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Meet the team

Director's office

Neelam Raina

Dr Neelam Raina

Director of Research, Innovation and Enterprise

Dr Raina leads the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Enterprise, providing strategic leadership for research, knowledge exchange, innovation, enterprise, research culture and researcher development. She works with colleagues across the University to strengthen research governance, funding, partnerships, impact and the commercialisation of research, supporting Oxford Brookes’ research and innovation ambitions.

An interdisciplinary researcher and research leader, Dr Raina’s work examines the relationships between conflict, displacement, gender, culture and development. Her expertise includes gender, peace and security; forced migration and humanitarian response; sustainable livelihoods and creative economies; and participatory, decolonial and responsible research methods. She brings extensive experience of international research funding, policy engagement and partnerships across academia, civil society, government and the creative sector.

Christie Walker

Christie Walker

Deputy Director and Associate Director Research Support & Governance

Christie provides strategic leadership for the Research Support & Governance team (RSG), which encompasses the Pre-award, Post-award (including contracts), Research Culture and Practice, and Researcher Development functions. The RSG team works closely with the research community to support and enable excellent research and a positive, vibrant research culture at Brookes.

Christie and the RSG team are responsible for developing and delivering a range of systems, policies, processes, governance structures and reporting related to research. This includes providing support for statutory reports and returns such as HE-BCI, in collaboration with colleagues in RIE and other Directorates. In addition, Christie oversees the administrative support and management of the University's REF2029 preparation and submission, working closely with colleagues in RIE, the Faculties and other Directorates.

Bev Blackman

Bev Blackman

Office Manager & PA to the Director

Bev provides support and administrative assistance to the Director and teams. She also manages, guides and advises on various day to day processes (HR confidential personnel matters/recruitment/etc, finance, and general administration/issues, induction and IT), as well as managing the Director's diary and liaising with staff on her behalf.

Matty Mathe

Matty Mathe

Communication and Engagement Officer

Matty supports the Directorate for Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) in the publicity and promotion of Oxford Brookes University’s Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange activities. He specialises in developing and executing comprehensive public engagement campaigns and creating digital and printed publications and webpages. Additionally, he organises and promotes research events to enhance the university's public engagement.

Sara Garcia

Sara Garcia

Research, Innovation and Enterprise Administrator

Sara provides administrative and financial support across the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Directorate. She assists the RIE Finance Manager with managing the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) and the Central Research Fund (CRF). She also helps the Office Manager with administrative duties, supports the Director of RIE and wider teams and helps with events.

Knowledge exchange and impact team

Carol Mcanally

Dr Carol McAnally

Associate Director Knowledge Exchange & Impact

Carol drives the implementation of Oxford Brookes' strategy and policies for knowledge exchange and impact. Her expertise and leadership support best practices and foster partnerships with business and industry. Carol creates synergistic partnerships to amplify the impact of the University's knowledge exchange and impact initiatives. 

Dr Ellie Beaman

Dr Ellie Beaman

Public and Community Engagement Coordinator

Ellie is involved in the development and implementation of the university’s public engagement with research (PER) strategy. She supports and encourages research-active staff and students with opportunities, skill development, and creative idea generation to deliver and communicate excellent PER. Ellie is also the event manager for the Oxford Brookes Science Bazaar. 

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Lauren Davenport

Research Impact Manager

Lauren leads and participates in, developing the ways that the University engages with and shares its research with private, public and civil society sectors to enable and facilitate high quality impacts. She helps promote the University externally as a knowledge partner for private, public and civil society sectors.

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Kevin Maynard

Business Development Manager, AI & Data – General

Kevin is responsible for developing and implementing business development strategies to drive growth and increase revenue. He works closely with researchers, academics, and industry partners to identify new opportunities and develop partnerships that leverage the university's cutting-edge research and expertise in AI and data.

Anna Verghese

Anna Verghese

Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Manager and Consultant  

Anna connects businesses and other organisations with our academic experts to work on KTPs. She provides advice and guidance throughout the process of application for a KTP to InnovateUK as well as post-award support.  

Sienna Lukey

Sienna Lukey

Public Engagement with Research Officer

Sienna is undertaking a placement year as part of her Events Management degree, gaining hands-on experience in planning, delivering, and executing the Science Bazaar – a large-scale public engagement event showcasing Oxford Brookes University research. Following the event, she will also be supporting the development of sponsorship opportunities for the 2027 Science Bazaar.

