Red Ladder Theatre Company is delighted to welcome Dawn Cameron, Coralie Datta, Deborah Kelly, Paul Graham-Bell, Tyler Pickles, Martin Plock, Richard D Rhodes, and Paul Robinson to its Board of Trustees.

The eight new trustees bring with them a wealth of expertise across multiple fields including project management, heritage, education, housing and the arts.

Dawn Cameron runs her own evaluation business which works in the arts, creative and heritage sectors. Prior to this, she spent many years coordinating a national leadership programme in the creative industries.

Coralie Datta works at Space2, an award-winning arts and social change charity based in east Leeds, and has experience of working with and in the community sector.

Deborah Kelly is chief executive of Belle Isle Tenant Management Organisation. She is an experienced non-executive director currently on the boards of two supported housing providers.

Paul Graham-Bell is programme and production manager for the backstage training courses offered at Leeds City College and University Centre Leeds. He has worked predominantly in education but started his career in the theatre sector.

Tyler Pickles is an actor and writer and the founder and creative director of Leeds-based Rebel Roots Theatre Company, which aims to amplify working-class voices and support local talent and community spaces.

Martin Plock spent 17 years in retail finance before switching careers, spending the last eight years working for an arm’s length government body with a focus on public sector construction and infrastructure procurement.

Richard D Rhodes is a playwright and screenwriter and a member of New Writing North’s Bradford Script Hub. A former head teacher and school governor, Richard is also co-chair of Rainbow Home (NE England), a charity dedicated to supporting LGBT+ asylum seekers.

Paul Robinson is artistic director and joint chief executive at The Stephen Joseph Theatre (SJT) in Scarborough. He worked at The National Theatre during the tenures of Trevor Nunn and Nick Hytner, before becoming artistic director at Theatre503. He is a hugely experienced theatre director and has developed new plays for some of the world’s leading theatre companies.

Speaking about the new appointments, Fiona Gell, co-chair of the Board of Trustees of Red Ladder Theatre Company, said: “We started the Board recruitment process last year. We put a lot of thought and effort into the recruitment pack to make it as welcoming as possible. We wanted anyone, no matter what their lived experience was, to feel that they could apply and that we would give each applicant equal consideration which we did.

“We were so lucky with the candidates who came forward – they bring great talent, so much experience and a real passion for the work that Red Ladder does. It’s a very exciting time for the company.”

Fellow co-chair, Dick Bonham, added: “As we look towards the future, it’s great to know that there’s been an injection of new energy that will help us in our quest to reach new audiences with entertaining and thought-provoking theatre.

“Their experiences and expertise will bring invaluable new resources that will help the company thrive, even in these tricky times.”

Find out more about our fantastic board of trustees, as well as the core Red Ladder team, here