Board of Trustees
Zinc is managed by a dedicated team of voluntary Directors / Trustees who form the Board of Directors. Current members include:
Andy Smith
Andy Smith is currently Assistant Headteacher at an East London comprehensive School and a GCSE drama examiner for Edexcel. He has also been a drama practitioner for many years working on a variety of creative projects in and around Essex and East London. Andy has been part of the Ongar community since birth.
Barbara Lisicki
Barbara has worked in the field of disability, equality and diversity for over 20 years. She is a practising trainer and consultant with a BA hons, Cert Ed. FE., a graduate of the Common Purpose London programme and a bursary from the Leadership Consortium. With a background in teaching, youth work and policy development and review, Barbara has guided many organisations through the diversity and disability mazes and supported their constructive growth. She was the first disabled woman stand up comic in Britain.
Keith Tait
Keith worked for many years as a Children’s Librarian before training to be a primary teacher and eventually being appointed as Headteacher of a primary school in a deprived area of Essex and then as Head of a large east London primary school. He has also served as Vice Chair of an LEA, Chair of School Governors and the local Town Council. Keith is involved in a voluntary capacity in many local community organisations as well as being an RYA Dinghy Instructor working with all age groups, from primary school to U3A, sometimes including people with disabilities or from backgrounds with disadvantage.
Keith Wright
Keith has had a long and varied career, working as an instrument mechanic, railway porter, wanderer and teacher. In the latter respect he became a primary school Head-teacher. Keith has served as a local Councillor (on Parish, Town and District Councils) and as a charity Trustee and School Governor. Keith sings, swims, drinks, gardens, walks and talks with family and friends. He still wanders widely and brings his strong knowledge of different communities and cultures, and in-depth knowledge of the local community to bear on his work with Zinc.
Staff
Director
Heather Stradling
Heather has 15 years of experience facilitating arts projects, training and managing organisations working with schools, alternative education providers, Health and Social Care partners and regeneration bodies. Over the last five years she has trained emerging practitioners at E15 acting school and led CPD for arts professionals. Heather is also author of 'Turning the Tide - Designing and Managing a Participatory Arts Regeneration Project' published in 2007. She recently managed Zinc's successful delivery of ESF Skills Funding agency contracts between 2008 and 2011.
As Director, Heather leads Zinc on a day-today basis, developing its strategic programme of work and working with a passionate team of staff, volunteers, participants and their families.
Heather has a BA (Hons) in Drama and Film Studies, a PGDip in Community Dance Studies and certificates in Counselling skills and Psychology. Heather has also trained in British Sign Language up to Level 3.