Helen Monument

I support Assistants at all levels to be truly Monumental. Training, Coaching, Counselling, Mentoring, Writing and Conference Speaking. Tailor-made offerings for companies or individuals.
In my 5-Step MONUMENTAL YOU programme, I show you how to regain control of your life and your career.

My role as Chair of the World Administrators Alliance gives me the opportunity to engage with Administrative Professionals & their Associations across the globe as we aim to guide, influence, develop & elevate the Profession, building a global community to enable Administrative Professionals to speak with one voice.

Dave Jones

Over 30 years’ experience in multiple IT and Technology leadership roles.  This includes over 15 years at CIO level.  I have led significant IT and Tech teams across the Construction, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Facilities and Service Management sectors.

I have been instrumental in delivering digital transformation across multinational & national organisations on many occasions, working throughout Europe, USA, South America, Middle East, Asia and Australia and implementing solutions across multiple language groups and business cultures.

I hold a MA in Leading Innovation and Change awarded from York St John University in 2013 and have also been recognised as a leading UK CIO and named in the CIO 100 in 2014, 2017 and 2018. I am Chairperson of the UK IT Leaders Group.

Based in Doncaster, in my spare time I enjoy walks with my family and 2 Springer Spaniels (Bill and Ted) and I am a keen supporter of Leeds United and all things Yorkshire!

Lara Smith

Hi, I’m Lara, Founder of The Modern VA & The Modern Ops. After 10+ years supporting CEOs, founders, and scaling teams, I saw how much time gets lost to clunky systems and repetitive admin. When I first started learning how AI and automation could help streamline operations, I felt completely overwhelmed. Everything seemed aimed at people who wanted to be tech experts, not busy assistants or business owners just trying to work smarter. But once I realised how powerful these tools could be (when used practically), I knew there had to be a simpler, more human way to teach them. So I built it. Now, we create bite-sized training, resources, and solutions that make AI and automation easy to understand and even easier to apply.

What I do:

Train VAs and ops teams to work faster, smarter, and more strategically

Help small businesses modernise operations, even if you’re a one-person team

Audit workflows → spot automation wins → implement practical fixes

We’re all about people first, tech second. AI isn’t here to replace you, it’s here to amplify what you can do. And if you’re not yet using today’s tools, you’re only giving yourself an unnecessary disadvantage. That’s where we come in to help you catch up, level up, and stay ahead. Work smarter. Scale faster.

The Modern VA | The Modern Ops

Michelle Dersookiasian

I am extremely passionate about my career and genuinely love what I do. My priority is to support my leader achieve their goals and to work closely with them on their journey. Whether it is a start-up or an established business, every journey is exciting, and I am adaptable to both. I have a lot of experience and knowledge that I can bring to any organisation but equally I love to learn, and this genuine passion for learning drives me to continuously grow and adapt.

I am known for my genuine, approachable nature, and my commitment to professionalism and discretion. No task is too big or too small, and I am dedicated to making every journey exciting and successful. I have recently completed a Level 2 and 3 diplomas in counselling skills, which has really helped me build on my natural empathy to better support the people I work with. EAs often find themselves being a listening ear, and having those tools has made a real difference. I am also confident using AI and tech and am always on the lookout for smart ways to make things easier and more efficient.