Roger Griffith (CEO)
Roger is a social entrepreneur, lecturer and engaged in several community and social action projects. These initiatives include consultation, media, employment and diversity activities. He was the Executive Chair for 11 years at Ujima Radio where he is also a broadcaster. In the turbulent 1980’s Roger had long periods of unemployment before rediscovering education. He rose from a trainee to a senior manager in local government where he specialised in social housing, empowering communities and working on a number of schemes to develop BAME (Black Asian Minority Ethnic) staff.
He is a lecturer for UWE Bristol helping to diversify the curriculum and working on a number of community engagement projects. A keen writer he published his first book ‘My American Odyssey-From the Windrush to the White House Volume One’ in 2015 about the American Deep-South comparing America and Britain during the term of the first black president and his own families journey as part of the Windrush Generation. He sits on the Arts Council England South West advisory board. He is an artistic producer, a contributor to the online cultural magazine Bristol 24/7 and a film curator with the Come the Revolution collective at Bristol Watershed as well as a writer at large for Bristol Post on race issues. In March 2018 Roger was awarded the Lord Mayor’s Medal for his community and voluntary work on race equality. He is currently researching and drafting his second book ‘Reflections Across A New Black Atlantic’ combining his personal insight, experiences and connections across the African Diaspora. In 2019 he was awarded the M.B.E. for services to diversity and arts.
Millie Wood-Downie
Millie Wood-Downie graduated with a First Class Honours in Drama with Creative Writing from UWE, Bristol in 2018. She first came on board as Roger’s Creative Projects Intern through the Santander Summer Internship Programme in partnership with UWE, becoming inspired by the work Roger does for diversity and inclusion within Bristol and beyond. Their collaboration continued when she was asked to stay on board at the completion of her internship as Creative Producer for Creative Connex.
Millie is an actor, spoken word poet, producer and performer alongside her work with Creative Connex. She is currently a commissioned artist for the BBC New Creatives with a Spoken Word Audio piece: I Want To Be Good. In 2019 she co-created Place, an immersive exhibition providing platforms for emerging artists in the South-West with her award winning theatre company, Penultimate. At the core of all her work is inclusion and collaboration, helping to bring opportunities to those who find them harder to find, and to be a pioneer for change amongst the next generation of artists.
Gnisha Bevan
Gnisha Bevan co-developed and coordinates our Black Seeds Environmental Justice Network. She works as consultant advisor on a range of environmental and social justice projects and is currently studying for an MSc in Sustainable Development in Practice at the University of the West of England Bristol. She is an education specialist with five years of experience collaborating with the Rwandan Education Board, international development partners and the voluntary sector to improve the quality of education in Rwanda.
She has lived in different countries around the world and has a passion for collaboration and breaking down barriers between people. Gnisha believes that education, positivity, creativity and innovation are vital tools for building a more peaceful and equitable world for us all.
Benjamin Junior James
Benjamin is a versatile media producer with a passion for bringing ideas and stories to life through visual content.
With expertise in brand identity, he specializes in creating appealing graphics, promotional videos, and storytelling pieces that resonate with diverse audiences.
Having worked extensively on environmental and diversity-focused projects, he is dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices and advocating for meaningful change through creative media.
In addition to design, he is an experienced administrator, efficiently managing schedules, coordinating communications, and handling essential clerical tasks to ensure seamless operations. Benjamin thrives in balancing creativity with organizational expertise, always delivering high quality projects.
Chloe Smith
Chloe Smith is a Creative and Professional Writing graduate from UWE Bristol. She first met Roger through a guest lecture and later supported the Windrush Generations project with Creative Connex whilst finishing her degree. After graduating, Chloe joined the Creative Connex team to manage the social media, working closely with the team to raise awareness and promote the fantastic projects and opportunities that Creative Connex offers and organises for communities. At the heart of everything, collaboration and inclusivity is what makes Chloe tick.
Alongside Creative Connex, Chloe is a freelancer and blogger who shares her graduate journey through Instagram, focussing on motivation, mental health and self-love, plus honestly-told experiences that remind people that they can achieve anything they put their mind to. Her most recent project is her podcast coming in the Spring which will expand on the conversations she has online.
Azélie Bourassa (Business Development Manager & Fundraiser)
Azélie brings over seven years’ experience working in the community, voluntary and social enterprise sector. She has developed an intimate knowledge of the opportunities and challenges associated with growing a business, including strategic planning, scale-up and partnering, and has an ability to envision pathways to long-term growth. She oversees projects and designs successful marketing campaigns, including content creation.
Her role also includes fundraising for our various community activities, and she has an excellent track record of securing investment for core and project-funding from trusts and foundations.
Azélie is also a trained dancer, through which she has developed valuable insight into the arts sector and creative industries.
Nuala Gill
Nuala brings innovative ideas to digital media marketing and content production. As a third-year media production and journalism student at UWE, she brings fresh skills to social media management. Joining the team through UWE NewWave, she has advanced Creative Connex social media strategies, using academic knowledge acquired through her degree whilst gaining hands-on industry experience with our team. The success of campaigns like Save Our Caribbean Activities and aligning our content to modern marketing trends such as short-form video content, illustrates her ambitious and creative attitude towards content production.
Alongside Creative Connex, Nuala is pursuing a freelance career in the creative industries, working with worthwhile companies to improve growth and engagement through digital marketing. Naturally attuned to idea generation and organization, she seeks to constantly adapt and improve whichever project she is working on.
Nuala recently published, BITE, an online food magazine. As an artistic exploration of food and culture, the publication looks to triumph independent businesses and slow living.
Amelia
Amelia is a dynamic social media manager and business administrator with a strong foundation in marketing and entrepreneurship. With experience studying marketing at SGS and detailed knowledge of business operations, she brings a strategic approach to digital marketing and brand growth.
Passionate about empowering others, Amelia has spoken at diversity events, sharing her unique experiences of navigating life with two cultural backgrounds. She is committed to fostering inclusivity and amplifying underrepresented voices through her work.
In addition to managing social media for a digital marketing company, Amelia is an apprentice for a traffic management firm, honing her organisational and administrative skills. With experience in video editing and content creation, she aspires to expand her freelance portfolio, helping businesses build their online presence while inspiring others to pursue their entrepreneurial goals.
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