Meet the Samtaler Team
Samtaler is a top-tier social value consultancy with procurement, political, strategy and third sector consulting expertise across multiple markets and regions. We build a project team with a range of experience and knowledge to get you the desired results, which could be a combination of Samtaler social value consultants and industry associates.
Our understanding of, and experience in, social value is broad and deep. Our team understands that society needs profitable businesses and that your social value offer must align with your business goals and other drivers.
With Samtaler your business is in safe hands
SARAH STONE
Founder and Director
Sarah is a leading UK expert in social value for public sector procurement and the visionary founder of Samtaler. Since 2017, she’s helped blue-chip corporations and public bodies design and deliver social value strategies that create lasting, positive impact. She also hosts the “Let’s Talk Social Value” podcast, sparking conversations that inspire change.
Sarah pioneered Scotland’s first Community Benefit Wish List for Perth & Kinross Council - an initiative since adopted across the UK. With deep expertise spanning defence, renewable energy, central government, sustainable procurement, and policy advisory, Sarah is known for turning complex challenges into actionable solutions. Passionate about making a difference, Sarah lives by the motto:
“Try to leave the world a little better than you found it.”
Before Samtaler, Sarah worked at the heart of UK government, coordinating the Conservative Party’s 2010 General Election Manifesto and advising the Prime Minister during the Coalition Government. She co-founded a public affairs social enterprise supporting grassroots campaigners and played key advisory roles in high-profile political campaigns.
Outside of work, Sarah is deeply committed to the military community. She founded The Military Coworking Network, a pioneering initiative partnering with the MOD to deliver coworking spaces on military bases and serves as a trustee and adviser to several military charities and social enterprises.
KATE GRÄFE
Social Value Director
Kate has over 25 years experience in procurement and contract management across both public and private sectors, including 12 years as Chief Procurement Officer for the London Borough of Ealing and Reading Councils. Kate created and implemented the Social Value Policy at Reading, including working with local partners to link proposed social value delivery with need and support a business case for a local social value model. A passionate advocate of social value, Kate has been a co-lead on the Social Value UK Contract for Change programme and provided practioner input to a number of the National Audit Office Commercial Hub seminars.
More recently, Kate has worked as an Associate to deliver a variety of projects, including a circular economy business case, Innovate UK grant bids and supporting climate tech start-ups with defining and measuring impact.
Kate is a trustee for Graft Thames Valley, a micro-charity that aims to eradicate barriers to employment and training for disabled, neurodiverse and other communities for which a standard, generic approach does not work.
ROSE WALTON
Operations Director
Rose is an accomplished leader with a proven track record in shaping and delivering high-impact social value strategies for the health sector, both in the UK and internationally. With expertise in health sector procurement, she has secured contracts with major public sector organisations, including the NHS, Health Canada, and HealthShare NSW, translating social value ambitions into real-world results.
Rose’s career spans senior roles across the charity, youth, health, and business sectors. As former Head of Business at Blackburn Youth Zone, she worked closely with local organisations and community groups to deliver meaningful impact. Rose is also a trustee of the Myotonic Dystrophy Support Group, a cause close to her heart.
As Operations Director at Samtaler, she ensures the business runs smoothly behind the scenes, overseeing the systems, processes, and infrastructure that empower the team to deliver exceptional work. From finance and HR to project workflows and internal communications.
Her deep belief in the power of social value continues to guide her leadership, helping ensure that Samtaler’s internal operations are as values-led as the work it delivers externally.
LORRAINE BRIFFITT
Client Services Director
Lorraine brings over 20 years of leadership in the non-profit sector, driving innovative social justice projects and managing multi-project charities with a focus on real-world impact. She began her career advocating for vulnerable women and young people affected by exploitation - working across courts, police, and prisons to develop diversion schemes and influence decision-making in complex stakeholder environments.
Her expertise lies in partnership building, strategic development, and creating social value through cross-sector collaboration. Lorraine has consulted for SMEs, CICs, and public sector bodies including HMPs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Home Office, where she helped embed social value into challenging and sensitive contexts.
In her current role at Samtaler, Lorraine leads client services. She focuses on partnership creation and strategic development, ensuring social value initiatives are grounded in real community needs that deliver measurable outcomes.
Currently, Lorraine chairs the Rebeca Jarrett Fund, a national grant-making charity supporting women with complex needs. She also leads Connect Reading, a regional cross-sector network driving meaningful social value through campaigns, events, and a Resource Xchange.
Her work blends community engagement, system design, and social justice, with a strong commitment to tackling issues like modern slavery, exploitation and inequality.
