develops innovative programmes, and ensures that every person Aspire supports has the tools and confidence to move forward in life.