Our People

Stuart started his career working in the Scottish Parliament and as a grassroots political organiser, developing a passion for helping people get involved in the political process. At 23 he was elected as an MP and was a vocal advocate for young people’s rights. He campaigned on a wide variety of other issues including rural connectivity, international development and body image. Since leaving Parliament, he has worked for trade and consumer organisations, championing community pubs, and campaigning to protect British food standards in trade deals. He was a trustee of a charity supporting people experiencing family estrangement.

In his spare time, he enjoys exploring the south of Scotland with his dog and young family, mixing cocktails, and attempting to take decent pictures on film cameras.

Jayde is passionate about using technology for good and helping to make sure people have the tools they need to campaign for social justice. Jayde has worked in digital product management, campaigning and fundraising for a number of groups and organisations including HOPE not hate, Prospect (trade union), Campaign Against Arms Trade, the Médecins Sans Frontières Access Campaign and Walk Free (the campaign to end modern slavery). This experience has its origins in Jayde’s first campaign when she was seven years old which secured the right for girls to wear trousers as part of her school’s summer uniform.

Outside of 38 Degrees Jayde likes reading, making the most of all the fun London has to offer, and (very) amateur gardening.

Alicia comes to 38 Degrees from a charity communications background, previously working in roles covering animal welfare, domestic abuse and reproductive health. She has led communications for flagship campaigns at England’s leading charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children, including calling for increased government investment and support for services, fundraising and community engagement. In her spare time, Alicia can be found crafting, charity shopping, teaching herself DIY or out on a countryside walk via a good bakery stop (or two).

Kate manages the media and public affairs work for 38 Degrees, which involves engaging with journalists and politicians on our campaigns. Before joining the organisation, Kate was a political news editor for a national broadcaster and worked for several charities on communications and partnerships. Her proudest work achievement is accompanying Malala Yousafzai to give her first speech at the UN. She spent her studies in Scotland, France, and Hull and loves all three places equally. Kate lives in Yorkshire.

Before joining 38 Degrees, Charlie worked in a range of campaigning organisations. From empowering students to design their own campaigns to leading press, media, and public affairs strategies for road safety initiatives, Charlie is driven by a belief in people-powered change — and the idea that great campaigns can create a fairer, healthier, and more sustainable world.

Outside of work, Charlie is a keen cyclist, always aiming to get to the tops of hills before his friends. Charlie also enjoys motorsports, computer games, and hiking.

After co-founding a charity to support student activism, Rachel forged a career in comms and campaigning on a range of social justice issues – from food equity to mental health. Before joining 38 Degrees, she was campaigning at Good Law Project, UNICEF UK, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and Movember, where she learnt how to say moustache in ten languages (now a party trick). Rachel is a proud northerner, a novice knitter and loves a good jacket potato.

Jacqui is a movement strategist and has been fighting for social justice since she was a teenager. Her work takes many forms but she’s most passionate about supporting and leading social justice efforts that are deeply strategic and agile while building, influencing and winning power to materially improve people’s lives. Over the past two decades she has done this through political, community, movement and philanthropic organising in the UK, South Africa, Germany and on a global scale.

Outside of 38 Degrees, she can be found organising on authoritarianism, reading, practising yoga and travelling to spend time with her far-flung family and friends.

Fezzan is our Philanthropy Lead, responsible for developing 38 Degrees’ Major Gifts approach and strategy to achieve strong income growth across high net worth individuals, foundations, grant giving institutions and our new higher level regular giving supporter group, The Avalanche Network.

Fezzan has led Philanthropy work at organisations such as the Royal Society of Chemistry, Palace for Life Foundation, Barnardo’s Children’s Charity and Battersea Arts Centre. He has an MA in Community Organising, as well as professional qualifications in Project Management, Communications and Business Analysis.

In October 2020, Fezzan co-founded the Windrush Justice Clinic (WJC) www.windrushjc.org, a community led partnership that supports victims of the ‘hostile environment’. He enjoys spending time in the garden, is a Crystal Palace F.C. fan and loves a good musical.

Olivia has a background in digital communications and campaigning in global health. Olivia previously worked for an HIV, health and rights advocacy network, on issues such as access to medicines, HIV stigma and LQBTQIA+ rights. Prior to this, she worked for a sexual and reproductive health and rights charity, campaigning to end FGM. Olivia has also mobilised youth campaigners across the country on many of these issues.

Olivia loves hanging out with her Ridgeback Luna, swimming outdoors and occasionally song writing in her makeshift home studio.

