The Skoll Centre team

Dr Catherine Hasted is Deputy Director at the Skoll Centre, empowering changemakers within the Skoll community to drive scalable impact and effect positive societal change. Having spent the past 10 years at Cambridge University as Director of ThinkLab and Head of Business Partnerships, Catherine has worked with global strategic partners and research colleagues to translate fundamental research into life-changing impact. Previously, Catherine worked in senior leadership roles in commercial and non-profit organisations and has founded two successful companies. She completed her studies at Lancaster, Oxford and Cambridge universities and impact from her research has featured in the BBC, The Guardian and The Times. Outside of work, Catherine runs a
charity that she co-founded with friends and enjoys spending time with her family.

Elizaveta supports the delivery of Skoll Centre impact education programmes. She co-designs learning programmes with subject matter experts and coordinates various impact education activities for students, alumni, academics, and external contributors. Before joining the Skoll Centre, Elizaveta completed her Master of Science in International and Comparative Education from the University of Oxford. She also interned at the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP-UNESCO). Prior to that, she spent three years as an independent founder and content creator of a podcast and blog, which promoted educational opportunities for youth. Her podcast and blog reached over 8,500 listeners and 13,000 followers. Elizaveta is passionate about education, social impact, and international exchange. In her free time, she enjoys learning languages, listening to podcasts, dancing Lindy Hop, and hiking in nature.

Izzy Mohammed is the Community and Communications Manager at the Skoll Centre. With a proven track record in education and media marketing, as well as data-driven strategy, Izzy has led transformative campaigns at various companies, including Oxford University Press. Her expertise extends across multi-channel marketing at Oxford Brookes University and community engagement strategies at Amaliah. Izzy also offers strategic consultancy, contributing to marketing knowledge in publications such as 'How to Make Money' by Nafisa Bakkar. Passionate about leveraging technology for global impact, Izzy holds an MSc in Digital Marketing and is accredited by the Institute of Data & Marketing, highlighting her commitment to innovation in education and social entrepreneurship.

Jessica leads the Skoll Centre’s research portfolio, including its research fellowships, the Insights for Action seminar series, and developing new research-practice initiatives. Before joining the Skoll Centre in 2020, she worked for ten years in the international development sector, with experience in advising aid programmes, grant-making, and applied research in nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. She holds an MSc in Anthropology and Development from the LSE. Alongside her work at Skoll, Jessica is also undertaking a PGCert in Psychodynamic Counselling, and is particularly interested in issues of mental health and wellbeing in the social impact sector. When she’s not working or studying, she’s busy raising a very cool five-year-old.

Kathryn recently returned to the UK after nearly 20 years in New Zealand, where she earned a Master's in Public Policy from Victoria University of Wellington and built a successful career in older age policy. She has held senior roles with Age Concern New Zealand, the NZ Aged Care Association, and the Retirement Commission, among others. With a background in both policy and the arts, Kathryn also holds a BA in music performance and enjoys playing the violin, banjo, and piano, as well as singing. Now based in Oxford with her wife, she is a trustee of an independent care home and remains passionate about creating sustainable, people-focused solutions to big social challenges.

Lina is the Global Impact Education Coordinator at the Skoll Centre. She was previously been Project Coordinator at the Heilbronn Institute for Mathematical Research at the University of Bristol. In her free time, Lina enjoys bookbinding, calligraphy and illustration, baking, and being in nature.

Lydia is the Executive Assistant to the Academic Director. She has over a decade of administrative experience with expertise in scheduling, correspondence, and event planning. She has been with the Skoll Centre for much of her career, and in that time has honed her skills through working in various roles. She most enjoys the focus on working in social and environmental impact initiatives and connecting with many different people. Lydia spends her free time at home in the Oxfordshire countryside with her husband and two cats, and is most often either gardening or going for walks in the woods. 

Marya Besharov is Professor of Organisations and Impact at Saïd Business School and Academic Director of the Skoll Centre. Her research and teaching focus on leadership, social impact, and hybrid organisations. She engages with leaders and organisations worldwide to help them manage competing demands of social impact and financial performance. Marya received a BA in Social Studies, an MA in Sociology, and a PhD in Organisational Behaviour from Harvard University. She also holds an MBA from Stanford University. When she’s not doing research, teaching, or leading the Skoll Centre, she enjoys cooking, running, and spending time with her family.

As Research and Community Coordinator, Menna coordinates the delivery of the events and outputs of the research and insights portfolio. She also coordinates cross-cutting Centre events, and helps engage, curate and connect the Centre’s diverse community of academics, students and practitioners. Prior to joining the Skoll Centre, Menna completed her studies at the University of Edinburgh, graduating with a first-class degree in Social Anthropology with International Development from the University of Edinburgh. During her studies, she focused on environmental anthropology, energy policy, and global supply chains. Alongside her role at the Centre, Menna also Co-Chairs the Board of Cutteslowe Greenhouse, an Oxford-based cooperative seeking to restore the historic greenhouses in Cutteslowe Park and transform them into a thriving community growing hub. Originally from Wales, Menna enjoys reading, knitting, gardening, and spending time outdoors hiking and camping. 

Nick Gregg leads the impact education portfolio at the Skoll Centre. His focus is on shaping learning experiences that help students and practitioners prepare to contribute more effectively towards social change. 

Passionate about advancing educational and social equity, Nick has worked across the higher education, social start-up, and non-profit sectors to design, lead, and evaluate programs and partnerships that address access to education, career development, and student success. 

Nick holds a Master of Education in teaching and learning from the University of Ottawa and a Bachelor of Arts Honours from Carleton University.

Pippa has worked with the Skoll Centre since 2006, supporting the centre’s programmes and activities with an operational and financial focus. Originally trained as a horticulturalist, she studied Public Horticultural Administration with the MS Longwood Graduate Program, University of Delaware before working for the Royal Horticultural Society as the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show Manager. Away from Oxford, she runs a mixed farm with environmental schemes by the River Thames, in tandem with two teenagers.

Sarah leads Strategic Partnerships and Communications at the Skoll Centre and joined in June 2024. A communications and sustainability professional with over 20 years of experience, Sarah was previously Head of European Communications for Ecover and Method. Responsible for thought leadership, she led a number of sustainability initiatives and partnerships including a set of externally facing plastic commitments and a Nature-based Solutions fund. Sarah started her career working in PR agencies and was previously Head of Communications for Coca-Cola Great Britain. She is passionate about building purpose-led organisations and has a Post-Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Leadership from Cambridge University. She is a volunteer for the Cranfield Trust and is a keen netballer as well as a novice gardener.