SOPHIE STERLING
Social Value Director
Sophie is a senior leader with a deep and practical understanding of social value, stakeholder engagement, and strategic commercial development across the private and public sectors. With extensive experience spanning justice, defence, education, employability, and sustainability, she is passionate about turning policy and ambition into meaningful, measurable impact. At Samtaler, Sophie supports clients in embedding social value into their bids, strategies, and delivery models, whether that means designing outcome-driven frameworks, leading complex stakeholder engagement, or helping businesses commercialise their social value offer with confidence and clarity.
Her career includes executive-level roles at Sopra Steria, Capita, and PeoplePlus UK (where she sat on the Executive Board), with a strong track record of commercial leadership, strategic sales, and solutioning. Sophie is Shipley-certified in bid writing and brings a rigorous, collaborative approach to winning work and delivering results. She also has deep subject expertise in rehabilitation, employability, MoD and CJS contracts, adult education, prison education, and local government policy.
MICHAELA PEARSON
Social Value & Partnerships Consultant
Michaela is a natural connector with over a decade of experience across the events and third sector industries, specialising in community engagement, stakeholder relations, and partnership development. She has a proven track record in bringing people together - from corporate partners and charities to community start-ups and funders, to deliver social impact that’s both strategic and deeply human.
Before joining us, Michaela was Head of Fundraising at The Music Works, a youth-focused charity where she led on Individual donors, corporate partnerships and fundraising campaigns.
At Samtaler, Michaela helps clients craft meaningful social value strategies rooted in local need, drawing on her experience in corporate volunteering, social entrepreneurship, event management, and grassroots community work. Her approach is both strategic and heart-led: she understands the business case but never loses sight of the people behind the numbers.
Outside of work, Michaela continues her commitment to community as a trustee of a local grant-giving charity supporting families and individuals facing financial hardship or ill health.
TILLY CROWHURST
Social Value Consultant
Tilly is an experienced, passionate and people-focused Social Value Consultant with a talent for turning box-ticking exercises into bold, meaningful impact. With a strong foundation in the construction and built environment sectors, she’s helped organisations design standout social value strategies, win competitive bids, and deliver programmes that create measurable, lasting change.
Her experience spans both corporate and community settings - from working with national contractors to supporting grassroots charities and community groups. Tilly is recognised for her collaborative approach, her ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments, and her talent for finding practical solutions that benefit everyone.
A committed advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Tilly has launched DEI and wellbeing initiatives that have shifted organisational culture and improved lives. She also brings hands-on expertise in emerging talent, having led apprenticeship and early careers programmes that create real opportunity for young people.
Outside of work, Tilly brings the same energy to her role as a volunteer Scout leader, guiding Cub Scouts through adventurous programmes and supporting the UK’s international service team.
LOIS TAYLOR
Social Value Consultant
Lois brings nearly 20 years of experience in community engagement, stakeholder relations, and strategic communications. At Samtaler, she specialises in social value delivery, stakeholder mapping, needs analysis, and building partnerships that deliver real social impact.
Lois played a central role in developing some of Scotland’s first Community Benefit Wish Lists with Perth & Kinross and Clackmannanshire Councils - a testament to her ability to centre community voices in complex procurement processes. She has supported clients across sectors with implementing the delivery of their social value commitments, social value bid writing, bringing sharp insight into the National TOMs framework, navigating local government systems, and grassroots networks.
Before joining Samtaler, Lois worked in strategic communications for the UK Military, planning and delivering large-scale public engagement campaigns both nationally and at a hyper-local level. Her experience spans community consultation, political and defence communications, media strategy, volunteer and project management, and stakeholder engagement for high-profile public events.
Lois combines practical, on-the-ground knowledge with a deep understanding of public sector systems, helping clients connect meaningfully with communities and embed social value at every stage of their projects.
Firmly believing in the power of communities, Lois dedicates time to organising events within the military community and as secretary of her PTFA.
LAURA BOOTH
Marketing & Communication Manager
Laura began her career in the NHS before transitioning into freelance marketing, where she has supported SMEs, charities, and public sector campaigns with a clear focus on community engagement and impact. Her deep understanding of public sector systems - from health to local authorities and education enables her to communicate complex community needs with clarity and empathy, ensuring messages resonate with the right audiences.
Beyond her professional life, Laura co-founded a coworking space that supports local remote workers by providing a vibrant community hub. She actively hosts networking events and leads fundraising efforts for charities, blending her passion for social entrepreneurship with practical support for local skills development. She is continually expanding her expertise through a Marketing Degree with the Open University, bringing fresh ideas and best practices into her work.
Laura’s specialisms span communications strategy, health sector engagement, recruitment campaigns, social entrepreneurship, and third sector collaboration. Her blend of sector knowledge and genuine community focus makes her a vital part of the Samtaler team, driving impact through compelling storytelling and connected communication.
We are social value consultants with a heart
We take the time to get to know your business and commercial requirements. Find out more about our approach.