Meet the team - The Access Project

Executive

Our Executive team drives The Access Project’s strategic direction and upholds our culture of impact and empowerment, ensuring our activities align with our mission to support young people from under-resourced backgrounds in accessing top universities.

Anna Searle

Chief Executive Officer

After first studying international politics at the University of Southampton, Anna moved into education practice and research, growing a deep passion for and commitment to improving social mobility and reducing barriers for young people to access quality education. Anna has spent many years living and working overseas and in global roles in education and leadership with the British Council, before joining Education Development Trust as an executive director. Anna is also a trustee in a global education charity and volunteers with a local community group.

Wikus van der Merwe

Chief Operating Officer

Wikus has a passion for equal opportunities in education, born from seeing firsthand how good quality education can transform not only individuals, but also communities. As a finance professional, he focuses on delivery of strategic objectives and operational excellence. Wikus has gained his skills in commercial and charity sectors, is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant and studied degrees in Accountancy and Theology at the University of the Free State.

Miguel Herdade

Director, Partnerships

Miguel has been working on inequalities in education in the UK and abroad. He has helped set up several philanthropic and government-funded projects to address barriers faced by students from under-resourced backgrounds. Having started his career as a member of the faculty at Nova School of Business and Economics in his native Lisbon, he later became experienced in public policy and regularly writes and speaks at various media outlets. He is also a Governor of a primary school in central London. At The Access Project, Miguel leads our Fundraising, Sales, Partnerships, Communications, and Policy & Research functions.

Emily Price

Director, Delivery

Emily is Director of Delivery at The Access Project. Previously she worked on setting up National Citizenship Service programmes for Twin Group and The Challenge. She has a degree in English Literature and Politics from the University of Liverpool.

Programme, Central Delivery and Development

The Central Delivery and Development team is responsible for overseeing the effective delivery of our programme, designing new initiatives informed by student voice, and leading on extracurricular activities, such as our Pathways scheme and university trips.

Rachel Holmes

Deputy Director, Programme Delivery

Sophia Sterling

Head of Programme Development and Quality

Luci-Carita Saunders

Design and Quality Manager

Penelope Webb

Head of School Partnerships and Enrichment

Safia Rofidi

Senior Programme Officer

Ellie Edwards

University Events and Student Enrichment Manager

Chloe Thacker

University Events and Student Enrichment Manager (Maternity cover)

Farena Farooqi

Senior Enrichment Officer and Events Lead

Programme, Midlands and North

The Midlands and North Programme team works with young people in schools across the West Midlands, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, and Cumbria as we enter more areas across the country and help more students raise their aspirations.

Ruby Wrankmore

Programme Manager, Midlands and North

Ben Connolly

University Access Officer
Ormiston Forge Academy, Moseley School, Wood Green Academy

Isobel Dixon

University Access Officer
The Workington Academy, The Whitehaven Academy

Eve Jacobs

University Access Officer
King Edwards Handsworth Wood Girls School, Waverley School

Eshika Kaypee

University Access Officer
Aldersley High School, Colmers School and Sixth Form, Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School, University of Birmingham School

Clare St Lawrence

University Access Officer
Ashfield School

Emily Townsend

University Access Officer
Darwen Vale High School, D6 Sixth Form

Programme, London

The London Programme team delivers our widening participation programme on the ground in the capital, working with more than 1,000 students in more than 20 schools to raise their aspirations and help them place at top universities.

Georgie Parry

Programme Manager, London

Claire Kenny

Programme Manager,
London

Samantha Bogie

Senior University Access Officer
Oasis Academy Hadley, Central Foundation Girls School

Natassia Cox

Senior University Access Officer
Highbury Grove School, Ruislip High School, St George’s Roman Catholic School, St Thomas More Catholic School

Isabelle Gallardo

University Access Officer
Chelsea Academy, Harris Lowe Academy Willesden, Lilian Baylis Technology School

Esin Gould

University Access Officer
Central Foundation Boys School

Martha Harlan

Senior University Access Officer
La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls School

Rosie Ingham

Senior University Access Officer
Hornsey School for Girls, Bishop Douglass Catholic School

Orla Katz Webb-Lamb

Senior University Access Officer
City of London Academy Islington, Globe Academy

Sophie Lord

University Access Officer
Kensington Aldridge Academy, South Bank University Academy

Dan Mace

Senior University Access Officer
City Academy Hackney, Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys

University Access Officer
Woolwich Polytechnic Girls School
Holy Family Catholic School

Partnerships

The Partnerships team is our team of expert fundraisers, communicators, and stakeholder managers, working closely with our generous funders to develop exciting partnerships that help us to deliver our mission and reach the students who need our help the most.

Therri Tait

Head of Fundraising

Alison Perry

Corporate Partnerships Manager

Claire Rowlinson

Senior University Partnerships Manager

Abi Seymour

Sales and Partnerships Senior Coordinator

Gareth Durasow

Sales and Partnerships Administrator

Melanie Ramsey

Communications Manager

Oliver Adams

Communications Officer

Strategy, Finance and Operations

The Strategy, Finance and Operations team partners with colleagues across the organisation to develop solutions supporting delivery of our programme and scaling of operations.

Sarah Berry

Head of People

Jenny Guerin

Head of Safeguarding and Compliance

Mwaka Lungu

Head of Finance

Lynne Brown

Senior Finance and Operations Coordinator

Thomas Breed

Head of Technology and Insights

Sophie Gill

Senior Online Delivery Officer

Esther Stevenson

Data Coordinator

Rubinder Sanga

Head of Strategic Projects

Tutoring and Coaching

The Tutoring and Coaching team is responsible for the recruitment, onboarding, and management of our volunteer tutors and coaches, who work with young people on our programme every day to help develop their subject knowledge, essential skills, and academic confidence.