With experience as a grassroots political organiser and as the Creative Director of a leading charity-specialist creative agency, Alexis brings content, strategy and mobilisation expertise to 38 Degrees.

He’s created content and managed campaigns for Greenpeace, GOSH, UNICEF UK, WWF, Amnesty International, and the RSPB; helped build a national movement in Remain Labour; and co-founded Effective Creative, a collective designed to democratise access to creative services for smaller charities doing amazing work.

When not at work, you can probably find Alexis cooking, writing or sampling. Or just hanging out with the best dog in the whole wide world, Ralph.

Edie comes to the Campaigns team from a background in community organising and campaigning on climate and migration justice issues. She has co-founded two grassroots food solidarity projects using experience gained in the humanitarian sector, and is passionate about the power of deep community connections.

When they’re not at work, you’re most likely to find Edie roaming the coasts of the Hebrides, foraging, wild swimming, or warming up with herbal tea and a good jumper.

Astrid is our Operations Manager. She provides vital support and oversight of our internal controls at 38 Degrees so the team can concentrate on winning campaigns. Astrid has spent years helping innovative and ambitious teams deliver their core messages by getting into the heart and culture of each organisation, and proactively problem-solving.

In her spare time, apart from cycling around and watching sports, she tries to catch as many music concerts as possible, discovering new artists and reliving classics.

Ascencao has 10+ years of expertise in digital marketing strategies to fuel business growth across various industries, including skilled management of end-to-end digital marketing campaigns and leading initiatives to achieve exceptional ROI across a wide range of channels. With a strong entrepreneurial spirit, she has consistently improved marketing performance, customer engagement, and brand loyalty.

She is passionate about keeping children in sports and in her spare time can be found coaching young netball teams.

Jo qualified as a chartered accountant in the 1980s and has had a diverse career within the profession (audit, litigation support, dispute resolution and corporate finance) and in the commercial and charity sectors (advisory, compliance and ethics, finance and risk management). Jo lived in Hong Kong for ten years and has worked internationally, but now enjoys being based in the United Kingdom. Jo’s aim is to ensure that 38 Degrees has a strong financial base to work from and is able to invest fully in achieving our campaigning goals. Jo looks after our finance function as well as risk and governance.

Jo has been actively involved in supporting various causes in the past, but is now looking forward to working with an organisation that can really make a difference. In her spare time she enjoys theatre, her allotment and singing in a jazz ensemble.

Uche is a professional accountant with extensive experience working in the charity sector at organisations with a focus on providing services for clients with mental health issues and learning difficulties. At 38 Degrees, his role involves working with budget managers to provide insight and aid decision-making based on the financial reports.

Uche is interested in current affairs and politics, and has a masters degree in International Taxation where he wrote a thesis paper on Base Erosion Profit shifting (BEPS). He is passionate about fairness and equity and believes that a fair taxation system is not only important for good governance but for creating the principle of everyone paying equitable taxes.

In his spare time Uche enjoys international travel, learning about different cultures, photography, practising his Spanish, playing chess, dance, and watching sport.

Emil manages the Social Media Campaigns team at 38 Degrees. He combines his passion for storytelling with the transformative power of social media to empower individuals and create meaningful change. With extensive experience as a social and content strategist, he has grown people-powered movements, championed equality and workers’ rights, and shaped impactful political campaigns. Outside of work he can generally be found surfing, gardening, or reading a good book.

Before joining 38 Degrees, Foyez has worked on a range of campaigns from mental health to the Rohingya crisis. He is passionate about people-powered campaigning.

Outside of 38 Degrees, Foyez loves to plan his next big trip, sit in a coffee shop with a book or hopelessly manage his fantasy football team.

Tim was born in London, has lived up North (Cheshire), has lived down South (Sussex), and now lives in ‘Brizzle’. He enjoys computers and tech, and likes to use them for doing good – connecting people, building communities and making the world friendlier. So he likes working at 38 Degrees! When not playing with computers, Tim likes to be at museums, the theatre, listening to live music or spending time with friends and family.

Anna looks after our grassroots fundraising at 38 Degrees. Before joining the team, she spent several years working on digital engagement, online fundraising and corporate campaigning on issues from palm oil deforestation to workers’ rights.

Anna loves hummus, the Real Housewives, and her cat Pasha.

Leyton now lives near Cardiff but grew up in Lower Cwmtwrch, fifteen miles from Swansea.  His first language is Cymraeg and he is a dab hand with a golf club.

He’s led the the inception and development of three SaaS products, the most recent was the subject of an acquisition by one of the world’s leading edTech companies and is a keen advocate of user centric, design driven product development.

