The Work Room Board

As a registered charity, The Work Room’s board is the charity trustees with responsibility for governing the organisation. They are responsible for the legal, financial and organisational overview of The Work Room, and the strategy that underpins the membership led structure. The board includes artists who are members of The Work Room along with people who bring their skills and experience from other areas to support our work. 

Emma Jayne Park (She/They)

Member of the board since 2019

Emma Jayne Park

Emma is an independent dancer, theatre maker, collaborator and micro-activist, interested in sectoral change, who has been a member of The Work Room since 2013. Emma joined the board out of an interest in leadership and governance models; contributing their perspective as a disabled, rural-living, working class artist to the board.

 

Saffy Setohy (She/Her)

Member of the board since 2017, co-chair

Saffy Setohy

Saffy is an independent dance artist and producer living in Glasgow, who has been a member of The Work Room since 2014. Saffy is passionate about the potential for dance to invite positive transformation. She joined the board out of her interest in the organisation’s ethos, empowerment, and non-hierarchical models of decision making.

 

Joy Parkinson (She/Her)

Member of the board since 2020

Joy Parkinson

Joy is a PR and Communications Consultant who specialises in the promotion of arts and culture, having worked with local, national and international artists, festivals and venues. She joined the board to share her working practice and because she is inspired by the ways in which The Work Room advocate, empower and support the dance community in Scotland. She identifies as queer, and is from a working-class background.

 

Mike Lewis (He/Him)

Member of the Board since 2018

Mike is a legal professional, having practiced as a solicitor whereby he advised and represented a range of individuals and small businesses. He now works as a part time consultant. Mike joined the board having been connected in the setting up and development of the organization through the involvement of family and friends.

 

Michael Bachmann (He/Him)

Member of the Board since 2018, co-chair

Michael Bachmann

Michael is Senior Lecturer in Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Glasgow. As a teacher and researcher, he is interested in the relationship between theatre and other art forms and institutions. This cross-disciplinary interest is one of the things that draws him to The Work Room, where dance is not 'one thing’.

 

Helen McIntosh (She/Her)

Member of the Board since 2020

Helen McIntosh

Helen is a producer specialising in dance, movement, and choreographic practice who works with independent artists, organisations and festivals. She joined the board to provide passionate support for the continuation and future development of an organisation that invests in and empowers artists.

 

Sam Vaherlehto (He/Him)

Member of the Board since 2021

Sam graduated from the Ballet School of the Finnish National Opera in 2007 then worked for Finnish National Ballet before joining Phoenix Dance Theatre in 2013.  From 2018 he was a dancer and rehearsal director with SLATE contemporary dance company, Shanghai China. Sam joined The Work Room in 2020 and became trustee 2021. As trustee he is interested in how TWR operates and is looking forward to bringing and share his knowledge for the organisation and members.

 

Jesse Paul (she/her)

Member of the Board since 2021

Jesse is the Fair Access Manager at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She has worked as a Teaching Artist for over 30 years across the UK in a wide range of educational and community settings. Fair Access has always been the core of her work.  She is delighted to support The Work Room and can’t wait to get involved.

 

Chinyanta (she/her)

Member of the Board since 2021

Chinyanta is a freelance dancer, performer and climate worker living in Scotland. She is passionate about using dance to empower young people and increase their confidence. Chinyanta also uses dance as a medium to educate and entertain people online where she makes creative content centred around dance of the African diaspora. She joined the board from her desire to make it more accessible to minority communities.

 

Kathryn Spence (She/Her)

Member of the Board since 2021

Kathryn is a freelance dance artist as well as being Creative Project Manager for Shetland Arts. She has made and toured dance works and directed dance festivals such as Dance Live. Her motivation for being on The Work Room board is to represent artists living in rural locations as well as those with parenting or care responsibilities.