Meet our team

Our team really are a fantastic bunch. All our speakers are talented, engaging, funny and, critically, well-informed. They all undertake a thorough and on-going training program, meaning they're always clued-up on the latest developments in unis, careers and employability.
JOHNNY RICH is the founder Chief Executive of outreach organisation Push, Chief Executive of the Engineering Professors’ Council  and a consultant in higher education and careers. His recent clients include the European Commission, HEFCE (now OFS), HEPI, the OFS, Oxford University, global HE comparison tool U-Multirank  and a host of recruiters, education bodies and media organisations. Since founding Push in 1992, Johnny has built it into an influential award-winning social enterprise providing information, advice and research about universities, careers and employability. Push runs an award-winning programme of outreach and training events that visits 100s of schools and colleges each year. The Engineering Professors’ Council is the voice of engineering in UK higher education. Under Johnny’s stewardship since 2016, its membership has grown to include over 7,500 academics in over 80 universities and the EPC has become an influential force in national policy in HE, skills and industrial strategy. Prior to this role Johnny was a Director of the Higher Education Academy (now Advance HE). He is widely regarded as an expert on student choice and information, and on employability. As a contributor to various think tanks and strategy bodies, Johnny contributes widely to policy debates on education, careers, wider participation and social mobility. He recently spearheaded projects on school-leaver recruitment and on work-related learning. With degrees from the Universities of Durham and East Anglia, his background also includes journalism, publishing, media relations, television and the web. He appears regularly on television and radio and is author of the highly acclaimed novel The Human Script.

Want to see Johnny's 90 Second Guides on revision, study skills, student finance and more?
​
One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18: ​​​ 
​"It would have been helpful if someone had told me that 'catered accommodation’ would not mean a guaranteed, balanced diet within my budget. I ended up living on choccy Hobnobs and black coffee."
MOJ TAYLOR ​ is an Edinburgh Fringe First winning actor, and stand up comedian - being selected for the BBC's Stand Up If You Dare competition, for Comic Relief (and being mentored in comedy by Jasper Carrott). He was the first Taylor of his family to graduate a higher education course, reading Hispanic Studies & Drama from Queen Mary University of London before undertaking an MA in screen acting at Drama Centre London. He has appeared in various high-profile commercial campaigns (Asics, Nivea, Mazda, Lexus, Movember) and has delivered over 3,000 workshops to young people across the UK via PUSH and ComedyClub4Kids. He is also a PADI Divemaster, and has assisted on various conservation projects on seagrass and carbon emissions in the UK and The Baltic Sea. He is passionate about getting young people to scuba dive, as a way to develop their soft skills, self-confidence and resilience and over the last decade he has helped develop the Push framework on proactive choices, youth employability, effective learning and public speaking / comedy workshops to develop crucial soft skills/resilience in teenagers.

Want to see Moj's 90 Second Guides on university, employability, apprenticeships and more?

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
"The mystery goldfish that turns up in your room is apparently not allowed to be kept in your student accommodation (at my uni, at least). I kept it anyway. Point being? No 2 unis are ever the same so do your research. Explore their wondrous differences; it's up to you to decide which one is 'best'."
ARON TENNANT is one of the Talks and Editorial managers for Push. He is originally from South Yorkshire and has a BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Sheffield. He also has an MA in Creative Play and Screenwriting from City, University of London and came runner up in Nickelodeon's international screenwriting competition in 2018. Alongside Push he does screenplay work for independent production companies and is working on his own independent film projects.
​
One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:​
​"I wish I had been told that the experience of going to University is much more than just getting your degree and been told the importance of getting involved in things that aren’t just course focused or related, particularly in your first year."
LUCY HARDING is the Editorial manager for Push. She is an English Literature grad and an MA Publishing student at UCL. She is passionate about international relations and cultural diversity, having worked closely with her university’s Erasmus society to support European students. She also spent a year abroad studying at California State University: Long Beach.

Want to see Lucy's 90 Second Guides on university and more?

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18: ​
"I wish I’d known that university doesn’t have to be a get-in-get-out experience where the goal is to graduate as fast as you can. Look into the extracurriculars and societies available, and take every opportunity you can!"
LINDSEY BROWN originally took a degree in Interactive Art and had a short career in marketing before changing direction. After taking a PGCE in post compulsory education she worked for over 10 years at a 6th form college with gifted and talented, and widening participation students; developing activities to raise aspirations, develop study and employability skills, improve progression and strengthen competitive university applications. Lindsey now works as a freelancer on a number of education and university led public involvement projects. 

