voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
You Don't Need to Have All the Answers to Become a Trustee
Created: 28/09/2026News/Events Category: Governance
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Theresa Ogbekhiulu was just 20 when she first stepped into a boardroom. Today, she is a Non-Executive Director, School Governor and Associate Board Member – and she wants other people to know that you don't need years of experience to make a valuable contribution as a trustee.
Theresa's governance journey began in 2019, when she was elected Education Officer at Swansea University Students' Union. Representing more than 20,000 students, she found herself taking on a role that brought her into the world of trusteeship and board decision-making for the first time.
It was a big step.
“When I became a trustee at 20 in 2019, I did not walk into the boardroom thinking I had all the answers. I was an elected Education Officer at Swansea University Students’ Union, representing more than 20,000 students, and suddenly I was sitting alongside people who were older and some had years of experience in governance, finance, strategy and organisational leadership.”
Rather than seeing her age and lack of experience as barriers, Theresa brought something equally valuable to the boardroom: her own perspective, experience and understanding of the people she represented.
That first experience helped shape a governance journey that has continued to grow. Theresa is now a Non-Executive Director at Swim Wales, a School Governor at Morriston Comprehensive School and Cefn Hengoed Community School, and an Associate Board Member at Swansea Bay University Health Board. She is also a researcher and higher education and public sector professional based in Wales.
Her journey is a powerful reminder that effective boards don't need everyone around the table to have the same background or years of experience. They need people who are willing to listen, ask questions, bring their perspective and learn.
For anyone wondering whether they are “experienced enough” to become a trustee, Theresa's story offers a simple answer: you don't have to know everything before you take your seat at the table.
Click here to read Theresa's insights on being a young trustee.
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