OUR TEAM

OUR STAFF TEAM

Karen Bendell

Head of Development (Corporate)

Who is your favourite artist?

I’ve two, Richard Diebenkorn and Joaquin Sorolla, both are masters of light, once seen, their paintings are hard to forget.

Describe yourself in three words.

Optimistic, inquisitive, sociable.

Dream dinner guest?

Grayson Perry, I imagine he’s be fascinating, inspiring and definitely opinionated. What fun!

Email Karen

Izzy Branch

Project Manager

Who is your favourite artist?

Frida Kahlo. I love the way she used her self-portraits to tell stories.

Describe yourself in three words.

Curious, caring, creative.

Dream dinner guest?

David Bowie, because he’s such an icon and would bring some great conversation.

Email Izzy

Thisbe Casellini

Head of Development (Grants)

Who is your favourite artist?

Jeremy Deller, because his work is participatory and breaks down barriers.

Describe yourself in three words.

Creative, tidy, overthinker.

Dream dinner guest?

Andy Oliver, chef. Because she would cook a wonderful meal and she’s hilarious.

Email Thisbe

Hannah Clayden

Lead Senior Project Manager

Who is your favourite artist?

Barbara Hepworth because she was a brilliant sculptor who knew how to hold her own.

Describe yourself in three words.

‘More coffee please.’

Dream dinner guest?

Toni Morrison because she was a phenomenal writer and I would love to just listen to her talk.

Email Hannah

Oli Cox

Project Manager

Who is your favourite artist?

Theaster Gates, for putting his community into his art and his art into his community.

Describe yourself in three words.

Curious about stuff!

Dream dinner guest?

CAConrad, so we can speak about their old poems and hear some of their new ones.

Email Oli

Caroline Dawson

Senior Project Manager (maternity leave)

Who is your favourite artist?

Steve McQueen – His exhibition ‘Pursuit‘ at the Baltic in 2008 showed me how incredible art can be.

Describe yourself in three words.

I am Caroline.

Dream dinner guest?

My family.

Wendy Dempsey

Director of Finance & Operations

Who is your favourite artist?

Matisse. His work is vivid and approachable and he was a theatre designer too!

Describe yourself in three words.

Finance. And. Operations

Dream dinner guest?

Nelson Mandela. To experience his wit, patience and wisdom.

Email Wendy

Nicky Goulder

Founding CEO

Who is your favourite artist?

David Hockney. His work is creative, colourful, ground-breaking and thought-provoking.

Describe yourself in three words.

Passionate, compassionate, driven.

Dream dinner guest?

David Attenborough. As a new Climate Reality Leader, I have so many questions!

Email Nicky

Jo Gray

Project Administrator

Who is your favourite artist?

There’s too many to choose from but Chris Orr, Euan Uglow and Akram Khan are up there!

Describe yourself in three words.

Intentional, creative, friendly.

Dream dinner guest?

Angela Hartnett – so she can teach me how to cook!

Email Jo

Steph Hicks

Evaluation Executive

Who is your favourite artist?

Very difficult to choose, but I find something new and wonderful in Toni Morrison’s prose with every read.

Describe yourself in three words.

Loves to eat.

Dream dinner guest?

Stevie Nicks!

Email Steph

Dorothy Hoskins

Senior Project Manager (maternity cover)

Who is your favourite artist?

Kae Tempest – I love their music and poetry, and think On Connection is a book to live by.

Describe yourself in three words.

Sociable socialist sunseeker.

Dream dinner guest?

Leah Williamson – I think she’d have good stories, be a laugh, and could give me some tips!

Email Dorothy

Grace Hutchison

Senior Project Manager

Who is your favourite artist?

My right-now favourite is Yhonnie Scarce because her art is graceful and political.

Describe yourself in three words.

Interested, understanding and excitable.

Dream dinner guest?

Matt Groening because he knows the future.

Email Grace

Nikita Kalhan

Communications Manager

Who is your favourite artist?

Jordan Peele.

Describe yourself in three words.

Thoughtful, intuitive, clumsy.

Dream dinner guest?

Anthony Bourdain. He would have to cook, obviously.

Email Nikita

Marima Kamara

Development Assistant (Grants)

Who is your favourite artist?

This depends on my mood! But my top 3 right now are, Àsìkò, Daniel Roseberry at Schiaparelli & Aminatta Forna.

Describe yourself in three words.

Inquisitive, versatile, meticulous.

Dream dinner guest?

Beyoncé. She seems fun & her work-ethic, talent & passion for her craft is unparalleled, it would be a great conversation.

Email Marima

Flora Lewis-Jones

Project Manager

Who is your favourite artist?

My sister! She inspires me every day.

Describe yourself in three words.

Optimistic, caring and honest.

Dream dinner guest?

JME – post-dinner entertainment sorted, and he’d definitely enjoy some vegan grub!

