Meet the team

Phil is the Director and heads up our Senior Leadership Team. He 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 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.

He 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.

Harriet support the delivery of our operations function, including HR, finance, governance, compliance and office management. She began her F&BF journey as the Admin, Operations and Volunteering Intern from June – December 2017 and enjoyed it so much she’s been working here ever since! She undertook she undertook a BA in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Bristol. In her spare time she likes listening to podcasts, practicing yoga and eating delicious food!

Ben manages our finance function and budget processes. Outside of the office he is a yoga teacher specialising in gong baths!

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. He was once in a play about the Tour de France and, in order to prepare for the role, had his legs waxed.

Eli working in our fundraising team with responsibility for stewarding our Major Donors and was the mastermind behind our first Gala Dinner in November 2018. 

Eli was in Israel, but grew up in London. She studied French, Spanish and European studies at the University of Birmingham, and was active in helping set up interfaith events on campus. She further 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

Rakin studied Arabic and International Relations at the University of St Andrews where he also had the opportunity to be involved in student-led interfaith initiatives and was president of the St Andrews Coexistence Initiative. He also undertook a dissertation that focused on the role of Hindu nationalism in Indian politics. A strong interest in different cultures in particular music, food, and history. He spends a lot of his free time learning different languages particularly Arabic, Urdu, and Persian and loves all things grammar!

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. 

He grew up in southern Sweden and studied Religion and Theology at Uppsala University and Philosophy at King’s College London before starting a career in media and comms.

He is F&BF’s resident techie and IT guru and likes all things Japanese + reading and making music.

Tim oversees our programmatic work in universities and the wider community. He 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. He is particularly he is interested in youth-led interfaith, faith-based social action and intersections between the religious and the secular

Tim has a wealth of 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. She 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 vegan and animal lover and has previously worked in the Volunteering Department at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

Jess supports the delivery of our work in local communities, notably working with Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Greater London’s Council on Faith, organising the Faith & Belief Community Awards. She began her F&BF journey in September 2016 as an intern, before working as a project consultant and now staff member! Jess has a Masters in Theology from Heythrop College and 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.

Anna is leading on our new community dialogue project funded by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and  Local Government with responsibility for Birmingham.

She has a BA degree in Theology and History (Birmingham University), a Masters in Theology (Oxford University) and has recently completed a PhD in Education (Warwick University) looking at the experiences of Muslim pupils in the context of the UK Prevent Strategy, the UK’s counter-terror strategy. She also has a PGCE in Religious Education (Warwick) and has taught RE, History and Philosophy for eight years in schools in both Tower Hamlets and Camden where she was a RE Head of Department.

In her spare time, she enjoys walking and cycling, vegetarian food and has recently trained as a yoga teacher.  She has also spent time doing voluntary work for Brushstrokes Community Project working with refugees and asylum seekers in Smethwick, Sandwell in the West Midlands.

Raahim is supporting our new community dialogue project funded by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and  Local Government in Barking & Dagenham.

Raahim graduated with a Triple Honours in International Relations, Arabic and French from the Universtiy of St Andrews, Scotland where he also served as President of the Muslim Students Association, General Secretary of the Coexistence Initiative, and delivered pizza in his spare time. With two fellow graduates in the summer of 2020 he founded Interfaith Exchange, a youth led transnational online multimedia initiative dedicated to making interfaith, philosophical and theological discussion accessible to a wider audience.

Raahim is a fan of exploring the less trodden path and often gets lost while wandering the countryside, but he considers it to be a metaphor. He also writes poetry. Raahim is currently enrolled in part-time traditional Shi’a Hawza Islamic Studies and spends his study breaks pestering his younger sister.

Rachel is delivering workshops in schools across Birmingham and Barking & Dagenham as part of our new community dialogue project funded by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and  Local Government.

She is a recent graduate of the London School of Economics Msc Conflict Studies program who specializes in reconciliation and dialogue. She was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, which is also where she completed her undergraduate degree in Peace, Conflict and Justice Studies & Philosophy.

