50 Conference Directors Behind UK Education Events

Jonno White

Aug 13

8 min read

Checked 13 August 2026.

Education conferences do not happen by accident. They need people who can shape a programme, work with speakers, manage venues and keep the day useful for the people in the room. This list recognises 50 current conference directors, event managers and planners working across education and higher education in the United Kingdom.

If you care about how people create trust, clarity and connection in a room, you may also enjoy our directory of speakers on trust-based leadership and our guide to team culture.

1. Michaela Fearon

Event Director, Bett UK

Michaela Fearon is Event Director at Bett UK. Bett describes her work as bringing education leaders, teachers and technology partners together, and says she previously founded Ascend Global Media.

2. Emma Darwin

Founder and Director, Assemble Events

Emma Darwin is Founder and Director of Assemble Events. The company describes its work as event production for organisations, venues and agencies.

3. Liz Appleyard-Hutchings

Head of Event Marketing and Engagement, Assemble Events

Liz Appleyard-Hutchings is Head of Event Marketing and Engagement at Assemble Events. Her role sits across the planning and promotion of events delivered by the agency.

4. Marie Moore

Conference and Events Manager, British Educational Research Association

Marie Moore is Conference and Events Manager at the British Educational Research Association. Her role supports the events programme for a research community focused on education.

5. Nick Johnson

Chief Executive, British Educational Research Association

Nick Johnson is Chief Executive of the British Educational Research Association. He helps lead an organisation whose conference and events programme brings education researchers together.

6. Angela Buckland

Conferences and Events Manager, Association for Science Education

Angela Buckland is Conferences and Events Manager at the Association for Science Education. Her work supports events for science educators and the wider science education community.

7. Rebecca Peacock

Director, Professional Learning and Development, Association for Science Education

Rebecca Peacock is Director of Professional Learning and Development at the Association for Science Education. Her work connects professional learning with the association’s events and member activity.

8. Katie Johnson

Events Manager, Association for Learning Technology

Katie Johnson is Events Manager at the Association for Learning Technology. Her work supports a professional community focused on learning technology in education.

9. Jane Harrison-White

Executive Director, Association of University Directors of Estates

Jane Harrison-White is Executive Director at the Association of University Directors of Estates. She helps lead a professional network for people responsible for university estates and facilities.

10. Corinne Merriman

Events Manager, Association of University Directors of Estates

Corinne Merriman is Events Manager at the Association of University Directors of Estates. Her role supports events for university estates professionals.

11. Marc Whittaker

Public Affairs and Events Manager, Universities and Colleges Employers Association

Marc Whittaker is Public Affairs and Events Manager at the Universities and Colleges Employers Association. His role brings event planning together with the association’s public affairs work.

12. Sharron Powley

Head of Events, Universities and Colleges Employers Association

Sharron Powley is Head of Events at the Universities and Colleges Employers Association. She supports events for people working across higher education employment and workforce issues.

13. Samantha Marsh

Events Manager, British Educational Suppliers Association

Samantha Marsh is Events Manager at the British Educational Suppliers Association. Her role supports events for organisations that supply products and services to education.

14. Chloe Meeds

Events Coordinator, British Educational Suppliers Association

Chloe Meeds is Events Coordinator at the British Educational Suppliers Association. Her role supports the delivery of events for the education supplier community.

15. Emily Baird

Events Manager, The Faraday Institution

Emily Baird is Events Manager at The Faraday Institution. She supports events for a research community working on battery science and technology.

16. Hermione Dadone

Events Manager, King’s College London

Hermione Dadone is Events Manager at King’s College London. Her work supports the university’s programme of academic and public events.

17. Magda Graszka

Acting Head of Events, Universities UK

Magda Graszka is Acting Head of Events at Universities UK. Her role supports events for the body representing universities across the United Kingdom.

18. Dr Anna Mackenzie

Head of Events, University of Glasgow

Dr Anna Mackenzie is Head of Events at the University of Glasgow. Her work sits within the team responsible for external relations events at the university.

19. Laura Wishart

Senior Events Officer, Reputation, University of Glasgow

Laura Wishart is Senior Events Officer, Reputation at the University of Glasgow. Her role supports events that contribute to the university’s external reputation.

20. Sally Badham Lee

Head of Conferences and Events, University of Birmingham Conferences and Events

Sally Badham Lee is Head of Conferences and Events at the University of Birmingham. Her team delivers conferences and events across a major university venue operation.

21. Louise Walczak

Deputy Head of Conferences and Events Management, University of Birmingham Conferences and Events

Louise Walczak is Deputy Head of Conferences and Events Management at the University of Birmingham. Her role supports the planning and delivery of conferences across the university.

22. Lex Hollingworth

Senior Conferences and Events Manager, Southcoast Conferences and Events, University of Brighton

Lex Hollingworth is Senior Conferences and Events Manager at Southcoast Conferences and Events, the University of Brighton’s conference operation.

23. Luke Bradbrook

Venue Services Manager, Southcoast Conferences and Events, University of Brighton

Luke Bradbrook is Venue Services Manager at Southcoast Conferences and Events, the University of Brighton’s conference operation.

24. Simon Justice

Conference and Events Manager, Lincoln College, Oxford

Simon Justice is Conference and Events Manager at Lincoln College, Oxford. His role supports the college’s conference and events activity.

25. Paula Hart

Conference and Events Manager, New College, Oxford

Paula Hart is Conference and Events Manager at New College, Oxford. Her role supports conferences and residential events at the college.

