Debbie Weekes-Bernard

Biography

Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard is London’s Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice.

Since taking office, Debbie has made it a priority to ensure London’s diverse communities have a voice in their city. She works to promote social justice and equality for all communities and is a key player in driving London’s social recovery from COVID-19. 

Debbie chairs the Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory group, as well as London’s Strategic Migration Panel and is co-chair of the Diversity in the Public Realm Commission. She is also a member of the TUC Anti-Racism Taskforce and the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Systemic Inequalities and Social Cohesion.

Debbie joined the mayoral team in 2018 from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation where she led the organisation’s work on poverty and ethnicity with additional areas of expertise on labour markets, education, lone parents and young people. Prior to this Debbie worked at the Runnymede Trust as Head of Research, running their work on inclusive curriculum development, education attainment gaps and school exclusion as well as work on community cohesion, race and criminal justice and youth transitions. She also worked as a Lecturer of Social Psychology and Criminology, teaching students in both the further and higher education sectors. 

Debbie has sat on several influential panels and working parties including the Poverty Commissions for both the National Union of Students and the London borough of Lewisham and is a member of the British Journal of Sociology of Education Editorial Board. She has also served locally as a chair of governors for two federated primary schools in East London.  

Debbie has a PhD in Psychology and Sociology, was born in Brent and lives in Waltham Forest.