Jaya is a passionate advocate for engaging business with community through technology to improve peoples lives.
Outside work Jaya has engaged with projects aimed at increasing democratic engagement, net neutrality, education, privacy, protecting children, women’s’ rights, human rights. In addition to sitting on the Communications Consumer Panel and being a member of Ofcoms advisory committee on Older and Disabled People Jaya has been active and enthusiastic in projects to help the wider community.
An active advisory board member and Vice President of the West of England Initiative and a Non-Executive Director of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce and Initiative, Jaya has been involved in many citywide cross-sector initiatives with education and technology such as Connecting Bristol/ The Digital Challenge and DC10Plus which aimed to increase social inclusion through the use of technology.
She also served on the Board of Bristol’s Watershed Media Centre and on Board of the Learning and Skills Council for the West of England as a non-executive director for the West of England until it was replaced by the Skills Funding Agency.
Jaya chaired the “Mayor for Bristol” campaign that achieved the only Yes vote in the country in May 2012. She also chairs a local democracy organization, Bristol Manifesto, aimed at ensuring that the disengaged are re-engaged and empowered.
Jaya is also a Research Fellow with the University of Northampton Business School looking at corporate democracy and the gamification of social investments.