About Us

Women Talking Fire is an independent women’s networking group for the UK fire safety industry

Let’s talk, listen and learn together. Independent women’s networking & support group for the UK fire safety industry.

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Meet the Women Talking Fire Committee

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Andrea White

Andrea is a fire engineer, fire risk assessor and safety consultant with her own consultancy, A W Fire Ltd. Andrea loves seeing her teenage son progress and grow. She also loves learning and giving back. Having worked in the industry for 20 years, Andrea established Women Talking Fire to bring women working in fire safety together, provide networking opportunities and to support each other

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Nicola Roberts

Nicola is an experienced fire services business manager, currently working as Head of Service at Siemens. She has a proven track record of growing fire safety businesses and is the Chair of Women Talking Fire.

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Julia Bariotakis

Julia MIFSM is a Fire Alarm Commissioning Engineer and the CEO and Founder of Proper Property Protection. Julia is passionate about empowering more women to enter and thrive within the fire and security industry, sharing her experience to inspire and support the next generation of professionals.

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Ashley Gill

Ashley is an Associate Technical Consultant specialising in passive fire protection. She has over 10 years of experience in the construction industry, focused on passive fire protection for the past 3 years. She is passionate about improving fire safety standards and supporting others in the sector and promoting inclusivity within the wider fire safety industry.

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Kremena Angelova

With a background in structural engineering and fire protection, Kremena brings specialized expertise in the rehabilitation and retrofit of existing buildings. She has a strong interest in passive fire protection and building envelope resilience, with a solution-driven approach that enhances safety and sustainability. She is also active in professional organisations, supporting the development of young engineers through mentorship and outreach.

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Maz Ruth

Maz Ruth is a Chartered Construction Manager with over 12 years in construction and passive fire protection, who’s developed a strong appreciation for the quiet but critical role fire safety plays within the fabric of the built environment. Her work is driven by a commitment to doing things properly rather than just compliantly, and values the detail-oriented nature of passive fire. As a committee member for Women Talking Fire, she is proud to support a platform that elevates professional voices, encourages meaningful dialogue, and strengthens visibility for women across the fire safety landscape

Meet the Talking Fire CIC Directors

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Andrea White
Director & Founder

Andrea is a fire engineer, fire risk assessor and safety consultant with her own consultancy, A W Fire Ltd. Andrea loves seeing her teenage son progress and grow. She also loves learning and giving back. Having worked in the industry for 20 years, Andrea established Women Talking Fire to bring women working in fire safety together, provide networking opportunities and to support each other

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Alan Wheal
Director

Alan Wheal is the Group CEO of EA-RS Group Limited. Alan trained as an apprentice electrician with his father in a heavy engineering company before starting his first business in 1997. Since then, he has built the industry-leading Fire First Group of 12 specialist businesses. He is happily married for the second time, has 4 children and loves golf, motorsport and riding motorbikes.

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Deepa Mistry
Non-Executive Director

Deepa is a Senior Finance professional and NED, STEM role model, mother of 3 and a leaseholder affected by dangerous cladding as found on Grenfell. As CEO of Building Safety Crisis LTD Deepa is heavily involved in the Polluter Pays legislation with Government and winner of the Women in Fire Safety Awards 2022 for Education. Her aim is to make the residential environment safer for all; regardless of race, gender and social background.

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Nicky Venables
Non-Executive Director

Nicky is an award-winning Risk and Audit professional, who transitioned from Finance to the Construction industry 3 years ago following the identification of fire safety failures in her new build home. Nicky created New Build Database and is also a contributor to amendments to the Building Safety Act and Fire Safety Act. Nicky won ASFPs passive fire advocate of the year and has been a finalist at Women in Housing and Women in Fire Safety. Nicky is passionate about improving the standard of housing in the UK.

Inspiring Women

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I am a property industry professional with over 15 years’ experience across residential lettings, block management and, more recently, fire safety within high‑rise buildings. Throughout my career, I’ve built strong operational and regulatory knowledge, alongside a customer‑focused approach to supporting residents and managing complex property environments.

In recent years, I have specialised in fire safety within high‑rise residential buildings and currently work at Dunn as a Project Coordinator. I support the planning, coordination and delivery of fire safety works, ensuring projects are carried out efficiently, compliantly and with a clear focus on resident safety and communication. I work closely with consultants, contractors, managing agents, Fire Engineers and local authorities to help drive essential safety improvements in occupied and often challenging buildings.

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Zoe Dunn

 

With over two decades of experience in the built environment, I bring a unique blend of operational and technical expertise to my role as Managing Director of my External Wall Specialist company. I began with 10 years in Property Management, gaining a strong understanding of building performance, tenant and leaseholder relations, regulatory compliance and long‑term asset value. This hands‑on experience managing diverse portfolios highlighted the importance of external wall integrity and effective fire safety systems. This foundation led naturally into nine years in Fire Safety, where I developed deep technical knowledge of fire prevention, risk assessment and complex safety regulations. My work spans passive and active fire protection, with particular expertise in the legislative and practical challenges of external wall systems—cladding, insulation and facades—in the post‑Grenfell landscape.

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Nikki Barrow

 

I use marketing-led communication skills in my Building Safety Coordinator role to ensure critical safety information is clear, accessible and meaningful for residents, operational teams and stakeholders. I focus on engagement rather than instruction, simplifying technical content, tailoring messages to different audiences and using consistent, empathetic communication to build trust and encourage participation in safety processes.

Alongside written communication, I produce short, purposeful videos that explain building safety projects in a transparent, easy‑to‑understand way. These support internal teams with project updates and compliance messaging, and help residents understand what work is happening, why it matters and what to expect. I take a person‑centred approach to scripting and accessibility to ensure content is inclusive and proportionate.

This marketing-informed approach strengthens safety culture, supports resident confidence and improves the delivery of building safety duties.

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Julia Bariotakis

 

Julia MIFSM is a Fire Alarm Commissioning Engineer and the CEO and Founder of Proper Property Protection. Julia is passionate about empowering more women to enter and thrive within the fire and security industry, sharing her experience to inspire and support the next generation of professionals. Julia is also a proud member of our committee.

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Priya Bharath-Meades

 

I’m a positive, ambitious woman with a legal background, thriving in a full-time fire safety career and proudly raising two children. In just over three years, I’ve worked my way up through project management and quantity surveying, qualified as a Fire Risk Assessor, and now serve as a Director of a successful fire safety consultancy. I’m passionate about breaking clichés, proving you can be successful, lead with confidence, and still be an amazing mum. I’m a dreamer who truly believes that if you can dream it, you can become it. Women may be a minority in this industry, but we are one powerful force! I’m proud to be part of Women Talking Fire, which exists to support, empower, and amplify women’s voices, helping you be your best self whilst being heard.

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Claire Gould

 

Claire Gould is a design and marketing manager with over 16 years of experience, driven by a mix of creativity and strategy. Her current work at Valcan (Manufacturer of non-combustible Cladding Products and Systems), involves diverse projects in branding, design, and communication, drawing on a broad background that includes sectors like local government, education, engineering, and technology. She is passionate about building authentic brands, translating complex ideas into compelling visuals, and ensuring marketing feels genuinely human. Claire actively seeks new challenges, values the opportunity to connect and share knowledge within her professional network, and is committed to continuous learning.