Experience

Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature
• United Kingdom
• Writing and Editing
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Executive Director

  • Apr 2022 - Present


English PEN

• United Kingdom
• Writing and Editing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Events and Partnership Manager (Formerly Events and Development Manager)

  • Jan 2015 - Apr 2022

  Lead on the programming, planning and delivery of over 30 events a year for a literature and human rights charity. Highlights include events with Grayson Perry, Margaret Atwood, Maggie O’Farrell, Michael Longley, Man Booker International Prize-shortlisted Samanta Schweblin, Nobel Laureate Svetlana Alexievich, Ali Smith, AL Kennedy, Kayo Chingonyi, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, Jackie Kay and Meena Kandasamy. Flagship events include the annual PEN Pinter Prize, PEN HG Wells lecture, the PEN Literary Salon at London Book Fair, PEN Ackerley Prize and the fundraising PEN Quiz. My role also involves managing the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize – from the submissions process and recruiting judges to the winner announcement and event.Other responsibilities include managing stakeholder relationships with corporate and programme partners, venues, and pro bono supporters; line management of the admin assistant, intern and volunteer coordination; liaising with PR agencies and media contacts, copywriting, managing social media platforms, website maintenance; assisting with fundraising, and membership management.

• Interim Director

  • Jun 2019 - Aug 2019

  During the two months in this role, I continued work programming and running the public events programmes, whilst also managing and supporting the rest of the PEN team, liaising with trustees where necessary, and leading a £160K bid (for a project of national significance) to Arts Council England. Under my stewardship, English PEN ran a successful and highly publicised campaign – which raised over £20,000 – to keep an historically significant copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover from leaving the UK; further developed a comprehensive and multifaceted programme of work to mark English PEN’s centenary in 2021; and joined a third party intervention at the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of Idris Sayilgan, a Kurdish journalist.



Edinburgh International Book Festival

• United Kingdom
• Entertainment
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Assistant Programmer

  • Jan 2011 - Apr 2014

  Supporting the roles of the Director, the Children’s & Education Programme Director and Associate Director, realising, assisting and administrating the creative programming of over 750 events for the world's largest literature festival. Leading on the coordination of the outreach schedule, programming free events including Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers series, liaising with internal departments and external partners, publishers, agents and authors. Role includes maintaining an up-to-date database of contacts, dealing with queries regarding festival participation, coordinating the BSL schedule, organising translators, managing the submissions process, and the creative development of the Children’s Activity Corner.



Sheffield Doc/Fest

• United Kingdom
• Movies, Videos, and Sound
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Guest Services Assistant

  • Sep 2010 - Nov 2010

  Liaison with VIP filmmaker, buyer and speaker guests in the lead up to the festival, arranging travel and accommodation. Included database management. Liaison with VIP filmmaker, buyer and speaker guests in the lead up to the festival, arranging travel and accommodation. Included database management.



Sheffield Children's Festival

• Freelance Festival Coordinator

  • Feb 2010 - Jul 2010

  Project management of one the UK’s largest and longest running children’s festivals. Responsible for liaising with partner organisations running the projects and the participating schools and educational bodies. Other duties included copywriting, compiling and editing text and proofreading for the brochure, maintaining Facebook and Twitter accounts, brochure distribution, mailouts and e-lists. In addition, Lord Mayor’s Day Coordinator organising a day of events, which includes a parade of over 1,500 people: 15 Sheffield schools, marching bands and street performers. The day involves communicating effectively with many outside bodies including South Yorkshire Police.