Claire spent her formative years on a remote island with no cinema – which may explain why most of her career has involved film and talking to people. After learning the ropes during a traineeship on Andrea Arnold’s debut Red Road Claire started off working freelance in film and television production, going on to hold positions in locations, events and communications for local film commissions, screen agencies and universities. She joined Watershed in 2008, where she is part of a great team who help to deliver and promote all aspects of Watershed’s activities and build new audiences among many other things. If you’re tuned in to Watershed on Twitter or Facebook, Claire is probably the person behind the chatter that day, so do go and say hello.

claire.stewart@watershed.co.uk

Clio started working at Watershed as Events Assistant in 2006 after completing a degree in Religious Studies, Social Philosophy and Applied Ethics at Cardiff University and working for a catering firm in the holidays. She is now an Events Co-ordinator, which involves helping to deliver events, festivals and conferences for both external and internal clients. Clio recently completed a Professional Certificate in Marketing with the Charted Institute of Marketing, and hopes to build on this qualification by studying social marketing in the future.

clio.beeson@watershed.co.uk

David has a long association with Watershed, working first in Box Office and then as Publicity Assistant in the mid-90s and looking after Watershed’s very first website. Following eleven years of building and managing web sites for arts organisations and creative projects he returned to Watershed in 2008 and now oversees the delivery and development of Watershed’s web sites and online content.

david.redfern@watershed.co.uk

Dick is Managing Director of Watershed and has been since 1998.

Since 1980 Dick has worked in the creative sector as producer, manager and consultant. As a theatre producer credits include the World Premiere of WHEN THE WIND BLOWS adapted by Raymond Briggs from his book; Pete Postlethwaite in MACBETH; and two award winning one man shows: BAGLADY with Sorcha Cusack and SCARAMOUCHE JONES with Pete Postlethwaite which premiered at the Dublin Festival and toured internationally.

Dick was a founder member of Connecting Bristol. He is a past Chair of Bristol Old Vic Theatre Trust and the Bristol Partnership LSP. In 2010 he was delighted to receive honary degrees from the Universities of Bristol and West of England, and in 2011 he received an MBE for services to the creative industries.

dick@watershed.co.uk

Watershed's Front of House team consists of 9 Front of House assistants and a 30 strong team of ushers. The Front of House assistants are Watershed’s font of all knowledge and ticket-selling gurus! If they can't answer your question then they will know the person who can. Manning the desk 7 days a week and acting as a reception, a box office and a one stop DVD/cards/magazines and snack shop, there’s nothing these guys can't help out with. We also have a 30 strong team of film-loving ushers who are there to tear your ticket, help you find your seat, and be in the cinema whilst the film is screening should you need anything. And of course, they are always willing to lend their opinion in that post-film debate…

foh@watershed.co.uk

Hannah became Sales & Conference Manager in 2011, leading the award-winning Events Team. She has always worked in professional development and now finds it exciting to be on the other side of events management, from a venue perspective. So she knows how it feels! She gets a real buzz out of effective passionate people working together, which is what Watershed is renowned for.  She is also delighted by the dynamism and diversity of clients and events here. Particular highlights so far include a racing yacht, chartered from Bordeaux, mooring in the Harbourside and unloading wine for auction in Waterside 3. This led to a particularly sophisticated night!

hannah.fenton@watershed.co.uk

Izzy started volunteering in 2007 as part of the Watershed Ambassador Scheme. Her relationship with the venue continued in 2008 whilst she co-coordinated a national student film festival in Bristol and hosted a talk with Cinéformation at Watershed to provide young filmmakers with advice from industry professionals on how to make it big. She has also collaborated with the Encounters Film Festival, which she’s volunteered for twice.

In February 2010 Izzy started working as Communications Assistant, which involves creating marketing materials, putting up huge cardboard standees (Shame is the biggest to date), organizing press screenings so we can get people to come to our cinema and making sure the general public have all the up to date information about us. 

izzy.kongsgaard@watershed.co.uk

James is head of the Technology & Media Group at UK law firm TLT. He is known for his work with digital media and technology businesses, covering social networking, location based services and new media collaborations, where he advises on the contractual, intellectual property and privacy issues. He also advises larger corporates on technology development and licensing arrangements, IT & telecoms procurements and managed service solutions. James is recognised as a leader in his field in Chambers UK, an independent guide to the legal profession.