Rochelle works as part of the Supporter Insights and Experience team, working to give our supporters a political platform. Rochelle is passionate about human rights and social justice. Beyond 38 Degrees, she enjoys travelling and experiencing the beauty in the world, as well as being out in nature, going out to eat, and binge watching shows.

Sophie is all about sharing people’s stories in innovative ways as part of imagining and creating a fairer world rooted in collective values. Since training as a journalist in Cardiff, Sophie has worked across the human rights field on campaigns including press freedom globally, women’s rights in the Pacific and Asia, and climate action. She enjoys writing, reading, and running in beautiful places. Fun fact: Sophie has read writing by women from every country in the world!

Flo has worked in a variety of charities and non-profit organisations, mainly focused tackling global and national environmental issues. At 38 Degrees, she has led campaigning on topics including the cost of living, energy bills and renters’ rights. Her work gets supporters’ voices to those in power by developing compelling tactics, including research and polling, alongside coordinating media, public affairs and fundraising.

When not at work, she likes walking in the Peak District, eating cake and going to the beach as much as the British weather allows.

Itzel comes from a digital comms background, working on sustainability and social justice campaigns. At 38 Degrees, Itzel creates online content aiming to reach more supporters and help our campaigns succeed. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, listening to true crime podcasts, and rock climbing.

Matthew is a lifelong campaigner for social justice and progressive causes, and has worked for trade unions, trade justice campaigns, and for the UK’s leading antifascist group.

He has worked on election campaigns for centre-left political parties and candidates in several countries, including the UK, Australia, Sweden and the US. In 2012, Matthew led Digital Rapid Response for President Obama’s re-election campaign, based in Chicago.

Matthew appears regularly in the media to represent 38 Degrees supporters, and to commentate on political issues and developments.

Outside of work, Matthew is an avid support of Norwich City, and of the Washington Nationals, writing and recording on football and baseball regularly. He lives in north-west England with his family.

Veronica previously worked in politics and in regional and local government, before moving to the charity sector. She has worked in communications and public affairs for a number of leading charities, campaigning passionately on issues from saving Sure Start children’s centres to improving care for people living with dementia.

Outside of work Veronica enjoys running in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside, searching out delicious cake, and riding the emotional rollercoaster that comes with being a Leeds United fan.

Mari is the Operations and Projects Coordinator for 38 Degrees and is very passionate about politics, particularly as it relates to intersectional feminism and equality. Prior to this, she was working in the Mental Health sector. She has a Masters in Creative Writing and is a published poet. She has previously run creative writing workshops for positive mental wellbeing. In her spare time, Mari loves reading and writing, cooking for friends and eating!

Having trained in Journalism, Natasha spent several years whizzing around with a camera gathering compelling stories for TV documentaries. Determined to achieve real change for all those without a voice, she jumped across to the charity sector. Natasha then worked with adults with learning disabilities, empowered people around the world affected by multiple sclerosis, and campaigned to end factory farming to protect animals, people, and the planet. Now, she’s enjoying her biggest and best challenge yet: leading impactful, inspiring campaigns at 38 Degrees.

When she’s off the clock, Natasha loves getting out into nature, travelling, trekking, watching movies, attempting yoga, failing at tennis, playing computer games (badly), and indulging in a good Netflix binge.

Nathan is a data analyst. His background is in database management and business insight in the charity sector. At 38 Degrees, he crunches numbers, makes pretty charts and generally helps the team to understand our supporters.

In his spare time he enjoys climbing (above a big soft crash mat), listening to podcasts and taking his dog for playdates in the park.

Amana is the first permanent Director of People and Operations at 38 Degrees. Amana has worked across a number of sectors including legal, human rights, education, environmental, and INGOs in interim and permanent roles since 1998. Amana has managed, set up and directed HR functions in the UK and Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa and is passionate about diversity, inclusion, equality and equity.

In her spare time Amana enjoys cooking, reading and travelling, learning about local culture and food.

Tom is a Campaigns Manager at 38 Degrees and is particularly passionate about democracy issues.

Prior to joining the team, he worked in campaigns and communications roles in the charity sector and Parliament. When he’s not campaigning, you can find Tom in a rowing boat at his nearest stretch of water or with his nose in a Spanish language textbook.

Hailing from Hobart, Tasmania, Kate has lived in the UK for the best part of 8 years. She previously worked in the social enterprise sector, where she helped run campaigns to promote businesses with a social purpose. Outside of work, she loves practising yoga, brushing up on conversational Spanish, roller skating, kayaking along the canals in north east London, and playing the violin.