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
"That although you don’t have to know what you want to do with your life before you go to university, you do need to think about it while you are there. If I’d realised that I would have looked at what opportunities the university would give me to prepare for the next stage of my life."
IBRAHIM FAROUK SESAY graduated from the University of Kent, after previously studying at the BRIT School London. As well as being a PUSH speaker, he is an actor, stand up comedian, inclusive theatre practitioner and sketch writer. He often jokes about how many things he is doing at any one time but says "I'm basically being paid to do the things I love". Ibs had the opportunity of going to two different universities in two different continents, which he feels has given him a wealth of experience when discussing education and course options with teenagers. He hopes his experience and passion will help young people make informed and educated decisions about what they want to do in the future. 

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
"The chance to study abroad would not of happened if it wasn’t for the impartial help of my careers advisors and teachers (which boosted my own research and my thinking): these people are human beings who have been through the same stresses as you at your age...but they can only help you if you're willing to open up to them about your hopes, fears and dreams."
STEPHEN BRADLEY is from Derry, Northwest Ireland and is an actor based in London. He was a student of the Guildford School of Acting, where he received a BA in Acting on graduation. He has worked in both Theatre and Film/TV across Ireland and the UK. His main love in life, after performing, is putting BBQ sauce on anything. He is an avid messenger of the idea of doing what you love, and loving what you do. When he is not eating BBQ sauce or performing, he is doing yoga, drinking tea or reading a book (sometimes all three at the same time). 

Want to see Stephen's 90 Second Guides on interview tips and your choices?
​
One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
"I wished I’d known that at 18 I didn't have to have it all figured out! If I’d allowed myself room to breathe and found out more about what made me tick then I’d have gone to Uni more rounded than I did. Give. Yourself. TIME"
LORNA SHAW is a actor, writer and comedian based in London. She performs regularly on the stand-up circuit (and at the Edinburgh Fringe) and her sketch comedy has been heard on BBC Radio 4. She has also been a finalist in the Funny Women and Musical Comedy Awards and performed sell-out shows to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh fringe with duo That Pair who's 2013 show transferred to the Soho Theatre in 2014. She is part of the leading improv school, The Free Association, performing regularly on their in-house teams, My Brother Jose and the Ladies of FA County. ​Her website is lornashawcomedy.com.

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18: ​​​ 
"I wish someone had told me that I don't have to panic and take the first thing that comes along! Whether that's a university place or a job or an apprenticeship. Be choosy and ask lots of questions. Also, if you make the wrong choice, you're one step closer to knowing what you actually want to do."
KELLY CROSS is our digital guru: she’s responsible for developing and managing our online presence. She’s worked in Event Management, specialising in data evaluation and website development. She’s an advocate for on-the-job training, having not stopped learning (all things technical) since leaving sixth form.

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
"That I wasn't an alien because I didn't have a subject I wanted to study at university. My sixth form made me feel like because I got good grades I should just pick any old subject to study rather than not go to university!"
THOMAS LI is our media editor. Having studied BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Practice at University of Westminster, he has continued to discover his skills within the media industry, having worked with moving image, motion graphics and new media installation practices within his course. He continues to further his knowledge in video editing. In his spare time, he is a Youtuber, photographer and social media enthusiast. 

Want to see some of the 90 Second Guides Thomas has helped Push produce?

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making as choice at 18:
​“Don’t 100% expect to know what your future career is by 18. It’s never too late to further discover your skills. Progress at your own pace and don’t bring yourself down by comparing yourself to others. Everyone has an opportunity and as long as you keep working at it, you’ll be building yourself step-by-step.  Everyone makes mistakes, just learn from them and turn that into a lesson. Every step counts.”
BEN CROSS is one of our guest speakers. He is hugely passionate about individuals embracing their uniqueness and using those talents to make awesome, dynamic teams. Ben is dyslexic, failed his first year of sixth form and dropped out of uni twice. Now he’s in the management team of one of the World’s biggest construction firms. His job is all about spotting and nurturing the individuality of people, so everyone can work well together and thrive.

Want to see Ben's 90 Second Guides on making choices, interviews and more?