Sophie Lawrie

Sophie Lawrie

Research Engagement Officer 

Sophie leads activities that connect research with people and partners, building relationships, coordinating engagement events or initiatives, and helping ensure research insights are shared, understood and used by stakeholders.

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Rasheedat Lawal

Public Engagement - Student Placement

Rasheedat helps design, deliver and evaluate activities that share research or university work with the public, while gaining practical skills in communication, events and community collaboration.

Researcher development team

Jennie Cripps

Jennie Cripps

Researcher Development Manager

Jennie works in training and development for research-active staff. She manages the University Research & KE Training programme and the University Research Staff Mentoring Scheme. She also convenes the University’s Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers Working Group and is responsible for annual external reporting on its work supporting our Contract Researchers and their Managers.

Katie Whitlock

Katie Whitlock

Researcher Development Officer

Katie supports the training and development for research-active staff. In this role, she works on the continued expansion of the University Research & Knowledge Exchange Training programme, the development of the Research-Only Staff Network and promotes good news and events in Researcher Development.

Pre-Award Central Facing

Gareth Preston

Dr Gareth Preston

Research Funding Manager and Pre-Award Team Lead

Gareth leads the Research Support Team within the Directorate, overseeing the delivery of centrally managed research funding processes across the University. He provides expert strategic and operational advice to academic colleagues on the development, costing and submission of research grant applications to a wide range of external funders, including UK research councils, charities, and international funding bodies.

He works closely with researchers on large, complex and strategically important bids, with particular expertise on European funding programmes, such as Horizon Europe. Gareth ensures that applications are robustly costed, fully compliant with funder requirements and aligned with University policies, and that high-quality research support is delivered consistently across disciplines.

In addition to this advisory role, Gareth manages a team of Research Managers and Research Funding Managers, with responsibility for staff development, workload planning and service delivery. He plays a key role in shaping research support processes and systems, and contributes to University committees and external networks.

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Steven Radley

Research Funding Manager

Steven leads the Pre-Award team in Research Support and Governance, supporting academics across the University to submit externally funded research grant applications. His responsibilities also include managing and maintaining Worktribe, the University's research and consultancy costing tool.

Ruzena Zemanova

Ruzena Zemanova

Research Funding Administrator

As a pre-award Research Funding Administrator, Ruzena supports researchers, mostly within OxInAHR, with submitting their research grant applications, primarily in health and related academic disciplines. This ranges from discussing and reviewing the early drafts of their applications, costing them, advising on the SoECAT (if needed) and advising on all aspects, including the final reviews, as well as liaising with Faculty Research Offices.

Yonas Hirutu

Yonas Hirutu

Research Funding Administrator

As the Research Funding Administrator Yonas seeks to develop and promote research support and to optimise opportunities for funded research. He works closely with academic staff applying for external grants to ensure that bids are submitted in a timely manner.

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Bousmaha Baiche

Research Support Officer

Bousmaha provides professional, academic-facing support across the research lifecycle, helping researchers to identify funding, cost and prepare applications, ensure compliance, and set up and monitor awarded projects.

Pre Award Faculty Facing (HSS)

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Tudor Georgescu

Research Manager

Tudor leads and coordinates research projects or programmes, overseeing design, delivery, funding and compliance so that research is completed effectively, on time and within budget.

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Ardeshir Pashmi

Research Support Officer

Ardeshir provides professional administrative and advisory support across the research lifecycle, helping researchers with costing and preparing applications, navigating ethics and governance requirements, and setting up and monitoring funded projects to ensure they run smoothly and compliantly.

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Marinka Walker

Research Administrator 

Marinka is a part-time Research Administrator in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and provides comprehensive professional administrative support for Research Degrees in Education and EdD Doctorate in Education as well as, Masters by Research in Education, ensuring stakeholder satisfaction and effective problem resolution. Marinka contributes to faculty-based elements of university administration and appropriate procedures including liaising with relevant Faculty teams and other relevant University departments, as well as liaising with external partners/stakeholders where appropriate.

In addition, Marinka develops and maintains an up-to-date knowledge of University systems and processes and contributes to the smooth running of these as appropriate.

Marinka also processes Education Research Degree and EdD applications and responds to enquiries from a range of stakeholders in a professional and timely manner and giving relevant advice and guidance to a range of stakeholders in Education.

Marinka provides effective administration including the Annual Monitoring Student Process, minute taking of the Faculty Research Degrees Student-Sub Committee (AHSSRDSC), Subject Course Committees and Subject Exam Committees with adherence to university and regulatory procedures and policies. 

