Work, volunteering and career planning

Alex Dochery, Investment Team Manager, Business Doncaster

Alex manages the Investment Team at Business Doncaster, Doncaster Council’s Economic Development service. Acting as a front door for commercial developers and investors, the Investment Team is responsible for attracting inward investment into Doncaster, supporting indigenous business growth, and promoting Doncaster as the best place to live, work and invest in. Passionate about economic development and making a difference to local communities, Alex has been in local government for eight years having entered the sector through the Local Government Association’s National Graduate Development Programme (NGDP). Before working at Business Doncaster, Alex held a joint post with City of York Council and York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Zoe Gould, Director, Deloitte Digital

Zoë is an experienced digital transformation specialist. With over 15 years previous experience in the Civil Service and Public Sector, working across 5 Government Departments and Agencies, most notable her previous roles as Head of Product at the DWP, Head of Product & Digital Delivery at the CQC and Transformation Lead at GDS. She has spent the last 3 years as a Consultant, working with the Public Sector to deliver digital services; worked with organisations like Land Registry and NHS Digital and the Planning Inspectorate; delivering services like NHS Jobs, the COVID-19 Home Testing Service, and improving use of Workforce Data for Social Care.   She is currently a Director at Deloitte Digital, helping Public Sector organisations implement a Product focused and Human Centred approach to support the delivery of digital transformation.

William Harvey, Senior Policy Advisor, HM Treasury

I graduated from the University of York in 2014 and did my MA and PhD at the University of Manchester, where I was also a lecturer in the politics department. I left academia in 2019 to work in Parliament, where I was the Policy Analyst for the Economic Affairs Committee in the House of Lords. My work in Parliament mainly focused on economic and monetary policy in the UK. I then moved to HM Treasury in 2021, where I currently work as a Senior Policy Adviser in the Strategy, Planning and Budget group.

Alison Palmer, Senior Policy Advisor, DCMS

I graduated with a first class in Sociology with Social Psychology in 2021. At the University of York, I was the Vice President of the Sociology Society, member of the Student Expert Panel, and worked part-time as a Brand Manager for Teach First. These responsibilities helped me land my current role as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport under the Civil Service. My day-to-day includes developing strategic policy interventions and managing engagement with external stakeholders, but also trips abroad such as recently leading the UK delegation for the G20 summit in India!

Kathryn Blacker, CEO, York Museums Trust

Kathryn has been in post since January 2023. Previously, Kathryn was Chapter Steward/Chief Operating Officer at York Minster for nine years. She also chaired the Cathedral and Administration Finance Association and served on Bishoprics and Cathedrals Committee. Prior to the Minster she worked for eight years as Deputy Director of the National Media Museum.

Before moving to Yorkshire, Kathryn was a Producer for BBC Sport, working across linear and interactive outputs, part of a team awarded a Bafta Interactive. Kathryn lives in York with her husband and children. She is a Trustee of Pathfinder Multi-Academy Trust.

Tim Evans, Deputy Director, Archaeology Data Service, University of York

Tim is the Deputy Director of the Archaeology Data Service (ADS), an accredited digital repository for archaeology and heritage data based within the Department of Archaeology at the University of York. He teaches on the MSc for Digital Heritage, providing expertise on digital preservation, data management, and re-use and access. His research interests are focussed on developing technical solutions to archaeological problems, and the challenges that working digitally brings to the academic necessities of accuracy, reliability, and persistence.

Grace Frazer, Community Manager, Gertrude Art Technologies

Since completing her History of Art Undergraduate degree at The University of York in 2020, and graduating Goldsmiths MA Contemporary Art Theory, Grace has been the Community Manager at Gertrude. Founded by the founders of The Sunday Painter, Gertrude is the global online platform for leading independent artists. As Community Manager, Grace supports Artists to launch, build and sustain a successful career in art. Gertrude’s proprietary technology facilitates discovery, connection, subscription to, and sale of curated art from around the world, engaging and empowering visual artists. In addition, Grace is the Gallery co-ordinator at mother’s tankstation in London, supporting represented artists, introducing them to significant international attention.

