Meet Our Day 1 – Masterclass Speakers

Jean Blackstock

CEO JB Consultancy

Jean always believed that organisations thrive when their people do.
This philosophy has guided her 30-year journey from corporate leadership to founding JBC, where she partner with visionary leaders to transform organisational challenges into opportunities.

Her career spans continents and cultures—from rising through senior positions at PWC, Diageo, Cable and Wireless, and Digicel to establishing JBC in 2005.

These experiences taught her something crucial: behind every organisational challenge lies a human solution waiting to be discovered.

When that CEO approached her in 2005 about her siloed teams, Jean saw more than just structural issues. She recognized people who needed better ways to connect, collaborate, and contribute their unique talents.
This human-centred perspective has been her compass ever since.

Jean is curious about how organisations work and, more importantly, how they can work better. Her analytical mind loves untangling complex workforce challenges, while her creative spirit thrives on designing innovative solutions that fit real-world contexts.

As a lecturer and trainer in strategic workforce planning and organisational development, Jean had the privilege of sharing knowledge while continuously learning from others. This exchange of ideas keeps her energized and inspired.

She holds a Masters in Manpower Studies from the University of Westminster and a Postgraduate Diploma in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations.

She’s a Fellow of the CIPD and a member of several professional organisations. But what truly defines her is her commitment to building genuine relationships with clients across the globe.

Whether she’s working with UN teams, advising private sector organisations, or collaborating with non-profit leaders, she approaches each partnership with equal parts empathy and expertise.

Angelina Blackwood-Hernandez

HR Business Partner & Career Coach for Black Women in Higher Education

Angelina Blackwood-Hernandez is a results-driven HR leader with over 20 years of experience in higher education. Currently serving as HR Business Partner at Imperial College London, she previously held leadership roles at University College London where she successfully led staff through organisational transitions and improved engagement by developing innovative strategies that outperformed university-wide metrics.

As a Black woman in HR leadership, Angelina intimately understands the challenges faced by Black women in the profession—from experiencing microaggressions and being the only Black woman in the room to navigating toxic workplace environments where Black women must work significantly harder to be perceived as equally competent. Having experienced intimidating behaviour, public dismissal in meetings, and the exhaustion of constantly proving her worth, Angelina now helps other Black women HR leaders overcome similar systemic barriers.

Through her REVITALISE program, she guides professionals in identifying workplace discrimination, regaining career clarity, and prioritising wellbeing while balancing demanding careers with family responsibilities. Her approach combines strategic HR expertise with spiritual intuition, drawing from her Caribbean heritage and her father’s lessons about working twice as hard to succeed in environments where inequalities are deeply rooted.

Angelina holds a Master’s in Strategic HR Management from the University of Bedfordshire and a Master’s in Hispanic Studies from University College London. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she brings both academic credentials and lived experience to her transformative coaching practice.

When not transforming HR practices or coaching professionals, Angelina likes to spend quality time with her four children. She also leads the choir at her local Orthodox Church. She prioritises daily exercise in the gym and loves yoga. She is currently training to be a yoga teacher and will be offering classes as a means of healing for black women who have experienced racial trauma.