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
​"Life isn’t a competition, there are far more important things in life than money, cars and career success. For a long time I thought I was competing with other people but in reality I was competing against myself, setting unrealistic expectations. If I knew back then what real success looks like I would have been very pleased with where I was heading.”
JAMES RUSHBROOKE is a consultant and trainer in the world of social work specialising in Participation, Developmental Psychology and Communicating with Children. James also runs Imagine Theatre, a drama school for teenagers in Cirencester and occasionally still performs as an improviser, actor and stand up comedian.
​
​One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
​"I wish someone had told me you don't HAVE to go to uni. It's not compulsory. I genuinely didn't know."
​TOM BROOKES  has been working with Push since graduating from Cardiff University in 2007 with a degree in Journalism, Film and Media. Away from Push he’s worked for several youth charities predominantly as a public speaker, facilitator, trainer and a programme manager. Tom's experience delivering Push sessions (as well as managing various campaigns) led him to recently return to education, to complete his PGCE at the Institute of Education (UCL). With such a vast amount of Push experience (and a true passion for engaging young people) he continues to fit in Push talks whenever he can.
​
One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
​"Not getting an offer from a uni is not the end of the world! If one turns you down you’ve got four other choices to work with, not to mention all the other possibilities available to you when you’re applying. Don’t panic."
KATIE LYONS is an actor and writer and has written a number of immersive theatre shows and  original television comedy projects.  As an actor Katie she played series regular 'Bird' in BBC3's Bluestone 42, and has featured in Doc Martin, Maigret, Boy A and Green Wing as well as featuring in plays at the National Theatre and The Bush Theatre.  
​
One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
"Before university I wish I knew that, at that point in my life, I had only met a fraction of the people who would be important to me and who would go on to inspire me. University and moving away from home was only the beginning of a world of opportunities available to me."
TREVOR LOCK has been a part of some of the UK's most popular recent TV and Radio shows, including the BAFTA nominated and British Comedy Award winning Star Stories, the chart topping Russell Brand Podcast and Stewart Lee's Alternative Comedy Experience. His latest live show, 2017's Community Circle, has been described by Kate Copstick as "an absolute masterclass in comedy performance." Besides writing, directing and performing for theatre, radio and television, Trevor enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience of creating and presenting with schools, businesses, organisations and individuals.
​
He's one of Push's Public Speaking & Comedy session presenters.
BOOK PUSH

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Meet our team

Our team really are a fantastic bunch. All our speakers are talented, engaging, funny and, critically, well-informed. They all undertake a thorough and on-going training program, meaning they're always clued-up on the latest developments in unis, careers and employability.
JOHNNY RICH is the founder Chief Executive of outreach organisation Push, Chief Executive of the Engineering Professors’ Council  and a consultant in higher education and careers. His recent clients include the European Commission, HEFCE (now OFS), HEPI, the OFS, Oxford University, global HE comparison tool U-Multirank  and a host of recruiters, education bodies and media organisations. Since founding Push in 1992, Johnny has built it into an influential award-winning social enterprise providing information, advice and research about universities, careers and employability. Push runs an award-winning programme of outreach and training events that visits 100s of schools and colleges each year. The Engineering Professors’ Council is the voice of engineering in UK higher education. Under Johnny’s stewardship since 2016, its membership has grown to include over 7,500 academics in over 80 universities and the EPC has become an influential force in national policy in HE, skills and industrial strategy. Prior to this role Johnny was a Director of the Higher Education Academy (now Advance HE). He is widely regarded as an expert on student choice and information, and on employability. As a contributor to various think tanks and strategy bodies, Johnny contributes widely to policy debates on education, careers, wider participation and social mobility. He recently spearheaded projects on school-leaver recruitment and on work-related learning. With degrees from the Universities of Durham and East Anglia, his background also includes journalism, publishing, media relations, television and the web. He appears regularly on television and radio and is author of the highly acclaimed novel The Human Script.

Want to see Johnny's 90 Second Guides on revision, study skills, student finance and more?
​
One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18: ​​​ 
​"It would have been helpful if someone had told me that 'catered accommodation’ would not mean a guaranteed, balanced diet within my budget. I ended up living on choccy Hobnobs and black coffee."
MOJ TAYLOR ​ is an Edinburgh Fringe First winning actor, and stand up comedian - being selected for the BBC's Stand Up If You Dare competition, for Comic Relief (and being mentored in comedy by Jasper Carrott). He was the first Taylor of his family to graduate a higher education course, reading Hispanic Studies & Drama from Queen Mary University of London before undertaking an MA in screen acting at Drama Centre London. He has appeared in various high-profile commercial campaigns (Asics, Nivea, Mazda, Lexus, Movember) and has delivered over 3,000 workshops to young people across the UK via PUSH and ComedyClub4Kids. He is also a PADI Divemaster, and has assisted on various conservation projects on seagrass and carbon emissions in the UK and The Baltic Sea. He is passionate about getting young people to scuba dive, as a way to develop their soft skills, self-confidence and resilience and over the last decade he has helped develop the Push framework on proactive choices, youth employability, effective learning and public speaking / comedy workshops to develop crucial soft skills/resilience in teenagers.

