Staff

Chief Executive - Fiona Booth

Communications
Virginia Gibbons - Head of Communications
Luke Boga Mitchell - Communications and Events Coordinator

Citizenship Education
Michael Raftery - Director
Beccy Allen - Researcher and Project Manager

Parliament and Government
Ruth Fox - Director
Matt Korris - Research Fellow
Joel Blackwell - Researcher

Study and Scholars
Professor the Lord Norton of Louth - Director of Studies
Lisa George - Director
Gail Bumbury - Manager
Luke Boga Mitchell - Coordinator
Dr Peter Catterall - Lecturer
Dr Elizabeth Monaghan - Lecturer
Dr Monika Nangia - Lecturer

Finance and Office Management
Ruth Naftalin - Finance Director
Jas Kaur - Operations Manager & Assistant to Chief Executive

Visiting Fellows
Dr Hugh Bochel
Alex Brazier
Dr Sarah Childs
Professor Philip Cowley
Dr Stephen Ward
Dr Andy Williamson

 

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Fiona Booth - Chief Executive
Fiona is Chief Executive of the Hansard Society and has held this position since 2007. She oversees all output of the Society, is responsible for the 18 staff in London and Scotland and, along with the Council, develops the strategies and policies that guide the organisation in meeting its aims and objectives. She is also responsible for representing the organisation to external audiences and ensuring that the Hansard Society is promoted effectively amongst its primary stakeholders. Fiona is also an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Fiona has worked at the Hansard Society for seven years and before becoming Chief Executive she was Deputy Chief Executive and the Director of the Citizenship Education Programme. Before joining the Hansard Society, Fiona was Head of the Education departments at Help the Aged and Quit, and also worked as an education welfare officer for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. She is a qualified primary and secondary school teacher and has previously worked in a number of London schools. Fiona has been involved in writing teaching support material for the Political and Social Education and Citizenship curriculums for the charities where she has worked. She has been a trustee of the Association for Citizenship Teaching and previously sat on several advisory boards including the then Department for Constitutional Affairs Education Information and Advice working group, the Democracy Coalition for Children and Young People, UNESCO's Associated Schools Project Network and the Citizenship Foundation's National Youth Parliament Competition Steering Group. Contact Fiona at fiona@hansardsociety.org.uk.

 

Communications - comms@hansardsociety.org.uk 

Virginia Gibbons - Head of Communications
Virginia is Communications Manager for the Hansard Society and is responsible for all communications functions, including media campaigns to promote the work of the Society. She is the Hansard Society's main point of contact for the media and also acts as Editor and Manager of Hansard Society publications. She has worked for the Hansard Society since 1999.

Virginia is a trained journalist and member of the National Union of Journalists and has over 20 years' experience working in politics and communication - including working at the Labour Party and the Commission for Racial Equality. She began her journalistic career with IPC Magazines. She studied History and Politics at the University of York. Contact Virginia at virginia@hansardsociety.org.uk 

Luke Boga Mitchell - Communications and Events Coordinator
Luke is the Communications and Events Coordinator, managing events across each of the Hansard Society's programmes, as well as promoting the Society. Luke coordinates the Hansard Society's publications, while also being responsible for digital communications, including the website and producing the Society's monthly e-newsletter.

Luke joined the Hansard Society in April 2010 as an intern on the Study & Scholars Programme having previously interned as a writer for an online magazine. He graduated with a BA in Philosophy (2007) and an MA in Social & Political Thought (2009) from the University of Sussex. Contact Luke at luke@hansardsociety.org.uk.

 

Citizenship Education - citizenship@hansardsociety.org.uk 

Michael Raftery - Director
Michael is the Director of the Citizenship Education programme and has worked at the Hansard Society since 2002. He is responsible for overseeing and developing the Society's work to engage young people in politics and the political process. He has a wide range of experience in producing educational resources including websites, CD Roms and printed materials, as well as running workshops involving young people and educators - domestically and internationally. He has authored and co-authored publications including the Hansard Society's Assembly Members In Schools resource pack and is a member of UNESCO's Associated Schools Project Network, sits on the British Institute for Human Rights In Schools Advisory Group and is a trustee of the Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT).

Before joining the Hansard Society Michael worked for Cooperative Insurance Services and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History with English. Contact Michael at michael.raftery@hansardsociety.org.uk.

Beccy Allen - Researcher and Project Manager
Beccy is Researcher and Project Manager for the Citizenship Education programme and has been at the Hansard Society since 2006, previously working in the role of Events and Communications Coordinator. She currently manages and supports the HeadsUp forum for 11-18 year olds and Lords of the Blog.