Throughout her life, she has taken on many roles within the Toronto Jewish community as both an educator and a community-organizer, and she has run numerous programs in Israel-Palestine that promote awareness of, and solidarity with, grassroots peacebuilders. She loves traveling, and has spent lots of time in Sweden, East Africa, Israel-Palestine and now, London. Education and dialogue are Rachel’s main passions in life

Ben works on the ParliaMentors leadership programme, with a special focus on the Alumni Network. 

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.

Sarah works on the Education and Learning team, coordinating the London programmes and online resources project.

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. She is a mum to two cheeky and amazing boys, she volunteered in Kenya for 6months working with street children, and she loves food, a favourite being Sushi!

Alyaa has a passion for promoting intercultural understanding through knowledge, education and social action. This has taken the shape of facilitation and community organising in the charity sector, as well as working as a researcher and as an RE teacher.

Alyaa has a degree in Anthropology and Middle Eastern Studies (Manchester University), a MA in Religious Studies (Lancaster University), a PGCE in RE (Cambridge) and recently completed a PhD in Anthropology on models of Islamic higher education in the UK (SOAS). She has presented her research findings at conferences internationally and published on the matter.

Alyaa has been involved in faith and interfaith community organisations for over 15 years. She has worked for the Lokahi Foundation and the Faith-based Regeneration Network, and volunteered for a number of other faith and interfaith organisations. She enjoys exploring new places near and far; as well as cooking, calligraphy and My Little Ponies.

Amy has responsibility for our School Linking Programme. She has 20 years of experience of working with children, young people and professionals in education settings. For the past 15 years, she worked for Save the Children in education and participation focused roles involving direct work and programme delivery with children, young people and parents. Most recently she has focused on designing, delivering and evaluating training for professionals ranging from Teachers, and senior school leaders, to Local Authority staff, inspectors, and corporate volunteers. Amy managed a team of trainers in the South of England who supported parental engagement programmes of work.

Having worked in the education sector for 20 years, Amy believes that empowering children, young people, parents and professionals to develop their voice and understanding of the world is key to change. She has seen the powerful impact that collaborative and person-centred education can have in making this change.

Amy is working towards her CIPD professional qualification in Learning and Development. She holds a post-graduate qualification in Youth and Community Work and undertook a masters level module in Children’s Learning and Development.

Mahmooda has been involved in many initiatives in Birmingham and some beyond, to enhance relationships with people of all background. She’s a strong believer of human race having more things in common than differences. By working together as one humanity, putting aside differences, she believes we can achieve many great things and make this world a better place.

She has a degree in Industrial Information Technology and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education. She has taught in secondary schools.

She’s worked with HOPE not hate for 4 years. She works for Ella Baker School of Organising one day a week, who she joined in April 2020. Currently, she’s also the Birmingham Branch Coordinator for Islamic Society of Britain.

In her spare time she enjoys gardening, travelling and going on tandem bike rides with her better half.

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.

Jaishree 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.

Daisy is part of the West Midlands team and supports the delivery of the Walsall Community Dialogue project.

Previously, Daisy has worked on projects around health and social care at the University of Birmingham and at Sandwell Council as part of the National Graduate Development Programme. She is motivated by supporting people to feel included and engage in their local communities and wider society.

Daisy graduated from the University of Birmingham with a BA honours in Religion with History. In her spare time, she enjoys going to comedy gigs, forcing her friends to play boardgames and eating her weight in cake.

Miriam runs the Middle East branch of the Faith & Belief Forum, based in Jerusalem. This is a ground-breaking project for improved intercultural relations in the healthcare sector.

Miriam has a doctorate in philosophy from University of Haifa and is researching comparative religion and inter-religious relations at Hebrew University. She sits its on the religion committee at the Jerusalem Centre for Ethics and is a fellow of the Susi Bradfield programme for Orthodox Jewish Women Educators.