Want to see Moj's 90 Second Guides on university, employability, apprenticeships and more?

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
"The mystery goldfish that turns up in your room is apparently not allowed to be kept in your student accommodation (at my uni, at least). I kept it anyway. Point being? No 2 unis are ever the same so do your research. Explore their wondrous differences; it's up to you to decide which one is 'best'."
ARON TENNANT is one of the Talks and Editorial managers for Push. He is originally from South Yorkshire and has a BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Sheffield. He also has an MA in Creative Play and Screenwriting from City, University of London and came runner up in Nickelodeon's international screenwriting competition in 2018. Alongside Push he does screenplay work for independent production companies and is working on his own independent film projects.
​
One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:​
​"I wish I had been told that the experience of going to University is much more than just getting your degree and been told the importance of getting involved in things that aren’t just course focused or related, particularly in your first year."
LUCY HARDING is the Editorial manager for Push. She is an English Literature grad and an MA Publishing student at UCL. She is passionate about international relations and cultural diversity, having worked closely with her university’s Erasmus society to support European students. She also spent a year abroad studying at California State University: Long Beach.

Want to see Lucy's 90 Second Guides on university and more?

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18: ​
"I wish I’d known that university doesn’t have to be a get-in-get-out experience where the goal is to graduate as fast as you can. Look into the extracurriculars and societies available, and take every opportunity you can!"
LINDSEY BROWN originally took a degree in Interactive Art and had a short career in marketing before changing direction. After taking a PGCE in post compulsory education she worked for over 10 years at a 6th form college with gifted and talented, and widening participation students; developing activities to raise aspirations, develop study and employability skills, improve progression and strengthen competitive university applications. Lindsey now works as a freelancer on a number of education and university led public involvement projects. 

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
"That although you don’t have to know what you want to do with your life before you go to university, you do need to think about it while you are there. If I’d realised that I would have looked at what opportunities the university would give me to prepare for the next stage of my life."
IBRAHIM FAROUK SESAY graduated from the University of Kent, after previously studying at the BRIT School London. As well as being a PUSH speaker, he is an actor, stand up comedian, inclusive theatre practitioner and sketch writer. He often jokes about how many things he is doing at any one time but says "I'm basically being paid to do the things I love". Ibs had the opportunity of going to two different universities in two different continents, which he feels has given him a wealth of experience when discussing education and course options with teenagers. He hopes his experience and passion will help young people make informed and educated decisions about what they want to do in the future. 

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
"The chance to study abroad would not of happened if it wasn’t for the impartial help of my careers advisors and teachers (which boosted my own research and my thinking): these people are human beings who have been through the same stresses as you at your age...but they can only help you if you're willing to open up to them about your hopes, fears and dreams."
STEPHEN BRADLEY is from Derry, Northwest Ireland and is an actor based in London. He was a student of the Guildford School of Acting, where he received a BA in Acting on graduation. He has worked in both Theatre and Film/TV across Ireland and the UK. His main love in life, after performing, is putting BBQ sauce on anything. He is an avid messenger of the idea of doing what you love, and loving what you do. When he is not eating BBQ sauce or performing, he is doing yoga, drinking tea or reading a book (sometimes all three at the same time). 

Want to see Stephen's 90 Second Guides on interview tips and your choices?
​
One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
"I wished I’d known that at 18 I didn't have to have it all figured out! If I’d allowed myself room to breathe and found out more about what made me tick then I’d have gone to Uni more rounded than I did. Give. Yourself. TIME"
LORNA SHAW is a actor, writer and comedian based in London. She performs regularly on the stand-up circuit (and at the Edinburgh Fringe) and her sketch comedy has been heard on BBC Radio 4. She has also been a finalist in the Funny Women and Musical Comedy Awards and performed sell-out shows to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh fringe with duo That Pair who's 2013 show transferred to the Soho Theatre in 2014. She is part of the leading improv school, The Free Association, performing regularly on their in-house teams, My Brother Jose and the Ladies of FA County. ​Her website is lornashawcomedy.com.

