Our people
About usOur people
The people who make this place tick
We are super passionate about our theatre. But we’re even more passionate about our people, because they’re the ones who make everything we do possible. We could sing their praises from the rooftops all day, if only it didn't annoy the neighbours.
We believe in the power of collaborative working and diverse perspectives to boost creativity. In fact, we all work in the same shared office space, which is wrapped around the Festival Theatre stage. So we’re always connected to the theatre and the work that drives us forward.
The magic formula? We live by our values of being creatively ambitious, community driven, champions of inclusivity and sustainably minded. And it’s the recipe for our success; we turned 60 in 2022 (but we’re told we don’t look a day over 30).
Meet our people
Find out more about each of our teams and if you see any of us around the building make sure you say hello!
Trustees
Directors' Office
Justin Audibert, Artistic Director
Kathy Bourne, Executive Director
Keshira Aarabi, Projects & Events Co-ordinator
Angela Buckley Project & Events Co-ordinator
Miranda Cromwell, Associate Director
Sophie Hobson, Creative Associate
Hannah Joss, Associate Director (Literary)
Patricia Key, Executive PA
Aimée Massey, Diversity, Inclusion & Change Consultant
Julia Smith, Company Secretary & Board Support
Building & Site Services
Chris Edwards, Maintenance Engineer
Lez Gardiner, Duty Engineer
Daren Rowland, Facilities Manager
Graeme Smith, Duty Engineer
Costume
Helen Flower, Senior Costume Assistant
Loz Tait, Head of Costume
Development
Nick Carmichael, Development Officer (Corporate, & Trusts)
Julie Field, Friends Administrator
Sophie Henstridge-Brown, Head of Philanthropy
Sarah Mansell, Appeal Director
Liz McCarthy-Nield,Director of Development
Leo Powell, Appeal Co-ordinator
Charlotte Stroud, Development Manager (Corporate & Trusts)
Karen Taylor, Development Manager (Individuals)
Megan Wilson, Events & Development Officer
Finance
Alison Baker, Payroll & Pensions Officer
Rob Bloomfield, IT & AV Technician
Sally Cunningham, Purchase Ledger Assistant
Amanda Hart, Finance & Operations Director
Krissie Harte, Finance Officer
Katie Palmer, Assistant Management Accountant
Amanda Trodd, Management Accountant
Protozoon Ltd, IT Consultants
Learning, Education & Participation (but you can call them LEAP)
Ellen de Vere, Youth & Outreach Trainee
Matthew Downer, Cultural Learning & Participation Apprentice
Zoe Ellis, LEAP Coordinator
Sally Garner-Gibbons, Apprenticeship Co-ordinator
Matt Hawksworth, Head of Children & Young People's Programme
Hannah Hogg, Senior Youth & Outreach Manager
Shari A. Jessie, Creative Therapist
Kate Potter, Youth & Outreach Co-ordinator
Louise Rigglesford, Senior Community & Outreach Manager
Dale Rooks, Director of LEAP
Angela Watkins, Youth & Outreach Projects Manager
Marketing, Communications & Sales
Josh Allan, Assistant Box Office Manager
Caroline Aston, Audience Insight Manager
Becky Batten, Head of Marketing (maternity leave)
Laura Bern, Head of Marketing (maternity cover)
Jessica Blake-Lobb, Marketing Manager (Corporate)
Helen Campbell, Box Office Systems Manager
Jay Godwin, Box Office Assistant
Lorna Holmes, Assistant Box Office Manager
Mollie Kent, Box Office Assistant
James Mitchell, Sales & Marketing Assistant
James Morgan, Head of Sales & Ticketing
