Samantha Amponteng - The Girls' Network Ambassador	Baroness Susan Garden of Frognal - Liberal Democrat peer and Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords

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As part of our ongoing work to platform young women’s voices and create meaningful opportunities for them to engage with leaders in public life, The Girls’ Network recently brought together Ambassador Samantha Amponteng and Baroness Susan Garden of Frognal for a recorded conversation now available on our YouTube channel.

Samantha, who studies Sociology at the University of Leicester, has long been interested in youth, gender, race and inequality. She has explored workplace dynamics in the fintech sector, worked alongside researchers examining school exclusions, and developed a strong commitment to improving outcomes for young people. 

Baroness Susan Garden of Frognal is a Liberal Democrat peer and Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords since 2018. Educated at Westonbirt and St Hilda’s, Oxford, she began her career in teaching before entering politics. Created a life peer in 2007, she has served as Government Whip and spokesperson across education, business, and culture.  

Their conversation offered a unique chance for Samantha to ask questions about education, inclusion, policymaking and the realities of a public career.

Baroness Garden said:

It was fascinating to talk to Samantha and discover such a bright and talented person.  We had a wide-ranging conversation and I really hope we can meet in person before too long.  I wish her every success in life and in work.  She certainly deserves a future of great achievement.

Samantha said: 

Interviewing Baroness Sue Garden was an insightful and inspiring experience. Our conversation explored the change needed within the education system, and I was particularly struck by her emphasis on the lack of vocational skills students exhibited having left formal education - a gap I hadn’t fully appreciated before. 

Her thoughtful perspectives made me reflect deeply on how education could help prepare young people for the future. I also valued her warm encouragement to pursue opportunities in policy work, which felt both motivating and empowering. 

Hearing her personal experiences and the lessons she has learned made the discussion engaging and left a lasting impact on me.

Watch their conversation here: