MEET THE TEAM

• 

  SHAHINA
  JOHNSON MBE

  CEO & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

  Shahina has over 25 years’ experience in arts management and media production and has spent much of that at Create Studios with the occasional secondment to run national Cultural Education projects but always returns! She is proud to have led Create through its transition to a Social Enterprise model embracing all digital media above and beyond her roots in film. Shahina has previously supported Bristol’s Watershed and Swindon & Wiltshire LEP Boards, and was delighted to receive an MBE in the 2018 New Year’s Honours for services to Arts and Creative Industries in Swindon & Wiltshire. As an Arts Council England SW Area Council member, Shahina is committed to positive change in the Creative Industries.

• 

  GURCH
  SINGH

  EXEC DIRECTOR & SENIOR FILM CREATIVE

  Gurch is a South West based Director/ Self Shooter who has experience of working in various sectors from broadcast to award winning short films also mentoring our young digital creative group, MassMedia. He was Lead Artist on SEE ME TOO, delivering amazing, lyrical exhibition pieces for Create's social history projects, as well as our corporate productions from Chelsea FC to National Trust and more. He brings his experience of the Production Sector and Skills Development to his role as Non-Exec Director of Create.

• 

  MARILYN
  FITZGERALD

  EXEC DIRECTOR & PRODUCTION/SKILLS DEVELOPMENT LEAD

  Marilyn loves the arts and enabling young people to progress and is delighted to be Co-Director at Create as she gets to enjoy both things. As Production Manager, she heads up the team to bring the many, diverse Create projects to fruition and is heroic in her efforts to secure the trickiest of locations and permissions. Marilyn works alongside Gurch to teach the Create Futures Graduates the nuances of Production Management and the powers of tact and diplomacy. Marilyn likes to write, a skill that is woven into many productions, with a particular love of comedy writing based on her previous experience running a comedy club in Swindon.

• 

  SIMON
  PERKINS

  NON-EXEC DIRECTOR

  Simon brings his experience of corporate finance and partnership mergers to benefit Create’s Social Enterprise model, and is committed to supporting the not-for-profit sector with his skills. Having overseen international mergers for clients like The Prudential, Simon’s diligence and attention to detail benefits Create’s current and future partnerships, ensuring that our model is sustainable and robust. Simon is passionate about our aims, and glad his financial skills can support real change through Create’s work.

• 

  ANTHONY
  SKATES

  NON-EXEC DIRECTOR

  Anthony is currently Senior Partnerships Manager for CCSkills in the South West and West Midlands. He has spent 20 years in the field of skills development and vocational guidance with a particular focus on Creative Industries. Prior to joining CCSkills his most recent experience was as a Go Wales Adviser at the University of South Wales where he developed specialist work placement opportunities for Creative Industry students. Other roles he has undertaken include managing the South East Wales Library Partnership and the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Media Academy. Anthony also works as a self-employed artist.

• 

  CHARLOTTE
  CAPENER

  ACCOUNT MANAGER

  Charlotte is an experienced Account Manager with over 10 years working in marketing, campaign strategy and operations across a range of sectors including charity, publishing, fashion and events. Charlotte’s role at Create is to look after our partners and clients, working alongside the production team to bring their vision and stories to life.

• 

  THOM
  HOBBS

  FILM CREATIVE

  A talented Photographer and Filmmaker, Thom works with us in a Production role where he creates original content across photo and film, assists in production and filming on location shoots, and works as our in house Editor on many high profile projects. Outside of Create Studios, Thom works nationally and internationally for brands, creating engaging content for digital and print.

• 

  CANISHA
  CHAKADYA

  MARKETING LEAD

  Canisha graduated from Swansea University with a degree in Business and Management and has recently joined Create as our Marketing Lead; responsible for social media, marketing, and PR activities. Previously, Canisha worked with Create on a summer internship during her degree program and is excited to be back. Bringing with her a broad range of knowledge and experience as founder of a social enterprise, business intern at Google, and digital marketing assistant at a tech start-up to name a few.

• 

  KIARA
  WAKELEY

  PRODUCTION MANAGER APPRENTICE

  Kiara joined Create in August 2019, and is a part of our Outreach team sharing digital skills in formal and informal settings with young people and communities. Helping them to grow confidence, new skills and make positive choices about their futures. She now is training with our new Apprenticeship in Production Management programme, working closely with all of the team. She has already produced the recent film 'Like a Person' with LGBTQ+ Community, 'Out of the Can' which launched December 2019.

• 

  ASH
  ALI

  FREELANCE ASSOCIATE

  Ash came to Create Studios with a background in illustration having done a brief stint in a tattoo parlour drawing on paper and on people. Supported through an Advanced Creative Apprenticeship at Create he transferred his drawing and illustration skills to digital design. He is now a Freelance Graphic Designer leading on Create's brand and key projects like SEE ME TOO and Digisheds whilst working on diverse projects from making apps, posters, clothing and other products in his own online store.

• 

  EMMA
  ROWE

  HERITAGE & OUTREACH PRODUCER

  Emma is local to Swindon and studied History at University. During that time she secured an internship with Create Studios as Heritage Researcher on the 100 Stories project in 2014. From that point, Emma became our 'go-to' Heritage Researcher, contributing to a range of social history projects including Digital Curators, See Me Too and Safe Haven. Emma also brings her experience from several roles within Education and Outreach, from Mental Health Advisor to Personal Tutor. She strives to break down barriers, make history relatable and accessible in today's world, to connect people to the past to build a stronger future.

• 

  HENRY
  MEREDITH

  FREELANCE ASSOCIATE

  Henry came to us through our young people’s group MassMedia and worked his way up from a volunteer runner to becoming one of our regular paid Freelance Associates, adept in camera, sound and editing. As well as crewing our professional productions, Henry mentors other young people through MassMedia and outreach commissions across the South West from Cheltenham with the Wilson Gallery to Stonehenge with English Heritage. All this when he is not filming in Nepal, the States and beyond.

• 

  JO
  BEAL

  FREELANCE ASSOCIATE

  Jo is a freelance Arts Manager with 24 years' experience working in a wide range of settings and across many art forms, most recently working in the outdoor arts sector, supporting artists and arts organisations to raise funds, programme work and deliver festivals and events. Jo believes that experiencing high-quality arts produces positive outcomes for all - audiences, volunteers, participants, artists and supporters. She loves working with people to produce inspiring, joyous and shared creative experiences.

• 

  TOM
  ARTHUR

  FREELANCE ASSOCIATE

  Tom joined Create through our Create Futures programme in hopes of building on the skills he had developed as a Freelance Filmmaker. Since then, Tom has played a role in Create's largest projects for Chelsea FC and Swindon Town. He can be found on set or editing content but likes to be known as Create’s very own football consultant!