Our Board
Meet our Board of Trustees
Raeesa Rajmohamed – Chair (She/Her)
Raeesa is a UK-trained Canadian/South African lawyer residing in Britain. Having lectured on international and human rights law at the University of The Gambia in West Africa, she is currently a researcher at the University of Notre Dame Law School and writes for the French National Research Agency on human rights violations. In her work with the Human Rights Implementation Centre, Raeesa also works on confidential and sensitive cases to be put before the UN. In 2023, Raeesa received the internationally recognised Bristol Alumni Community Award. She was Called to the Bar of England in Wales in 2022.
Raeesa’s involvement in the arts has been continuous from a young age. She had extensive training from Toronto Second City performers via the Paul C. Duckett Theatre in Ontario, Canada, and has acted and performed in the dramatic arts since 2012, most recently with the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple in London in their small ensemble of You’re on Mute Your Honour, an original production. She does freelance directing, video-editing and photography work. Her relevant accolades include the Toronto Masquerade Award 2016 (for costume design) and the Drama Achievement Award 2015 (for acting in Ontario, Canada).
Helen O'Donnell (She/Her)
Helen is a creative and commercially driven senior executive in the media industry. She is the founder and Director of Development at BBC Studios TalentWorks. In 2024, Helen led BBC Creator Lab for BBC Public Service in collaboration with TikTok.
She was the inaugural chair of the BBC Studios Next Generation Board, aimed at re-inventing the BBC for its next generation of leaders. Helen is an advisory board member and speaker at Vidcon, was recognised as a FIPP Rising Star in Media, and a panellist at Cannes Lions Festival 2024.
Helen started her career in FMCG beauty marketing, with experience of managing global franchises, alongside work with Manchester International Festival. Helen is a passionate and experienced producer & performer over 15+ years in the cultural & creative industries in the UK & internationally. She serves as Trustee for Vault Creative Arts, on the production team at Machynlleth Comedy Festival since launch, and innovatively brings together science/arts-education & live theatre in critically-acclaimed company Do Not Adjust Your Stage.
Hugh Harris (He/Him)
With 20 years of professional experience in the public and charity sectors, Hugh is an experienced Project Management professional, having led several acclaimed projects within cultural, educational, community, and social care settings. He is approaching the end of his MSc in Building Surveying whilst balancing work and being a full-time dad.
Hugh's passion for creativity began during a primary school trip to a live puppet production of the 1980s classic Button Moon in a small Welsh town. Since then, he has been a passionate advocate of all things creative.
From street performances and pub music to comedy on the top deck of a bus, graffiti workshops in parks, or a jolly puppet called Mr. Spoon, Hugh believes that the Arts have the power to inspire, empower, and unite communities, enriching society as a whole.
Just as passionate about conserving heritage as he is about the Arts, Hugh has found his home at the Bristol Improv Theatre.
Chris Bird - Treasurer (He/Him)
Chris was the youngest Chartered Management Accountant in all of Great Britain, and has over 40 years of experience in the profession. Formerly the IT Director of Psion, a Times 100 company, Chris owned software company Wealden Computer Services Ltd. before selling it in 2007.
Chris has travelled the world undergoing humanitarian work and aid in multiple continents and various countries, including Palestine, Burma/Myanmar and Uganda.
In 2010, Chris began creating a charity in Eastern Uganda to support schooling in rural Uganda and women's education. The charity was formally established in 2018. He also endeavours to support a neonatal unit at a regional hospital.
In retirement, Chris became a non-Executive Director of the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority. He was on the Board of Trustees of Isabel Hospice Welwyn Garden City (2006 -2011), MIND Telford (2009 -2013), Tendring Specialist Stroke Services (2013 - 2020), AgeUK Hertfordshire (2016 -2019), Citizens Advice Clacton (2016 - 2018) and Homestart North Somerset (2020-2022).
Currently, Chris is a Trustee and acting Treasurer of 3H, his charity in Eastern Uganda, People First, a charity aimed at assisting those with learning disabilities and The Bridge Foundation, which aims to support the mental health of families in Bristol and the Southwest. Chris also works as a volunteer advocate for People First and AgeUK.
He is an avid viewer of Bristol Improv Theatre shows, you might find him at a performance of This is Your Musical!
Shaun Dewfall (He/Him)
Shaun is a CIPD-accredited senior Human Resources professional with over ten years of experience in the field.
Emily Griffiths (She/Her)
Emily has been a dedicated supporter of theatre and the arts for over 30 years. Her passion for performance, from theatre to stand-up comedy, lead to a degree in creative arts, majoring in theatre media and drama.
Her enthusiasm was further nurtured through years of patronage to the Edinburgh Fringe, both as a director and an audience member.
With over a decade of experience on charity boards, Emily now balances family life with her professional work in the Communications and Marketing team at Brandon Trust, a charity dedicated to supporting autistic people and individuals with learning disabilities to live the lives they choose.
Having witnessed the transformative power of improv in fostering connection, building confidence, and bringing joy, Emily is passionate about ensuring this vibrant and inclusive form of theatre continues to thrive in her home city of Bristol.