Our Team
Executive
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President
Richy ThompsonRichy Thompson is the third and current President of the AHS. He also works at the British Humanist Association as the Campaigns Officer (Faith Schools and Education). He was the founder and first President of the Oxford Atheist Society, as well as a former President of Oxford Secular Society, coordinator of the first Oxford Think Week and a former Oxford Atheists, Secularists and Humanists AHS Rep. He was the first South East England Regional Development Officer of the AHS, before becoming the AHS's Press Officer and then becoming the third President.
Richy completed a degree in computer science at the University of Oxford, before interning at the British Humanist Association and European Humanist Federation and then getting a job at the BHA.
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Treasurer
James MurrayJames has been involved in the student atheist movement for almost two years now, in that time he has worked mainly with Leeds Atheist Society and currently serves as secretary. James has also been a contributor at Leeds Skeptics in the Pub, has done frontline charity work with the Humanist Action Group and worked with the AHS in organising Questival 2010. Away from atheism; after completing his degree in medicinal chemistry James is now pursuing a PhD at the University of Leeds where he is researching the potential applications of organic chemistry to biotechnology.
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Secretary
Nicola JacksonNicola is currently AHS Secretary having previously held the AHS roles of Regional Development Officer for Yorkshire and Humber and Scotland, and Head of Membership. She has been a member of Leeds Atheist Society for four years, three of which have been spent serving on the committee in various roles. She spent much of the time encouraging good interfaith relations. Nicola is at the University of Leeds reading Biological Sciences and specialising in Molecular Genetics. She loves having fun and has enjoyed 3 years on the Leeds Assassins Guild committee organising waterfights and shooting freshers.
Officers
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Head of Membership
Mike PaynterMike is the Secretary for the AHS, having been the Head of Membership and South-West RDO. He has previously been both Academic Secretary and Treasurer of the University of Bristol Atheist, Agnostic and Secular Society (AASS). He has helped Bristol join the AHS, have its first Reason Week and build connections with the local Humanist, Secularist and Skeptics groups.
Mike is currently finishing a PhD in Communications Engineering at the University of Bristol. He loves cycling and cooking, but has not been able to combine them ... yet.
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Press Officer
Emma BryceEmma is in her 2nd year of reading Social Sciences at Durham University, and has been involved in Durham University Humanist and Secularist Society since its re-founding. After a year of being a co-opted exec member, she is now President of the society. Outside of atheism, she runs Emigmatic Productions - a graphic design business, and is happiest doing something art-y while enjoying chocolate buttons and a glass of wine.
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Webmaster
Thomas Gibson-RobinsonThomas was joint webmaster for the Oxford Atheists during its launch year as well as the developer of the website for the first Oxford Think Week. He has just started studying for a DPhil in Computer Science at the University of Oxford.
When not working on the AHS website Thomas can be found either cycling, watching sport or baking something chocolatey.
Regional Development Officers
The UK and Republic of Ireland are split up into 13 regions. Each Regional Development Officer (RDO) has one region, where they either live or go to University. The RDO helps further the aims of the AHS within that region, acting as a go-between between the societies and the AHS Cabinet. The RDO searches for, makes contact with and supports student societies in their region, as well as putting the societies in contact with other local groups in their area. The RDO travels to Universities within the region in order to help train existing and potential member societies as well as arrange regional socials and campaigns. The RDO encourages society participation in the AHS and the holding of Reason Weeks.
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Scotland
Ian ScottIan got the whole nine yards of Catholic teaching at a state-funded faith school, but quickly rejected Christianity after moving to a non-denominational secondary school. Through rejecting god and then embracing science, Ian discovered skepticism, and in November 2009 took it upon himself to found Glasgow Skeptics, which is thriving, having hosted Simon Singh, Richard Wiseman, PZ Myers and an all-day event in late 2010.
Ian is currently President of the Humanist Society at the University of Edinburgh, where he is currently trying to switch from Evolutionary Biology to Psychology.
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North West England
Sam AjderianSam is a Biology student at the University of Liverpool. He has been involved with the AHS for two years, after attending the AGM in Warwick in 2009. He is one of the longest serving RDO having been in the role since it’s launch. He is also in his second year serving as President of the University of Liverpool Atheist, Humanist, Secular and Agnostic Society. Outside the AHS he is a model for alternative photography!