Ian is a life long tech geek with experience in working on everything from software for film studios to online activism. When not moving around electrons to make things happen he likes making things out of wood, and moving himself down mountains quickly, usually whilst going ‘wheeeee’.

Matt’s previous experience includes working as a journalist, and supporting university students to get involved in campaigns focused on educational and social issues.

Outside of work he enjoys trying his hand at creative writing and playing music, as well as heading to the cinema and testing out all of the brunch places.

A recent Politics and International Relations graduate, Michael has a passion for all things political. Michael previously worked with members of Parliament and the Electoral Commission to publish a book, aimed at encouraging young people to vote in 2010 general elections. He has also campaigned on issues related to widening participation and social justice.

Outside of work, Michael is a keen traveller, photographer and blogger. He enjoys nothing more than getting lost in a random city in some far-flung region of the world. He’s also a big fan of Afro-beats and Dancehall music.

Anna is our Senior Executive Assistant, working closely with the Board, CEO and Senior Leadership Team, as well as supporting the People and Operations team. Prior to 38 Degrees, Anna worked in classical music as an Artist Manager. Music has always played a big part in her life: outside of her work, Anna loves to sing and is a longstanding member of London-based chamber choir, Canticum. She is also cricket-mad and loves participating in team sports generally.

Cindy is a software engineer who is originally from New York City. Having dabbled in code sporadically while pursuing a different career back in New York, she finally decided to take the leap into the world of code after relocating to London. When not writing code, Cindy can be found exploring her other interests which include cooking, travelling, and trying to convince her husband to get her a French bulldog.

David is a 38 Degrees Campaigns by You (CBY) campaigner from Essex and is passionate about the national health service and equality. Outside of work David regularly attends sporting events and music gigs, actively gets involved in anti racism and environmental issues and spends far to much of his time trying to justify another slice of pizza.

Ellie oversees work to ensure 38 Degrees strategy empowers millions of people, who look like the country we are trying to change, to make the UK a fairer, more respectful and sustainable place to live.

Before joining the team, she led campaigns for children’s charities and was an advisor in Parliament.

Ellie loves travel, food and American politics.

Robin comes to campaigning with a background in technology and design. His team at 38 Degrees is the engine room of innovation and insights. They dig into the data, listen to our supporters, run experiments and look out into the wider sector to ensure that as many people as possible have the best experience possible of impactful campaigning with 38 Degrees.

Prior to joining the team he used to be the creative manager for an independent cinema and has been actively involved in a range of campaigns areas. Most famously he once tried to drive a tank into an arms fair, and challenged the government to a game of cricket on Parliament Square. He’s also an awesome skateboarder.

Becca moved to London from Newfoundland, Canada in 2014. She leads the Supporter Experience and Insights team to make sure supporters of 38 Degrees have the best experience possible, and to ensure the staff team have a deep understanding of our supporter base. Outside of 38 Degrees, Becca likes to read, travel to the seaside and drink coffee.

Before joining 38 Degrees, Megan used to tour and manage bands. In her spare time Megan enjoys reading, singing, hanging out with her dog, and trying to convince people to listen to the Hamilton soundtrack.

Currently the Development Director at openDemocracy, Rudaba has over 20 years of experience in promoting and advocating for social justice. Her career spans welfare-to-work, youth empowerment, ageing population strategy, economic development, widening participation in higher education, racial justice and independent investigative journalism.

Rudaba specialises in strategic income generation for the not-for-profit sector in the UK, focusing on the core socio-political issues of our time, bringing them to the heart of how and why organisations fundraise for a sustainable future and connecting them to a range of stakeholders in order that they are tackled through meaningful and powerful partnerships.

Prior to starting her career, Rudaba read Arabic with Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at Durham University. Speaking 6 languages and having lived in Dhaka, Helsinki, Belfast, Damascus and London, her international background formed the bedrock for her passion for social justice and the intersection between foreign affairs and domestic socio-economic development.

Liz is an equity, diversity and inclusion consultant across the charity and sports sectors.

She is an educator, collaborator and activist at heart, who first found her feet in Climate Justice after graduating in Zoology. Her journey into the charity sector began with radical youth work, working in all kinds of educational environments to support young people in harnessing the power of social justice.

Passionate about safeguarding, she spent time managing a youth project in London, working with survivors of exploitation, whilst also supporting policy makers and community leaders to operate with a trauma informed praxis.

As a charity leader, Liz was previously Director of Programmes at The Advocacy Academy, the UK’s only Social Justice Leadership programme, where she supported young activists to launch campaigns focusing on decolonising the curriculum, police brutality, anti-racism and air pollution, to name just a few. Most recently she held the role of Director of Programmes at Stonewall, Europe’s biggest LGBTQ+ Human Rights organisation.