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18: ​​​ 
"I wish someone had told me that I don't have to panic and take the first thing that comes along! Whether that's a university place or a job or an apprenticeship. Be choosy and ask lots of questions. Also, if you make the wrong choice, you're one step closer to knowing what you actually want to do."
KELLY CROSS is our digital guru: she’s responsible for developing and managing our online presence. She’s worked in Event Management, specialising in data evaluation and website development. She’s an advocate for on-the-job training, having not stopped learning (all things technical) since leaving sixth form.

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
"That I wasn't an alien because I didn't have a subject I wanted to study at university. My sixth form made me feel like because I got good grades I should just pick any old subject to study rather than not go to university!"
THOMAS LI is our media editor. Having studied BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Practice at University of Westminster, he has continued to discover his skills within the media industry, having worked with moving image, motion graphics and new media installation practices within his course. He continues to further his knowledge in video editing. In his spare time, he is a Youtuber, photographer and social media enthusiast. 

Want to see some of the 90 Second Guides Thomas has helped Push produce?

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making as choice at 18:
​“Don’t 100% expect to know what your future career is by 18. It’s never too late to further discover your skills. Progress at your own pace and don’t bring yourself down by comparing yourself to others. Everyone has an opportunity and as long as you keep working at it, you’ll be building yourself step-by-step.  Everyone makes mistakes, just learn from them and turn that into a lesson. Every step counts.”
BEN CROSS is one of our guest speakers. He is hugely passionate about individuals embracing their uniqueness and using those talents to make awesome, dynamic teams. Ben is dyslexic, failed his first year of sixth form and dropped out of uni twice. Now he’s in the management team of one of the World’s biggest construction firms. His job is all about spotting and nurturing the individuality of people, so everyone can work well together and thrive.

Want to see Ben's 90 Second Guides on making choices, interviews and more?

One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
​"Life isn’t a competition, there are far more important things in life than money, cars and career success. For a long time I thought I was competing with other people but in reality I was competing against myself, setting unrealistic expectations. If I knew back then what real success looks like I would have been very pleased with where I was heading.”
JAMES RUSHBROOKE is a consultant and trainer in the world of social work specialising in Participation, Developmental Psychology and Communicating with Children. James also runs Imagine Theatre, a drama school for teenagers in Cirencester and occasionally still performs as an improviser, actor and stand up comedian.
​
​One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
​"I wish someone had told me you don't HAVE to go to uni. It's not compulsory. I genuinely didn't know."
​TOM BROOKES  has been working with Push since graduating from Cardiff University in 2007 with a degree in Journalism, Film and Media. Away from Push he’s worked for several youth charities predominantly as a public speaker, facilitator, trainer and a programme manager. Tom's experience delivering Push sessions (as well as managing various campaigns) led him to recently return to education, to complete his PGCE at the Institute of Education (UCL). With such a vast amount of Push experience (and a true passion for engaging young people) he continues to fit in Push talks whenever he can.
​
One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
​"Not getting an offer from a uni is not the end of the world! If one turns you down you’ve got four other choices to work with, not to mention all the other possibilities available to you when you’re applying. Don’t panic."
KATIE LYONS is an actor and writer and has written a number of immersive theatre shows and  original television comedy projects.  As an actor Katie she played series regular 'Bird' in BBC3's Bluestone 42, and has featured in Doc Martin, Maigret, Boy A and Green Wing as well as featuring in plays at the National Theatre and The Bush Theatre.  
​
One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18:
"Before university I wish I knew that, at that point in my life, I had only met a fraction of the people who would be important to me and who would go on to inspire me. University and moving away from home was only the beginning of a world of opportunities available to me."
TREVOR LOCK has been a part of some of the UK's most popular recent TV and Radio shows, including the BAFTA nominated and British Comedy Award winning Star Stories, the chart topping Russell Brand Podcast and Stewart Lee's Alternative Comedy Experience. His latest live show, 2017's Community Circle, has been described by Kate Copstick as "an absolute masterclass in comedy performance." Besides writing, directing and performing for theatre, radio and television, Trevor enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience of creating and presenting with schools, businesses, organisations and individuals.
​
He's one of Push's Public Speaking & Comedy session presenters.
BOOK PUSH