Empowering and Supporting Women in PBSA - Join Our Mentorship Programme

Why Join the Women in PBSA Mentorship Programme?

We aim to empower women in the student accommodation sector by providing guidance, networking opportunities, and career development. Whether you are new to the industry, exploring new roles, or seeking to strengthen leadership skills, this programme fosters an inclusive environment for learning and support.

  • For Mentees: Build essential skills, receive guidance, and grow your network.
  • For Mentors: Enhance leadership skills, shape future leaders, and give back to the community.
  • For Organisations: Support gender equity, foster a positive culture, and retain top talent.


Throughout my career I have been fortunate enough to have great mentors who provided a sounding board and helped me make better choices regarding my career and goals, so I have experienced firsthand the positive impact of mentoring.

I believe in diversity and the increased participation of women in investment management and student housing. The mentoring programme of Women in PBSA is a valuable initiative to drive this change.

Irina Stamate-Rocha, Partner, Patron Capital Advisers LLP

Goals of the Mentorship Programme

Empower Women in PBSA


Create a network that supports personal and professional growth.

Foster New Skills


Provide mentees with essential skills and insights through hands-on guidance and real-world experiences.

Encourage Development


Support and advise women at any stage of their career, wherever they wish to progress in leadership roles, by providing mentorship and development opportunities.

Feedback and Progress Tracking


Implement a feedback loop to ensure mentors and mentees are achieving their goals and that the programme is continuously improving.

Enhance Retention and Satisfaction


Increase employee satisfaction and retention by fostering a supportive environment for women.

Core Values

  • image/svg+xml Empowerment - Building confidence and leadership skills
  • image/svg+xml Diversity & Inclusion - Championing diverse perspectives
  • image/svg+xml Community - Fostering a supportive environment
  • image/svg+xml Innovation - Encouraging creative solutions in PBSA
  • image/svg+xml Sustainability - Promoting environmentally responsible practices

How It Works

Mentormatching

Mentors and mentees are matched based on career goals, professional background, and areas of interest.

Networkingevents

Quarterly networking events connect mentors, mentees, and industry leaders, fostering a sense of community.

Monthlycheck-ins

Mentors and mentees are encouraged to hold monthly meetings to discuss goals, progress, and challenges.

Developmentworkshops

Professional development workshops are offered on leadership, public speaking, career progression, and more, tailored specifically for women in PBSA.

Progresstracking

A feedback loop ensures mentors and mentees are achieving their goals and that the programme is continuously improving.

Ready To Make a Difference?

Apply now to become a mentor, a mentee or an organisational partner

Join the Women in PBSA LinkedIn Group

Our Committee Members

Suraiya Comunello

CMO, Nido Living

Niamh O'Connor

Partner, Summix Capital

Sorrel Basher

Head of Marketing & Communications, GSA

Paddy Allen

CEO, Kinetic Capital

Pavlina Chandras

Head of Operations – Living Strategies Europe, EQT Exeter

Irina Stamate-Rocha

Founding Partner, Patron Capital

Joanne Pollard

COO, Empiric Student Property

Scott Lewis

COO, Homes for Students

Sarah Ead

Head of Insight, GSL

Richard Fisher

European Head of Portfolio Management, GSA

Jan Capper

Executive Director, CUBO

Katie Robertson

Principal, KKR

Kim Nisbett

Head of Data and Insight, Unite Students

Darren Gardner

COO, Nido Living

Jane Crouch

COO, Fresh

Thiago Alves

Executive Vice President, GSL

Matt Walker

CEO, Student Housing, Mapletree


I’m thrilled to be part of this fantastic initiative, something I’ve long hoped to see in the PBSA sector. Our goal is to ensure women in PBSA have access to the support, resources, and networking opportunities needed for professional growth, alongside opportunities to be recognized for their contributions and help shape a more inclusive industry. This platform is also invaluable for educating and gaining advocacy from men, whose support is essential in championing women. It’s a privilege to Chair the committee and collaborate with the GSL team to make this vision a reality and drive meaningful change.

Suraiya Comunello, CMO, Nido Living


The WinPBSA initiative is so important as it is the first real opportunity to galvanise female talent across the sector. It can make an impact in so many ways, but key, in my opinion, is developing and mentoring future talent to take advantage of the wonderful opportunities in our sector.

I’ve had some amazing experiences of being mentored, which enabled me to identify my strengths and development areas in a safe space. I’ve also had the privilege of mentoring in my career. There is no greater joy than seeing someone overcome their challenges & achieve their goals. However, 90% of my mentees have been male. There is a real legacy that we need to overcome regarding women helping women to succeed, and I believe this initiative will help us begin to overcome this. So please get involved – whether as a mentor or mentee. You won’t regret it – I promise!

Joanne Pollard, COO, Empiric Student Property


Having supportive role models and mentors has been integral to my career progression. The ability to learn from others, both from their successes and failures, and have someone to act as a sounding board has been invaluable in enabling me to make informed choices. My experience has helped me make better decisions in my role, encouraged me to lean-in to new opportunities and helped me transition through maternity leaves.

I am delighted that GSL have launched the Women in PBSA Mentorship Program. Businesses succeed when there is diversity of thought, experience and background at the table. This initiative is an exciting step forward in achieving that.

Sorrel Basher, Head of Marketing & Communications, GSA


I have worked in PBSA for over 20 years and have been lucky enough to have been supported by mentors who have helped build my confidence and self-belief. I have seen the sector become more diverse, but we still have a long way to go. I am excited to be part of this fantastic initiative and hope we can drive real change.

Kim Nisbett, Head of Data and Insight, Unite Students


Suraiya, Sarah, Niamh, Pavlina, Irina, Joanne, Jane, Sorrel and Kim showed the immense power of having more women leaders and role models within our industry and are a credit to all their organisations. It is imperative we continue highlighting and talking about this until everyone understands that delivering diversity and equality in organisations ONLY results in improved wellbeing, improved culture, improved decision making and improved business performance – FACT!

Darren Gardner, COO, Nido Living