Ranjana Bell MBE

Ranjana is Founder and Director of rba Equality and Diversity, which focuses on mainstreaming Equality, Diversity and Inclusion by creating ‘safe spaces’ for open and honest dialogue between individuals, be they staff, strategic leaders, volunteers or local politicians. She has over forty years of experience in the field of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, having worked across public, private and voluntary sectors over this period of time.

Ranjana holds the position of the Chair of the Board for The Road to Recovery Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, which is a charity that supports people on their journey of recovery from addictions. The Trust was the winner of the 2021 3rd Sector Award given by Asian Business Connexions.

Ranjana was awarded an MBE for work with the police and BME communities in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland in the January 2014 Queen’s Honours List.

She has been on many Boards and committees and including Chair of the Northumbria Police Strategic Independent Advisory Group (currently); was Co-Chair of the NE CPS Scrutiny Panel for Racist and Religious Hate Crime; PCC Independent Member for Police Misconduct Panels (currently), Chair of the NE Counter Terrorism Advisory Group (currently) and Co-Chair of Young People in Conversation (currently). She was a government appointed Commissioner for the Women’s National Commission for 4 years and has been a Lay Member of Employment Tribunals since 1999. She is a founder member of The Angelou Centre and The National Black Police Association.

In 2009, she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution to Equality and Diversity by CULTURES CIC; in 2012 she was shortlisted for an Asian Women of Achievement Award for her contribution to public service. She was named as a Social Changemaker in 2020 by the Northern Asian Powerlist. She has been added to the 2022 Northern Power Women List by Northern Power Women.