26. Jacqueline Gills

Conference and Events Manager, Balliol College, Oxford

Jacqueline Gills is Conference and Events Manager at Balliol College, Oxford. She supports the college’s conference and events programme.

27. Amy Lamb

Events and Donor Relations Manager, Balliol College, Oxford

Amy Lamb is Events and Donor Relations Manager at Balliol College, Oxford. Her role connects event work with the college’s relationships and fundraising activity.

28. Louise Kernahan

Head of Events, Trinity College, Oxford

Louise Kernahan is Head of Events at Trinity College, Oxford. She supports the college’s event programme and the experience of people attending its events.

29. Joanne Morgan

Senior Conference and Events Manager, Trinity College, Oxford

Joanne Morgan is Senior Conference and Events Manager at Trinity College, Oxford. Her role supports the practical delivery of conferences at the college.

30. Susanna Power

Conference and Events Manager, St John’s College, Oxford

Susanna Power is Conference and Events Manager at St John’s College, Oxford. Her work supports conferences and events at one of the university’s colleges.

31. Karina Kendrick

Head of Conferences and Events, University of Leeds Conferences and Events

Karina Kendrick is Head of Conferences and Events at the University of Leeds. Her role supports a university conference operation serving academic and external events.

32. Sarah Church

Conference and Events Manager, Magdalen College, Oxford

Sarah Church is Conference and Events Manager at Magdalen College, Oxford. Her role supports the college’s conference and events programme.

33. Simon Gascoyne

Conference and Events Manager, Selwyn College, Cambridge

Simon Gascoyne is Conference and Events Manager at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He supports the college’s conference and residential events.

34. Gemma Neal

Deputy Conference and Events Manager, Selwyn College, Cambridge

Gemma Neal is Deputy Conference and Events Manager at Selwyn College, Cambridge. Her role supports the delivery of conference and residential events.

35. Sheena Butterworth

Head of Conferencing and Business Development, University of Kent Conferences and Events

Sheena Butterworth is Head of Conferencing and Business Development at the University of Kent. Her role combines event delivery with building the conference business.

36. Caroline Hames

Conference and Business Development Manager, University of Kent Conferences and Events

Caroline Hames is Conference and Business Development Manager at the University of Kent. Her role supports both conference planning and the growth of the university’s events work.

37. Helena Beveridge

Head of Conference Services, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford

Helena Beveridge is Head of Conference Services at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. Her role supports the planning and delivery of conferences at the college.

38. Lindy Edmondson

Events Manager, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford

Lindy Edmondson is Events Manager at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. She supports the college’s conference and events service.

39. Ellie Greatorex

Events Manager, Cambridge Enterprise

Ellie Greatorex is Events Manager at Cambridge Enterprise. Her work supports events connected with innovation, research and enterprise at the University of Cambridge.

40. Yan-Kay Ho

Events Manager, Cambridge Zero

Yan-Kay Ho is Events Manager at Cambridge Zero. Her role supports events around the University of Cambridge’s climate and sustainability work.

41. Laurel Millen-Quinn

Communications and Events Manager, Department of Sociology, University of Oxford

Laurel Millen-Quinn is Communications and Events Manager in the Department of Sociology at the University of Oxford. Her role brings communications and academic events together.

42. Vic Huby

Conference and Events Manager, The Education Exchange

Vic Huby is Conference and Events Manager at The Education Exchange. Her role supports a learning and events centre serving education professionals.

43. Aimee Okafor

Head of Events, UCAS

Aimee Okafor is Head of Events at UCAS. Her role places her close to events serving people who work across university admissions and student progression.

44. Jennifer Gladman

Conference and Events Manager, Girls’ Schools Association

Jennifer Gladman is Conference and Events Manager at the Girls’ Schools Association. Her work supports events for leaders and staff across girls’ schools.

45. Jessica Thwaites

Events Manager, Positively You

Jessica Thwaites is Events Manager at Positively You. Her role supports learning and wellbeing events for people working in education.

46. Esther Oduor

Education Events Manager, Aimhigher London

Esther Oduor is Education Events Manager at Aimhigher London. Her role supports events that help young people understand and access higher education.

47. Athene Jollands

Head of Events, Impetus

Athene Jollands is Head of Events at Impetus. Her work supports events connected with better education and employment outcomes for young people.

48. Ed Gamble

Managing Director, Worktime TV

Ed Gamble is Managing Director of Worktime TV. Assemble Events lists the company among the specialist partners it works with to deliver events.

49. Amar Gudhka

CEO and Creative Director, AG Design & Consultancy

Amar Gudhka is CEO and Creative Director of AG Design & Consultancy. Assemble Events lists the company among the specialist partners it works with on event delivery.

50. Kamillah Junaid

Events Manager, UCL Astrea

Kamillah Junaid is Events Manager at UCL Astrea. Her role supports conferences and events for the university’s professional services community.

If you are planning a leadership event and want a practical keynote or workshop, email Jonno White at jonno@consultclarity.org.

Jonno White is a keynote speaker, leadership consultant and author of Step Up or Step Out. He helps leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at.

Conclusion

Across this group, strong education events rely on more than a good venue. They depend on people who can bring together programmes, speakers, delegates, partners and practical details so the day feels purposeful.

The roles vary from event direction and conference management to communications, venue services and specialist production. Together, they show how much thoughtful work sits behind a useful education event.

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