The British Benevolent Society of California (BBS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing aid to British citizens in need throughout California and the Western United States.
Our support comes from generous donations, legacies and fundraising by members, and our wider community.
Who we are
The BBS is made up of predominantly volunteer members, 13 of whom form a Board of Directors who manage the charity and its activities. The Board of Directors each carries a position of responsibility. Through discussion and unity they make all decisions which determine how the charity continues to succeed and deliver its mission.
Individual crisis cases are also bought to the Board in order to discuss and determine if they qualify for financial support from the BBS. The Board is also responsible for fundraising, the investment and management of the charitable monies, legal alignment, coordination with the British Consulate and the marketing of the BBS organization.
Most importantly, the BBS Board is focused on helping and supporting British citizens, residing in the states covered by the Consulates General offices in California, who are desperate and quite literally have no where else to turn for help. The BBS relies on the support of a paid membership program and welcomes anyone who would like to join and help support its cause.
Membership for a year costs a modest $100 and allows the member an opportunity to attend all BBS events and fundraisers whilst supporting individuals who are in desperate need.
Board of Directors
Hedley Potts - President
Hedley Potts is President of the British Benevolent Society of California, working with the Board, Executive Director, volunteers, members, and partners to advance BBS’s mission of supporting British nationals and their families across California and the Western United States. A British national based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Hedley previously served four years on the BBS Board and chaired the Events Committee, giving him a strong connection to the organization and its community.
Hedley brings extensive leadership experience from senior roles at Lloyds Bank, HP, HPE, Google Cloud, UiPath, and NetApp, where he currently serves as Vice President of Revenue Enablement. His expertise in transformation, growth, AI adoption, and global go-to-market leadership supports BBS as it expands its reach, strengthens community engagement, and increases the impact of its charitable work.
Jon Wingent - Vice President
Jon is a Principal and Wealth Advisor at Cerity Partners in Los Angeles, where he advises high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners. He began his career at Barclays Wealth in 2003 and has held senior roles at Merrill Lynch, Close Brothers, and Schroders Personal Wealth, where he served as Head of Investment Specialists in London. After relocating to the U.S. in 2021, he joined Morton Wealth before moving to Cerity Partners.
Jon is a Certified Financial Planner and member of the Financial Planning Association, and serves on the BBS Investment Committee. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children and enjoys the outdoors, whiskey, fine wine, and sports.
Steve Wares - Chief Financial Officer
Steve is a UK qualified chartered management accountant, CFO of the BBS and past-President of the British American Business Council. He has spent the past 25 years working with growth stage technology companies helping them with their international expansion support needs including global payroll, accounting, tax, compliance and HR. Steve has lived in the Bay Area since 2005 with his wife, two children and two dogs.
Karen Leech - Director
Karen began her career in Northampton, England, working in insurance before becoming a financial advisor with Compton House Financial Management. After relocating to the United States in 2001, she joined Laird Norton Wetherby and became a Shareholder in 2004. A Certified Private Wealth Advisor, Karen works with clients while also contributing to the firm’s client service and communications activities.
Karen previously served as Investment Committee Co-Chair for The Redwoods, a nonprofit senior community in Mill Valley, and currently chairs the BBS Investment Committee. She lives in Novato with her husband and son and enjoys tennis, hiking, and biking.
Karen Thomas - Director
Karen worked at the British Consulate General in San Francisco for most of her career in the US and retired in January 2012 after 26 years.
As Vice Consul (Management/Consular) and later Head of Corporate Services, Karen oversaw management, HR, facilities, property, procurement, budgeting, and consular services. She also collaborated with the British Benevolent Society for many years to support British nationals in need.
Karen has served as a BBS Director for 12 years and is currently on the Events Committee. She was previously President, Vice President, and a member of the Finance and By-laws Committees.
Alex J. Sinclair - Director
British-born Alex J Sinclair is a seasoned management consultant for The Nightingale, specializing in pre-seed company foundational development. With 20 years of intra/entrepreneurial expertise, he has pioneered products and subsidiaries for clients such as Pearson Education, McGraw-Hill, JTB, De Agostini Editore, and Britannica. Alex holds a BA (Hons) in Film, an MA in Advertising, and an MBA. In his free time, Alex established Willow on the Green, a British Cheese shop in Inner Sunset, San Francisco, and is expanding several food brands.
