Our Leadership Team
There is a shared vision across Southampton for co-creating solutions to the challenges facing our young people. The commitment from the highest levels in organisations shows the importance placed on getting this right. There is an impressive depth and breadth to the project partners—demonstrating expertise across across adolescent psychology, community engagement, education, delivering programmes for creative health, knowledge exchange, public health, sociology, systems change, young people’s advocacy.
Principal Investigator
Professor Jo Sofaer
Sofaer is Professor of Archaeology at the University of Southampton, Co-Director of the Southampton Institute for Arts and Humanities,
Humanities in the European Research Area (HERA) Knowledge Exchange and Impact Fellow, and Director of Archaeology for the Creative Industries.
Co-Investigator
Professor Mary Barker
Barker is Professor of Psychology and Behavioural Science at MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre and University of Southampton. She has a longstanding interest in adolescent psychology and reducing health inequalities for young people, and brings skills in research methods and qualitative data analysis.
Co-Investigator
Debbie Chase
Chase is Director of Public Health for Southampton City Council, enabling close integration of the consortium with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care System (ICS) and city public health strategies, which will inform the subsequent
development of the ICS.
Co-Investigator
Louise Govier
Govier is CEO of Artswork and brings expertise in developing and delivering programmes for creative health, co-creation and empowerment for young people through the arts, as well as professional development for practitioners.
Co-Investigator
Chris Brown
Brown is Stronger Communities Manager for Southampton City Council. He offers liaison with a city-wide youth network and stakeholder organisations and works with diverse communities to prevent and reduce serious violence, exploitation and hate crime. He is a former Police Superintendent with leadership, change and command experience.
Co-Investigator
Professor Pathik Pathak
Pathak is Director of the award-winning Social Impact Lab, and Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Southampton. He offers expertise in health systems change and outcomes assessment.
Co-Investigator
Natalie Webb
Webb is CEO of No Limits, a charity offering free and confidential information, advice, counselling, advocacy and support to young people in Southampton and Hampshire. She contributes expertise on the needs of young people.
Co-Investigator
Dr Kathryn Woods-Townsend
Woods-Townsend is Programme Manager for award winning LifeLab (UoS) and Associate Professor of Health Education. She brings extensive experience of working with young people to co-create and deliver effective health education interventions.
Research Staff
Naomi Leonard
Following earning a MSc in Nutrition, Physical Activity and Public Health at the University of Bristol, Naomi took up a Research Associate post within Population Health Sciences, focusing on young people’s mental health. Naomi is now an Enterprise Fellow within the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, contributing to the design and delivery of dissemination and engagement projects such as EACH-B.
Cara Black
After earning her Master’s degree in medical research from the University of Leeds, Cara entered the world of academia to explore her passion for research and helping others. She is currently working as a research assistant for the University of Southampton and one day hopes to complete a PhD.
Dr Joseph Owen
Joseph is a research fellow at the University of Southampton, working on the knowledge exchange project, Feeling Towns, which explores pride, place attachment and civic engagement in UK towns and cities. Joseph is turning his doctoral thesis, "Carl Schmitt, Sovereignty, Modernism", into a book. He writes arts, film, and literary criticism.
.jpg)
Pujitha Kanakam
My enduring passion to serve the society has driven me to pursue Masters in Public Administration from the University of Southampton. I aspire to excel by being part of a progressive organisation, creating significant impact in society and in the developmental sector as a policymaker. I aim to pursue PhD.
Laila Khawaja
I have a PhD in Social Sciences with qualitative background from University of Southampton, currently working as a Research Fellow in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton on EACH-B (Engaging Adolescents in Changing Health and Behaviour) `Randomized trial. My research interest are social inclusion and exclusion in schooling and higher education, in particular, exploring social and educational inequalities amongst ethnic minority groups in the UK.
Frances Breen
Frances has worked extensively in the charity and heritage sectors and recently completed an MRes at Bournemouth University, researching how archaeological participation can impact the mental wellbeing of older people. She has joined the Pathways team as a research assistant and hopes to complete a PhD investigating wellbeing in heritage.
Advisory Board
The Leadership Team will be supported by an Advisory Board composed of senior individuals in stakeholder organisations.
Dr Derek Sandeman
Clinical Director, Hampshire & IoW ICS
Dr Linda Monckton
Head of Wellbeing and Inclusion, Historic England
Claire Whittaker
CEO Southampton Culture Trust
Adam Gent
Area Director South West, Arts Council England
Carolyn Abel
Head of Culture, Southampton City Council