Email Flora

Georgina Nash

Development Manager (Grants)

Who is your favourite artist?

Gustav Klimt, I love his intricate patterns and use of gold.

Describe yourself in three words.

Musical, caring, outdoorsy.

Dream dinner guest?

Gilbert & Sullivan- I love their work and couldn’t just ask one of them!

Email Georgina

Sonia Peart

Bookkeeper

Who is your favourite artist?

Vincent Van Gogh. He cut off his left ear when tempers flared with another artist. He was a beautiful colourful artist.

Describe yourself in three words.

Happy, kind, caring.

Dream dinner guest?

Michael Jackson. He was a great artist who transformed the art of music videos in the 1990s.

Email Sonia

Kristian Sakulku

Director of Programmes

Who is your favourite artist?

Donald Glover. Amazing writer, musician, actor – a truly multifaceted artist.

Describe yourself in three words.

Efficient.

Dream dinner guest?

Jackie Chan. I’d be in for good stories, jokes and food.

Email Kristian

Georgia Schindler

Impact Executive

Who is your favourite artist?

Daphne Du Maurier – her books are literary masterpieces.

Describe yourself in three words.

Friendly, optimistic, driven.

Dream dinner guest?

Mel and Sue – the dream comedy duo.

Email Georgia

Megan Shephard

Project Coordinator

Who is your favourite artist?

Henri Cartier-Bresson: I admire his range of work and in particular his ability to capture little moments of everyday life.

Describe yourself in three words.

Passionate, curious, friendly.

Dream dinner guest?

My grandmother, who taught me how to cook and helped develop my love for food.

Email Megan

Sadie Smith

Project Manager

Who is your favourite artist?

Peter Brook – he was a pioneer for sight specific theatre, ensembles and active audiences – the kind of work I love.

Describe yourself in three words.

Funny, friendly, messy.

Dream dinner guest?

Vivienne Westwood – she’s an icon and would have some amazing stories.

Email Sadie

Georgie Waters

EA to the Chief Executive/Office Manager

Who is your favourite artist?

I really don’t have one! Art is so varied and individual, it feels impossible to compare.

Describe yourself in three words.

Enthusiastic, genuine, caring.

Dream dinner guest?

James Acaster, I think he’s hilarious and would be so interesting to chat with about anything!

Email Georgie

Philip Ybring

Director of Communications

Who is your favourite artist?

Eiichiro Oda, for creating a wondrous world of vibrant stories for almost three decades.

Describe yourself in three words.

Honest, creative, hopeful.

Dream dinner guest?

Swedish singer Håkan Hellström. I love his music and he seems like a friendly guy.

Email Philip

Our ambassador

Alistair DK Johnston CMG

Our Youth Ambassador

Abi (16) – Read her story

Our trustees

John Broadis, Retired Head Teacher
Tony Cates, Vice-Chair and Partner, KPMG UK (retired)
Eddie Donaldson OBE (Chair), Business Adviser
Holly Khan, Composer/Facilitator
Marit Meyer-Bell, Head of Communications, Travis Perkins plc
Vanessa Sharp (Company Secretary), Solicitor, Non-Executive Director, Jeweller
Paul Thimont (Treasurer), CFO, White Cube
Carol Topolski, Writer
Simone Wright, Deputy Head Teacher, Alexandra School

Our creative council

James Baldwin, Actor and Playwright
John Broadis (Chair), Retired Head Teacher
Alicia Clarke, Photographer
Chloe Cooper, Visual Artist
Holly Khan, Composer/Facilitator
Amy Leung, Visual Artist
Holly Marland, Kora Player, Singer, Composer
Mike Poyser, Musician
Joe Rizzo Naudi, Writer

Our development council

Libby Bassett, Business Development Consultant, former KPMG partner
Jonny Breeze, Founder and Director, Yellow Cat Recruitment
Tony Cates (Chair), Vice Chair and Partner, KPMG UK (retired)
Natalie Graeme, Founder of Uncommon Creative Studio
Hayley Granston, Commercial and Partnerships Director, formerly Beano, Hearst and BBC
Sara Putt, MD/Agent, Sara Putt Associates

our communications council

Rishi Dastidar, Senior Writer, venturethree
Lisa Jedan, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Culture3
Jessica Kelly, Digital Marketing Manager, Orlebar Brown
Paul Kemp-Robertson, Co-founder, Contagious
Marit Meyer-Bell (Chair), Head of Communications, Travis Perkins plc
John Waterfield, Director Strategic Relationships, KPMG

our honorary advisory council

Sir Peter Estlin, 691st Lord Mayor of the City of London, City of London Alderman, Senior Advisor at Barclays Bank UK plc
Tim Robertson, Chief Executive, The Anne Frank Trust UK
Colin Sheaf, Consultant, Bonhams
Emily Stubbs, Director of Special Projects & Director of Development (Interim), Britten Pears Arts