Staff

John joined Peace Direct in 2009. He assists the Head of Africa and Asia Programmes respectively, and oversees Peace Direct’s partnerships in Nepal and Pakistan. Previously he has worked with Childreach International on programmes in Peru and Tanzania. He has an MSc in Violence, Conflict and Development from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. Contact: john@peacedirect.org Hide

Clio looks after all community fundraising initiatives and assists the Individual Giving Manger in developing our wider fundraising strategy. She joined Peace Direct in September 2010 after graduating from the University of Leeds with a BA in History. Contact: clio@peacedirect.org. Hide

Joel handles the day-to-day running of both the Peace Direct site and Insight on Conflict. He graduated from London Met in 2008 with a degree in Peace & Conflict Studies and Politics, which focused on how the Internet can be used to promote and assist conflict resolution. Contact: joel@peacedirect.org Hide

Tom Gillhespy manages our African partnerships and is setting up our first overseas programmes office, in Kampala, Uganda. Previously he spent several years working for Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), assessing the impact of landmines on conflict-affected communities. After four years with NPA, which took him to Sri Lanka, Mozambique, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Jordan and Cambodia, he returned to the UK to take an MA in Anthropology of Conflict, Violence and Conciliation, at Sussex University, focusing on traditional approaches to re-integrating ex-combatants in Africa and ex-Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. He returned to Sri Lanka in 2007, to manage community-led projects on behalf of the UNHCR. Contact: tom@peacedirect.org Hide

Carolyn co-founded Peace Direct with Scilla Elworthy and was appointed Chief Executive in 2004. After gaining a double first class degree at Cambridge University, she completed a Masters in Development Economics at the School of Oriental and African Studies (London) with Distinction. She began her career in the Ministry for Overseas Development (now DfID), then joined the Cabinet Office Central Policy Review Staff at the age of 26. Her interest in emerging ‘game changing’ technologies led her to consultancy and venture capital, where as Joint Managing Director of the Korda Seed Capital Fund, she chaired two investee companies, Cambridge Animation Systems and Atraverda. The fund eventually returned £28.5m to investors on a £5m investment and gave Carolyn the resources to begin a parallel career as a philanthropist. In 1996, she became Chief Executive of the Foyer Federation, a network of projects providing holistic services to homeless young people. Over the next seven years she grew its turnover eightfold, providing services annually to 10,000 young people, introduced an accreditation system and won a contract to create 50 public access Internet centres in Foyers. In 2003 she was awarded an OBE for services to young people. Non-executive roles include Board member of the Commonwealth Development Corporation (1994-99) and currently member of the Quaker UN Office (Geneva) Committee. Contact: carolyn@peacedirect.org Hide

Mathew is originally from South Africa and oversees the financial and operational aspects of Peace Direct. He has worked in a variety of NGO’s in South Africa in various capacities and has two masters degrees; in conservation biology and in applied ethics. Contact: mathew@peacedirect.org Hide

Jonathan manages our media relations, co-ordinates our influencing strategy and assists with our publications and fundraising. He has worked in charity communications, marketing and lobbying for many years, including for the medical aid agency MERLIN. Jonathan is also a working journalist with experience in magazines and television research, and was formerly the editor of Traveller magazine. Contact: jonathan@peacedirect.org Hide

Clare is responsible for operational financial management, accounting and reporting for Peace Direct. Clare has worked in a variety of voluntary sector organisations including two grantmaking charities, fundraising charities, a trading co-operative and holds an MSc in Charity Finance. Hide

Ruairi manages our Asia partnerships and is also project manager for our Insight on Conflict website. He has an MSc in Latin American Studies and has worked in rural development in Central America, at Irish Aid and at the UNESCO Centre at the University of Ulster. Contact: ruairi@peacedirect.org Hide

Rhiain builds our relationships with new and current supporters and manages all public fundraising activities. She is a history postgraduate with commercial experience in direct marketing for the private sector. Rhiain is also an avid campaigner on issues surrounding global poverty and human rights injustices. She has worked with Oxfam Campaigns for 3 years raising awareness and supporting young people to take action in their communities. Contact: rhiain@peacedirect.org Hide

Paul addresses the European Union, its various institutions and instruments in order to secure funding and support for Peace Direct and its partners. He has a BA in Political Science, worked for local NGOs in Germany and Ghana, and currently studies part-time for an MA in International Conflict Analysis. Contact: paul@peacedirect.org Hide