Meet the Team

Meet the team that makes up Paper Nations!

Based at Bath Spa University’s Research Centre for Transnational Creativity and Education, the core team is made up of writers, researchers, and academics, all working to improve the state of creative writing in the upper South West and beyond. We are supported by partners, co-producers, and governance boards. For more information, head to our channel partners page.

Executive Development Producer

Professor Bambo Soyinka

Bambo is an award-winning writer, director and curator. With more than a decade’s experience in multi-platform storytelling and production, she has initiated and directed projects across the UK and internationally.

Associate Authors

We are proud to have a team of award winning and innovative writers on board to guide Paper Nations as associate authors and directors.

Leadership Unit

Governance Group - Roger Griffith

Roger is a social entrepreneur, lecturer, and engaged in several community and social action projects. He was the Executive Chair for 11 years at Ujima Radio, where he is also a broadcaster. He contributes to Bristol 24/7 and is a film curator with the Come the Revolution collective at Bristol Watershed. In 2018, Roger was awarded the Lord Mayor’s Medal for his community and voluntary work on race equality. He was recently awarded an MBE.

Creative Advisory Group - Dr Andy Salmon

Across his career, Andy has focused on working with under-represented students. After gaining his PhD in Modernist Literature, Andy has spent more than 20 years working in schools, universities, and educational and outreach programmes for young people. As pro-vice Chancellor of Bath Spa, his role focuses on innovation in applied arts, humanities, and social sciences. He brings this expertise to his work leading the Creative Advisory Group.

The Tack Room Team

Housed in what was once a Bath Spa University tack room, filled with saddles and stirrups, the tack room team is the core research team behind Paper Nations. Along with Executive Development Producer, Professor Bambo Soyinka, the tack room team are on the ground every day working to make Writing for All a reality.

Creative Producers

Dr Kayla Rose

Kayla is an interdisciplinary researcher in history and art history, with a particular interest in identity and commemoration in visual and material culture and writing, knowledge exchange, and public engagement. Since completing her PhD in 2014, she has held a variety of academic and professional roles in the UK and the USA, including research, teaching, and international projects and partnerships development and management. As Creative Producer, Kayla will work across the Discovery, Artistry, Audience, and Innovation strands for Paper Nations, as well as leading on activities within TRACE and as part of our new partnership with the National Centre for Academic and Cultural Exchange (NCACE).

Management Team

Joanna Nissel - Engagement Manager

A graduate of Bath Spa University’s MA Creative Writing programme, Joanna has experience in schools, literary magazines, as a Dare to Write? Library workshop leader (or ‘Book Pilot’) and has investigated the barriers facing young carers. Joanna began at Paper Nations as a communications research assistant and has since progressed to the Engagement Manager. Her work concerns communications, project management, design, and digital development, including our mapping research methodology and our online platforms. She is Creative Producer on The Great Margin project.

Laura Holdship - Arts and Partnerships Manager

Laura first came on board with Paper Nations in 2015 as our Partnerships Administrator. Her keen insight and systems expertise offer us valuable practical guidance on our creative projects. She works closely with Louise on the administrative aspects of Paper Nations, focusing on partnership management and alignment with our overall aims.

Louise Chapman - HR and Bookings Manager

Part time professional baker, Louise, initially joined Paper Nations as maternity cover for Laura but we found her support so invaluable, we couldn’t let her go. Louise’s role concerns the administrative aspects of our work, in particular the sustainability of contracts and support with our databases, events, and documentation.

Christina Sanders - Researcher

Christina works as a writer and socially engaged practitioner. She has work published in literary and online magazines including: Ambit, Aesthetica, The Bath Short Story Anthology, Fish Anthology, Litro, Rattle Tales, TFM magazine, Best Small Fictions, Toasted Cheese. Her current writing practice focuses on exploring the relationship between identity and place.

Naomi Knox - Events Manager

Naomi has been working as an Event Manager for Paper Nations since September 2020, focusing mainly on Dare to Write? On Tour and Dare to Write? Academy programmes. Most recently, she managed the Follow the Sun Conference - an international online writing summit. She is also an actor and writer particularly interested in bringing the two together as performance poetry.

Professional Writers

We also draw on a number of professional writers including: children’s author Chris Vick (right) who has taken on a leading role in relation to our Advisory and Partners Network, Katy Hancock, poet Sophie Dumont (left), Helen Rana, and Christina Sanders, who will be leading on our newsletters.