Who are the Board of Trustees?

All decisions by the trustee board are taken by all the trustees, acting collectively and as a team. All trustees have an equal responsibility for the oversight of the Students' Union. The Trustees of Sheffield Students' Union fall under three categories. Each of the Trustees has their own experiences which, collectively, help ensure that the Board of Trustees can carry out its roles.

Officer Trustees:

Every year, eight students are elected to work one year full-time for the Students' Union as a Students' Union Officer. As the leaders of the Students' Union, they are members of the Board of Trustees, helping to ensure that we remain student focussed in everything we do. Find out more about the work of the Officers.

The 2012/13 SU Officer Trustees are:

• Abdi Suleiman - President & Chair of the Board of Trustees
• Sara Moon - SU Development Officer
• Fadi Dakkak - International Students' Officer
• Jon Gleek - Welfare Officer
• Amy Masson - Women's Officer
• Richard Alderman - Education Officer
• Luke MacWilliam - Sports Officer
• Tom Dixon - Activities Officer

Student Trustees:

Up to four University of Sheffield students are appointed by a Nominations Committee to serve up to two years as a student trustee, with the nominations being approved by Students' Union Council. The student trustees help provide the perspective of students not involved with the day-to-day running of the Students' Union.

Our current Student Trustees are:

• Philip Brown - from 1 September 2012 for one year
  Philip is currently studying for the four years master course in Town and Regional Planning. He is formerly a Councillor for the Department of Town and Regional Planning. Philip has been involved with a number of different areas of student activity, including Planning Society, Forge Radio, the University Basketball Team and his departmental staff-student committee. He has also undertaken voluntary work outside the Students' Union.
• Stephanie Dunn - from 1 September 2012 for one year
  Stephanie is currently undertaking an MPhil leading to a PhD in the Department of Psychology, which she started in September 2011. She has previously completed a BSc and an MSc at the University of Sheffield. Stephanie has worked at the University as a Residential Mentor, Aimhigher Associate, Assistant Exam Invigilator and Demonstrator. She has also worked as a volunteer outside the University and is involved with Progress, the Postgraduate Students society.
• Emily Wood - from 1 September 2012 for two years
  Emily is currently undertaking an MPhil leading to a PhD in ScHARR, which she started in September 2011. She has previously completed a BSc at the University of Bangor and an MMedSci at the University of Sheffield. Emily has worked as a mental health nurse and a private psychotherapist. She has been involved with the students’ unions at Bangor and Sheffield as a society treasurer and as a postgraduate student representative.
• Jose Angel Garcia - from 1 September 2012 for two years
  Jose is currently undertaking an MPhil leading to a PhD in the Department of Politics, which he started in February 2012. He previously completed a BA at the Universidad de las Americas in Mexico and an MA at the University of Sheffield. Jose has worked as a Project Manager with the British Council in Mexico and as an International Student Ambassador with the University of Sheffield. He is also Secretary of the Mexican and Latin American Society.

External Trustees:

Students' Union Council also appoints up to 4 people who aren't current University of Sheffield students to act as Trustees. They are appointed to bring professional skills and experiences to the Trustee Board, which helps it carry out its duties.

They are appointed initially for a three year term of office and may be reappointed for a further three year term.

• Sophie Holdcroft - Trustee since November 2007
  Sophie is a Senior Executive with Procter & Gamble where she currently has responsibility for product range with a £2.4billion turnover, managing a multi- functional team of 40 people. Since joining Procter & Gamble in 1997, she has had a range of responsibilities across the business, with a successful record of developing turnover and profitability.
  
  Sophie was President of the Students’ Union in 1996/97, was Chair of Students’ Union Council in 1995/96 and served on Sports Committee. She was also a member of the National Committee of Enquiry into Higher Education chaired by Sir Ron Dearing.
• David Claybrook Trustee since November 2007
  David graduated from the University in 1993 with a BSc in Genetics, during his time at the University David was an active member of the High Peak Society and recognises the important role that the Union played in the student experience of himself and others.
  
  Since leaving University David has qualified as an accountant and chartered internal auditor. He worked in a variety of large complex organisations across the public sector including a Russell Group University. He now works in the internal audit practice of a top 10 accountancy firm providing internal audit, governance and risk management services to a number of clients which include universities and colleges.
• Howard Culley - Trustee since September 2011
  Howard is a consultant for Sheffield solicitors Irwin Mitchell, having previously worked as a Partner and National Managing Partner for them. Howard joined the firm as a Trainee Solicitor in 1977 and led its expansion over the last 20 years, from a Sheffield-based firm employing 50 to its current position as a national firm with over 2,500 employees.
  
  He is currently Chair of a number of Irwin Mitchell based companies, as well as HD Sports Limited, a company involved in manufacturing ice skating equipment. His volunteering commitments include being Chair of Sheffield City Trust, who is responsible for the running of many leisure and recreational facilities in the City (including Sheffield City Hall, Motorpoint Arena, Don Valley Stadium, Ponds Forge and iceSheffield). He is also a Trustee of International Development Through Sport (UK Sport’s charity, which runs sports initiatives around health and education in developing countries). He was formerly a Governor at Sheffield Hallam University and a Trustee of Sheffield Museums’ and Galleries.
  
  Howard is committed to contributing to the development of charities and services in the Sheffield area, having been based in Sheffield all his life. He is a graduate of this University and feels a strong affinity for the organisation.