
Meet our team
We strive to build excellent relationships with our Partners and all our customers by working together to meet their challenges and priorities.
Management

Dez Holmes
Director
Dez Holmes
Dez is responsible for the overall leadership of Research in Practice. She is interested in knowledge mobilisation, systems leadership, adolescence, safeguarding and participative practice. For enquiries please contact Chris Green.
01803 867692

Susannah Bowyer
Assistant Director
Susannah Bowyer
Susannah leads the Research in Practice children and families team on core delivery to the Partnership network, as well as a range of commissioned project activities.
01803 847261

Lisa Smith
Assistant Director
Lisa Smith
Lisa leads the Research in Practice adults team overseeing the delivery of our services to Partners, and leading on commissioned projects. She is particularly interested in safeguarding adults, co-production, systems re-design and supporting organisational change.
01803 847262
Research and Development

Katy Shorten
Research and Development Manager
Katy Shorten
Katy oversees the annual programme of development and delivery of the evidence-informed resources produced for Partners. She also works with individual partners to support the promotion and best use of resources within local areas.
01803 847284

Laura Bracey
Research & Development Manager
Laura Bracey
Laura oversees the annual programme of development and delivery of the evidence-informed resources produced for Partners. She also works with individual partners to support the promotion and best use of resources within local areas.
01143 122617

Melika Malone-Lee
Research and Development Officer
Melika Malone-Lee
Melika works with Partners across adult services to to embed knowledge, skills and resources into their organisations and wider networks. She also works closely in producing information for our publications and in designing workshops, webinars and other digital content. She is interested in human rights and social justice.
01803 847292

Amanda Richards
Research and Development Officer
Amanda Richards
Amanda works with partners in adult services to support them in using our evidence-informed resources.
01803 847287

Susan Ridpath
Research and Development Officer
Susan Ridpath
Susan supports a number of Partners to embed Research in Practice into their organisation. She also helps to ensure the voice of children and families informs our resources. Susan is a qualified social worker and she is interested in addressing extra-familial harms, participation and co-production.
01803 847293

Fidelma Hanrahan
Senior Research Officer
Fidelma Hanrahan
Fidelma champions the use of research within the organisation and has particular responsibility for ensuring quality research is embedded into all outputs. She is also Account Manager for Partners across the South West region and the topic lead for the monthly children and families Research and Policy Updates.
01803 847294

Julie Wilkinson
Senior Research and Development Officer
Julie Wilkinson
Julie works in the children and families team and leads on the delivery of resources across a number of topic areas. She also works on commissioned research and evaluation projects.

Claire Williams
Research and Development Officer: Partner Engagement
Claire Williams
Claire works with partners across children, families and adult services to support them in using our evidence-informed resources. She also leads on specific topics for the annual delivery programme. She is interested in co-production and how the perspectives of people with lived experience can be included in service design and delivery.
01143 122663

Hannah Scott
Development Officer
Hannah Scott
Hannah works with Partners in children and families adult services to support them in using our evidence-informed resources.
0114 312 2670

Jessica Wild
Development Officer
Jessica Wild
Jessica works with Partners in adult services to support them in using our evidence-informed resources.
0114 312 2670

Geoff Owen
Head of Partner Engagement
Geoff Owen
Geoff leads our Partner Engagement team and manages our Account Management service. Geoff’s work focuses on developing, maintaining and strengthening the relationships between Research in Practice and our network of Partners.
01143 122610

Louise Johnstone
Associate Account Manager
Louise Johnstone
Louise is an Account Manager for Research in Practice.
07964 750975

Ferdia Earle
Associate Account Manager
Ferdia Earle
Ferdia is an Account Manager for Research in Practice and previously led on the Reflective Supervision Change Project.
07783342223

Jessica Broome
Senior Learning and Development Officer
Jessica Broome
Jess is responsible for the coordination and development of the Research in Practice tailored support provision for children and families.
0114 3122615

Kate Kayley
Learning and Development Officer
Kate Kayley
Kate is responsible for the coordination and development of the Research in Practice tailored support provision for adults and also leads on specific topics on the delivery programme. She is also an account manager for several partners.
01803 847267

Bethan Harker
Learning and Development Support Officer
Bethan Harker
Bethan supports the coordination and delivery of workshops and events for adult services, along with the development and preparation of workshop materials.
01803 847296

Caroline Paskell
Interim Head of Research and Evaluation

Karen Allen
Research Assistant
Karen Allen
Karen works in the Research and Evaluation team, assisting on evaluations across children’s and adults’ social care. She has particular interests in quantitative analysis and survey research.
01803 847266

Lorna Trend
Research Assistant
Lorna Trend
Lorna works in the Research and Evaluation team, assisting on evaluations across children’s and adults’ social care.
01803 847271
Business Support

Chris Green
Operations Coordinator
Chris Green
Chris leads our administration team providing organisational support. He provides the Director with diary management and administrative support, supports recruitment and HR, implementation of new business process and procedures and coordinates governance activity, such as Partnership Board and Management Team meetings.
01803 847269

Andrea Grimson
Business Support Coordinator
Andrea Grimson
Andrea manages the smooth running of our office alongside supporting recruitment and HR.
01803 847273

Andrew Willis
Team Administrator
Andrew Willis
Andrew works closely and collaboratively with various teams, ensuring that they are assisted by effective administration and general support where required.
01803 847253

Ena Halford-Toledo
Team Administrator
Ena Halford-Toledo
Ena works closely and collaboratively with various teams, ensuring that they are supported by effective administration and support as required.
01803 847286

Katie Woollin
Team Administrator
Katie Woollin
Katie works closely and collaboratively with various teams, ensuring that they are supported by effective administration and support as required.

