Experts in Residence

Richard Harries is Director of the Power to Change Research Institute. 

He was previously a senior civil servant and Deputy Director of the independent think tank reform. He has extensive experience of public policy making, particularly in criminal justice, local government and the not-for-profit sector. 

Richard is a member of the Advisory Councils of Volunteering Matters and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).

He has advised governments in Australia, Japan, Europe and the Middle East about various aspects of public service reform. He has published on a wide range of topics, including crime and criminal justice, deregulation, fiscal sustainability, philanthropy and social investment. Richard is a Visiting Senior Fellow at St Mary’s University.

Kathleen Fincham has a wide experience of empirical research techniques applied to education, especially field work.

Her research focuses on the sociology and politics of education and learning within the contexts of developing countries and societies affected by conflict and forced migration (refugees). 

Kathleen’s professional experience includes research, teaching, training, programme and project management, policy analysis, partner coordination and advocacy with education institutions, governments, the British Council, bilaterals (CIDA), multi-laterals (UNHCR, UNICEF, UNGEI) and NGOs (Oxfam Novib, WUSC, Save the Children) in Canada, the UK, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Morocco, UAE, Ghana, Rwanda, Sudan, Lebanon, oPt, Jordan and Turkey. 

Fr. Christopher Jamison is a Senior Visiting Fellow in the school of Management and Social Sciences at St. Mary’s.

He is also National Vocations Director of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. He was previously Abbot of Worth Abbey. Fr. Christopher is author of several books and contributed widely to debate and public discussion on ethics and professionalism in financial services following the financial crash of 2008.

He has spoken at the World Economic Forum at Davos and was advisor to the Future of Banking Commission. Fr.

Christopher presents a regular 'Pause for Thought' on BBC Radio 2's the Chris Evans’ Breakfast Show. With 10 million listeners, this is the most popular morning radio show in Europe. 

Naomi Datson is Senior Lecturer in Sports Performance Analysis in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Chichester.

She worked as a Sport Scientist for the Football Association for 10 years (2005-2015) and during this time she was a member of the support staff for numerous UEFA and FIFA international tournaments and also the London 2012 Olympics.

Naomi’s work at the University of Chichester focuses on educating the next generation of applied sport scientists.Naomi completed her education at Liverpool John Moores University, culminating with a PhD in 2016.

Keith Newman is Vice-President of DCI Group, and leads the company’s Brussels office.

Keith has over a decade’s experience in public affairs and public policy, with a specialisation in European Union affairs.

He spent 3.5 years as a policy advisor in the European Parliament, leading legislative negotiations across multiple EU policy areas.

Since leaving the Parliament, he has worked as a public affairs consultant advising companies and industry groups from Europe, the USA, Asia and Africa.

Keith holds an MA in English Literature with a minor in Political Science, and a Legal Master’s Degree (LLM).

Jenny Willott was the Member of Parliament for Cardiff Central from 2005 to 2015. 

During her decade in Parliament, as a Liberal Democrat, she was a member of the Work & Pensions and Public Administration Select Committees and then a minister in the Coalition Government, including in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Prior to election to Parliament, she worked in the voluntary sector, mainly in international development charities and children’s charities, and she was Chief Executive of Victim Support South Wales immediately before entering Parliament.

Since leaving Parliament in 2015, she has used her experience to train MPs, MPs’ staff and civil servants in how to work within Parliament, with ministers and on policy development.  She is also working with St Mary’s University as Director of Enterprise. 

Ronald Barnett is Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at University College London Institute of Education where he was Dean of Professional Development and Pro-Director for Longer-Term Strategy.

In his academic work, he has been trying to advance a social philosophy of the university, in which he has identified creative concepts and practical principles that might enhance universities and higher education.

Recently, he has begun to sketch out an idea of the ecological university. His 23 books include The Idea of Higher Education; Beyond All Reason: Living with Ideology in the University; and A Will to Learn: Being a Student in an Age of Uncertainty.

He has been described as ‘one of the most eloquent defenders of the university of reason’ (Michael Peters, 2014) and, in Australia, has been referred to as a ‘rock star’!

He is the inaugural recipient of the EAIR Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Higher Education Research, Policy and Practice’ and has had a higher doctorate of the University of London and Fellowships of the Academy of the Social Sciences, the Society for Research into Higher Education and the Higher Education Academy conferred upon him.

He has been made an Honorary Fellow of St Mary’s University, Twickenham and has been both a visiting professor in China and Australia, and a Special Adviser to the UK’s Select Committee Inquiry into Universities and Students.

Paul is a Director of External Innovation at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSKCH), a pivotal strategic leadership role that encompasses representing GSK Oral Health, forging partnerships and alliances and positioning GSKCH to be the partner of choice. 

Part of the R&D Innovation team, Paul works in close collaboration with the Business Development, Commercial, Finance and Legal teams to ensure a significant portion of the Category innovation growth targets are met from external opportunities. 

Prior to his four years in Oral Health, Paul led delivery of the Innovation Pipeline Portfolio for GSK Nutrition in 2012-2013. Prior to working for GSK, Paul Spent ten years as an exercise physiologist in academia.

He has published over 30 peer reviewed research articles. This led him to work with Great Britain’s Elite athletes preparing for the Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and London 2012 Paralympic Games. Paul has held advisory board positions at his local NHS Hospital and Hertfordshire County Council. 

He has a PhD in Exercise Physiology, a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education and a Bachelors Degree in Sport Science.