Who’s Who

James is the University Librarian for the University Exeter, developing digital services while also enhancing the university’s museum and heritage collections. He has worked in libraries and culture for twenty years, working for universities, local authorities and charities as well as working in a local authority to support the third sector. He is a board member of the national association for university libraries and has previously helped set up and run voluntary organisations.

David has enjoyed a career in the performing arts, particularly focused on young people and education. He has been at the helm of three of the country’s leading training organisations – the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, Chickenshed Theatre Company and British Youth Opera. He also spent six years at ITN at the heart of the world of international news at the time of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. David is passionate about all aspects of the performing arts, has a great interest in news and current affairs and enjoys most sports. He currently lives in East Devon, finally finding time for his other great passion – writing.

Craig Bowden has over 15 years’ experience working within the charity and voluntary sector. Currently the marketing and partnership manager for local disability charity CEDA, and project manager of CEDA Arts, Craig has been with the organisation in a number of roles including activity leader, Creative Coordinator and support worker. Craig is also chair of the board for the neonatal charity SNUG. He has a passion for the arts and performance, and in particular fighting for equality and accessibility across the board. Away from work he is very family focused and enjoy travelling.

Janet has a lifelong interest in the theatre since being taken to local productions as a child and joining a youth theatre in Harlow as a teenager. Her career has mainly involved teaching psychology and managing Further/Adult Education in Coventry, Lincolnshire and Brighton. In 1995, she founded CLIP – a successful and thriving social enterprise offering local community education in rural and coastal areas of Lincolnshire. Her key interests lie in widening participation, building social capital and harnessing resources for innovation and quality improvement.

Jo Gill is Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean in the College of Humanities at the University of Exeter, and Professor of Twentieth-Century and American Literature. She oversees the work of 8 departments, including Drama, English and Film & Television Studies. She is a former Chair of Governors at Richard Huish College in Taunton and is enthusiastic about opening up opportunities for young people of all backgrounds to engage in theatre and other forms of art and culture.

Helen is Head of Audience Development at RAMM. Her team is tasked with developing and deepening audience engagement with the museum through learning and community engagement projects, public events, marketing and communications, commercial venue hire, volunteering and skills development programmes.

Olivia is the current Vice President Activities of the University of Exeter Students’ Guild; a role which she was elected into by the student body after graduating from the University with a degree in English and Drama in 2019. For her dissertation, Olivia wrote on ‘Gender-Switched Casting on the Contemporary Shakespearean Stage’; she has a keen interest in theatre and hopes to work within the creative arts in the future. During her time at University, she was heavily involved in several theatre societies and was the Creative Producer of the musical theatre society Footlights and produced their show Oklahoma! at the Exeter Northcott Theatre. Olivia is in her second year as a trustee of the Exeter Northcott.

Chris Hoar has practised as a solicitor for nearly 30 years both in the UK and Hong Kong and is currently a partner in Michelmores LLP, one of the region’s largest law firms. He practises in the area of construction and engineering law for which he is recognised as one of the leading experts in the south west. He has advised and continues to advise on some of the largest infrastructure projects both locally and nationally.  Chris lives just outside Exeter and outside of work is an avid theatre goer as well as “treading the boards” himself in his local amateur dramatics group.

Mandy is Head of Production and Planning at Sherman Theatre in Cardiff.  She is originally from East London where she started working on the London Fringe in the early nineties. She spent 11 years at the Pleasance Edinburgh and Pleasance London, and has worked in small and mid-scale touring throughout the UK and occasionally internationally, working as Production Manager at New Perspectives Theatre Company for 10 years. Prior to joining the Sherman Theatre, she was Head of Production at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester.

Mike joined the University of Exeter in January 2016 as Registrar and Secretary with responsibility for the institution’s entire Professional Services team of 2500 colleagues and for the effective and efficient operations and governance of the University. As a member of the University’s senior management team and Vice Chancellor’s Executive Group he plays a key role in the development and implementation of the major strategies and plans that enable the University to fulfil its mission and vision to be a world leading and globally significant institution.

Lucy, Lady Studholme has been Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Exeter Northcott Theatre since 2013. An alumna of the University of Exeter, she was a Trustee of the University Foundation, a Governor on the University’s Council, and involved with the original donation that became the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum, and has contributed to the life of the University for over 25 years. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 2017.

Lucy studied English with American & Commonwealth Arts, following qualifying as a general and paediatric nurse at The Westminster Hospital. She was active in the University’s Guild of Students Theatre Society, and brought the first student drama production into the Northcott Theatre in 1984, starting a tradition which has been an annual event ever since.

She co-owns and runs a rural family business, including holiday, residential and light-industrial lettings, an overseas holiday let, and providing the High Court Judges’ Lodgings for Exeter Crown and County Court. She sits on the Liveable Exeter Place Board.