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Staff

Chief Executive

  • Andrea Coomber KC (Hon.)

    Chief Executive

    Andrea was appointed Queen's Counsel (Honoris Causa) in 2022 for making a major contribution to the development of the law in England and Wales. She joined the Howard League in 2021, having previously worked at JUSTICE, INTERIGHTS, at the International Service for Human Rights in Geneva and at the South Asia Documentation Centre in New Delhi. She is qualified as a barrister and solicitor in Australia.

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Executive Management Team

  • Andrew Neilson

    Director of Campaigns

    Andrew leads on the charity’s policy, public affairs, and communications. He previously worked in government communications, has an MSc in voluntary sector management and is a trustee of the Poetry Society.

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  • Euginia Lolomari

    Director of Finance and Operations

    Euginia leads on finance, resources, membership, and personnel issues. She holds a master’s degree in public administration and politics and a certificate in charity accounting. She is active in her local church and local community.

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  • Gemma Abbott

    Legal Director

    Gemma is an experienced lawyer and tenacious campaigner, with a strong belief in the power of the law as a tool for change. After almost a decade working for a ‘Magic Circle’ law firm, she moved on to develop a career in the areas of social justice and equality.

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Staff Team

  • Adriana Matrigiani

    Trainee Solicitor

    Adriana joined the Howard League in January 2022 as a Justice First Fellow. She works with the solicitors to provide advice and representation to children and young adults in custody and in the community on a variety of prison and public law issues.

  • Amy Dolley

    Policy and Public Affairs Officer

    Amy works on policy and wider engagement with the Howard League's campaigns. She was previously based in Parliament for nearly five years, where she worked as a Senior Researcher. Her interest in prison reform is rooted in her voluntarily work at her local prison, where she has been supporting the chaplaincy team for a number of years.

  • Anna Spencer

    Solicitor

    Anna is a solicitor in the legal team. Anna represents children and young adults on a variety of public and prison law cases including prison conditions and treatment cases, adjudications, parole and resettlement.

  • Ayomide Sotubo

    Policy Officer

    Ayomide leads our policy work on tackling racial disparities within the youth justice system. Before joining us, she worked on education, youth justice and anti-trafficking policy in different charities. She has a degree in Law and an LLM in Legal Practice (Barristers). Outside of work, she enjoys writing and performing spoken word poetry.

  • Claire Salama

    Managing Solicitor

    Claire jointly manages the Howard League’s legal service, providing advice and representation to children and young adults on a range of prison, public and community care law issues. She co-hosts a legal advice show with National Prison Radio.

  • Dr Helen Churcher

    Research and Project Officer

    Helen works to develop, disseminate and promote the charity’s research activities, liaising with stakeholders, academic networks and early career researchers. She has a PhD in history and has previously worked in education.

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  • Katie Logue

    Communications Coordinator

    Katie joined the communications team in 2022. Before this she led FLIC's communications, evidencing the need for trauma-informed approaches and system change to improve the lives of people experiencing multiple disadvantage.

  • Lee Brown

    Operations Coordinator

    Lee is inspired by the movement for progressive penal reform, and hopes for a society that is fairer, happier and safer, with fewer people locked up.

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  • Maya Ward-Lowery

    Legal Administrative and Project Support Officer

    Maya works as part of the Legal Team, supporting its legal and project work and providing administrative support. She previously worked as a support worker in a psychiatric hospital. Maya has a degree in German and Spanish.

  • Noor Khan

    Press and Public Affairs Officer

    Noor joined the Howard League in 2022 after previously working as a consultant for a firm specialising in policy and public affairs, helping small charities and NGOs achieve policy change.

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  • Rob Preece

    Communications Manager

    Rob has worked on some of the charity’s most successful campaigns, including Books For Prisoners, which overturned government restrictions preventing people in prison receiving books from family and friends. He was formerly a journalist.

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  • Ryan Walker

    Executive Assistant

    Ryan was detained at Her Majesty’s Pleasure when he was 15. Whilst serving his sentence he gained a degree with first class honours in Social Sciences (Criminology ) and is now reading a Masters in Crime and Justice.

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  • Sinead MacCann

    Managing Solicitor

    Sinead jointly manages the Howard League’s legal service which provides advice to children and young people aged 21 and under on a range of prison law and community care law issues. She has a particular interest in the rights of care-experienced children in the criminal justice system.

  • Sophie Lumsden

    Development Manager

    Sophie leads on fundraising from trusts, foundations and individuals. She manages our membership and leads on strategy to develop our member base. Sophie has worked in the voluntary sector for more than 15 years and has a diploma in fundraising management.

  • Steve Gallant

    Development Support Officer

    Steve joined the Howard League in January 2022 and works as a fundraiser within our corporate services team, developing our work with trusts and foundations, corporate and individual donors.

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  • Tim Kerr

    Membership Officer

    Tim joined the Howard League in June 2022, and is our membership officer. As a recent prison leaver, he is keen to expand our prisoner membership base, to give a voice to those still inside. Outside of work, Tim runs for an athletics club, competing in races nationally.

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