Meet the team

• Phil has a degree in History from Cambridge University, a PGCE from Bangor University in North Wales and an MA in Restorative Justice from the University of Hull.
• Phil is passionate about education and peacebuilding; he has worked in many contexts affected by violent conflict, including the Philippines, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and the South Caucasus.
• Phil joined F&BF to apply his peacebuilding experience more to a UK context, and he sees a lot of potential in combining peacebuilding and inter-cultural approaches to strengthening relations.
• He also has a keen interest in music and plays flute and saxophone.

“We need to have enough faith in our world-view to work from it, but not that much faith that we think it’s the final answer.” – Unfolding Meaning, David Bohm

Hannah is responsible for operations including office management, HR and finance. She also manages F&BF’s Internship/volunteer Programme.

• Previously Hannah worked at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue specialising in the use of social media to influence attitudes, tackle intolerance and inspire social change.
• With a background in equality and diversity, particularly in relation to faith, interfaith and LGBT issues, Hannah is also a Trustee for the LGBT Consortium.
• BA Hons International in Philosophy and Theology & Religious Studies from Leeds University, including a year abroad at the University of South Carolina.

• Born and raised in London, Josh has a BSc in Geology from Bristol University and an MA in International Studies and Diplomacy from SOAS.
• Josh is an experienced facilitator, trainer and project manager and works with many interfaith and conflict resolution organisations in the UK; Josh is interested in creative approaches to dialogue and engagement, in particular the use of drama-based methods.
• To relax, Josh enjoys cooking and reading; if he had more time he would go to the theatre more, and swim, especially in open water. Josh also enjoys traveling, especially in Europe.
• Josh was once in a play about the Tour de France and, in order to prepare for the role, had his legs waxed.

Philip is in charge of F&BF’s communications, and manages everything from overall communications strategy to day-to-day PR, social and digital media.

• Grew up in southern Sweden.
• Studied Religion and Theology at Uppsala University and Philosophy at King’s College London before starting a career in media and comms.
• F&BF’s resident techie and IT guru.
• Likes all things Japanese + reading and making music.

Tim oversees our programmatic work in Universities including our UN Award-winning leadership programme, ParliaMentors.

• Tim grew up as the only child of two vicars, an experience which has left him fascinated in how faith affects people’s lives in different ways
• Particularly he is interested in youth-led interfaith, faith-based social action and intersections between the religious and the secular
• He has 6 years experience in student engagement and also previously taught English to Buddhist monks in India
• He has an MA in Religion and Public Life from the University of Leeds and has published his research into non-religious identification where he interviewed attendees of the Sunday Assembly
• Tim likes running, reading, politics and pop music but not tidying his desk

Siobhán works on F&BF’s Workplace and Community projects, with responsibility for coordinating the internship programme and Faith Awareness Training for LGBT organisations and groups.

• Siobhán holds an MA Religion in Contemporary Society from King’s College London and BA Theology with Philosophy from the University of Exeter.
• Siobhán is an experienced facilitator and enjoys working with participants ages 8 to 80+. Siobhán also facilitates training for Near Neighbours, and runs independent Skills for Diversity trainings.
• Siobhán is a member of the Sunday Assembly community and is passionate about including non-religious voices in interfaith spaces.
• Siobhán is a vegan and animal lover and has previously worked in the Volunteering Department at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

• She interned with the ParliaMentors team from September 2016 to March 2017. She is excited to continue staying involved with F&BF’s work and is now supporting Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Greater London’s Council on Faith and organising the Faith & Belief Community Awards.
• Jessica is currently studying at Heythrop College, working towards her Masters in Theology, having already studied Philosophy, Religion and Ethics there. She is interested in exploring the role of religious thought in the public sphere.
• In her spare time, she likes to explore London, her favourite place at the moment is the South Bank and ‘the new’ Tate Modern.

