The staff team
For any general enquiries please contact info@studentminds.org.uk
Abi Morris Communications Officer About Abi
Abi runs all of our social media accounts, creating and sharing content, and supporting students to create content for us. She supports the Student Minds Blog Editorial Team to share the stories of students and recent graduates, and works to grow our student engagement across all of our digital platforms. Outside of work, Abi plays goal defence for her netball team, and can normally be found with her headphones on and her nose in a book. |
Alice Wilson Clinical Supervisor About Alice
Alice is our part-time Clinical Supervisor, working within the Student Minds team on a consultative basis to provide supervision and support to our staff and team of peer-supervisors. Alice completed a Psychology degree at the University of Birmingham back in 2003 and trained as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist within the NHS in Oxford becoming fully accredited by the BABCP (British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies) in 2012. She now works at Birmingham City University as a Mental Health Adviser and CBT Therapist within Student Services. As part of her role she also sits on the University Mental Health Adviser Network (UMHAN) committee as Development Worker Supervisor. Alice has a particular interest in Mindfulness and Compassion Focused Therapy and tries to attend workshops and training on these regularly. |
Amanda Lilliefeldt Programme Manager (Sector Improvement) About Amanda
Amanda works in partnership with students, staff and organisations across the sector to deliver programmes which aim to enhance approaches to university mental health. She currently supports Student Minds’ two major sector enhancement programmes: the University Mental Health Charter and the Students’ Union Support Programme. Amanda loves binge-watching tv-series accompanied by a big mug of tea, experimenting with healthy-ish baking as well as campaigning for human rights issues. |
Andrea Smart Head of Operations (Job Share) About Andrea
Andrea has overall responsibility for administration, financial management, HR, policy development and compliance for Student Minds, alongside Eleri as a job share. Andrea has worked for over 30 years in the charity sector, mainly in the arts, in a range of project and senior management roles. Outside of work, Andrea can often be found in a corner of an art gallery or standing at the back at live music events.. |
Andy Costigan Student Space Programme Officer About Andy
Andy provides the co-ordination and administration of the Student Space Programme, assisting to continually develop and embed the platform across wider charity activities. Prior to this Andy was a Student Union President focused on Welfare, an accidental fencing instructor and a very popular bartender (the only bartender) in a small village pub. He is currently learning to knit to overtake his nan, Patricia, as the family knitter. |
Dominic Smithies Influencing and Advocacy Lead About Dominic
Dom joined Student Minds in 2017 working as the Community and Wellbeing Sabbatical Officer at the University of York’s Students’ Union. Dom leads on our campaigning & influencing work as well as our co-production & volunteering activities. Dom also has strategic oversight of our student voice, policy and insights functions. Outside of work Dom enjoys gaming, watching anime and picking things up and putting them down again in the gym. |
Eleri Dare-Edwards Head of Operations (Job Share) About Eleri
Eleri has overall responsibility for administration, financial management, HR, policy development and compliance for Student Minds, alongside Andrea as a job-share. Outside of work Eleri enjoys spending time with her daughter, walking in nature, and playing netball. |
Gareth Hughes Charter Content Development Lead and Psychoeducation Lead About Gareth
Gareth is the content development lead for the University Mental Health Charter and the Psychoeducation Lead for Student Space. Gareth works with our project teams to ensure that what we do is evidence informed and supports positive change for students and universities. Alongside his part-time work with Student Minds, Gareth is a psychotherapist and the Research Lead for Student Wellbeing at the University of Derby. |
Grace Anderson Communications Manager About Grace
Grace leads on our communications activities, from running our social media accounts to working creatively with the staff team to communicate new exciting projects and research. She is passionate about giving people a platform to share their mental health stories, she supports our Press Ambassadors and the Student Minds Blog to ensure student's experiences are at the heart of our work. Grace is happiest when drinking tea, reading a good book or watching a documentary. |
James Nicholson Finance Manager About James
James leads our financial activities. The role includes the production of internal and external management information, including liaising with external partners and agencies. James has over 30 years in the charitable and Not for Profit sector.Outside of work James likes to attend concerts and can be often found with a camera in his hand. |
James Watson Corporate Funding Manager About James
