Meet the team
We have a fantastic staff team who are committed to seeing refugees thrive in their new home. They each bring skills, experience, passion and commitment to the work of Upbeat Communities.
Andrew Jackson - Chief Executive
Andrew leads the Upbeat team, overseeing the operational and strategic development of the charity. He’s worked in the refugee sector for 17 years, and still finds himself constantly inspired by the resilience of those who have had to rebuild their lives here in the UK. Outside of work, Andrew loves time with his family, cooking Mexican food, and following the high and lows of Darlington Football Club.
Einir Cooper - Head of Delivery
Einir manages a number of our delivery areas along with our resettlement work in Derbyshire & Lincolnshire. She is continually amazed and inspired by the resilience of the participants she gets to meet, and thinks it is an honour to be a part of their lives. Prior to working with Upbeat, Einir worked as a primary school teacher at home and abroad, and more recently, with families at Reach Derby. Her hobbies include walking in the countryside, having coffee with friends, and laughing!
Michael Gladwell - Head of Enterprise
Michael started Derby Language School 7 years ago as a social enterprise for Upbeat Communities. He continues to manage DLS alongside Upbeat Clean, our newer social enterprise that employs refugee mums. Michael loves working for an organisation that exists to empower and serve people who are in real need. He also really enjoys growing vegetables in his allotment and spending time with his friends and family.
Tanya Sharma - Operations Lead - Enterprises
Tanya oversees and coordinates the day-to-day activities of the Enterprises, ensuring things are running efficiently. Before joining the team, she worked in Operations for an Australian recruitment agency. Tanya is inspired by Upbeat’s non-judgemental acceptance and compassion. She enjoys spending time with her partner and dog, and watching football!
Paul Gray - General Manager - Enterprises
Paul is the general manager for our social enterprises, Upbeat Clean and Derby Language School, ensuring the enterprises are both working smoothly and efficiently. Before joining Upbeat, Paul worked as Operations Director for 19 years. Paul is inspired by Upbeat’s positive impact on individuals and their families’ lives, empowering refugees and asylum seekers to thrive in our community. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf and, as he says, “an armchair Arsenal fan”.
Maddie Thomson - Communications & Fundraising Officer
Maddie communicates what’s going on at Upbeat with our supporters, volunteers, and participants, and inspires people to fundraise and donate to our work. She thinks it is a privilege to work for an organisation that welcomes and values every individual. Before joining the team, she worked with university students at the Christian Unions in Nottingham. Maddie’s favourite way to relax is by curling up with a good book and a cup of tea, or else playing her guitar or piano.
Kirsten Penk - Communications Assistant
Kirsten helps with the communication within Upbeat to their participants, supporters, and volunteers. She is inspired by Upbeat’s ability to make their participants feel worthy and empowered despite the hardships they are facing in their lives. Kirsten joined the Upbeat team after graduating from the University of Derby, where she studied journalism and performed a research project on the threat of misogynistic podcasting on violence towards women online. In her spare time, she loves to read (a lot!), play her guitar, and paint.
Lauren Parton - Volunteer Coordinator (on maternity leave)
Lauren takes care of all our volunteers, as well as helping local communities understand and engage with the work of Upbeat. Before she joined the team, Lauren did a degree in Theology and spent a few years working for local charities, coordinating volunteers and developing community projects. Lauren is inspired by Upbeat’s desire to see refugees and asylum seekers not only survive but thrive! She enjoys reading a good theological book, trying out new veggie recipes and playing board games.
Elliot Cooper - Integration Manager & Tutor
Elliot manages our integration work, as well as teaching English for Upbeat and Derby Language School. He loves the way Upbeat empowers participants and treats them with dignity, challenging the negativity often associated with refugees in the media. Before joining the team, he spent many years teaching in the UK and abroad. He loves spending time with his family, and is a keen cyclist and ice-cream eater!
Milad Arbash - Resettlement Manager
Milad manages our resettlement team as they support refugees being resettled across Lincolnshire & Derbyshire. He is inspired by the unconditional love, support and hope that Upbeat provides for refugees and asylum seekers, which he received himself when he came to Derby as an asylum seeker in 2016. Before coming to the UK, Milad used to help displaced people in his home country, Syria. He has a degree in Banking and Insurance, and enjoys hiking, gardening, reading, and a good game of table tennis.
Rama Hasan - Refugee Integration Worker - Integration Hub
Rama supports new arrivals, empowering them to integrate in UK communities. Before joining the team, Rama worked as a civil engineer in Syria, her home country. She also enjoyed supporting and volunteering for women's charities in Syria. In her spare time, she likes going to the gym - and was even a champion body builder in Syria in 2020! She loves to spend time with friends and family, and to experience new countries, cultures and foods.
Sun Heer - Administration Lead
Sun is our Administration Lead, which means that she offers support to our delivery areas to enhance our ways of working. Before joining the Upbeat team, Sun worked at a financial services company to ensure things ran efficiently, whilst also studying to become a qualified counsellor. Sun is inspired by our sense of compassion and community. In her spare time, she loves to escape into a good film or a new book!
Momoyo Taniguchi - Catering Coordinator
Momo is our catering coordinator, overseeing the kitchen’s operations, ensuring we are meeting food safety standards, and cooking delicious lunches for our participants. Before working at Upbeat, Momo owned her own restaurant in Japan, serving South Indian food! She is inspired by Upbeat’s positive attitude and passion to help asylum seekers and refugees who have been through a difficult time. In her spare time, Momo likes to go for walks in the Peak District and spend time with her husband and grumpy cat!
