MEET THE TEAM
VANESSA EYLES
Director
Vanessa joined West Midlands Police in 1993 and has delivered on a wide range of roles and specialisms across the organisation and across the geography.
Vanessa has worked as a Senior Investigating Officer within Force Criminal Investigation Department, overseeing kidnaps, firearms crimes, attempt murders and crimes within HMP Birmingham. She then worked within the Public Protection Unit overseeing complex child abuse and child deaths.
Vanessa has a range of experience in leading change and improving performance. Vanessa also took a strategic role in successfully uplifting resilience within the Public Protection Unit. Vanessa has also worked in preventative measures in a number of her previous roles. This included previously being a Cyber lead for a large section of Birmingham local policing. She has a passion that prevention remains better than cure.
Vanessa also led on combating corruption and improving standards across sections of the West Midlands Police, working hand in hand with the Professional Standards department for the organisation. She remains passionate about equality and diversity, believing that everybody has a part to play within a team and should be enabled to deliver their best.
MICHELLE OHREN
Head of Cyber and Innovation
Michelle has been in policing since 1996, joining CID since 1999, this has given her a wealth of experience in policing a variety of different crime types throughout the West Midlands. She has worked closely with other organisations and charities during these investigations to provide the necessary support to victims and developing new processes and best practice between organisations where needed. This has often meant supporting change both within policing and the partnership organisations, giving her the ability to develop long standing working relationships, which she brings to her role in the CRC.
ADAM HICKLIN
Business Development Manager
‘Adam completed 30 years’ ‘exemplary service’ with West Midlands Police in 2020, having performed a variety of roles across the region.
During a secondment to the National Crime Squad, Adam gained invaluable experience across a diverse range of National and International crime, specialising in all forms of covert surveillance. As a Detective Sergeant he was responsible for the management of investigations into serious and complex crime, including corruption, firearms offences, attempt murders, robbery, and crimes within HMP Birmingham.
He joins us from the National County Lines Coordination Centre, having continued to serve the community Nationally regarding the effective use of civil orders as a means of disrupting County Lines networks.
Adam brings with him a wealth of policing experience together with an energy and strong passion to serve the community, which is now focused upon increasing the regions resilience to cyber-crime through the work of The Cyber Resilience Centre for the West Midlands.’
‘I am tremendously excited and happy to be working with Michelle and the rest of the wonderful team here at The Cyber Resilience Centre for the West Midlands, helping to deliver practical and effective guidance across the region regarding cyber resilience and security. I am incredibly proud to be part of a wider team dedicated to supporting all business sectors and by working together we will make our communities safer and more resilient.’
Danielle Healy
Cyber Path Client Liaison, National Cyber Resilience Centre Group
Danielle is the Cyber PATH Client Liaison for the National Cyber Resilience Centre Group (NCRCG), a Home Office funded, Police led, not-for-profit company initiative that is working in partnership with business & academia to strengthen cyber resilience across the UK business community.
Having worked as a client executive in the technology sector for over 10 years, Danielle has a wealth of experience in supporting small to medium businesses through championing a no-jargon approach. Prior to her role with the NCRCG, Danielle has been working as a Membership and Services Advisor for a number of the UK’s Cyber Resilience Centres. In this role, Danielle developed extensive relationships with businesses across the West Midlands, Wales and South East to help them benefit from the wealth of cyber guidance and services that each of the Cyber Resilience Centres has to offer.
Outside of the technology sector, Danielle enjoys trips to the beach with her Border Collie, Bruce and spending time with her young son.