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Terri Morris

Research Administrator 

Terri is a part-time Research Administrator in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and provides comprehensive professional administrative support for research degrees in Social Sciences, Law, English & Creative Writing and History Philosophy & Culture. This role works across individual Schools and the Faculty as a whole.

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Erika Stefanidi

Research Administrator 

Erika oversees day‑to‑day research administration, from preparing and submitting grant bids to monitoring awards and ensuring adherence to institutional and funder rules.

Pre Award Faculty Facing (HST)

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Lorraine Williams

Research Manager

Lorraine is the Faculty Facing Research Manager for the Faculty of Health, Science and Technology. She manages the Faculty facing team and is the first point of contact for any research related Faculty queries. She provides support to the Faculty’s REF submission and pre and post-award issues. She oversees the visiting researcher process within the Faculty and has oversight of the research student support activity.

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Paul Clipson

Research Support Assistant

Paul is the Faculty Facing Research Support Officer for the Faculty of Health, Science and Technology. He is the secretary for the HST Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee, oversees monthly research funding newsletters from Pivot-RP and provides support for all Faculty related duties such as visiting researcher enquiries and monthly reports on grants. He also provides support to academics submitting research bids including initial checks, costings and compliance with University and funder rules.

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Christine Gahan

Senior Research Administrator

Christine is the main point of contact for all matters relating to research students for the School of Biological and Medical Sciences, the School of Sport, Nutrition and Allied Health Professionals, the School of Psychology, Social Work and Public Health and the Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery. She oversees enquiries, applications, annual progress monitoring and the HST research symposium. She is also the co-secretary for the HST Faculty Research Degrees Sub-Committee and the secretary for the Professional Doctorate in Nursing and Professional Doctorate in Midwifery examination and subject committees.

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Olivia Matthews

Research Administrator

Olivia provides support for all matters relating to research students for the School of Biological and Medical Sciences, the School of Sport, Nutrition and Allied Health Professionals, the School of Psychology, Social Work and Public Health and the Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery. She oversees enquiries, applications, annual progress monitoring and the HST research symposium.

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Dominic Maitland

Research Administrator

Dominic is the main point of contact for all matters relating to research students for the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, the School of Architecture and the School of the Built Environment. He oversees enquiries, applications, annual progress monitoring and the HST research symposium. He is also the co-secretary for the HST Faculty Research Degrees Sub-Committee.

Post-Award team

Mieke Tyrrell

Mieke Tyrrell

Post Award Processes Officer

Mieke manages the Post Awards processes relating to Research projects. This involves assisting Faculties through the life cycles of projects to keep expenditure in line with prescribed terms and conditions, preparing interim and final financial statements for funders, and sorting out the logistics of QR income and its distribution to budget holders.

Bronwen Hex

Bronwen Hex

Contracts Manager and Post-Award Team Lead

Bronwen's work involves preparing and reviewing research and consultancy contracts whilst ensuring compliance of University procedures before signing. 

Abbi Sanford

Abbi Sanford

Contracts Officer

Abbi's work involves preparing and reviewing research and consultancy contracts and arranging signing.

Research culture and practice team

Dr Robyn Curtis

Dr Robyn Curtis

Research Culture & Practice Team Manager

Robyn and her team provide support, training and advice to staff and research students on research ethics, as well as ensuring their research activities are compliant with UK and international legislation, funders requirements and best practice in ‘Trusted Research’. Working with researchers and professional services colleagues across the University to identify, mitigate and manage risks connected with research collaborations, including ensuring appropriate data capture within the University’s research management systems.

Joseph Corneli

Joseph Corneli

Open Research Project Manager

Joseph is part of a consortium funded by Research England, and he is working to accelerate the development of open research practices at both Oxford Brookes University and across the sector. His commitments are primarily focused on the Training workstream. In addition to these responsibilities, he also serves as the UKRN Local Network Lead, representing the grassroots network of researchers at Brookes within the UK Reproducibility Network.

Nina Lewin

Nina Lewin

Research Data Manager

With a wealth of experience in research support, digital curation, and data management, she brings a unique perspective to our team. Having worked in a complex environment, she understands the challenges that come with data management, especially when working with limited resources. She has extensive knowledge of free software and is committed to helping researchers navigate the world of data management.

Yukari So

Research Ethics & Integrity Officer

Yukari manages the review process for doctoral and staff research ethics applications and supports the operation of the University Research Ethics Sub-Committees. She provides guidance to researchers on navigating the ethics application process, maintaining compliance with institutional policies, and preparing documentation to ensure the highest standards are met. 