Danielle Waxman - Refugee Integration Worker
Danielle is one of our Refugee Integration Workers, focused on supporting refugee families and individuals to feel confident rebuilding their lives in the UK. Before joining the team at Upbeat, Danielle worked in Events Production freelancing alongside many artists and human rights organisations. Danielle is inspired by Upbeat’s positive attitude towards resettlement in the UK as integration is a huge inspiration to her. She spends her free time playing the drums, painting and surfing where she can!
Carl Christopher - Refugee Integration Worker
Carl is one of our Refugee Integration Workers here at Upbeat, where he supports new arrivals in Lincolnshire to help them integrate into our community easily. Before joining the team, Carl was a university tutor, an education Chaplain and journalist! Carl is inspired by the way that Upbeat sees each person with inestimable, irrevocable and ineffable value. In his spare time, Carl likes to read books about theology, learn new languages, and enjoys meeting new people.
Grace Jackson-Reed - Refugee Integration Worker
Grace supports refugee families and individuals to rebuild their lives, and coordinates our weekly Upbeat Women sessions. She thinks it is a privilege to be part of the way Upbeat welcomes, dignifies, and empowers people. She grew up in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where her parents run a non-profit for at-risk women and children, before moving to the US to study International Relations. In her spare time, she likes to hike, read, and experiment with new sourdough or veggie recipes.
Ali Saee - Refugee Integration Worker
Ali supports refugees during their resettlement process in Derbyshire and Lincolnshire. Before joining the team, he worked at Refugee Action supporting Ukrainian families with their resettlement journey in Birmingham and Solihull. He loves Upbeat’s commitment to empowering refugees and supporting them to a fresh start in the UK. In his free time, Ali loves to hike in the Peak District and other picturesque places in the UK.
Megan Boyce - Refugee Integration Worker
Megan supports refugee families in Lincolnshire to feel welcomed and equipped to begin rebuilding their lives in the UK. Before Upbeat she worked with disadvantaged young people to widen participation in university and support career development. Upbeat inspires Megan through its humble approach to supporting the needs of others. In her free time, she enjoys socialising over coffee, playing netball and seeing family.
Patience Ajiboye - Refugee Integration Worker
Patience is our Refugee Integration Worker, supporting the Integration Hub and volunteer coordination team. Patience is also currently undertaking a Master of Art degree in social work at the University of Derby and is looking forward to a career in this field. Patience is inspired by Upbeat’s compassionate and uplifting work and support for asylum seekers and refugees. In her spare time, Patience likes to spend time with family and friends, watching reality TV, shopping, travelling and listening to music!
Louise Mildenhall-Clarke -
Head of Operations
Louise believes that Upbeat Communities empowers refugees and enables the local community to learn about other cultures. Before Upbeat, she worked in retail and finance before studying International Relations, followed by a Masters in Nutrition and Global Health. She loves making clothes, baking and spending time with family.
Emma Molyneux - Operations Lead
Emma provides the practical administrative support we need and working on ways to improve what we do. Before joining the team, she worked in university administration, organising training and events for PhD students. She loves Upbeat’s positive and welcoming environment. In her free time, she enjoys baking, walking her dog anywhere with nice views, and doing tap or ballroom dancing!
Onyinye Unachukwu - Data & IT Lead
Onyinye keeps Upbeat Communities running smoothly by providing the practical administrative and data support we need. Before joining the team, she worked as a Business Analyst in Nigeria. She’s inspired by Upbeat’s commitment to foster a sense of belonging and hope for refugees and asylum seekers. Onyinye likes to read fiction, visit new places and watch movies.
Our trustees
We are grateful for the hard work and commitment of our trustees. They are:
Coco Kambala
Being a migrant from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Coco is inspired by the way Upbeat welcomes participants and offers them hope. He loves the way staff and volunteers offer guidance during the settlement process in a way that makes participants feel truly at home. Coco works as a Post Officer, and is married to Betty. They have three daughters, and enjoy spending time together as family. Coco also enjoys travelling, reading, writing, and playing the guitar.
Dave Priestley - Chair
Dave is motivated by the opportunity to make a positive difference to the disadvantaged, especially where that person has been forced to leave the place they've called home. Dave used to work in local manufacturing companies before he and his wife started their own business to help young people further their education and improve their future. Outside of work, he enjoys going to the seaside, but is equally happy gardening and watching live sport.
Helen
Helen is passionate about seeing people welcomed into community and supported as they rebuild their lives. She works as a mental health social worker based in a hospital, but before that, she spent many years living and working in Russia. Outside of work, Helen enjoys spending time with her friends and family, going to church, and reading.
Lesley So
Lesley is inspired by the way Upbeat and its amazing team work tirelessly to help those who have been marginalised in society. She loves how Upbeat doesn’t just love people who are like us, but cares for those who are different – day-in, day-out. Lesley had the privilege of working for Rolls-Royce for over a decade in a wide range of roles. Nowadays, she’s an entrepreneur starting up a kombucha business in Derby, with the vision of hiring and training refugees.
Tim Ringer
Tim is driven by the inspirational stories of people who have had to give up everything. He is inspired by Upbeat’s part in rebuilding the lives of participants and giving them a positive future. Tim works for Nottinghamshire Police, is married to Becca, and together they have two grown-up sons. He loves any kind of competitive sport, and plays and coaches basketball during his spare time.