Sarah Hilliam, Director of Development, National Portrait Gallery

Sarah is Director of Development at the National Portrait Gallery. She specialises in securing major gifts for transformational museum projects and has worked with many of the world’s preeminent arts philanthropists. Her experience spans fundraising, programming and education. Sarah was formerly Head of Major Gifts and Campaigns and acting Deputy Director of Development at the Royal Academy of Arts and is a speaker for University College London and Sotheby’s Institute. Sarah graduated from the University of St Andrews with an MA Hons in Art History and International Relations and an MLitt in Museum Studies. She has been a Trustee of Art360 Foundation since 2018.

Bethany Watrous, Founder/CEO, Experience Heritage 

Bethany is an archaeologist and digital artist who received her Masters in Archaeology of Buildings from the University of York in 2019. Her research in 3D reconstructive modelling of lost structures led her to found Experience Heritage which combines both her heritage and digital passions. Her work uses 3D modelling, XR and mobile applications to make heritage more accessible. She’s already worked with clients like the National Trust and the National Paralympics Heritage Trust and has recently been awarded Most Influential Digital Media and Research Businesswoman by Acquisition International Magazine and included in the Yorkshire Business Insider’s 42 Under 42.

Liz Hill, Associate Chief Operating Officer - Surgery, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

I graduated from the University of York in 2011 with an LLB(hons) in Law. Whilst in the third year of my degree, I successfully applied for the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme (general management stream). I successfully completed the two year scheme and was based at NHS Trusts in Leeds and York then spent my elective placement at Leeds City Council. I secured my first substantive post at York & Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have spent the last ten years working in various operational management roles. In my current role as Associate Chief Operating Officer for Surgery, I am responsible for and operationally lead the Surgical Care Group within the Trust.

Anna Karakusevic, Associate Value Consultant, Adelphi Values Prove

Anna Karakusevic works as a Value Consultant within the Value Insight and Communications team at Adelphi Values PROVE™. Within this role, Anna leads a variety of healthcare projects to support market access strategies, including literature reviews, evidence-based dossiers, primary research, and external publications. Anna has experience in a range of therapeutic areas including vaccines, infectious diseases, rare diseases, and oncology. Prior to joining Adelphi Values, Anna graduated from Newcastle University with a BSc (Honours) degree in Biomedical Science. Alongside her work at Adelphi Values, Anna has completed a MSc in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, with a focus on infectious diseases and vaccines.

Rachael MacDonald, Health Economist, YHEC (Health Economics Consultancy)

Rachael MacDonald is a health economist within the NHS and Public Sector team at York Health Economics Consortium (YHEC). Rachael graduated with an MA (Hons) in Economics from Heriot-Watt University in 2020 and with an MSc in Health Economics from the University of York in 2021. Since joining YHEC, Rachael has been involved in a range of projects and has developed economic models in research areas including cancer, mental health, and fertility. Rachael has previous experience as an intern in the innovation department of a hospital in the USA, primarily focused on developing the business models of digital health innovations.

Alex Payne-Dwyer, Research Fellow in BioPhysics, Physics of Life Group, University of York

Alex Payne-Dwyer is an experimental physicist at the University of York, specialising in quantitative biological microscopy. His doctoral work developed unique optical tweezers and fluorescence microscopes.  At Leeds, his work on AI computational image analysis delivered major impact in the HABSelect assisted reproductive therapy trial, leading to reduced miscarriage rates.  At York, he developed methods of tracking single molecules and protein assemblies in live cells, winning a postdoctoral fellowship to Japan to decipher how therapeutics inhibit cancer-related membrane receptors. He currently studies how cells form liquid condensates to turbocharge enzymatic reactions in the £2M York Physics of Pyrenoids Project.

Alicia Rose, Research and Intelligence Officer,  Healthwatch North Yorkshire 

Having completed my Undergraduate and Master's degree in Psychology at the University of York I became the Research and Intelligence Officer for Healthwatch North Yorkshire. In this role I conduct quantitative and qualitative research to gather patient experiences of health and social care services. I produce reports from this research and work with stakeholders to ensure the public’s voice is used to inform service delivery and strategy. It’s great to utilise the skills I developed through my academic studies and the volunteering opportunities I was involved with at York to help influence positive change within the health sector.