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Yorkshire and the Humber
Cheryl HarfordCheryl has completed the first 2 years of a Biomedical Science undergraduate degree and is currently on years hospital placement. She was the Secretary for the Bradford Atheist and Humanist Society (BAAHS) in it's first year and is now Treasurer. When not boring people with how wonderful it is to be studying disgusting diseases she will be watching zombie films, dressing up as a zombie or baking zombie head shaped cupcakes. She also enjoys Dr Who, cats and trying to grow vegetables. One day she will marry Frank Turner. Or snog him at least. Her favourite disease is necrotising faciitis.
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East Midlands
Benjamin MeeBenjamin is in the second year of his BA in English, he was a founding member and president of the University of Birmingham Atheist, Secular and Humanist society until 2011, and is the current secretary. He spends the majority of his time listening to metal, or being talked into things by other UBASHers, most recently going vegan as part of Non-Prophet Week to raise money for Water Aid.
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East of England
Jens ChristensenJens Christensen is currently in his second year of his PhD at Cambridge University. In 2005 he moved from Denmark to the UK to pursue a career in engineering. After only a few days on campus he was surprised by the overwhelming presence of the local Christian Union and as a response he founded the Atheist Society at Southampton University in the beginning of 2007. Future plans involve resurrecting the Cambridge Atheist society and conquering the galaxy.
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Greater London
Dom BlacklockDom is in his final year of a Mathematics degree at University College London. He founded and was president of the UCL Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Soc in late 2010. He helped co-ordinate the Best Collaborative 2011 event with the other London societies and UCL ASH hosted the committee day of the AHS convention in March 2011. Outside of AHS and Uni happenings he enjoys gigging with his two bands and musical projects, doing various sports and being mobbed by his many, many imaginary fans...[and avoiding Mathematics at all costs.]
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Northern Ireland
Gordon BeattieGordon has been a member of the Queen’s Humanist Society since he started his degree in the University in 2009. He is now the treasurer for the society and has been involved in various events in the society from recruiting at the Fresher Bizarre to bringing Humanist support to the Gay Pride parade in Belfast. Gordon studies Biological Sciences at Queens and is a keen musician (guitar for those who are wondering), pool player, amateur graphics/3D design artist and cyclist.
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South West England
Jenny BartleJenny is renowned for her eccentric tendencies, being tiny, and also being queen of the atheists in Bristol for a while. She first got involved with the AHS in march 2010, and hosted the AGM only months later. She enjoys physics, and her degree has certainly given her the ability to clarify technical points in discussions. She also dabbles in philosophy, computing and general geekery, as well as having a love for classical music and art. But mostly just crazy ^_^
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West Midlands
Tulpesh PatelAston Humanist Society
Just finished a PhD in Neursciences at Aston University and now working there as a Research Fellow, researching biomarkers of co-morbity in children with developmental disorders. Founded and currently chair the Aston Humanist Society and also a regular of Birmingham Skeptics in the pub. A keen amateur science communicator. I run a sporadically updated blog, work as an academic writing mentor and participate in science outreach programs. When not doing science-related things I like to raise money for charity long-distance running; my favourite thing is combining the two.
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North East England
Paul TaylorPaul is currently finishing a BSc in Maths and Philosophy at Durham University. He founded and was president of the Humanist and Secularist society there for 2009-10, and is now regional development officer for the North East. When not working he can often be found listening to awful music or playing Go.
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Wales
Ray ThomasRay Thomas is AHS Rep of Southampton University, and is a former Treasurer. He is also the AHS Regional Rep for Wales, and is founder and convenor of Swansea Skeptics in the Pub. He has been involved with Interfaith activities at Southampton University including representing the Atheist Society on the Religious Societies Union and at Interfaith events. Ray was doing a degree in acoustical engineering, but is changing to physics and astronomy. Ray worked as the AHS's Events Co-Ordinator before working as Head of Membership and then Head of Education.
