The faces of Oxford Pride
The team at Oxford Pride is formed of a number committed unpaid volunteers in a variety of roles.
Want to join the team?
We are always on the lookout for people to help throughout the year, we particularly welcome applications from trans/non-binary/gender non-conforming people, people of colour, and people with disabilities, who are often underrepresented on Pride organising committees.
If you can commit some time to help shape the future of your pride, take a look at our vacancies.
Directors & Trustees
The Directors & Trustees decide the strategy, policies and overall direction of Oxford Pride Group Ltd work within the budget, legal and statutory framework and other relevant funding criteria set. The Board will also be responsible for monitoring the performance of the Management Committee in delivering the legitimate decisions of the Board.
Debbie Brixey
she/her
Chair
Debbie was previously Chair of Oxford Pride in 2019 and currently serves as VP of Member Services for InterPride. She works with Witney Pride and other local new Prides to help put on events locally. She is a specialist IT Trainer working with people with disabilities with a charity background including fundraising and social media.
Stephanie Atherton
she/her
Treasurer
Steph joined the Oxford Pride committee in 2018, previously in the roles of Secretary and Communications Officer. She works on an outreach programme hosted by Oxford Brookes, which supports students facing disadvantages to progress onto their desired education or career path. At work she has gained a L6 qualification in Leading in Equality and Diversity, and acts as the Bi/Pan Representative for the university's staff LGBTQ+ Forum.
Kate Harford
she/her
Secretary
Kate joined Oxford Pride as Secretary in January 2021. She is a minister in the Metropolitan Community Churches and University Chaplain and Oxford Brookes University. She has a passion for education and training, and regularly speaks on issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community and queer theology, including on the Guilty Feminist podcast and at the Cambridge Union. She identifies as queer and lives with her wife and cat in east Oxford.
Officers
Officers implement the Boards legitimate decisions and to manage on a day-to-day basis the affairs of the Charity, within the budgets, legal and statutory framework and other relevant criteria set.
Alana Stewart
she/they
Communications Officer
Alana grew up in Lancashire but moved to Oxford in 2018 to study English at Oxford University. She joined Oxford Pride in September 2021 and is currently studying for a master’s degree in gender, sexuality, and culture alongside working at the Jolly Farmers.
Ese Johnson
he/him
Community Officer
Ese was born and grew up in Nigeria. He grew up as a gay man in a country where it is legally and culturally impossible to be openly queer; that left him with no sense of identity and community. After moving to the UK in 2020, he came out and started getting involved in the LGBTQIA+ community and finding his sense of Pride and Belonging. Being the Oxford Pride Community Officer is his way of continuing and fostering a diverse community for all Queer Persons as he has a real experience what a lack of community can do. Ese works in Sexual Health promotion with Terrence Higgins Trust in Oxfordshire and is focusing on improving sexual health services for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Ese enjoys a jolly pint with mates, cuddled up with a good book, binging shows and exploring the outdoors.
Christian Johnstone
he/they
Creative Officer
Christian Johnstone is an award-winning Scottish Art Director and Designer. He has worked with a broad range of clients such as Vogue, The 1975, The Royal Opera House, Adidas and many others. More locally Christian has branded The Missing Bean and Young Women’s Music Project. They have also hosted design workshops at Fusion Arts, East Oxford Community Centre. Christian has also worked in Marketing, Communications and Advertising, most notably he wrote the idea behind the Starbucks LGBTQ+ advert, ‘Every Name Is A Story’ which won Channel 4’s Diversity in Advertising Award along with a D&AD Pencil. Christian is excited to bring this experience and much more to Oxford Pride 2022.
Becca Chaplin
she/her
Volunteer Officer
I've lived in Oxford all my life and have been involved with Pride here off and on for the last six years. I work for the University of Oxford and am involved with several Equality, Diversity and Inclusion working groups, within my department and in the Medical Sciences Division. I'm very happy to be the Volunteer Officer for Pride 2022 and look forward to recruiting people who want to build on the successes of our previous events. Let me know if you're excited for next year and want to get involved!
Matthew Taylor
he/him
Website Officer
Matt has been a part of Oxford Pride since 2012 with a break 2014-2018, he has held various roles on the committee through the years including Treasurer 2012-2014. He is currently studying law in his third year, enjoys riding & competing his horses and has a wept knowledge of IT from web design to programming and software.
Patrons
Sir Ian Mckellan CH CBE
he/him
Patron
Sir Ian McKellen CH CBE is an English actor. His career spans six decades, having performed in genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. Ian has been open about his sexuality since 1988, and continues to champion LGBT social movements worldwide.
Paul O'Grady MBE
he/him
Patron
Paul O'Grady MBE is an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer, radio host, producer, and former drag queen. He achieved notability in the London gay scene during the 1980s with his drag queen persona Lily Savage, with which he went mainstream in the 1990s.
Lord Waheed Ali
he/him
Patron
Lord Waheed Alli is a media entrepreneur and politician. He is the co-creator of the television series Survivor and has held executive positions at several television production companies including the Endemol Shine Group, Carlton Television Productions, Planet 24, and Chorion.
Angela Eagle DBE MP
she/her
Patron
Dame Angela Eagle DBE is a British Labour Party politician serving as the Member of Parliament for Wallasey since 1992. Eagle was born in Yorkshire and studied PPE at the University of Oxford, before working for the CBI and then a trade union.
Peter Tatchell
he/him
Patron
Peter Tatchell is a British human rights campaigner, originally from Australia, best known for his work with LGBT social movements. Tatchell was selected as the Labour Party's parliamentary candidate for Bermondsey in 1981.
Clare Summerskill
she/her
Patron
Clare Summerskill is an independent academic researcher who has recently completed her PhD at Royal Holloway University of London in the Drama department. She is chair and co-founder of the UK's Oral History Society LGBTQ Special Interest Group. She is also a playwright, stand-up and singer-songwriter
Lord Michael Cashman CBE
he/him
Patron
Lord Michael Cashman CBE is a British politician, LGBT rights activist and actor. He was a Labour Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands constituency from 1999 until he stood down in 2014. He has since been appointed to the House of Lords. In September 2014, Cashman was appointed Labour's special envoy on LGBT issues worldwide. He resigned from the Labour Party in May 2019 in opposition to Brexit, and offered his support to the Liberal Democrats.