• Sarah works on the Education and Learning team, coordinating the London programmes and Online Resources work.
• She is a qualified Youth and Community Worker and has been working with young people for over 10years, working for different local authorities youth services delivering informal education, leading on youth action and participation work and managing programmes and youth centres.
• She graduated in Community and Youth Studies and is also a qualified Primary School Teacher completing her PGCE at the IOE.
• Sarah is passionate about empowering young people, teachers and communities and facilitating informal education activities, programmes and training.
• Sarah is a mum to 2 cheeky and amazing boys, she volunteered in Kenya for 6months working with street children, and she loves food, a favourite being Sushi!

’’Be the change you want to see in the world.’’ – Mahatma Gandhi

Rich leads on F&BF’s schools work in Birmingham and the Midlands.

• Rich previously worked for West Midlands Fire Service as a firefighter for 9½ years. In his last 2 years he worked in prevention, leading education on fire safety and road safety.
• Rich is a pastor at his church in Shirley, Solihull.
• Rich is passionate about education which is creative, fun, memorable and has a lasting impact.
• Rich and his wife Becky love to travel particularly across Europe experiencing different cultures and food. Aside from traveling Rich enjoys cycling, football, walking, and going to the theatre.
• One final passion of Rich’s is coffee. He has 5 different coffee brewing gadgets at home.

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela

Paraskevi supports the delivery of the Schools Linking programme.

• She has a background in Peace Education and fostering dialogue between people from various communities across the existing divide in Cyprus.
• She was fortunate enough to gain teaching and SEN support experience in London and Ankara-based faith schools.
• She studied Turkish and Modern Greek at King’s College London and SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies).
• She’s fond of quality time with loved ones and trees.

Jaishree is the West Midlands Schools’ Programmes Officer delivering across schools-based work in the region.

• Before joining F&BF she worked as a freelance facilitator for a peace education charity, leading training about peace education, mediation and restorative approaches.
• She has previously coordinated mental health/ wellbeing projects at Girls Friendly Society and education projects at Action Tutoring.
• She loves travel, has studied in France and has volunteered in Sri Lanka and Malawi as a VSO volunteer.
• Her interests include social justice, psychology, 5 Rhythms dance, health and wellbeing.
• Jaishree is interested in, and has spent time in, international communities and would love to build an eco-house one day.

Eli coordinates projects that are part of the Urban Dialogues arts programme.

• Born in Israel, but grew up in London
• Studied French, Spanish and European studies at the University of Birmingham, and was active in helping set up interfaith events on campus
• Spent a year working on F&BF’s School Linking programme.
• Developed interfaith skills in Israel on the New Israel Fund’s Social Justice fellowship, working at the Parents Circle Forum and Arous Elbahr association for Arab women in Jaffa.

Ben works on the ParliaMentors leadership programme, with a special focus on the Alumni Network. He has specific responsibility for campuses in the West Midlands and SOAS in London.

• Ben is from leafy Northwood in North London, and has just graduated from Cardiff University with a BA in Philosophy.
• He loves playing tennis, when the weather permits, and hockey too. He also enjoys reading and talking about philosophy, particularly political philosophy, and when feeling extra nerdy he gets into Chalmers and his work on the problem of consciousness.
• Ben would like to work in political areas, in particular in trying to engage younger people in politics. Working with the ParliaMentors team and the alumni network, and spending some time with Schools have given him skills to go forward and help him to meet others with a similar interest.

“Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” – Winston Churchill (after losing the 1945 General election)

Harriet assists in the HR and Operations Team.

• Harriet is 23 years old and from Ealing, West London.
• She undertook a BA in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Bristol. During her time there she completed a fieldwork project exploring the ways British Muslims reconciled their faith with western secular values.
• Harriet was the Admin, Operations and Volunteering Intern for 6 months from June – December 2017.She enjoyed it so much that she’s come back as F&BF’s first HR and Operations Assistant.
• In her spare time she likes listening to podcasts, practicing yoga and eating delicious food!

Miriam managed the education programme and following her move to Israel in 2007 she started up the new branch of the Forum.

• Has a doctorate in philosophy from University of Haifa.
• Is researching comparative religion and inter-religious relations at Hebrew University.
• Sits on the religion committee at the Jerusalem Centre for Ethics.
• Is a fellow of the Susi Bradfield programme for Orthodox Jewish Women Educators.