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South East England
Benjamin KrishnaBen has been in the Oxford Atheists Secularists and Humanists for 3 years, having been the IT officer, Secretary and now Chair. He’s in his third year of a Biochemistry Degree and currently trying to help set up an atheist society at Oxford Brookes.
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Republic of Ireland
Brian MurphyBrian Murphy is a 3rd year English and Mathematics student at University College Cork. Interested in being a good person and doing the right thing, Brian was involved with UCC Christian Chaplaincy during his first degree. However, being the lefty liberal secularist he is, he did feel a bit out of place. During his second degree he figured out God got in the way of his morality. He is now the P.R.O. of the UCC Atheist Society, currently in the process of founding a Humanist community in Cork and has become a vegetarian. Brian has always been a passionate LGBT ally. Brian uses a pseudonym as he aspires to be a teacher one day and does not want to risk failing the google test for a teaching post in an Irish School, the majority of which have a Catholic ethos.
Board
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AHS President
Richy ThompsonRichy Thompson is the third and current President of the AHS. He also works at the British Humanist Association as the Campaigns Officer (Faith Schools and Education). He was the founder and first President of the Oxford Atheist Society, as well as a former President of Oxford Secular Society, coordinator of the first Oxford Think Week and a former Oxford Atheists, Secularists and Humanists AHS Rep. He was the first South East England Regional Development Officer of the AHS, before becoming the AHS's Press Officer and then becoming the third President.
Richy completed a degree in computer science at the University of Oxford, before interning at the British Humanist Association and European Humanist Federation and then getting a job at the BHA.
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BHA Chief Executive
Andrew CopsonAndrew Copson became Chief Executive of the British Humanist Association in January 2010 after five years coordinating the BHA's education and public affairs work. He is a former director of the European Humanist Federation (EHF) and is currently a Vice President of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), where he leads on strategic alliances and is a member of the growth and development committee. Andrew has supported the activities of the AHS since inception and was a member of the AHS's old Board of Trustees, before the AHS was reconstituted at the 2010 AGM.
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BHA Appointee
Norman RalphNorman Ralph is the founding President of the AHS. Norman is a member of Leeds Atheist Society and served for four years on their committee, having been the Secretary, President and AHS Rep. The AHS was founded during his tenure as Leeds President, and having drafted the AHS's first constitution, Norman was subsequently elected as the AHS's first President. Norman's time in charge saw the AHS hold its press launch, at which he spoke alongside Andrew Copson, Polly Toynbee, A C Grayling and Richard Dawkins. A keen debater, Norman is always prepared to speak his mind on all things.
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BHA Appointee
Jenna CatleyJenna Catley is a D.Phil. student in Education at the University of Oxford, having studied Law and Politics at Keele University and the University of Bristish Columbia in Canada. Whilst at Keele she was the Secretary and then President the Critical Legal Group, and founded the Keele Activist Support Network. She later designed and taught an undergraduate Politics module on Active Citizenship. In 2007, she founded the first Keele University Humanist Group and she has also served as Oxford Atheist Society's AHS Rep from 2008-10 and Welfare Officer from 2010-11. In 2008 Jenna became the first AHS Secretary, and her 2009-10 AHS presidency culminated in a redrafted AHS constitution seeing the AHS supported and facilitated by the British Humanist Association.
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AHS Appointee
Alex GibsonAlex Gibson is a former President and Secretary of the Oxford Secular Society and an intermittently published writer. He helped set up the AHS, was the AHS's first Director of Membership and was the Editor of the AHS's Secular Future magazine. He was also a Trustee on the old AHS Board of Trustees, and his carrying across to being a member of the new AHS Board resultantly seemed a very natural one. He has always believed that students are a lot more passionate than people give them credit for, and is very happy to be associated with an organisation that is proving it.
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AHS Appointee
David PollockDavid Pollock is the President of the European Humanist Federation, and a member of the BHA Board of Trustees. Back in the 1960s he was also heavily involved of the University Humanist Federation, effectively the predecessor organisation to the AHS. He also served as Secretary and President of the Oxford University Humanist Group, which at its peak was the largest student society in Oxford at the time, getting over 1200 people turn up to one event. Now retired, David campaigns for Humanism full-time, and has supported the AHS since inception
