Daniel Watts / Chair

Managing Director

Aluminati Network Group

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Daniel has over a decade's worth of experience in the alumni relations sector. Since 2002, Daniel has worked with universities all over the country through this company Aluminati - founded to create effective online engagement tools to connect alumni with one another. He is also an active mentor himself.

Claire Kilner / Speaker

Deputy Director and Head of Alumni and
Donor Communications & Engagement

University of Manchester

Claire Kilner has worked in higher education Advancement since 1996 at the Universities of Sheffield, Nottingham and Manchester. She currently has responsibility for the strategic development of alumni relations programming for over 280,000 alumni based in over 200 countries and territories. She has particular responsibility for and interest in communications, international alumni relations, senior alumni engagement, volunteering, alumni involvement in enhancing student employability & experience and the role of the University in the continuing career development of alumni.

Nia Watkin-Jones / Speaker

Employability Consultant, Careers Service

University of Manchester

Nia manages Manchester Gold - one of the largest mentoring programmes in UK Higher Education. She is responsible for the strategic development of Manchester Gold from its current model to an online, self-selection matching system. Nia has over 10 years’ experience in the area of Higher Education recruitment, marketing and student engagement.

Richard Screaton / Speaker

Senior Alumni Officer

University of Manchester

Richard leads The University of Manchester’s alumni volunteering programmes and has over 15 years’ experience of both communications and alumni relations in the HE sector, having previously worked at Manchester Business School and The University of Salford.

Claudie Combelas / Speaker

Head of Alumni Engagement

The University of Warwick

Claudie is a graduate of the University of Warwick having obtained both her undergraduate degree and Masters at the University. She has been working at the University of Warwick for the past sixteen years and has worked in Alumni Relations since 2004. She has now been the Head of Alumni Engagement for the past 7 years.

Dave Musson / Speaker

Senior Online Communications Officer (Social Media)

The University of Warwick

Dave is the lead officer for social media with the University of Warwick's central marketing team, and has created and implemented a social media framework, as well as establishing a network of digital champions from across Warwick's campus and devising an induction-themed social media campaign that was nominated for a national award. He also delivers social media training and leads on social media strategy, monitoring and evaluation and is the co-chair of CASE Europe’s social media conference.

Lizzie Ruse / Speaker + Panellist

Student Skills and Development Co-ordinator

University of Sheffield

Lizzie Ruse was the eMentoring Coordinator at the University of Sheffield for the last 3 years, and now oversees the programme in her new role. Based in the Careers Service, she worked in close partnership with the Development, Alumni Relations and Events department to deliver a successful, careers-focused eMentoring programme making a real difference to Sheffield students and providing a worthwhile, rewarding experience for alumni volunteers. Lizzie is a PRINCE2 qualified project manager with a broad range of project and volunteer management experience in both HE and the community sector.

Emma Nagouse / Speaker

eMentoring Coordinator

University of Sheffield

Emma Nagouse is the newly appointed eMentoring Officer at the University of Sheffield and is taking forward co-ordination and expanding the reach and scope of the eMentoring programme. Emma is an experienced student engagement and volunteer management professional. Previously as the Academic Life Coordinator at Sheffield Students' Union, she managed a thousand-strong academic representation programme, undertook policy work and collaborative student engagement research with the University. Previously worked as a Research Assistant for the University's Widening Participation Research and Evaluation Unit.

Dr Paul Redmond / Speaker

Director of Student Life

The University of Manchester

Dr. Paul Redmond is a leading expert on generations and the graduate labour market. An excellent keynote speaker and specialist on employment, Paul is also a presenter, author, researcher, media contributor. His work centres on the changing world of work and the challenges facing both students and graduate recruiters.

Lily Flaherty / Panellist

Alumni Events and Volunteer Coordinator

King’s College London

Lily works within the Alumni Relations Team organising and delivering on a number of large engagement events including a lunch time series of discussions and talks, evening lectures and Alumni Weekend. Other key aspects of Lily’s role include delivering a series of mentoring support events throughout the year to maintain and nurture new and existing mentoring relationships via face to face interaction as well as through the King’s Connect platform.

Molly Southwood / Panellist

Head of Alumni Relations

University of Bath

Molly has spent over 10 years working in the Development and Alumni Relations sector. At the University of Bath she manages alumni volunteering programmes as well as the annual giving, communications and events teams. She has also overseen the alumni relations team's growth from three staff to nine, and the launch of several major projects, including Bath Connection, which allows students and alumni to search for advice and support from fellow graduates. Previously worked at Wells Cathedral School and the University of Exeter.

Hannah Fox / Panellist

Alumni Relations Manager,
Students and New Alumni

London Business School

Hannah has ten years’ experience of volunteer management and working in education. As well as managing the Alumni-Student Mentoring programme at London Business School, matching over 400 students every year with alumni mentors, Hannah works with 150 alumni volunteers to engage the newly graduated classes with alumni events, and connects students with alumni throughout their course.

Dr Judie Gannon / Speaker

Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management (Coaching and Mentoring)

Oxford Brookes University

Mentoring was a key feature in Judie’s doctorate study and she subsequently initiated and led a mentoring scheme for students in the Oxford School of Hospitality Management and developed several mentoring schemes across different sectors. Judie’s research interests include international human resource management, and management development, as well as coaching and mentoring. She is a member of the EMCC and CIPD, and serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching & Mentoring.

Georgina Dalton / Speaker

Principal Lecturer for Quality and Validations

Oxford Brookes University

Georgina has responsibility for supporting new programme development and overseeing changes to existing programmes, including enhancement projects such as new mentoring schemes and professional accreditation. Her subject discipline is surveying and she has set up and manages a successful alumni mentoring scheme for students on real estate and planning programmes. She has recently led a university-wide enhancement project 'Sustaining Mentoring Schemes', which aims to support mentoring through the creation of training resources, software and administrative support systems, evaluation mechanisms and a portal showcasing the variety of mentoring opportunities to students at Brookes.