Peter Newman - Director
Peter Newman is Deputy Consul General at the British Consulate-General in San Francisco, where he helps manage day-to-day operations and represents UK interests across the Northwestern United States. He also oversees the consulate’s work supporting British citizens in the region and works closely with the British Benevolent Society to assist Britons in need on the West Coast.
Peter has held public- and private-sector roles in communications, public affairs, and diplomacy. A graduate of the University of Leeds in French and European Studies, he has lived and worked in France, Belgium, Spain, the UK, and California, where he enjoys exploring the region’s hiking trails.
Kathleen Kimura, MBE - Director
Penelope Harwood - Director
Penny is SVP, Business Development at London & Partners, London’s growth agency. Based in San Francisco, she leads the organization’s work across the U.S. Northwest and Western Canada, helping high-growth companies expand into London and supporting London-based businesses entering North America.
Previously, Penny held senior roles at Bloomberg in San Francisco and London and at StarMine (Thomson Reuters). She serves as Head of Relief for the British Benevolent Society, helping provide practical assistance to British nationals in need across the Western United States.
James Cummings - Director
James Cummings is Vice President of Business Development at London & Partners, London’s growth agency. Based in Los Angeles, he works with U.S. companies expanding into London and supports London-based businesses exploring opportunities in the United States.
Previously, James served as Vice Consul at the British Consulate-General in Los Angeles and worked in the City of London, where he became a Freeman of the City of London. He holds a master’s degree in London Studies and lives in Los Angeles, California.
Gina Papatsaras - Director
Kathleen was born and educated in England and moved to San Francisco in 1969. She is Vice President of Tokyo Express Co. Inc., founded by her husband, Kozo Kimura, in 1973. A longtime BBS leader, Kathleen has served on the Board since 2001, including as President from 2012–2017, and was reelected to the Board in 2025.
Kathleen has held leadership roles with numerous British, Japanese, and international organizations, including the British American Business Council, San Francisco–Osaka Sister City Association, and Japan Society of Northern California. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, she was awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 and Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays in 2014.
Sandro Monetti - Director
A leading light of the British community in Los Angeles, Sandro Monetti is a multi-award-winning broadcaster, covering Hollywood for the BBC and CNN, producer of acclaimed films and stage shows and a reputation management consultant for CEOs and global thought leaders.
Dedicated to community, compassion and creating opportunities for all, he has won humanitarian awards from the White House and United Nations and brings board experience from the LA Press Club, Royal Society of St George and BAFTA.
Raissa Marchetti-Kozlov - Director
A thoughtful and energetic community builder, Raissa brings more than a decade of experience across operations, executive support, HR, marketing, business development, and event planning. Since joining BBS in June 2025, she has become a steady contributor to the Events Team, helping plan and deliver gatherings including the Holiday Party and Annual General Meeting.
Professionally, she supports executive leadership at NetApp and serves as HR and Marketing Director for MacDonald-Bedford, while also leading Redwood City Players, a community theatre company she founded in 2016. Passionate about inclusion, belonging, and the power of shared experiences, Raissa brings creativity, structure, and heart to BBS’s work supporting British citizens and families across California and the Western States.
Gina is a Marin County Realtor (@seekmarin), working as a High-End Urban Market advisor in Residential Real Estate. She began her career in Newcastle Upon Tyne as a solicitor working for a Legal Aid Franchise practicing Criminal and Family law. After relocating to San Francisco in 2004 Gina held various volunteer roles providing community service through the Jewish Children’s and Family Service of San Francisco.
Gina lives with her husband, a Tech Executive, in Larkspur and their son studies Computer Science abroad in Aberdeen Scotland. Her hobbies include music, traveling, hiking, Pilates and riding her vespa.
Julia Schieffer - Executive Director
Julia Schieffer is Executive Director of the British Benevolent Society of California, where she works closely with the Board of Directors, volunteers, and partners to strengthen community engagement, fundraising, and support for British nationals and their families across the state.
A current BBS member and dual citizen, she brings more than 15 years of leadership experience spanning strategy, marketing, growth, operations, and relationship management.