Sanchia Alasia was born in Jamaica and grew up in Newham. She currently lives in Barking in East London working part time as a human resource and diversity specialist and is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD). She has worked on equality and diversity issues in a number of public sector organisations over the past 11 years.
Professionally her roles include diversity officer at Queen Mary University and Equality and Diversity lead within the NHS. She currently provides diversity advice to Brunel University as their equality and diversity manager. Working in all these roles has given her a strong understanding of equality and employment law as well as developing initiatives to improve workforce representation.
She is an active person, having been a student governor at her last university and was elected to become the first Black vice president of her student union. She is also an active member of the Fabian Society, Co-operative Party and her trade unions, UNISON and GMB.
Sanchia Alasia was elected as a Labour Councillor in May 2010 in Barking and Dagenham for Alibon ward to become the youngest woman on the council. She has been re-elected for a second term in May 2014 currently serving the borough as a school governor in a local primary school and as chair of the development control board (planning committee).
Her diversity work has taken her all across Europe, sharing how companies can develop diversity strategies to have a more representative workforce.