Board of Trustees

Kiane Atanga

One of our young trustees, Kiane is a solicitor living in Cheltenham. She's also a member of the Gloucestershire Junior Lawyers Division committee and a Gloucestershire Young Professionals Network member. She's passionate about diversity and volunteers for This Ends Now, an organisation which raises awareness of male violence against women and girls.

Matthew Clayton (Company Secretary non-voting)

Matthew has been a qualified solicitor for over 20 years and is a partner in law firm Willans LLP. His clients include multi-national companies, SMEs, owner-managed businesses, public sector bodies, charities and other not-for-profit organisations.

Janey Dillon

Bio coming soon

Adrian Farnell

Adrian is a Chartered Accountant with over 35 years experience in finance within the banking and charity sectors. He started his career with Hazelwoods in Cheltenham and then completed 25 years with NatWest in a variety of senior UK and European finance roles and most recently was Director of Finance at Cheltenham Festivals.

Beverley Grimster

Beverley spent her working career in Heath and Social Care field, with families and individuals who have worked hard to overcome obstacles, such as issues with substance misuse and mental health. She now works for Sue Ryder which is based in Leckhampton. Beverley is passionate about the arts and feels that they play such an important part in people’s well-being.

Simeon Quarrie

Simeon is an multi award-winning storyteller, technologist and founder of the interactive learning company VIVIDA. He works with global brands such as HSBC, Canon and ITV to make complex topics like cybersecurity and inclusion more engaging through innovation and storytelling. A regular international speaker, he has keynoted for organisations including Apple and LinkedIn. Simeon dedicated to championing creativity and inclusion for young people, through programmes like YouTube’s Black Voices, the Burberry Inspire initiative and organisations including the Ideas Foundation.

Fiona Richards

Based in Cheltenham, Fiona brings broad experience from across the public and private sector in governance, finance and operations. After graduating with a degree in Applied Human Communication, she has delivered roles in HMRC as an inspector, Tax Partner at Deloitte and Managing Director at Deutsche Bank leading significant transformation programmes and global functions. Deeply committed to arts, music, science and community, Fiona is a Life Patron of Cheltenham Festivals and has sat on several charity boards including in the education and social housing sector. 

Mark Philip-Sorensen

Mark is the Chair of Cheltenham Festivals. He's an experienced Non-Executive Director skilled in providing positive challenge, strategic oversight and lateral thinking to deliver transformational change within diverse businesses and company cultures, locally, nationally and internationally. 

Lauren Stone

Another one of our young trustees, Lauren has five years of experience working in the events industry across a variety of roles including front of house manager, stage manager and box office for a range of music, literature and educational events.

Lauren is passionate about industry and using her voice to champion accessibility and inclusion.

Dr Debby Cogan Thacker

American by birth, Deborah Thacker has been a UK resident since 1975. She has been teaching literature in higher education for 25 years. Her research is focused on the inter-relationship between publishing, marketing, education and children around reading. She is Chair of the David Vaisey Trust and sits on the Gloucestershire Libraries NPO advisory board.

Lucy Carlton-Walker

Lucy has worked across the arts and cultural sector in a range of strategic learning, engagement and partnership development roles for libraries, museums, galleries, and heritage sites and is passionate about cultural education and social justice. Lucy is currently the Creative Director for the Warwickshire Libraries National Portfolio Organisation (NPO), which is funded by Arts Council England. 

Jonathan White

Jonathan White has lived and worked in Cheltenham since 1997 and together with his family has been a regular visitor to Cheltenham Festivals for many years. Jonathan now works as a freelance Director and Business Advisor, having spent the last 35 years sitting on and leading a variety of international boards.

Andy Williams

Andy has 30 years experience in IT governance, development, design and strategy. His interests are in CyberSecurity and AI ethics frameworks. 
He helped found and build a successful local IT services business after roles in IT finance and consultancy. He is now Development Director at Govtech Solutions, A Netcall Company.

Our Staff

Ian George - Co-CEO of Cheltenham Festivals

With 16 years' experience in the event industry, Ian has worked in events both in the public, private and charity sector including running press offices, marketing departments and promoting and running festivals.

Ali Mawle - Co-CEO of Cheltenham Festivals

Ali brings 18 years of arts/education experience to the Festivals. After 10 years working in inner-city London as a teacher, literacy consultant, deputy head teacher and ITT lecturer, she moved to the National Gallery to lead the National Schools Programme.