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Abhay Singh

Research Ethics Administrator

Abhay supports the research ethics application process for staff and research students at Oxford Brookes, providing vital assistance to ensure all research undertaken at the University is delivered in an ethical and appropriate manner.

Innovation and enterprise team

Dr Phil Clegg

Dr Philip Clegg

Associate Director for Innovation & Enterprise

Philip's role provides strategic direction for innovation, enterprise and entrepreneurship activity at the university. Leading the Innovation and Enterprise Teams, their combined activities include enabling the development of key enterprise/employability skills and attributes, enabling student and graduate start-up, the development and growth of the Oxford Brookes Enterprise Centre, and the commercialisation of research via the Technology Transfer Office

Howard Feather

Howard Feather

Business Start-Up Manager

Howard is the Business Start-Up manager. Based in the Enterprise Centre, Howard and team of Start-Up advisors give all students and graduates support with any and all of their business ideas from pre-concept all the way through to fully operational status. Come and meet Howard and the team in the Enterprise Centre to move your business idea forward to the next level.

Sarah Irons

Dr Sarah Irons

Enterprise Centre & BioInnovation Hub Manager

Sarah manages the Oxford Brookes Enterprise Centre and Bioinnovation Hub, which provide lab and office space for start-up early stage life science and digital tech companies. With her combination of research and lab management experience, and strong connections within the University and local innovation ecosystem, she is perfectly positioned to ensure companies are well-supported so they can focus on growth. 

Nav Krishna Viswanathan

Nav Krishna Viswanathan

Enterprise Centre Coordinator

Nav's role is pivotal to the operations of Oxford Brookes Enterprise Centre and delivering a seamless experience for the ventures based there. He leads on elements of marketing, stakeholder engagement, and programme coordination to support startups and entrepreneurs across the University. Nav manages the Centre’s digital presence through impactful content, supports financial operations, and ensures events and daily activities run smoothly. His work strengthens the Centre’s visibility and contribution to the wider innovation ecosystem.

Syamim Sirajudin

Mim Sirajudin

Business Start-up Advisor

Mim brings a wealth of expertise in business management and entrepreneurship to the university as a Business Start-up Advisor. With a proven track record, including the launch of his own modern Malaysian food start-up (Popiah) and extensive experience supporting clients across various industries; food and beverage, fashion, music, technology to health and wellness. He excels in the art of business planning, crafting compelling pitch decks, and delivering practical guidance. His specialisation in mentoring international students adds a unique dimension to his advisory skills. He remains dedicated to nurturing the ambitions of emerging entrepreneurs, promoting a culture of innovation, and cultivating a dynamic start-up ecosystem within the university.

Afroditi Pekou

Dr Afroditi Pekou

Enterprise Support Coordinator

Afroditi ensures the smooth and coordinated delivery of Brookes Enterprise Support programmes and leads on our evaluation of our Business Engagement work. She also provides support across the team by utilising her broad professional skill set to deliver our wide range of initiatives and interventions.

Unai Ledesma Gorostizaga

Unai Ledesma Gorostizaga

Business Start-up Advisor

Unai is a startup support specialist who focuses on helping entrepreneurs create market fit by making them aware of the problems that customers face. Unai also understands the power of networking and uses it to inspire students and take their businesses to the next level.

Ed Cole

Dr Gary Jennings

Senior Technology Transfer Manager 

Gary is an experienced TTM, helping our researchers in their entrepreneurial efforts to move ideas and inventions to the marketplace, via licensing, spin-outs, partnerships and other commercialisation routes. Previously, Gary worked in technology transfer in UK, Germany and Switzerland, and in executive positions in biotech companies in Germany and the US.

Lina Cox

Lina Cox

Technology Transfer Manager

Lina works with academics to protect and commercialise their research, helping them build IP portfolios which can be licenced or used in the creation of spin-out companies. She also assists in the management of existing IP rights at the university. Lina previously qualified as a European patent attorney, so has particular expertise in the field of patent applications and prosecution.

Racha Osseili

Racha Osseili

Technology Transfer Manager 

Racha works closely with researchers to turn their ideas into real world solutions. She helps them protect their research and turn it into a commercial success through business partnerships, licensing, and new spin-outs, all while taking care of the university's existing patents and intellectual property. Racha holds an LLM in intellectual property and Data protection, and has spent years advising on IP strategy across the MENA and Gulf regions.