We are thrilled to announce actor and producer Rakie Ayola as PiPA's newest Theatre Ambassador. Having grown up in Cardiff, Rakie graduated as a Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and is a Trustee of valued PiPA partner the Actors' Children's Trust.

Her most recent work includes the television adaptation of Noughts and Crosses, On Bear Ridge (Royal Court /National Theatre Wales), Strange Fruit (Bush Theatre), The Half God of Rainfall (Kiln Theatre), Shetland (series 5), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (West End), No Offence (series 2), King Lear (Talawa/ Royal Excange/BBC). She is Exec-Producer of Twelfth Night by Shanty Productions, a company she co-founded with her husband Adam Smethurst.

"Having had experience of auditioning whilst pregnant, breast feeding in a corner of the rehearsal room, expressing milk whilst in a make-up chair, trawling through my contacts to find available child care, warming up with my child by my side, missing way too many birthday parties, school plays and sports days, I'm more than willing to add my voice to PiPA's campaign to ensure the work /life balance of the parents and carers amongst us becomes a major consideration when either discussing working practise or when drawing up company policy."