People

The people of Coney

At the heart of Coney was always people – the makers, players, participants, and collaborators who brought our work to life. For over fifteen years, Coney operated as a network of creative practitioners united by a shared belief in the transformative power of play.

Collaboration & community

Our work was fundamentally collaborative. We created with, and for, our audiences and communities. The magic of Coney happened in the spaces between people – in the connections, conversations, and moments of collective imagination that emerged when we came together to play. This page celebrates the individuals who shaped Coney’s journey – from core team members to the wider network of artists, [to the countless participants who engaged with our work].

Coney HQ

Below you’ll find the many talented individuals who were part of Coney’s core team between 2006-2025, in alphabetical order. While roles and responsibilities evolved throughout our history, each person listed here contributed their creativity, dedication, and passion to Coney’s work and legacy.

NB: We have made every effort to include all core team members in this archive. However, given Coney’s fifteen-year history and the organic nature of our organisation, there may be inadvertent omissions or inaccuracies. We acknowledge this limitation while recognising everyone’s contribution.

Adam Gallacher – Executive Director
Alex Rowse – Administrator > General Manager
Annette Mees – Co-founder, Co-Director
Aysha Powell – Finance Manager
Becki Haines – Executive Producer, JCEO
Carole Keating – Cross-sector Producer
Charlotte Lines – Finance Manager
Charlotte Young – Admin Assistant
David Finnigan – Associate in Residence
David Cahill-Roots – Executive Director
Ed Naujokas – Programmer on Retainer
Eleanor Robinson – Playful Communications Officer
Eliza Cass – Producer
Ellie Browning – Senior Producer
Emily Davis – Producer
Farah Najib – Marketing & Communications Manager
Harriet Bolwell – Producer
Jess Donn – General Manager
Jilke Golbach – Administrator

Jyothi Giles – Administrator
Kate Rayner – Production Assistant
Katherine de Halpert – Finance
Kit Denison – General Manager
Lizzie Jenkins – Admin Assistant
Marie Klimis – Senior Producer
Marie McPartlin – Executive Director
Natalie Adams – General Manager, Producer
Nathan Charles – Kickstart Trainee Producer
Olivia Barratt – Administrator
Parwinder Kaur – Kickstart Trainee Producer
Rachel Louis – Interim CEO
Rhianna Ilube – Associate Director
Rowan Lyster – Administrator > General Manager
Sarah Lewis – Administrator
Tassos Stevens – Co-founder, Director/CEO
Toby Peach – Associate Director, Playful Accomplice
Tom Bowtell – Co-founder, Co-director
Vivien Glaskin – Admin Assistant
Zara Veerapen – Admin Assistant

Artists & Makers

Coney’s fifteen-year journey thrived through a vibrant network of diverse practitioners—artists, game designers, performers, writers, programmers, and facilitators—who brought unique skills and perspectives to our interactive experiences. Our Guild and Associates created immersive worlds and meaningful connections that defined our distinctive methodology, blending theatre, game design, visual arts, digital media, and community development to make the world a little lovelier. While we cannot name every contributor who shaped our collaborative practice, we acknowledge their creativity, care, and commitment. Many continue carrying forward elements of our approach in their work today. Listed below are the individuals in the Associates & Guild at the time of Coney’s closure.

Afreena Islam-Wright, Afsana Begum, Angela Clerkin, Anne Langford, Anne Odeke, Arlo Howard, Astrid Breel, Barbara Cala-Lesina, Ben Pacey, Brent Grihalva, Brigitte Adela, Cesía León-Alvarez, Chloe Mashiter, David Finnigan, Dinah Mullen, Dom Garfield, Ed Naujokas, Eliza Cass, Ellie Browning, Emma Frankland, Eve Leigh, Fran Moulds, Gareth Damian Martin, Gary Campbell, Georgia Symons, Georgina Bednar, Germma Orleans-Thompson, Harriet Bolwell, Hoda Adra, Janisè Sadik, Jeannine Inglis Hall, Jess Sanders, Katherine Hurst, Kathryn Beaumont-Evans, Kieran Lucas, Kirsty Harris, Lewis Lloyd, Lexine Lee, malakaï sargeant, Mareika Chirikure, Maryam Shaharuddin, Maz Hemming, Mel Frances, Michelle McMahon, Morag Iles, Naomi Stafford, Nathan Charles, Omar Bynon, Rachel Hosker, Rebekah Murrell, Rhianna Ilube, Richard Popple, Rubie Green, Ruth Sutcliffe, Sam Wong, Segen Yosef, Suzanna Hurst, Tom Bowtell, Will Drew, Yusra Warsama, Zoe Callow.

“As a long time admirer of Coney’s work, I was thrilled to be brought into the fold and be part of creating work with such a sincere, honest commitment to play. Where Coney exceeded any expectations I could have had was how such work was made: ‘what do you need to do your best work?’, a question at the outset of any Coney project, captures the commitment to support, equity and genuine collaboration I felt over years of working with Coney.”

Chloe Mashiter, Guild member

“Remembering Coney, I will think of the unparalleled trust I was given as a collaborator and the sheer range of projects we worked on. From co-writing a song about coconut water with a group of nine-year-olds (!) to researching forgotten stories of the City of London, every process was unique.”

Zoe Callow, Guild member

“Working with Coney as an Associate and researcher has been a real privilege; their work is consistently thoughtful, exciting and fun to be involved with. Their exploration of how to invite meaningful participation and support playful exploration of challenging topics is inspiring, and will continue to be important within practice as well as research.”

Astrid Breel, Guild member

“I got into theatre because of Coney, and I’m sure that anything I make in the future (including how I make it) will be infused with the principles I learned here. (…) I was never happier than at the start of a new project, outlining a Coney manifesto and dreaming of all the ways we could facilitate play and joyful connections between audiences and makers alike.”

Rhianna Ilube, Guild member

Board of Trustees

Coney was guided by a dedicated Board of Trustees who provided governance, strategic direction, and support throughout our journey. We extend our gratitude to all those who served on our Board over the years, offering their time, expertise, and passion to help Coney thrive and navigate challenges. Below is a list of individuals on the board at the time of Coney’s closure.

Phil Clark – Director, Filip Communications
Annette Corbett – Creative Director, Rough Information
Lydia Hayes – Head of Development, Breathe Arts Health Research
Simon Michaels (Treasurer) – Partner, HW Fisher LLP
Sydney Nash (Chair) – Director/Vice President of Public Affairs, International Alliance for Responsible Drinking
Ben Payne – Director, B&G LLP

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