Staff

Senior Management

Karen Napier MBE

CEO

With our great Board of Trustees, I am responsible for the strategic direction of The Reading Agency, ensuring the continued growth and impact of our work. Ultimately it’s about changing lives and tackling life’s big challenges everyday through the proven power of reading.

Debbie Giwa

Finance, Commercial and Business Director

I am the lead on financial, commercial and business affairs. I am responsible for developing and overseeing our business plans, exploring opportunities for diversification and ensuring we remain financially resilient to deliver our services.

Debbie Hicks MBE

Creative Director

I am a founder member of The Reading Agency and believe passionately in the transformative power of reading. Reading for pleasure is a powerful antidote.

Our Staff

Business Directorate, Finance and Operations

Christine Cherry

HR Manager

At The Reading Agency I am responsible for all aspects of HR and recruitment. I’ve worked for The Reading Agency since 2004 and have played a major part in the development of our systems and infrastructure.

David Ballantyne

Head of Finance and Operations

I lead on financial management and operations across the organisation. With the considerable assistance of our Finance Officer, I support the Finance, Commercial and Business Director, other members of the Senior Management Team and heads of department to deliver The Reading Agency’s Business Plan.

Paras Puri

Finance Officer

As Finance Officer, I work closely with the Head of Finance and Operations to ensure our organisation’s finances are managed efficiently and sustainably, driving our success.

Lucy Engelhart

Database Coordinator

As Database Coordinator, I am responsible for cleaning databases of organisations and contacts, to help streamline communications with stakeholders and partners.

Chloe Budd

Business Support Manager

I lead our Business Support Team, working across The Reading Agency’s creative programmes, campaigns and core team.

Whitney Southern

Business Support Officer

As part of the Business Support Team, I provide support for The Reading Agency’s creative programmes and the wider organisation as a whole.

Emma Olsson

Business Support Assistant

I work within Business Support to assist our programmes and core business teams.

Research and Evaluation

Carina Spaulding

Head of Research and Evaluation

I am responsible for leading, managing and supporting research and evaluation projects for each of The Reading Agency’s programmes. I ensure that we are reaching people as effectively and widely as possible through the collection and analysis of robust evaluation and evidence-based research.

Becky Norton

Research and Evaluation Manager

I manage the delivery of a research and evaluation programme that demonstrates the value of The Reading Agency’s work, reaching as many people as possible and making a positive difference to individual lives and communities across the UK.

Skills and Engagement

Emma Braithwaite

Head of Skills and Engagement

I lead our work engaging children, young people and families with reading for pleasure; helping them to build their skills and confidence and develop a lifelong love of reading.

Chris Rushbrook

Programme Manager, Skills and Engagement

I am the Programme Manager for the Summer Reading Challenge, the UK’s biggest reading for pleasure summer programme. Delivered in partnership with libraries, the Challenge combats the ‘summer holiday reading dip’, and encourages 4-11 year-olds to develop the habit of visiting their local library.

Kelly Baker

Programme Officer, Adult Reading

Working within the Skills and Engagement team, I oversee the Reading Ahead programme and lead on The Family Reading Challenge, offering additional support across our adult offer. I am particularly committed to our prison initiatives, believing in the profound impact that literacy has on rehabilitation, mental health and personal growth.

Emma Joliffe

Programme Manager, Community and Schools Engagement

I work with the Skills and Engagement team as programme manager for three projects: Get Islington Reading, Reading Sparks, and the Teachers’ Reading Challenge.

Olwen Lynch

Programme Officer, Skills and Engagement

I support the delivery of our programmes for children and young people, mainly the Summer Reading Challenge, the country’s biggest reading for pleasure summer reading programme. I manage and develop online content for our children’s website and work closely with libraries to deliver the Challenge.

Health and Wellbeing

Gemma Jolly

Head of Health and Wellbeing

I lead our reading and health work, aiming to address inequalities and deliver better health and wellbeing outcomes for all. This includes working with Libraries Connected on the Universal Health Offer; and the Reading Well and Reading Friends programmes.

Natalie Frost

Programme Manager, Reading Friends

I am the Programme Manager for our Reading Friends programme. I am responsible for communicating with our Reading Friends projects and developing the content and resources as we go through our pilot phase year.

Eve Wilson

Programme Manager, Health and Wellbeing

I manage the delivery of the Reading Well activation programme, extending reach and increasing engagement with Reading Well content.

Amy Niven

Programme Manager, Reading and Health

As part of the Reading and Health team I manage the delivery of our reading and health work including Reading Well Books on Prescription, Mood-boosting Books and other health and reading projects.

Hannah Pimble

Programme Officer, Reading and Health

I support the delivery of our reading and health work including Reading Well Books on Prescription and other partnership projects.

Marketing and Communications

Hayley Brandon

Head of Marketing and Communications

I lead the Marketing and Communications team to amplify the great work of our programmes with the aim to impact and reach even more people across the UK.

Alexander Turton

Senior Marketing & Communications Manager

I work in the Marketing and Communications team managing our national campaigns, expanding our reach and getting more people reading.

Kimberley Sheehan

Campaigns Manager, Reading Partners

I connect our publisher partners with libraries and reading groups to help people discover new titles and enjoy more reading activities. This involves leading over a hundred campaigns in libraries, supporting the organisation of author events and facilitating read and review opportunities.

Kathryn Rose

Campaign Manager, National Reading Campaigns

I lead The Reading Agency’s work on World Book Night and Reading Groups for Everyone, bringing people together and inspiring new readers.

Natalie Sired

Marketing and Communications Officer

I work in the Marketing and Communications team, managing our online channels and campaigns to support and share the essential work of our programmes.

Temi Adeyeye

Communications and Campaigns Assistant

As Campaigns and Communications assistant, I support and assist various campaigns and programmes across The Reading Agency.

Jack Phillips

Campaign Coordinator

I help the team to deliver national campaigns including The Big Jubilee Read, a reading for pleasure campaign celebrating great reads from across the Commonwealth to coincide with Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Kathleen Ktorides

Campaign Officer, Reading Partners

As Campaigns Officer, I work with publishers to create tailored campaigns that maximise reach and impact for publishers and their authors. These campaigns give library users and reading groups access to brilliant books, nurturing a lifelong love of reading and supporting book sales.

Caitlin Morgan

Campaign Administrator, Reading Partners

I support the Reading Partners team through various administrative tasks to support the deliverance and communication of our programme with librarian, school and publisher partners.

Amanda Thain

Public Affairs

I lead on public affairs for The Reading Agency, building awareness and support for our programmes – and ambitious agenda – with key political stakeholders.