James works with our extensive and amazing network of corporate partners. Managing their needs and making sure we’re constantly spreading the word and supporting the work of Student Minds. James graduated from the University of Liverpool with a degree in Politics and Business. During this time, he worked on the advisory board for Pearson PLC and assisted in the managing of the University’s accommodation services. Since then, he has climbed the ranks working for a handful of international corporations and has recently made the move in the charity sector. In his spare time James can be found at an electronic music event, out on a hike or wandering around a National Trust Property on a wholesome Sunday. |
Jenny Smith Policy Manager About Jenny
Jenny is our resident policy specialist, delivering research, briefings and analysis to empower the whole Student Minds team. She keeps a finger on the pulse of the higher education and mental health sectors, and is passionate about grassroots activism, co-production and student leadership. She previously worked as the Welfare Coordinator for Sheffield Students’ Union, where her love for all things policy flourished. Outside of work she is a dubious ice hockey player and all-round outdoorsy type. |
Kate Mitchell Fundraising and Development Manager About Kate
Kate leads the development of our income generation strategy. She supports a diverse range of initiatives to generate income for the charity, working alongside our grant funders, community fundraisers and donors, and is passionate about ethical fundraising. She also plays a role in capturing our impact and communicating this to funders. In her free time, she enjoys reading contemporary fiction, painting and hiking. |
Krishna Lad Design and Digital Content Manager About Krishna
Krishna manages the design of the charity, having refreshed the brand of the charity as well as creating multiple sub brand such as The Wellbeing Thesis. Krishna also coordinates content for Student Space, a programme to support student through coronavirus. Krishna can be found relieving stress by punching a bag (through supervised boxing!) or doing a jigsaw or drawing. |
Lee Ovens Executive Assistant (Maternity Cover) About Lee
Lee is the Executive Assistant at Student Minds, providing support to Rosie (our CEO) and the senior management team. She is responsible for coordinating the quarterly Trustee meetings and Clinical Advisory Groups. Prior to this, Lee was an EA to a Director of a wealth management firm, after working in board & governance support at RBS. Lee enjoys dance and loves to hit the gym. She is an avid gamer and enjoys cooking and creating art in her free time. |
Leigh Spanner Interim Head of Engagement About Leigh
On an Interim basis, Leigh oversees the work Student Minds does to engage with universities, Students' Unions and other organisations. She oversees the charity's training programmes and is the strategic lead for our two sector enhancement programmes, Student Minds Students' Unions and the University Mental Health Charter. Leigh loves being surrounded by nature and is always on the lookout for new music, gigs and festivals. |
Louise Goux - Wirth Programme Manager (Student Space) About Louise
Louise joined Student Minds in November 2021 as the Programme Manager for Student Space which aims to empower students to look after their mental health with a focus on the impacts of the pandemic. Prior to Student Minds, she spent 13 years leading equality engagement programmes within the Higher Education and Students’ Union sector. Louise has a strong intersectional approach to her work and is passionate about bringing stakeholders together through innovation and creativity to create change. Outside of work, she enjoys reading books on social change and empowerment and travelling to see her family. |
Louise Tighe Administrator About Louise
Louise currently works with all team members at Student Minds assisting with HR processes, finance and various other administration duties. Her background is in secondary school teaching. Louise loves live music, walking her lively labrador Stanley and cooking, especially Thai food. |
Nicola Frampton Insight Manager About Nicola
Nicola joined Student Minds in February 2021 after two years at Durham SU as Policy Coordinator (Welfare). As Insight Manager, Nicola leads Student Minds’ listening work and ensures this is at the heart of the work we do. In her spare time, Nicola enjoys visiting the beach with her cockapoo, Jax, catching up with friends over a chai latte or enjoying a takeaway in front of the tv. |
Pete Gaffney Programme Delivery Manager (Sector Improvement) About Pete
Pete came to Student Minds in 2020 after a diverse career - including a stint as a first responder - in universities, healthcare charities and public affairs organisations. He supports the delivery of our University Mental Health Charter and Student Union programmes, particularly through training and event delivery. In his own time Pete enjoys resistance training, American football (go Pats!) and studying 19th century history (particularly of the USA and Caribbean). |
Rosie Tressler OBE CEO About Rosie
Rosie leads the organisation, working closely with the staff team, trustees, student advisors, clinicians, professionals and our cross-sector partners to develop the charity’s direction, strategy and future opportunities. Rosie has been undertaking a Churchill Fellowship to explore preventative approaches to student mental health, and was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to Mental Health in Higher Education. Prior to joining Student Minds in 2013 Rosie worked in a range of student facing organisations in roles involving campaigning, volunteer management, fundraising, and programme development. Outside of work Rosie enjoys being inspired by a book, play or film, often those with feminist vibes. Twitter: @rosietressler |
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