FACILITATOR

Alexander Lyons is a facilitator, consultant and coach doing the work he loves - supporting folks to get clear on, and take responsibility for, their relationships and their role in the world. He's worked as an anti-oppression learning designer and facilitator, integrating the practices of conflict transformation to equip people for more human, relational approaches to justice and change. Alexander is an unashamed science-fiction and comic book nerd, drawing on the wellspring of imaginary worlds to build something beautiful in this one. He dreams of leaving his London roots for that perfect writing spot with the sun coming through the window just right. He's also Trustee at Rainbow Migration, and former speaker-coach.

HEAD OF MIGRATION PROGRAMME

Letícia joined Paul Hamlyn Foundation as the Head of Migration Programme in September 2022. Since migrating to the UK, Letícia has worked in a range of roles to progress migrant justice, including casework, research, policy, narrative change, and cross-sector coalition building. Before joining PHF, she led the Greater London Authority’s strategy to increase advice for migrants in the capital, the development of the Mayor of London’s Migrant Londoners Hub, and advised the Mayor on migration policy. Letícia grew up in Brazil in a multi-racial migrant household having later moved to Austria and the UK. Outside of work, she enjoys kayaking, swimming in lakes and wild camping - especially during blue bell season! Letícia is passionate about disrupting power imbalances to ensure relationships and collaborations are built on trust, transparency and anti-oppressive practice.

GRANTS MANAGER

Lisa joined PHF in November 2019 as Grants Assistant supporting the Shared Ground Fund and Ideas and Pioneers Fund. In 2021/22, Lisa was seconded to the migration team at Greater London Authority, delivering projects to support migrant communities with NRPF status. Lisa previously worked at Nesta as project coordinator for EU funded projects focused on research and innovation tackling societal challenges across Europe, and has previous experience of working on embedding global education in school settings. Lisa completed a PGDip in Education and International Development from the Institute of Education, UCL and has a BA in English Literature from Queen Mary University. Outside of work, Lisa finds joy in being in community, especially over food, and in convincing her two cats that she is worthy of their affection. In her ideal world, there would be universal recognition and application of indigenous wisdom which would protect and mitigate further destruction of our planet, and the life that inhabits it.

GRANTS MANAGER

Noelle joined PHF in September 2011. As one of PHF’s Grants Managers, she works across both the Migration and Education and Learning through the Arts teams. Her previous experience includes 12 years’ teaching literacy and ESOL in adult and further education, working as a Grants Manager at Volunteering England and providing training and organisational development support to women’s and refugee/migrant organisations at the Women’s Resource Centre and the Refugee Council. Noelle has a degree in Politics from Sussex University.

FACILITATOR

Envisioning new processes of liberation and ways of being with each other is at the core of what ignites Priya. Throughout her career, she has created spaces where possibility can exist, humanity is centered and differences unite. As a lecturer of design thinking, experiential learning designer, leadership consultant, and a seasoned anti-oppression facilitator, she blends those disciplines together to enable communities to build the world they want to be a part of, together. By inspiring collective power and action to dismantle the dehumanizing and divisive narratives, tools, and conditions that systems of oppression create. She roots her anti-oppression practice in deep care and responsibility for all people towards a world in which everyone’s liberation is necessary for our own. Priya is a co-founder of Held - a partnership between herself, Alexander and Vanessa that works with movements and organizations in pursuit of collective liberation.

PROJECT MANAGER

Shreya joined PHF in the summer of 2023, after migrating to the UK. Prior to this, Shreya worked in international development on labor market welfare and governance projects across India, Kenya and Indonesia. She also has experience working in Washington DC, aiding funders make high-impact decisions using data-driven research and improving sectoral knowledge through Measurement, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) reports for USAID’s peacebuilding interventions. Shreya’s interest in socio-economic justice for migrants, comes from her own experience of immigration regimes, her experience observing her family experience immigration regimes and her own identity shaped while growing up in neo-colonial India. Beyond work, Shreya is a serial hobbyist and has tried almost everything - from embroidery to pottery - over the years. In London, she finds joy in going on long runs, cooking (authentic) butter chicken in her micro kitchen, and picking up mushrooms (potentially poisonous) in Hackney Marshes.

GRANTS MANAGER

Shuet-Kei joined PHF in January 2021 and works across the Foundation’s strategic priorities on four funds (Arts Access & Participation Fund, Arts Based Learning Fund, Shared Ground Fund and Youth Fund). Prior to joining PHF, Shuet-Kei worked in the grant making sector for the Masonic Charitable Foundation and at Arts Council England in the London Theatre team where she coordinated the open access grants programme. She has worked in arts administration for a wide range of organisations including New Earth Theatre, East Zest, Doc Society, Soulfire Theatre, the Bush Theatre, Forbidden Theatre and Kali Theatre. Before working in the arts, Shuet-Kei worked for 10 years in educational and medical publishing. Shuet-Kei has a BA in Chinese & History from the School of Oriental & African Studies.

FACILITATOR

Vanessa Faloye works as a learning designer, trainer, facilitator, and consultant of anti-oppression, collective liberation, and movement-building. In doing this work, she resources people with what they need to dismantle tools of oppression, cultures of supremacy, and cycles of dehumanisation. She takes aim at the colonial project of divide and conquer by supporting social movements to unite across difference, in service of a greater we. Vanessa is a co-founder of Held alongside her co-founding friends, Priya and Alexander, who together hold space for people to have the conversations they need to have for the liberation we all deserve. Things to know about Vanessa is that she is a British-Nigerian living in London with her partner and two cats. She’s a fluent speaker of Spanish, a part-time dj of world music, and a full-time lover of international cinema.

GRANTS MANAGER

Zaynab joined the Foundation in October 2023 as a Grants Manager and 2027 Associate. Prior to PHF, Zaynab was a Policy Intern at the Civil Service. Zaynab has a degree in International History from the LSE. Zaynab is passionate about creating a world where everyone is free from oppression and has access to their rights to live their lives the way they wish to. Zaynab finds joy in swimming with her sister, cousins and aunts as well as in green spaces. Zaynab is a self-taught henna artist - something she picked up after being in awe of her friend’s henna skills.