Director, Fourth Street

Tom is a management consultant with a broad range of experience across placemaking and regeneration, contemporary arts and culture, and heritage. His work spans the public, private, and third-sector, and includes extensive experience of business planning and organisational strategy, including working with the Boards and Directors of countless smaller charitable organisations of all types.

Coach, Trainer, Facilitator, Producer - Black Girls Hike and Union Arts

Anisa works with a range of organisations to increase peoples’ connection to the natural world, conservation, and the outdoor sector. Organisations she works with include: Black Girls Hike, which encourages diversity and representation for black women in outdoor spaces; Act Build Change, which runs a network of Leaders and Community Organisers who are committed to social change; and Union, The Northern School for Creativity and Activism, working with artists who are at an intersection between creative practice and social activism.

Anisa is deeply passionate about nature and has worked extensively with young people to create therapeutic and creative inventions that foster resilience, positive change, and transformation.

Executive Director (Programme & Impact), New Writing North

Anna is part of the Executive team at New Writing North that identifies the strategy for the organisation. She oversees the programme at NWN which includes talent development, events and festivals, and extensive community engagement programmes. She develops programmes, partnerships, and funding to engage people in NWN’s work, especially those from under-represented communities.

Anna is interested in the role of arts and culture in supporting connected communities, shifting narratives, and in promoting wellbeing and literacy. Anna holds several non-Executive positions including The Living Archive digital start-up and is Chair of Newcastle Cultural Education Partnership.

Grants Manager, Freelands Foundation

Bhavisha is an arts, culture and charities professional with a specialism in Trusts and Foundations fundraising and grant making.

Bhavisha has worked across regional and national organisations such as Southbank Centre, Arts Council Collection and Opera North, and is Chair of Freedom Studios, Bradford.

Bhavisha combines her experience of Charity governance, Equalities Law and impact management with a personal passion to make meaningful change for communities and the climate.

Senior Officer, Policy, at ICLEI Europe

Julia is responsible for Policy and Partnerships in support of the EU Mission for Climate-neutral and Smart Cities, based at ICLEI in Freiburg (Germany). She has an MSc in Environmental Policy, an MA in European Literature and History, and 20 years's professional experience working on responses to climate change, particularly connecting disciplines, sectors and cultures. She has worked for a number of international organisations, including the British Council, Climate-KIC and Climate Outreach, and is involved in various local and international climate and biodiversity projects.

Independent Consultant

Miki is a strategic consultant working across the cultural and creative sectors. With a background in PR and communications, Miki spent a decade at the British Library leading the Corporate Affairs and Communications team working alongside the CEO. Now Miki supports cultural, heritage and creative organisations with strategic communications, marketing, audience development and business planning. He is also a writer and spends his spare time volunteering with refugee charities in the UK and Greece.

Managing Director - Digital Platforms, Barclays

Scott is a technology leader with over 30 years experience in a variety of industries working on strategy and technical delivery and with a most recent focus on digital within financial services.

Technical Leader, Heatherwick Studio

Stuart has been involved in a wide range of international projects whilst working at several prominent architecture and design practices including Heatherwick Studio where he is a Technical Design Lead. Stuart’s key focus is on the realisation of complex and often innovative buildings, whilst evolving sustainable approaches to the built environment across the globe. Collaboration, ingenuity, and strategic thinking are particular values which Stuart can bring to Threads in the Ground.