Meet the Team Senior Management Team Adrian Beaumont Head of Operations Adrian (he/they) is currently leading the day-to-day operations of the charity alongside Jonathan Buckerfield (Head of Fundraising and Communications, working closely with Julia Shelley (Chair of Trustees) and Annie Southerst (Vice-Chair of Trustees). In addition to this, Adrian has responsibility for the operational wellbeing of Opening Doors. Responsibilities include oversight of HR, D & I, IT, policy development and the delivery of client services and volunteering. Their background is in LGBTQ+ campaigning, as director of national and regional operational service delivery programmes within sexual health and HIV and wellbeing services and MSM research projects. They are a qualified counsellor, have run their own businesses and have worked extensively in the public and third sector. Jonathan Buckerfield Head of Fundraising and Communications [email protected] Jonathan (he/him) is currently leading the day-to-day management of Opening Doors with Adrian Beaumont (Head of Operations), working closely with Julia Shelley (Chair of Trustees) and Annie Southerst (Vice-Chair of Trustees). In addition to this, Jonathan is also leads the fundraising and communications for the organisation, overseeing income from a wide range of sources including trusts and foundations, individual supporters, corporate partnerships, community and events. Jonathan will develop increased and sustainable income to meet the growing ambitions of Opening Doors. Jonathan has worked and volunteered in the charity sector for over ten years at both large and small organisations, including Big Lottery Fund, Crisis, Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre, King’s College London and Spitalfields Crypt Trust. Operations Team Bernadette Latour Operations Officer info@openingdoors.lgbt Bernadette ensures our members, volunteers and staff are kept informed and supported and is responsible for data reporting, liaising with various stakeholders and supporting the operational delivery of services across member engagement and volunteer services. Bernadette is also implementing a new CRM system for ODL. Dr Chryssy Hunter Volunteer Coordinator [email protected] Chryssy coordinates our extensive volunteering activities – everything from supporting the team identify new opportunities to recruiting and inducting new volunteers into the organisation. Chryssy is a published author in the LGBTQ+ field and holds a PhD on the Equality Act. She has managed teacher trainings projects in North Korea and Libya, and is a board member Gendered Intelligence, and is a member of the Bent Bars Collective. Community Engagement Team Ian McGeough Community Engagement Coordinator [email protected] Ian (he/him) leads the coordination and delivery of all our community engagement activities and events - providing regular social opportunities to help develop networks, communities and create friendships, including a range of specialist services for under-represented groups. Ian’s background is stakeholder engagement and is passionate about improving social inequality, social mobility and sustainability. He’s also a huge music and film fan and enjoys dog walks and gardening. Stephen Quashie BAME/PoC Engagement Officer [email protected] Stephen (he/him) brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously worked for many voluntary and community organisations.He has also volunteered and participated with a range of LGBTQ+ groups and is looking forward to working with the diverse range of people in Opening Doors and beyond. Mike Phillips Dementia Engagement Officer [email protected] Mike is a freelance trainer, facilitator, consultant and coach who is passionate about releasing potential through learning and development. Mike has delivered training across London, the UK and internationally using a range of interactive training techniques which build upon adult learning, brain-friendly and accelerated learning principles. Befriending Team Fabricio Catroppa Befriending Support Officer [email protected] Fabricio is a Befriending Support Officer supporting the LGBTQ+ communities. He has more than 10 years' experience working on a variety of community projects recruiting, supervising, training and managing volunteers working on befriending, mentoring and advice & guidance projects. Fabricio loves gardening and walking his dog in the countryside. Mark Reeves Befriending Support Officer [email protected] Mark is a Befriending Support Officer supporting the LGBTQ+ communities. With a background in training and coaching, Mark works in the Befriending team supporting clients and volunteers. Outside of work Mark enjoys watching movies, going to see drag/queer performers and volunteering with Switchboard. Mike Goldberg Befriending Support Officer [email protected] He/him. Mike comes from a background in the entertainment industry having run his own lighting business for years. He has volunteered for various charities including The Samaritans, Cinnamon Trust, and Opening doors as a befriender, until joining the befriending team as a Befriending Support Officer. Mike works with the team both training new volunteers and assuring new members. He is currently also working with the Out Together charity in West Yorkshire during the association with OD. Training, Research and Policy Team Professor Ben Thomas Research and Policy Coordinator Ben Thomas is a researcher and policy expert with an employment history of advising governments, managing, and developing health services and working in academia. He is the research and policy coordinator and leads a programme of research aimed at improving the lives of older LGBTQ+ people, including improving health and wellbeing and reducing loneliness and isolation. Ben also supports colleagues by training and carrying out policy reviews as part of the Pride in Care quality standard process. Martha Margetson Training & Policy Administrator training@openingdoors.lgbt From a background in events administration and film exhibition, Martha retrained during the pandemic to join our team as the Training Administrator. They will be supporting the Training and Policy team and the delivery of the Pride in Care standard, as well as promoting our national and citywide activity. When not working at Opening Doors they are part of the programming and festival team for Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest. Mark Sladen Research & Policy Officer Mark is a researcher and writer with experience in the arts as well as the voluntary sector. For over twenty years his principal activity was as a curator in the museum and gallery world, after which he took a career break to write a PhD — which explored queer art and activism in the shadow of the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s. Since then, Mark has been working with LGBTQ+ organisations in the voluntary sector, and his main role at Opening Doors is to research poverty among LGBTQ+ over-50s, a three-year project funded by Trust for London. Fundraising and Communications Team Aroona ShaukatCorporate and Community Fundraising Officer [email protected] Since graduating from university in 2017, Aroona has worked for a range of charities within the youth and voluntary sector such as Pro-Action Hertfordshire, OnSide Youth Zones, and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust to name just a few. She is passionate about working with different groups, businesses, and individuals to make a difference within communities and she looks forward to working with Opening Doors to deliver exciting fundraising initiatives that will continue to support our members across the UK. When Aroona is not working, she enjoys going to the theatre, listening to music and kickboxing. Rob Hamilton Business Strategy and Fundraising consultant Rob is a Business Strategy and Fundraising consultant with over twenty five years executive experience in the third sector. A fully qualified Body Psychotherapist and Executive Coach and with post-graduate studies in Education, Finance and Management he has a wealth of knowledge of the issues affecting third sector organisations and the behavioural science of organisational development. Having raised in excess of £40m from charitable trusts, foundations and statutory bodies he has an in-depth understanding of voluntary sector funding, supporting ODL to maximise our potential to secure the funding required to deliver our objectives.