Staff Team
|
|
Rob BerkeleyRob has been director of Runnymede since January 2009. Before this he was deputy director of Runnymede between 2005 and 2009. Rob's doctoral studies focused on exclusions from school. He is chair of governors at a south London primary school, chair of Naz Project London (which provides sexual health and HIV prevention and support services to various minority ethnic communities), and a trustee of Stonewall. |
|
|
Sarah IsalSarah is deputy director at Runnymede. She runs Runnymede’s European and international programme, which includes coordinating the UK Race & Europe Network (UKREN), a network of UK based non-governmental organisations interested in European race equality policies. In the past, Sarah has led Runnymede's criminal justice work and wrote two reports "Equal Respect: ASBOs and race equality" and "Preventing Racist Violence; Work with Potential Perpetrators: Learning from Practice to Policy Change" |
![]() |
Debbie Weekes-BernardDebbie is a senior research and policy analyst at Runnymede. Her work has included research on the impact of educational ‘choice’ agendas on BME parents and children. She has organised large conferences on education and community cohesion and speaking and writing about issues to do with choice, cohesion, achievement and educational inequality. |
|
|
Omar KhanOmar is the senior research and policy analyst who leads Runnymede's programme on financial inclusion. He is the author of Financial Inclusion and Ethnicity (2008) and Who Pays to Access Cash? (2009). Omar has also published many articles and reports on political theory and British political history for Runnymede over the past eight years and has spoken on topics including multiculturalism, integrationand positive action in various settings in the UK and Europe. |
|
|
Jessica Mai SimsJessica has been working as a research and policy analyst on Runnymede 360 and as the UK coordinator for Cities of Migration – an international project led by the Maytree Foundation, Canada. Previously, she was working on Runnymede’s Community Studies series, which highlighted smaller ethnic minority groups in the UK. |
|
|
Kjartan SveinssonKjartan Páll Sveinsson is a research and policy analyst at Runnymede. Largely as a result of travelling the world, where he developed a thirst for knowledge about the nature of cultural diversity, he decided to study social anthropology at the London School of Economics. It seemed, however, that with each question anthropology answered, two new ones were raised. Thus, Kjartan has aspired to put his academic knowledge into practice and promote social justice. |
|
|
Phil MawhinneyPhil is a research and policy analyst with Runnymede’s Financial Inclusion and Ethnicity team. He has been researching attitudes towards money issues and experiences of financial services among BME people. He is writing a research report into experiences of money advice in different communities and has conducted research into attitudes toward financial institutions and saving. Phil’s work also touches on other equalities strands and he is interested in qualitative research methods and the role of religion in the public sphere. |
Vastiana BelfonVastiana Belfon is responsible for Runnymede’s Real Histories Directory, an online resource for teachers, students, parents and the wider community to help them teach and learn about cultural diversity in the UK and Europe. Vastiana also wrote and set up Tell Me What I Need to Know, a website designed to help Black and Minority Ethnic, Refugee, Asylum-Seeking and Traveller parents support their children in education. |
|
|
|
Robin FramptonRobin is the publications editor at Runnymede, where he edits and produces our research reports. He is an experienced publishing project manager and editor and has worked for leading publishers, including Penguin, Macmillan, Heinemann, Butterworth and SAGE. Robin has also worked closely with academic societies and research institutes, as well as a wide range of academic authors and editors, designers and illustrators. |
|
|
Nina KellyNina is Runnymede's online editor and manages the organisation's web presence. As well as the website, this includes writing and editing our social media platforms, monthly e-newsletter and quarterly online bulletin. With a background in journalism, Nina was previously a reporter for a financial trade magazine. She has also written for national and regional publications, such as the Guardian newspaper and Time Out magazine. |
|
|
Rebecca WallerRebecca moved to London after completing a BA in European Studies and Sociology from the University of Kent. She joined Runnymede as administrator in 2008 after a few years working in the private sector. Rebecca deals with all general office administration including finance, human resources and data management. She acts as the first point of contact for all enquires and helps to coordinate events and diaries.
|
|
|
Colin KellyColin is Runnymede's business development manager and, as well as a background in private sector branding, his particular expertise in the field of social enterprise. Colin also works as business incubation and business adviser to blind and partially sighted social entrepreneurs in connection with Action for Blind People in the UK. |
|
|
Vicki ButlerVicki is Runnymede’s public affairs officer. She runs the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Race and Community and works on engagement with parliament on race equality issues. Prior to joining Runnymede, Vicki worked for Lexington Communications - a public affairs and PR agency - and the Department for Communities and Local Government. |
![]() |
Klara SchmitzKlara Schmitz is a project assistant for Runnymede. She is currently working on the UK Race & Europe Network (UKREN), which aims to inform a network of non-governmental organisations in the UK of the latest developments in European race relations. Klara is also assisting on a research project to investigate policy and practice in the private sector in relation to the employment of black and minority ethnic individuals in senior positions. |