She can be found on all social media at @lizmaryward usually talking about her first love, football.

Clare Kandola is a sustainability-in-media specialist, co-founder and partner at Futuretivity, a consultancy delivering sustainability for businesses. She has over 20 years’ experience working in film and TV internationally, with a decade working in sustainability, Circular and Sharing Economies.

As CEO of media consultancy Vidya Collective, Clare supported content providers create social value, develop audiences and achieve commercial viability. She has led research and strategy initiatives across Africa, working with TV and OTT providers to support sector growth and impact.

She was NED for The People Who Share, a social enterprise focused on Circular and Sharing Economy principles for business, communities and civic organisations. Clare’s background is in development and commercial management of broadcast and OTT, working externally and within leadership teams of content owners, aggregators and platforms. She has worked with brands including Amazon and Lovefilm, held executive commercial positions with Bloomberg and Freesat, with earlier roles at Discovery and Turner Broadcasting in London.

Andy has over 30 years’ experience of working on environmental issues. He previously worked for the Department of the Environment and the Environment Agency advising ministers and senior officials. His roles covered policy, science and operational delivery and included posts as Head of Environmental Strategy and Head of Research. Andy worked on development and delivery of Brexit, the Environment Act and the 25 Year Environment Plan. He volunteers for the British Red Cross as an emergency responder, most recently supporting Afghan and Ukrainian refugees. Andy has a PhD in ecology from the University of Southampton.

David is a strategist, technologist, and campaigner with extensive experience cultivating digital-first movements.

Originally from the southern US, over the past 15 years they have worked and lived in Washington, D.C., Brussels, Oxford, and London.

David’s experience draws from utilising tech in new ways to catalyse grassroots power in corporate boardrooms and halls of government.

They currently lead research, development, and innovation at SumOfUs, an organisation that mobilises millions of workers, shareholders, and consumers to hold corporations to account.

David studied sociology, politics, and gender studies, completing graduate degrees at American University and Worcester College, Oxford, focusing on how and why certain ideas propagate online.

Ellie’s career has focused around the nexus of technology and social impact. She is the Assistant Director for Innovation and Improvement Programmes at the Health Foundation, where she is responsible for the strategic development and operational delivery of a portfolio of funded programmes to improve health and care services.

Before joining the Health Foundation, Ellie co-founded and co-led Pivotal Act, a programme housed within technology companies Pivotal and VMware, dedicated to working with nonprofits to collaboratively create digital products that address social issues and drive impact. She established Pivotal Act while working as a consultant product manager.

She has tackled the challenge of building and using technology to improve society from many different angles, including at the World Bank, the US Department of Energy, startups and at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Ellie is passionate about supporting teams to take an outcomes focused, systems-led, and ethical approach to create impact, always in partnership with the communities we are designing for.

Sarah currently leads social impact strategy at Movember, where she works on campaigns and initiatives that challenge masculine norms in order to promote men’s health.

Prior to this, Sarah worked at leading agency Purpose, where she supported and built social movements on issues from global health, to climate change, and children’s play, working with partners such as the Gates Foundation, IKEA Foundation, and LEGO Foundation.

Before Purpose, Sarah led the strategy for Asia and the US at NGO Girl Effect, where she developed a specialism in youth-led programming and media that drive change.

Sarah began her career as a strategist at the UK’s leading creative advertising agency AMVBBDO. During her time in advertising, Sarah produced campaigns that won creative and strategic awards, from the APG, Marketing Society and IPA.

Prior to this, Sarah studied Sociology at Bristol University, Columbia University, and completed her master’s degree in Gender and Sociology at the London School of Economics

Richard has more than 30 years of experience in financial and general management leadership in commercial and not for profit entities. He has worked as a COO, CFO and Director/ Trustee in number of organisations in the UK, USA and Africa. Since stepping down from full time employment in 2017, Richard has joined the board of Doteveryone as their Treasurer, mentored senior finance professionals and consulted on strategy and financial management.

Buki is a Qualified Accountant and Management Consultant with over 17 years experience advising Senior Executives on how to improve the operational performance of their organisations. She is a Director at Baringa Partners LLP, a mid-sized full service Consulting firm, where she acts as Head of Finance Transformation Practice for Insurance clients and People Lead for the Insurance sector. She is also the Treasurer and a member of the Parochial Church Council at St John the Baptist Church. Buki is both a mentor and a coach; she is passionate about diversity as well as developing and empowering people of all personalities and backgrounds in the workplace.