James is actively involved in the development of early-stage technology and media businesses and the related support networks. He is a trustee of Watershed Arts Trust Limited and chair of iShed CIC. He is also a member of the advisory board for Science City Bristol Limited.

Kirsty joined Watershed in 1998 as Finance Assistant. Since then she has held a number of different Finance roles and is currently Finance Troubleshooter! She has also recently taken on HR duties.

kirsty@watershed.co.uk

As Deputy Head of Operations  Layla is in charge of our team of duty managers, the front house assistants and ushers, and the day to day running of the building. Having come from a background in theatre (not ON the stage, she hastens to add!) Layla started at Watershed in February 2011. Mainly found wandering the corridors clutching an oversized bunch of keys, nothing makes her happier than a good spreadsheet.

layla.barron@watershed.co.uk

Louise joined Watershed in the mid 90s and now has lead responsibility for the Watershed Brand and Customer Experience. Louise has had a variety of roles all relating to marketing and communications over the years at Watershed and previously worked at Cornerhouse in Manchester and Chapter in Cardiff. This is Louise’s second time at Watershed – she worked in Box Office straight out of university for a year and half when all tickets were sold manually using a roll of tickets coming out of a slot after you’d punched in the number you required - ranging from 1 to 5!

louise@watershed.co.uk

Mark joined Watershed in 1994 and has worked in Independent Cultural Cinema Exhibition for over 20 years.  He has curated seasons and touring programmes ranging from New Portuguese Cinemas to a retrospective of French filmmaker Claire Denis. He has been on juries at film festivals including Cannes and Berlin. He is also the Creative Director of Encounters International Film Festival in Bristol. In November 2010 he collected the Europa Cinemas award for Entrepreneur Cinema of the Year.

Listen to Mark’s monthly podcast and follow him on Twitter @msc45.

mark@watershed.co.uk

Oliver Humpage joined Watershed as an ICT technician in 2000 (becoming ICT Co-ordinator in 2001), immediately after graduating from a mathematics masters degree at the University of Bristol. Security and networking remain Oliver's favourite bits of the job, since they're the closest IT gets to pure maths. However above all else he sees IT merely as a useful tool, often eschewing technical solutions in favour of people-based ones. He plays a variety of musical instruments, including piano and viola, which he plays in the Keynsham orchestra. His departmental motto is "Make stuff work."

oliver@watershed.co.uk

Paddy joined Watershed in 2003 following a career that has included working in theatre, youth work, as a computer media engineer, and freelance designer, photographer, web developer and musician. He is responsible for creating, editing and archiving a wide variety of online media, and supporting staff and participants in Watershed projects.

paddy@watershed.co.uk

Roberta graduated from Dartington College of Arts in 1993, specialising in photography. Roberta started working at Watershed in 1997 as a part-time usher, moved onto photographic gallery invigilator, then darkroom technician within the Education Department - and also managed the shop for a brief period during this time. After the Education Department Roberta side-stepped into Events and has been working here enjoying welcoming old and new clients alike since.

roberta.walker@watershed.co.uk

Stewart joined Watershed in 2011 to take care of the day-to-day user support and behind-the-scenes black magic of Watershed’s IT systems and digital infrastructures. He's always had a passion for tinkering with technology and in 1999, co-founded Nameless, a Bristol-based digital marketing agency where he developed his skills, knowledge and experience in digital infrastructures and company management. Stewart has an MEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Bristol University and is also a brilliant problem solver, a talent that comes in very handy at Watershed.

stewart.morgan@watershed.co.uk

Verity is responsible for curating and managing the Pervasive Media Studio, promoting and coordinating the vibrant community of residents and partners and supporting the innovative portfolio of work that is developed there. A key part of her role as Producer is to document and disseminate the research undertaken by collaborators.

With a diverse background in public exhibition across the visual arts, live art, film and performance, and working in the public sector funding innovative digital businesses, Verity is passionate about championing all things creative, experimental and unexpected.

verity.alexander@watershed.co.uk