Our people

Samuel Patterson joined us in November 2024. Samuel has Undergraduate and Postgraduate degrees in History from Oxford Brookes University. Previously, he was Deputy Head of Care at a special educational needs school in Oxford.

Sam joined us in July 2026. Sam has a BA, MRes and PhD in History from the University of Hull, specialising in the maritime history of Hull. Sam has previously worked as a history and heritage consultant and supported University of Hull Open and Applicant Days.

Sara Fialkiewicz joined us in August 2024. Sara has a degree in Psychology from the University of Sussex. Previously, she worked as a Special Education Needs and Disabilities Teaching Assistant in a Primary school and as a Programme Support Tutor at our Brighton centre.

Sarah Challis joined us in July 2025. Sarah has an undergraduate degree in law from the University of Durham, where she was a student ambassador and representative. She has previously also worked in retail and as an exam invigilator.

Sarah Dolan joined us in July 2024. Sarah has a degree in English Literature from the University of Liverpool and did a semester abroad at Seoul National University as a part of a global opportunities scheme, later becoming an ambassador for the scheme. Previously, she worked at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School as a Teaching Assistant, and volunteered as a mentor at our North Liverpool centre.

Sarah Herbert joined us in September 2025. She studied English (Language and Literature) at the University of Liverpool. She has previously worked for the UK Recruitment, Outreach and Widening Participation Teams at the University of Liverpool, where her tasks included mentoring and tutoring, supporting open and visit days, and assisting with school visits.

Sarah Jackman joined us in July 2023. Sarah has a degree in Art History from the Courtauld Institute and completed a Masters in History and Visual Cultures at the University of Oxford. Sarah has previous experience as a sports coach and supporting artists with additional needs.

Sayaala Ahmed joined us in February 2026. Sayaala has an LLB in Law from Aston University and an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Birmingham. She has worked as an Islamic Studies Tutor with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Walsall and also works as an Administrative Officer at Humanity First Foodbank in Walsall, supporting both educational and operational activities.

Scarlet Durant joined us in July 2025. Scarlet has a BA in War Studies from KCL, where she worked with their access team as well as led several student societies. She has worked for a range of charities, such as St Giles Trust, Breaking Barriers and King's College London Students' Union.

Seleena Mir joined us in March 2022. She has a degree in Sociology from the University of Manchester and a Masters in Global Citizenship, Identities and Human Rights from the University of Nottingham. Previously, she volunteered as a Citizen Researcher at a MH:2K, a mental health and emotional well-being organisation. They are currently in sabbatical.

Sevgi Firat joined us in August 2022. Sevgi is our Student Opportunities Manager (Partnerships and Khadija Saye Arts) and has a degree in Philosophy from the University of York. Previously, she worked as a teacher at English in Action, an ESL provider in Europe.

Shanice Blair joined us in July 2023. Shanice studied French and German at the University of Leeds and completed a Masters in Intercultural Communication at the University of Manchester. She previously worked as an English Language Assistant and tutor.