Janet Boston

"Janet Boston has joined the John Smith Trust as Director in September 2013. Previously Janet was CEO of the international media development NGO, The Thomson Foundation. While there she was responsible for developing and implementing a strategy for The Foundation which involved reorienting the work so that it could effectively respond to a new media world of convergence and content. After five years driving change and extensive international travel, Janet left The Thomson Foundation to pursue a range of opportunities including: executive production of a series for Channel 4 as part of an international initiative which involved young people in the lead up to the Olympics and Paralympics; and additional work for the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) at Holloway Prison where she is currently Chair and leads a team of 20.

"Before her time with Thomson Janet was Director of Communications for the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). She also created, developed and produced the award winning “Hands On-Earth Report” global solutions strand for BBC World which pioneered the use of ‘new’ media and audience interaction. Janet is passionate about the power of communication to create a more informed and engaged society and as a TV Producer/Director focused on telling untold stories from around the world. She also has an in depth knowledge of sustainable development and social enterprise which grew from her time as Media Manager for Intermediate Technology Development Group (now Practical Action). Janet began her media career working for the European Bureau of Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper and its sister company TV Asahi where she produced reports in the aftermath of the fall of Communism. Janet has served on many boards for a range of NGO, Media, Government and UN agencies, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an honorary lifelong member of the BBCT. "