Purpose. Clarity. Results.

Jo Howorth

With over two decades of experience in higher education and leadership development, I’ve spent my career mentoring leaders, shaping inclusive innovation cultures, and driving strategic transformation. I’ve built impactful programmes and empowered diverse communities at institutions such as the University of Leeds, while supporting leaders across sectors as a freelance mentor and advisor.

I believe leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about how you show up: with clarity, confidence, and care. That’s why I founded ActuateYou—to help individuals and organisations unlock their full leadership potential and create meaningful, human-centred change.

Alongside my work through ActuateYou, I serve as a Strategic Consultant in University Engagement with the Neurodiversity & Entrepreneurship Association. This work focuses on developing inclusive innovation strategies that foster collaboration, creativity, and systemic change.

I also bring this lens to my mentoring and coaching work. I’ve supported senior leaders as a Leadership Mentor at Reward Funding, helping to build adaptive, high-performing teams, and delivered executive coaching to 44 senior leaders as a Positive Leadership Coach with the Centre for Executive and Professional Education at Leeds University Business School.

Director, ActuateYou Ltd

Qualifications and Professional Memberships:

• Chartered Management Institute (CMI), Level 7: Leadership Coaching and Mentoring, focusing on organisational culture.

• Professional Member, European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC UK): Advancing excellence in coaching, mentoring, and supervision.

• Certified Partner, Leadership Effectiveness Analysis and Coaching, Management Research Group.

• Certified Experienced Leader, MIT Venture Mentoring Service Methodology.

• Network Member, Guest Chair and Panellist, The Network for Coaching and Mentoring Entrepreneurs (NCME): A global network of entrepreneurship educators and programme managers sharing resources and advancing best practices.

• Fellow, Advance HE.

• Volunteer Mentor, Aurora Leadership Development Programme, Advance HE (2022): Addressing the under-representation of women in leadership roles in higher education.

Through ActuateYou, I offer a blend of mentoring, tailored development, and strategic advisory to help leaders grow from the inside out—whether they’re navigating complexity in academia, enhancing leadership effectiveness, or building inclusive cultures within organisations.

Let’s create leadership that leaves a lasting legacy—within people, teams, and culture.

What People Say About Working With Jo

65+ personal recommendations on LinkedIn

If I was to say one thing about Jo it is that she makes things happen that otherwise wouldn’t. In a university context that is incredibly valuable, but in any setting dominated by inertia and process Jo can find a way to add value. Innovation is a word that is easy to say, but so often is just an excuse for chaotic disruption: Jo has shaped and advocated for some of the best examples of meaningful and focused innovation our postgraduate researchers and early career academics have benefited from and I cannot recommend her enough.

Luke Windsor, Dean, Doctoral College, University of Leeds

Jo is a highly entrepreneurial, creative and innovative leader. She works hard, but seemingly effortlessly, managing diverse stakeholders to 'get things done' in a way which realises maximum value and impact. Jo is a breath of fresh air and an asset to any team.

Jayne Glennon, Director of Philanthropy
University of Leeds

Having had the pleasure of working with Jo on a range of innovation and education projects I have always been struck by her ability to not only generate new ideas, but to then take these flawlessly through the process of implementation and delivery. Jo has an incredible knack for being able to bring the best out of others which combined with her willingness to genuinely shape projects based on expert advice means that she is as effective within projects that focus on unusual and novel areas as she is with those focussed on her usual sphere of work. Ultimately, if you want to work with someone who will help to build and develop innovation, leadership and educational change through overhauling and developing processes, programmes, organisations and individuals then there is no need to look much further!

Kieran Zucker, Health Data Scientist, Clinical Oncologist, Researcher, Educator and Innovation Advisor