Our People

Angela Johnson

(she/her/hers)

 EDI Senior Manager

 Angela is an experienced CIPD qualified EDI professional who joined Durham in May 2022. 

 Angela previously worked in the Public Sector, holding EDI posts in both the NHS and the Civil Service where she worked with senior leaders, staff networks and external partners. Angela has experience in implementing EDI strategy, developing and implementing equality impact analysis frameworks, EDI Policies and a special interest in disability and accessibility.

You can contact Angela on the details below:

Tel: Teams
Email: angela.johnson@durham.ac.uk 

Melanie Arcangeles-Earnshaw

(she/her/hers)

EDI Lead (Race and Religion/Belief) 

Mel joined Durham University in 2017 initially in HR before taking up her current role in September 2018. Mel leads on the Race Equality Charter work and collaborates with stakeholders on initiatives and programmes promoting racial equity, positive intercultural relations and faith/belief inclusion. She also supported the delivery of the Hate Crime Project and the development and implementation of the Report + Support tool. Mel’s former roles involved strategic and operational HR, policy development and project management in both private and non-profit sectors. She holds an MSc in Human Resource Management and in Business Psychology, as well as a BA in Legal Management. Her previous postgraduate research focused on migrant workers’ experiences and on cross-cultural management. 

You can contact Mel on the details below: 

Tel: 0191 334 6760 
Email: melanie.h.earnshaw@durham.ac.uk  

Jordan Coldwell

(she/her/hers)

EDI Lead

Jordan joined the University in 2015, originally working in the Access and Engagement Team. In May 2022 Jordan moved into the role of EDI Lead. Prior to joining the EDI team Jordan worked on key Access and Participation Plan initiatives such as the Supported Progression programme, Sutton Trust Summer School and more recently setting up the Schools Membership Scheme. Jordan’s previous work has focused on working with prospective underrepresented students, their teachers and guardians/parents to help inform their decisions about Higher Education.

You can contact Jordan on the details below:

Tel: Teams
Email: jordan.p.coldwell@durham.ac.uk 

Lucy Lax

(she/her/hers)

EDI Lead

Lucy joined Durham in October 2022 and has worked in higher education for fifteen years in both project management and disability/accessibility roles for students and staff. Lucy has experience of engagement work, social media and increasing visibility of protected characteristics within her previous institutions. 

You can contact Lucy on the details below:

Tel: Teams
Email: lucy.lax@durham.ac.uk 

Lara Small

(she/her/hers)

EDI Lead

Lara joined the EDI team full time in July 2022, having most recently been the Programme Manager for the Levelling Up: Aspire Higher Durham widening participation programme and Project Manager of the just IMAGINE if... 2022 international innovation competition. She has significant experience of working across academic and professional services departments in the university, in both research and professional services roles. From 2018 to 2021, Lara was responsible for supporting academics in developing REF impact case studies for REF2021 (and beyond) and assisting in the whole range of activities associated with impact and engagement at Durham University Business School. She has a PhD in Physics (2016) from Durham, and undergraduate degree BSc/MPhys in Physics with Astrophysics from the University of Leeds (2010).

You can contact Lara on the details below:

Tel: Teams
Email: l.s.r.small@durham.ac.uk 

Siobhan Kennedy

(she/her/hers)

EDI Policy Officer

Siobhan joined the university in February 2021 following a long career within the private sector. Siobhan has a history of managing multinational diverse teams within a variety of industries.   Previous experience has included setting up an outsourced technical support desk in the Czech Republic and building a customer service desk for a new business. Siobhan has a wealth of experience within the customer journey, policy development, GAP and data analysis, coaching and mentoring and developing training programmes. 

You can contact Siobhan on the details below: 

Tel: Teams
Email: siobhan.kennedy@durham.ac.uk   

Charlie Hall

(they/them/theirs)

EDI Administrator

Charlie joined the EDI Team in January 2023, having graduated the previous year from Hull University with a Politics and Philosophy BA. Before coming to Durham they also completed an internship with the EDI Team at Hull, which involved creating and running a Human Library project.

You can contact Charlie on the details below:

Tel: Teams
Email: charlie.a.hall@durham.ac.uk

Gareth Lawson

(he/him/his)

Project Manager for Postgraduate Research Opportunities for the Northeast/Network for Equity (Pro:NE)

Gareth Joined the university in 2018 as an assistant access officer within the Access and Engagement Department. Gareth joined the Pro:NE project in October 2022. Prior to this Gareth worked on key initiatives for the Access and Participation Plan such as School Membership Scheme and the Elephant Group partnership. As well as various summer residential programmes for the Access and Engagement Department such STEP, Sutton Trust and Support Progression. Gareth’s previous work focused on working with underrepresented students, their teachers, and guardians/parents to help inform their decision about Higher Education.

You can contact Gareth on the details below:

Tel: Teams
Email: gareth.lawson@durham.ac.uk