Lucinda Morrison, Head of Press & Publications
Brian Paterson, Distribution Co-ordinator
Kirsty Peterson, Box Office Assistant
Ben Phillips, Marketing & Press Assistant
Catherine Rankin, Box Office Assistant
Vic Shead, Marketing Manager
Luke Shires, Director of Marketing & Communications
Jenny Thompson, Social Media & Digital Marketing Officer
Grace Upcraft, Box Office Assistant
Claire Walters, Box Office Assistant
Isobel Walter, Marketing Officer
Joanna Wiege, Box Office Manager
Jane Wolf, Box Office Assistant
People
Helena Berry, Heritage & Archive Manager
Paula Biggs, Head of People
Jenefer Francis, HR Officer (maternity leave)
Naz Jahir, Interim People Manager
Emily Oliver, Accommodation Co-ordinator
Gillian Watkins, HR Officer
Production
Niamh Dilworth, Producer
Amelia Ferrand-Rook, Senior Producer
Robin Longley, General Manager
Claire Rundle, Production Administrator
George Waller, Trainee Producer
Nicky Wingfield, Production Administrator
Technical
Steph Bartle, Deputy Head of Lighting
Victoria Baylis, Props Assistant
Finley Bradley, Technical Theatre Apprentice
Elise Fairbairn, Stage Technician
Ross Gardner, Stage Crew
Sam Garner-Gibbons, Technical Director
Laura Hackett, Technical Apprentice
Katie Hennessy, Props Store Co-ordinator
Tom Hitchins, Head of Stage & Technical
Joe Jenner, Production Manager Apprentice
Mike Keniger, Head of Sound
Andrew Leighton, Senior Lighting Technician
Stuart Patrick, Transport & Logistics Assistant
Neil Rose, Deputy Head of Sound
Anna Setchell (Setch), Deputy Head of Stage
James Sharples, Senior Stage Crew & Rigger
Graham Taylor, Head of Lighting
Theatre Management
Janet Bakose, Theatre Manager
Judith Bruce-Hay, Minerva Supervisor
Charlie Gardiner, Minerva Supervisor
Ben Geering, Head of Customer Operations
Dan Hill, Assistant House Manager
Will McGovern, Deputy House Manager
Sharon Meier, PA to Theatre Manager
Gabriele Williams, Deputy House Manager
Caper & Berry, Catering
Proclean Cleaning Ltd, Cleaning Contractor
Goldcrest Guarding, Security
Stage Door
Bob Bentley, Janet Bounds, Judith Bruce-Hay, Caroline Hanton, Keiko Iwamoto, Chris Monkton, Sue Welling
Ushers
Miranda Allemand, Judith Anderson, Maria Antoniou, Jacob Atkins, Carolyn Atkinson, Brian Baker, Richard Berry, Emily Biro, Gloria Boakes, Alex Bolger, Dennis Brombley, Judith Bruce-Hay, Louisa Chandler, Jo Clark, Gaye Douglas, Stella Dubock, Amanda Duckworth, Clair Edgell, Lexi Finch, Suzanne Ford, Suzanne France, Jessica Frewin-Smith, Nigel Fullbrook, Barry Gamlin, Charlie Gardiner, Anna Grindel, Caroline Hanton, Justine Hargraves, Joseph Harrington, Joanne Heather, Marie Innes, Keiko Iwamoto, Joan Jenkins, Pippa Johnson, Julie Johnstone, Ryan Jones, Jan Jordan, Jon Joshua, Sally Kingsbury, Alexandra Langrish, Judith Marsden, Janette McAlpine, Fiona Methven, Chris Monkton, Ella Morgans, Susan Mulkern, Isabel Owen, Martyn Pedersen, Susy Peel, Helen Pinn, Barbara Pope, Fleur Sarkissian, Janet Showell, Lorraine Stapley, Sophie Stirzaker, Angela Stodd, Christine Tippen, Charlotte Tregear, Andy Trust, Sue Welling, James Wisker, Donna Wood, Kim Wylam
Volunteers
We acknowledge the work of those who give so generously of their time as our volunteers in the following areas:
Administration
Ambassadors
Archiving
Audio Description
Buddies
Chaperones
CFYT
Digitisation
Theatre Tours
Transcribing
If you are interested in volunteering for CFT, pop over to our Get Closer page.