Staff & Governance An engaged and experienced staff
Black and white photo of a director speaking to two acting students in front of a theatre set

About Us

Staff & Governance

A wealth of experience

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is proud of its engaged, experienced, industry-leading staff members.

View current staff vacancies

Executive Leadership Team

Fiona Francombe Principal and Chief Executive Officer
Ali de Souza Director of Drama
Stuart Harvey Director of Studies

Acting core staff

Paul Chesterton Director of Acting Courses
Geoffrey Brumlik Senior Acting Tutor and Head of MFA Acting Course
Sue Cowen Head of Voice and Head of MFA Voice Studies Course
Joe Leat Voice and Acting Tutor
Em Smith Head of Screen Acting
Jonathan Grosberg Head of Music and Singing
Jonathan Howell Head of Movement and Stage Combat
Clare Fox Dance Tutor
Joêl Daniel Movement Tutor

Production core staff

Steve O’Brien Head of Production
Ruth Sidery Theatre Production Administrator

Jade Trendall Technical Courses Leader
Joe Stathers Lighting and Video Projection Tutor
Bryony Rutter Senior Stage Management Tutor
Frank Bradley Sound Tutor
Meriel Pym Scenic Crafts Tutor

Andy Scrivens Head of Scenic Construction

Charlie Parkin Head of Screen Production
Bianca Bewley Film Line Producer
Andy Jenks Audio Tutor, Producer, Composer
Charlie Flack Audio Visual Tutor and Technician

Jill Blundell Head of Costume
Ali Poynter Costume Tutor
Lois Edmunds Costume Making Tutor
Lynn Donoghue Costume Making Tutor

Bronia Housman Head of Design
Hannah Wolfe Design Tutor

Writing and Directing core staff

David Lane Head of Drama Writing
Nik Partridge Head of Drama Directing

Professional services staff

Student and Academic Services, Admissions and Administration
Stuart Harvey Director of Studies
Julia Heeley Higher Education Administration & Student Support Manager
Marchia Abokie Admissions Manager
Charlotte Claydon Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager
Eve Bentley-Hussey Higher Education Administration & Student Support Assistant
Anselm Klint Access and Participation Officer
Stephanie Lawrence Executive Assistant
Paige Stevens Acting Courses Coordinator
Michael Tew Admissions & Short Courses Administrator
Lyndsay Wheble Administrative Support to the Trustees

Marketing and Student Recruitment 
Matt Carmichael Head of Marketing and Student Recruitment
Kate Chaffey Marketing and Communications Officer
Sanjana Suresh Kumar Marketing Officer (Courses)
Jesse Payne Student Recruitment and Outreach Officer

Head of Non-Degree Studies
Faye Elvin

Finance, HR and Estates
Julia Trow Head of Finance
Jackie Gait Finance Officer
Sharon Willshear Finance Assistant
Chloe Maropoulos HR and Business Operations Manager

Reception
Fiona Reed Head Receptionist
Sydney Crocker Receptionist
Nick Ebbage Receptionist
Bridget Coulter Receptionist

For details of visiting professional services staff, including in student support, counselling, and health and safety, please consult the guide to student support.

Students developing and growing in confidence during their time here, seeing their work reaching professional standards in approach and execution; a student who intends to be a stage manager producing a wonderful sound design; a first year student making a lovely recording of a song for their recording project; tracking the careers of former students and seeing them be successful; being able to find a job opportunity for a recent graduate. Frank Bradley, Sound Tutor