International Women’s Day is upon us! On Saturday 8th March, we’ll be celebrating the amazing achievements of women all around the world throughout our history. It’s the perfect time to shout about our female role models and acknowledge the talent and dedication of the most impactful women in our lives. For us at DPAS, a female-led company, those acknowledgements and celebrations will be largely directed towards the incredible women in our team.
Today, we’d like to highlight some of our colleagues’ journeys that led them to where they are today. So, here are a few words from some of the women of DPAS as they tell us about how they got here, what challenges they’ve faced, and what their role means to them.
Melanie Garnett – CEO
My journey into data protection started in 2016 when I applied for a job with Nigel Gooding, our founder. He’d been in the field for a while and had a vision for a consultancy dedicated to data protection services. From day one, I went through some pretty intense data protection training, and I instantly fell in love with the industry and especially the laws being introduced in the UK to protect us as individuals.
Fast forward eight years, and DPAS has grown and grown, always staying true to our ethos: educating, engaging, and empowering businesses through consultancy and training. When I first started in this industry, it was heavily male-dominated. I remember sitting in a sales meeting with four men who immediately dismissed my female colleague and me as serious contenders for the project. But they soon realised we knew exactly what we were talking about. We were strong, confident, and not easily intimidated—and they loved it. That moment changed their mindset, and we won the project.
That win, right at the start of DPAS, fuelled my determination to drive our success and build a team of strong, independent women who truly know their stuff. Women who stand up for their rights, who are passionate about their work, and who are committed to educating and empowering businesses. I’m incredibly proud of the female-dominated team we’ve built. Their dedication to helping businesses protect the data they hold, put customer trust first, and drive their commercial goals forward is what makes DPAS what it is today.
Natalie Bennett – Head of Consultancy
I have a pretty varied past that covers just about everything you can imagine, including working as a doorman and a hairdresser. I studied science at university, and went on to teach maths at secondary schools. I had never really found anything that particularly inspired me – that’s when I fell into data protection. I had some exposure within schools, but it wasn’t until I took a temporary role helping to increase capacity in a SAR redaction team, that I really got into it. From there, I found a genuine interest in the sector, and finally discovered something that aligns with my own values – specifically equality. After giving up teaching it was also great to find something where I could continue to educate, and empower individuals, it’s not maths, or teenagers – but it’s pretty close.
I’ve been fortunate enough to join the industry at a time where women are at the forefront of discussions, and we have some prominent figures within the sector that are women. Coming from a background that is inherently male dominated, it’s refreshing to see a sector that supports and builds up women, with a genuine desire for them to succeed.
There are always going to be times where speaking to a room full of men can feel intimidating, but that isn’t specific to this industry. There’s certainly still work to be done across business in general, but to be working in an organisation with a female dominated workforce, with a female CEO, and with a predominantly female management team, I feel like I am in the best position possible to continue to advocate for women, especially those joining the data protection industry.
Jemma Jones – Senior SAR Officer
I got into data protection and specifically DSARs by chance, having spent the first part of my career working in conveyancing. I was looking for a change, but I still wanted something that was challenging and engaging. I was aware of the basics of data protection from a compliance perspective but hadn’t previously considered the wider impact. Since working at DPAS, I have been able to educate myself further about the world of data protection, and having access to all the courses we offer has been a great way to learn more. As a relative newcomer to the industry, I have to say that I have been struck by how welcoming it is to everyone, including women, and it is inspiring to see so many women within the data protection industry who are championed for their skills and knowledge – including those in our DPAS team.
Lauren Durham-Hutchins – Senior Data Privacy Officer
Back when I was studying for my law degree, I never imagined I’d end up working in data protection – I wasn’t even fully aware of its importance at the time! My background is in Human Rights Law, and since stepping into this industry, I’ve come to realise just how deeply intertwined data protection and human rights are.
As data protection consultants, the work we do carries real value, particularly when it comes to safeguarding the data—and ultimately the safety—of marginalised groups. It’s not just about compliance; it’s about protecting people. The breadth of this field means there’s always a new challenge to tackle, each with its own unique implications, making this work challenging and rewarding!
At DPAS, our mission to engage, educate, and empower resonates deeply with me. In an industry traditionally dominated by men (aside from our amazing DPAS office, of course!), I feel privileged to be part of a community of data protection professionals who are driving real change. I’m incredibly proud to stand alongside my team, working towards a mission I truly believe in.
Teresa Gudge – Privacy Consultant
Starting my working life wanting to be a secretary feels very stereotypical to me now looking back 45 years later, to a time when I successfully achieved my ambition – then got completely bored with it.
Being asked to apply for a role in Information Security in 1999 while working as a secretary was a complete change into a topic which then was in its infancy and not very well understood. What was information security? No idea – but actually, it’s quite obvious from the title! Within that role came data protection. There had been some movement in law in 1998 when the Data Protection Act had been updated, so there was a flurry of concern that the organisation I was with needed to up its understanding and compliance.
I was sent on a two-day course, ‘Understanding Data Protection’. When I came back, my manager said, “do you understand it?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, you can be the Data Protection Officer now, then.”
I was gradually becoming known for my ability to communicate and being a woman who liked to talk, and who smiled a lot, in a very male-orientated business helped me to get into meetings and briefings in many different teams to talk about how they handled personal data and to empower them to handle it properly.
Since 1999, I have worked in many different organisations and I still enjoy the topic, plus the engagement with others and the passion it has given me. I’m still the one who reads privacy notices and changes passwords and when I see that my friends don’t, I delight in explaining why it should matter, and why they need to take notice and get passionate too.
Kristal Rocks – Data Privacy Officer
I stumbled into data protection by chance when GDPR became prominent in 2018. At the time, I was Head of Information Governance for a well-known drug and alcohol charity in Plymouth, and data protection was simply added to my responsibilities. Throughout my career, I have worked in sectors dedicated to promoting equity and ensuring equal access to services, amenities, and support for society’s most vulnerable and often overlooked individuals with a view to empowering them. Personal information belongs to the people it concerns, and everyone has the right to know how it is being used, who has access to it, and how it is processed. This fundamental belief is why my role as a data protection consultant aligns so closely with my core values.
As a woman in the field of data protection, I am passionate about empowering individuals, especially engaging other women, to understand the value of their personal information. On International Women’s Day, it’s important to recognise that knowledge is power, and today, our data holds significant monetary and personal value. I believe in educating people to make informed choices about how their data is used and shared, ensuring they have control over their own information. This aligns with the broader fight for equality, autonomy, and protection of rights—values that International Women’s Day stands for.
Remember to engage, educate, and empower
As International Women’s Day is such a significant day for us, we always take it as an opportunity to turn extra attention to how we can support the women on our team. Are they looking for ways to further their personal or professional development? Are there any changes they would like to see in the company? Whatever the team has to say, we make sure their voices are heard. Not just on this day, but every other one too.
How do you celebrate International Women’s Day?