Before working for the Hansard Society, Beccy interned in Parliament with a Liberal Democrat MP where she wrote press releases and briefings, responded to constituents' concerns about policy and updated the website. Previous to this, Beccy worked evening shifts at the Liberal Democrat call centre and interned with the Social Market Foundation, a social policy think tank. She graduated from Sheffield University in 2005 with a Bachelors and a Masters degree in politics. Contact Beccy at beccy@hansardsociety.org.uk.

Parliament and Government

Ruth Fox - Director
Ruth joined the Hansard Society in December 2008 as Director of the Parliament and Government Programme. She is responsible for conducting and directing research into parliamentary scrutiny, legislative processes, representative democracy and constitutional reform.

Before joining the Society, Ruth worked for seven years for Bill Rammell MP focusing on strategic communications, research and community relations. She also acted as a political adviser and speechwriter during his time as a Foreign Office and Higher Education Minister and managed his 2001 and 2005 General Election campaigns. In 2004 she took a leave of absence to work for Senator John Kerry's Democratic Presidential campaign in Florida. She was awarded a PhD by the University of Leeds for her doctoral research on the electoral strategy and philosophy of the modern Liberal Party, 1970-1983. Contact Ruth on ruth.fox@hansardsociety.org.uk

Matt Korris - Research Fellow
Matt is the Research Fellow for the Parliament and Government Programme and joined the Hansard Society at the beginning of 2008. He co-authored the Law in the Making study and his current work includes analysis of the legislative process and studying methods of engagement between Parliament, Government and the public.

Prior to joining the Hansard Society, Matt worked for three years as a Researcher/Parliamentary Assistant for a Labour MP and Select Committee Chair; managing the Westminster office, preparing newsletters, briefings and speaking notes. He has also worked for both the research and procurement teams at the Training and Development Agency for Schools. Matt graduated from Leeds University in 2005 with a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Politics. Contact Matt at matt@hansardsociety.org.uk

Joel Blackwell - Researcher

Joel is a researcher for the Parliament and Government programme and has been with the Hansard Society since 2011. He is currently leading the research work for the programme's project on delegated legislation. 

Prior to joining the Society, Joel worked for the Electoral Commission and interned both at the Society and for DeHavilland, a political information service. He graduated from Bristol University in 2005 with a Bachelors degree in Politics and Social Policy. Contact Joel at joel@hansardsociety.org.uk

Study and Scholars - scholars@hansardsociety.org.uk 

Professor the Lord Norton of Louth - Director of Studies
Lord Norton is Professor of Government at the University of Hull's Department of Politics and International Studies and Director of Studies for the Hansard Society Scholars programme. He was raised to the peerage in 1998 and sits on the Lords select committee on the European Union, chairs the Conservative Academic Group and is part of the Executive Committee of the Conservative History Group. He is Director of the Centre of Legislative Studies, a trustee of the History of Parliament Group and President of the Politics Association.

Lord Norton was Chair of the Lords select committee on the constitution from 2001 to 2004 and the Head of the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Hull from 2002 to 2007. He also chaired the Conservative Party's Commission to Strengthen Parliament in 2000 and has been involved with numerous political organisations such as the Study of Parliament Group, the Political Studies Association and the Economic and Social Research Council. Lord Norton has published an abundance of books, articles and papers throughout his career and is an expert on British politics, constitutional affairs, legislatures and the Conservative Party.

Lord Norton has been a member of the Hansard Society council since 1997 and became Director of Studies in 2002.

Lisa George - Director, Study and Scholars Programme
Lisa George is the Director of the Study and Scholars Programme (run in association with the London School of Economics) and is responsible for the marketing and development of the Society's range of political education and training programmes.  Lisa works closely with senior politicians, civil servants, journalists and other key political players to develop bespoke political training programmes within Parliament. She also oversees Hansard Society Scotland and is developing and expanding the Society's corporate sponsorship scheme.

Lisa joined the Hansard Society in June, 2009.  Prior to joining the Society, she spent many years working for one of the first study abroad programmes to provide political (and other) internships for North American students, first as London Programmes Director and later as European Programmes Director.  She has also worked for an NGO for which she organised political training programmes and provided in-house editorial support.  Lisa received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Speech Communications from the University of Virginia, USA.  Contact Lisa at lisa.george@hansardsociety.org.uk.

Gail Ann Bumbury - Programme Manager
Gail is responsible for the day-to-day running of the undergraduate Hansard Scholars Programme and the postgraduate Hansard Research Scholars Programme. She acts as the first point of contact for the Scholars. Contact Gail at gail@hansardsociety.org.uk
 
Prior to joining the Hansard Society Gail worked at Youngstown State University, USA where she advised international students and managed the international undergraduate and ESL admission process. Originally from Guyana, South America, Gail moved to the U.S. in 2004 to pursue graduate studies at Ohio University. There she completed masters’ degrees in International Studies and Higher Education and worked as a graduate assistant in their International Office.

