Meet the
2021 - 2022
It Happens Here
Team
Board of Officers
Our Board of Officers plays a role in the general management of campaign communications, projects and planning.
They work closely alongside the Board of Representatives, the members of which represent the voices of specific demographics.
Arranged alphabetically by role title.
Timea Iliffe
(She/Her)
Co-Chair
I’m the Co-Chair, which means that alongside Nicola I’m responsible for leading the campaign, managing and overseeing our projects and acting as a spokesperson and first point of contact for anyone interested in our work.
I first got involved with the campaign as a way of putting my passion for feminist liberation into practice, and as a way of making real, tangible change within my community.
Having been in this role since Hilary of 2021, it has been such a joy to watch the campaign grow, see this issue gain prominence and connect with some incredible people across the university and beyond. I’m excited this term to continue our work of advocacy, awareness and fighting against the cultures of silence and institutions that continue to marginalise and erase the lived experience of survivors.
If you have any ideas, questions or there is anything at all we can help with, please do not hesitate to get in touch!
Nicola Sharp
(She/Her)
Co-Chair
Hi, I'm Nicola! I got involved with It Happens Here after seeing the widespread challenges that those who have experienced sexual misconduct face in accessing welfare, safety and legal resources. My campaign focus is effective resource distribution, training and policy change.
Timea and I are the Co-Chairs of It Happens Here. We work together to set the campaign’s direction and strategy and support our team members in their initiatives. We are also often called upon to act as the team's spokespeople and representatives.
Additionally, I work with Elizabeth to design and maintain our official website.
It's been hugely inspiring to co-lead such a driven and passionate team and I'm excited to see our projects come to fruition.
Please contact Timea and I for enquiries about our current projects and if you want to collaborate with the campaign.
Elizabeth Ryalls
(She/They)
Communications Officer
This wonderful campaign protects survivors and fights for the safety of all people in a world where 97% of women have been sexually harassed. I’ve heard these stories; I’ve shared these stories. It is through my experiences that I have joined the fight against gender-based violence. My role in the It Happens Here Campaign is to make your voices heard so please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Surbhi Sachdeva
(She/Her)
Secretary
Hi! I'm Surbhi, a first-year Law student at St. Peter's and the current Secretary for the campaign. As the International Rep during my first term at Oxford, I was both impressed and inspired by the kind of work IHH undertakes. So, I decided to continue my involvement, as I wanted to continue efforts and ideas I'd already initiated, as well as help push the campaign forward. Through IHH, I have met (mostly virtually) a group of wonderful and passionate people who will stop at nothing to make Oxford a safe place for students and creating more accepting spaces for survivors and their voices. As the Secretary, I help with organising meetings and intra-team logistics. I'm also currently working on a website and mailing list which will help strengthen the wider community we have fostered over the years. My other projects/ideas include resources for international survivors like letter templated to talk to their parents, making bop angels more widespread, and developing consent workshops tailed to international and BAME students.
Ava Vakil
Treasurer
Hello, I’m Ava, and I am the Treasurer for It Happens Here! I campaign against sexual violence and have recently been involved in a legal challenge to the government over their failure to implement the Digital Economy Act 2017, which has resulted in an update to the Online Safety Bill which will see age-verification introduced on all pornography sites. I am really passionate about tackling sexual violence at a school and university level as I believe these times are formative and proper education from a young age is necessary to make the world a safer place, particularly for women and non-binary people. It Happens Here is a fantastic team all dedicated to protecting survivors and spreading awareness and I am super excited to be on board!
Mneera Abdullah Saud
(She/Her)
Welfare Officer
As Welfare Officer, my role is focused on building community through supporting the well-being of survivors at the university. I am working on three projects this year: (1) setting up an informal peer support network for survivors of sexual violence to launch in Trinity Term 2022, (2) providing a safe space for survivors through initiatives like the @survivingoxford Instagram page, and (3) liaising with University administrators to promote access to welfare resources. If you are at all interested in these initiatives, or if you want to talk about accessing welfare resources either at the university or the city more generally, please don’t hesitate to reach out❣️
Board of Representatives
Our Board of Representatives works closely alongside our Board of Officers to ensure that our projects and practices take into account the unique voices and specific needs of different demographics.
Arranged alphabetically by role title.
Kesaia Toganivalu
BAME
TBA
Tasha Wade
(She/Her)
Class
Hey! I’m Tasha, a second year at Regent’s Park. I’m currently Class Rep meaning it’s my role to help those from underrepresented backgrounds like from low-income families and state-comp schools are still are able to have a voice in conversations around sexual violence. Currently I’m helping out with establishing our new peer support system and looking into the university’s policy on trigger warnings for lectures and reading lists. Feel free to get in touch if you want to ask me anything, or just have a chat!
Sarah Miller
Disabilities
TBA
Georgie Miller
(She/Her)
Graduate Students
Hi! I’m Georgie, an MSc student at Kellogg. As the graduate representative, I’m trying to strengthen the graduate community’s relationship with the rest of the University with regards to matters of sexual violence. Currently, I am attempting to raise awareness of the IHH campaign in post-graduate only colleges to ensure that everyone feels seen and heard.
Clara Kummerer
(She/Her)
International Students
As the international rep I make sure that international students get the information and support they need for navigating culture clash, the reporting process, and international dating. I got involved with IHH to collaborate with other passionate students and I am excited to increase the quality and scope of education about consent at the college, society, and sports team level, and holding events to exchange views and ideas.
Ffion Samuels
(She/They)
LGBTQ+
Haia! I’m Ffi and as the LGBTQ+ representative I am responsible for ensuring that the experiences and specific needs of the queer community are valued. I’m currently focusing on reviewing the sexual violence and harassment safeguarding policies and procedures of colleges. I’m also involved in the publication of Letters for Survivors and Surviving Oxford, which I believe are powerful resources that amplify the voices of survivors. If you have any questions or suggestions of specific issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community that you believe should be addressed by IHH, please email me at ffion.samuels@gtc.ox.ac.uk.
Robert Brown
(He/Him)
Men*s
Hi! I'm Rob, a PGCE student at Kellogg. As Men's Rep, my role is about helping ensure men's experiences are heard in the conversation around sexual violence. Male survivors often face great stigma in speaking about their experience so I hope to provide a platform for them to be supported and for this stigma to be challenged. I am also passionate about outreach with the local community, particularly supporting schools in providing effective consent and sexual harassment education.
Emilia Campos Bedingfield
(She/Her)
Representative Liaison Officer
Hiya! I'm Emilia, a second year at Balliol. As Rep Laison Officer, it's my responsibility to listen, engage and co-ordinate with reps, help them agitate in their colleges and create a more cohesive fight against sexual violence. I have recently been working to create more standardised guidelines for how colleges should deal with allegations of sexual abuse.
Anna Sharpe
(She/Her)
Suspended Students
My name is Anna Sharpe and I am a third-year history student at St Anne's. I am the Suspended Students rep so will be the go between for suspended students and IHH. Please feel free to message about anything, I am here to help!
Ella Street
Women*s
TBA