Gem Kitcher
Partner Engagement Administrator
Gem Kitcher
Gem provides administrative support by maintaining records in our database, scheduling meetings with Partners and supporting engagement activity for both the children, families and adult Partner networks.
01143 122672

Rhian Creber
Finance Officer
Rhian Creber
Rhian is responsible for our purchase ordering system, the processing of purchase invoices and raising all sales invoices. She also assists in the finance and budget monitoring of larger projects.
01803 847258

Louise Rea
Senior Projects Coordinator
Louise Rea
Louise manages the delivery of the Research in Practice project portfolio as well as managing and supporting other programmes the organisation is involved in.
01803 847259

Claire Berlyn
Finance & Contracts Coordinator
Claire Berlyn
Claire manages the coordination of finance and contract works for the organisation.
01803 847259
Digital and communications

Karen Young
Senior Communications, Marketing and Engagement Coordinator
Karen Young
Karen is responsible for managing a range of marketing communications activities for Research in Practice. This includes digital communications, publicity materials and public relations.
01803 847256

Lloyd Boone
Communications, Marketing and Engagement Officer
Lloyd Boone
Lloyd works on a wide variety of projects and platforms to effectively communicate and promote the work of Research in Practice. This includes digital communications, social media and publicity materials.
01803 847277

Simon Rose
Senior Products and Resources Coordinator
Simon Rose
Simon oversees the production of publications and resources at Research in Practice, liaising with the authors, editing drafts and working with our brilliant design team.
01803 847276

Robin Wooller
Digital Design Coordinator
Robin Wooller
Robin oversees the design and production of Research in Practice resources in different formats, including publications and digital materials, such as podcasts, videos, webinars and tools. He ensures everything that reaches our Partners is high-quality, clear and consistent.
01803 847275

Kate Potts
Designer
Kate Potts
Kate works on the design and production of Research in Practice resources, with particular interest in user-research and innovation.
01803 847291

Benjamin Whitehouse
Web Systems Coordinator
Benjamin Whitehouse
Benjamin consults on digital projects, existing digital real estate and new website developments.
01803 847263

Amy Rich
Web Systems Officer
Amy Rich
Amy works on a variety of activities to develop, implement and maintain effective web systems across a range of platforms that communicate and promote the work of Research in Practice.
01803 847252
Events

Dyfrig Williams
Learning Events Coordinator
Dyfrig Williams
Dyfrig coordinates the Research in Practice national programme of learning events and training courses across children, families and adult sectors.
01803 847251

Ami Fullalove
Senior Learning Events Officer
Ami Fullalove
Ami is responsible for the delivery of our learning events across the children, families and adult programmes.
01803 847289

Ella Hiscocks
Events and Projects Officer
Ella Hiscocks
Ella coordinates operational planning and delivery of large scale practice development programmes and commissioned workshops, alongside logistical planning and delivery of conferences.
01803 847265

Abbi Woodman
Events Administrator
Abbi Woodman
Abbi provides administrative support to the Learning Events Coordinator and Events Officers with the delivery of all events across the children, families and adults programmes.
01803 847250

Phil John
Events Administrator
Phil John
Phil provides administrative support to the Learning Events Coordinator and Events Officers, with the delivery of all events across the children, families and adults programmes.
01803 847288

Amy Holgate
Events Administrator & Virtual Meetings Host
Amy Holgate
Amy supports the Research in Practice Events Team assisting with the planning, administration and hosting of their current face to face and online events. She has a keen interest in events having completed an Events Management degree.
National programmes

Alison Domakin
Practice and Engagement Lead – Practice Supervisor Development Programme
Alison Domakin
Alison is the Practice and Engagement Lead for Practice Supervisor Development Programme. Part of her role focuses on working with the children’s social care organisations to help maximise learning from the programme. She is interested in developing new evidence-informed ways of learning from practice, particularly one-to-one and group supervision.
07811 999005

Neeta Chauhan
Programme Manager – Practice Supervisor Development Programme
Neeta Chauhan
Neeta is responsible for the smooth delivery of the Practice Supervisor Development Programme within budget and timescale, and maintaining relationships with all consortium and local delivery partners, as well as the commissioner.
07857 501826

Emma Curtis
Senior Events Administrator – Practice Supervisor Development Programme
Emma Curtis
Emma is the Senior Events Administrator for the Practice Supervisor Development Programme. She is the main contact for any events queries.
01803 847202

Ann Aston
Team Administrator – Practice Supervisor Development Programme
Ann Aston
Ann provides administrative support to the Practice Supervisor Development Programme team and assists Local Authorities / Trusts on queries relating to the programme.

Alice Huntley
Events Admin & Virtual Host - Practice Supervisor Development Programme
Alice Huntley
Alice supports the Practice Supervisor Development Programme team assisting with the administration, planning and hosting of their events for their current national programme.

Brian Bean
Programme Coordinator
Brian Bean
Brian is experienced in project management and third sector operations. He provides day-to-day support for our growing portfolio of programmes.
01803 847274

Anna Racher
Partnership Manager – Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme
Anna Racher
Anna has overall responsibility for the Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme, which is a Department for Education funded partnership, led by Research in Practice with The Children’s Society and the University of Bedfordshire. The programme focuses on changing the systems which support exploited children and young people in order to make a greater positive impact for them and their families.
07590 074 279

Amy Hurst
Implementation Lead – Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme
Amy Hurst
Amy is the Implementation Lead for the Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme. She works with local areas and a range of delivery partners as part of bespoke support projects that seek to develop effective strategic responses to child exploitation.
07712323318