Luke Boga Mitchell - Programme Coordinator
Before becoming the programme coordinator, Luke was appointed our first Scholars Programme Administrator in December 2010 after completing a six month internship on the programme.  He is responsible for the general coordination of the programme, including the administrative organisation of the courses, placements, social and cultural events, and the programmes online agenda. Luke acts as the first point of contact for the Scholars. Contact Luke at luke@hansardsociety.org.uk

Luke joined the Hansard Society as an intern for the Study & Scholars Programme in April 2010 having previously interned as a writer for an online news and culture magazine. He graduated with a BA in Philosophy (2007) and an MA in Social & Political Thought (2009), both from the University of Sussex.

Dr Peter Catterall - Hansard Research Scholars Programme Lecturer
Lecturer in Democracy and Public Policy on the Hansard Research Scholars Programme. Peter has written extensively on British constitutional issues, party politics and the media. Apart from editing the journal National Identities, his current research interests range from the development and operation of British Cabinet committees to the role of the Leader of the Opposition in Westminster systems.

Dr Elizabeth Monaghan - Hansard Scholars Programme Lecturer
Liz is a Lecturer in Politics in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Hull. Her teaching and research interests are in the field of Comparative European Politics, with an emphasis on democracy and legitimacy issues in the European Union.

 

Finance and Office Management

Ruth Naftalin - Finance Director
Ruth is Director of Finance at the Hansard Society and deals with planning, administration and the financial management of the organisation. This involves working with the management team to ensure viable planning for projects, and the preparation of various financial reports for management, trustees and for statutory purposes. She has worked for the Hansard Society since 2007.   

Before joining the Hansard Society, Ruth was Director of Central Services for the Federation of London Youth Clubs, from the year 2000. Her role included the reorganisation of the federation's accounting system and responsibility for Human Resources, secretarial, legal and IT functions. From 1991 she was Finance Manager for Penta Housing Limited and also worked as a self-employed accountant. Ruth is a keen volunteer; she currently sits on the Board of Barnet Community Homes, is Treasurer of Elders Voice in Brent and has previously been involved with school and youth groups.
Contact Ruth at ruth.naftalin@hansardsociety.org.uk.

Jas Kaur - Operations Manager & Assistant to the Chief Executive
Jas joined the Hansard Society in 2010 as the Operations Manager and Assistant to the Chief Executive.  Jas is responsible for the operations and administration of the organisation as well as looking after the Society's members.  Her work involves supporting the Chief Executive with governance matters and supporting the Finance Director with the day-to-day financial operations.  Contact Jas at jas@hansardsociety.org.uk

 

Visiting Fellows

Dr Hugh Bochel
Hugh Bochel is Professor of Public Policy at the University of Lincoln. He has written and edited a number of books including Welfare Policy under New Labour and Making Policy in Theory and Practice.

Alex Brazier
Alex Brazier is a Hansard Society Fellow and an independent consultant on parliamentary and political issues. He was previously Director of the Hansard Society's Parliament and Government Programme and the Society's Senior Research Fellow. He has authored and co-authored numerous publications on the legislative and parliamentary process including Systematic Scrutiny; Reforming the Select Committees, The Fiscal Maze; Parliament, Government and Public Money and Law in the Making; Influence and Change in the Legislative Process. He has written on reform of Private Members' Bills in Private Members' Bills; Limited Freedom in Parliament, Politics and Law Making and Issues in Law Making No. 1: Private Members' Bills.

Dr Sarah Childs
Senior Lecturer in the Department of Politics at Bristol University. Author of New Labour's Women MPs: women representing women; lead author - Women at the Top 2005: Changing Numbers, Changing Politics?

Professor Philip Cowley
Phil Cowley is Reader in Parliamentary Government at the University of Nottingham. Author of The Rebels and Revolts and Rebellions.

Dr Stephen Ward
Stephen Ward has been a Full Member of the Contemporary History & Politics Research Centre at Salford University From December 2003 to present. His main focus is on digital democracy and engagement.

Dr Andy Williamson
Andy was previously the Director of the Hansard Society's Digital Democracy Programme. He is a Research Associate at the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute, AUT University and a Visiting Honorary Fellow in the Institute for Social Change at the University of Manchester. Andy is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a Member of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Dr Matthew Cole
Lecturer in Parliament & Politics on the Hansard Scholars Programme. Matthew has also lectured in British politics at the University of Birmingham and at the Open University. He was awarded a PhD from the University of Birmingham for his doctoral research on the British Liberal Party 1945-1962. He has published in a wide range of political and academic books and journals, and is the author of Democracy in Britain (Edinburgh University Press, 2006).