Core team

Matthew’s background is in theatre, performance and community arts where he has conducted research in a diversity of contexts including with children and with people with disabilities. He is particularly interested in participatory research that gives people agency and personal insight in research processes and of the role of the arts in social justice. He is currently working with Mind the Gap Theatre Company on an AHRC-funded project delivering inclusive community arts practice during social distancing.

Vicki's research background includes Anthropology and History of Art, and she completed a PhD in History at the University of Sheffield. Vicki has focussed on material culture and practices which link community identity, image making and landscapes. As part of her role, she will continue working on the award-winning Living Lab project, which connects students, staff and partners to ecological and climate focused issues. Vicki is passionate about student engagement and development, with a major aspect of her role facilitating events and opportunities for the York St John student body.

Jo's background is in community music and music education where she has led collaborative music making projects and conducted research with children and adults in UK educational, community centre and recovery programme settings. She is interested in performing arts for social justice and practice research, with particular focus on the ethics of making together, agency and cultural democracy.

Catherine Heinemeyer is a storyteller and researcher with a practice-based PhD in storytelling with adolescents, and extensive experience of both long- and short-term residencies in educational, mental health, heritage, ecological and community settings. Her doctoral research was conducted in collaboration with York Theatre Royal as an AHRC collaborative doctoral funded project. In 2022 she was appointed senior research associate to the ISJ with a focus on ecological justice and leads on the Living Lab projects.

Jonathan is a professional journalist, educator and researcher with 25 years' experience in the national media. During his time as a news editor and senior writer, Jonathan has reported on some of the most significant stories of our time.

Ayla is Senior Lecturer and Course Lead for Politics and International Relations. Ayla conducted their PhD at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) before working in the Department of International Politics, at Aberystwyth University.

Jenny is a cultural geographer specialising in tourism and adventure in the context of gender, policy, sustainability, and social justice. Jenny takes an interdisciplinary approach, currently exploring the gendered nature of adventure tourism and the affective and intersectional experiences of contemporary and historical adventurers. She recently published the book 'Gender, Politics and Change in Mountaineering: Moving Mountains.'

Charlotte’s background is in Youth and Community Education and she has worked with a range of charities and third sector organisations, before joining York St John, lecturing in Children, Young People and Education. A passion for disrupting power relations underpins Charlotte’s research which is currently exploring the authoritarian turn in school policy. Her PhD explored democratic parent voices in schools and democratic voice forms the basis of much of her work and research. She is developing a Democratic Methodologies Network, that whilst international in nature will have its home in the Institute for Social Justice. She is also a co-convenor of the Participatory Enquiry, Action Research and Democratic Methodologies Research Group.

Kelsie is a post doctoral researcher on the ISJ's AHRC funded 'I'm Me' project that will work with learning disabled and autistic artists as peer and creative researchers to explore questions of identity, representation and voice. Kelsie's background is in theatre, dance and disability culture. Her PhD investigated access intimacy and the accessibility of practices of timing in integrated dance rehearsals. She has also published on plain language and was the plain language translator for McSweeney's 'The Audio Issue' and Alice Wong's 'Year of the Tiger.'

Amy is a senior academic and arts-based researcher with a specialist interest in co-produced research and evaluation in mental health contexts. Amy is particularly interested in work with community organisations, and in children’s and young people’s experiences of mental health systems. Amy draws on extensive experience as a theatre maker, storyteller and community arts practitioner. Her current projects focus on co-production, mental health and creative practices, and neurodivergence.

Charikleia is a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy with specialism in Special Needs Education. They are interested in developmental cognitive neuropsychology and developmental psychology, and the application of research in rehabilitation focusing on children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders particularly children with Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD or otherwise known as dyspraxia).

Obasanjo is deeply integrated within the global public health community with key affiliations with esteemed organisations like the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the Royal Society for Public Health. He leads projects with hands-on involvement in community health, particularly emphasising research outreach among the minority community.