Hope
The Hope team

Staff profiles

Name Jennifer Rigby
Position Head of Education and Mediator
Qualifications BA in Early Years Education
Background Jenny joined The Hope Centre in September 2001.  Prior to joining Hope she had taught in mainstream primary schools.  With a strong desire to teach in a special needs setting she joined the Hope team.  Over the years Jenny took an active role in the management of the centre and in September 2006 was rewarded with the position of Head of Education.  Working closely with Ruth Deutsch (Hope’s educational consultant) she oversees the day to day management of the Centre.   
Name Ruth M Deutsch
Position Principal Educational Consultant to Hope. Ruth works part time and has responsibility for assessment, staff training, guidance and monitoring the development and programmes of all Hope’s students.
Qualifications (BA Hons, Dip RSA. MA (Psych, Ed.)….
Background Ruth began her training with Feuerstein in 1990 at Shoresh.  She trained in the methodology and all programmes and has practiced as a clinician and practitioner for many years. She completed Trainers certification and regularly trains at the ICELP workshops. Ruth was appointed lead accredited trainer in Feuerstein’s methods by ICELP in 1994.  Ruth trains EP’s, teachers and therapists at University and in local courses across the UK and overseas. She describes her work as a wonderful mixture of hands on with students, together with training and teaching, each activity enriching the other.
Name Gina Drew-Davis
Position Executive Administrator
Qualifications Early Years Education (Westminster University) Pitmans College – Secretarial and Business
Background Gina has been with Hope for 10 years. Her responsibilities include fundraising, PR, Finance and management of the building.
Prior to this she was the Joint Head Teacher of a Nursery School, Volunteer Co-ordinator of a large Charity and a legal secretary.  Gina served as a Parent Governor/Trustee of a large comprehensive school, chaired a local charity and served on the National Executive of a world wide Charity as well as working as a counselor on a telephone help line. 
Name Cheryl Hanshaw
Position Education Administrator
Background Cheryl joined the Hope Centre in November 2004 after moving to London from Brighton, where she worked as a school secretary at a special needs school.
 Cheryl works in the Reception area of the building and is the first point of contact when visiting or telephoning the Hope Centre.  She works closely with the staff and parents ensuring the days and weeks run smoothly.  Along with the education side of the Hope Centre Cheryl also arranges the courses, which are held at the Hope Centre and distribution of instrument and book orders.  If you require any information about the Hope Centre contact Cheryl and she will either answer your questions or put you in the right direction.
Name Paul Pringle
Position Mediator/ Therapist
Qualifications B.ED, Ad.Dip.SEN, HG.Dip. (GHGI, ETSI registered)
Background Paul joined the Hope team in April 2002. His career in Education began in 1985 with his first teaching post in an inner city primary school. He has since worked in a wide range of educational settings spanning infant schools, junior schools and primary and secondary Special Education. Paul has extensive experience in working with students presenting a wide range of learning needs and is also qualified to work therapeutically to address emotional, behavioral and motivational concerns.
Name Jacqueline Wardlaw-Quirke
Position Speech and Language Therapist
Qualifications BA. MA. Msc. Clinical Communication Studies
Background Jackie joined the Hope Centre in September 2005 and has extensive experience of working with children with speech, language and communication difficulties. Prior to joining Hope she worked in a school service for children with a diagnosis of ASD in Ireland.  Prior to that she worked for four years in a local special school for children with moderate to severe learning difficulties following a two year placement working in language units for children with SLI.
Name Mary Keane
Position Mediator
Qualifications BA (Hons), PGCE, Dip Psychotherapy
Background Mary joined The Hope Centre in September 2001 and has extensive experience working with children with a wide range of emotional and educational needs. Prior to joining Hope she worked as a class teacher and as a SENCO in London state primary schools. In her role as a SENCO she helped many learners through the process of acquiring a statement of special educational needs. As a qualified attachment-based psychoanalytic psychotherapist she finds her training informs much of her work with her students especially those for whom the barriers to learning fall within the non-intellective range.
Name Luci Austin  
Position Speech and Language Therapist
Qualifications BSc MRCSLT (HPC registered)
Background Luci has been working at The Hope Centre since June 2004.  Luci is an experienced Speech and Language Therapist.  She is skilled at working with pre-school, school age children and young adults, with very different and often complex needs.  Prior to working at Hope she worked in the NHS in a variety of settings, including health centers, mainstream and special schools
Name Debbie Smith
Position Mediator
Qualifications B.A (Hons) Humanities, P.G.C.E Primary, Advanced T.E.F.L
Background Debbie joined The Hope Centre in September 2005 and has worked with children of all abilities for over six years.  Prior to joining Hope she worked in Hong Kong as an English teacher.
Name Robina Smith
Position Mediator
Qualifications Cert. Ed. (University of London), Central School Diploma in Speech & Drama, Diploma in T.E.F.L (International House, London)
Background Robina joined The Hope Centre in 2003 and has extensive experience working with children who have learning and communication difficulties. Prior to joining Hope, Robina taught children with severe and complex learning difficulties. She has additional training in speech and language difficulties and has managed provision for children with A.S.D as well as a language unit. Robina has also taught in primary and secondary schools in London and Saltzburg. She has been a S.E.N.C.O in an inner-city secondary school and Head of Education in a residential assessment centre. Robina spent five years working for a Local Education Authority with children who had difficulties with language and literacy. She has also provided In Service training for teachers and teaching assistants.
Name Sian Wilson
Position Paediatric OT
Qualifications BSc (Hons) SROT
Background Sian has worked as an occupational therapist for 17 years and started at The Hope Centre in 2004. Apart from working for 1 year in criminal psychiatry, she has always worked in paediatrics which has involved multi-disciplinary work in schools, clinics and family homes. She has specialist knowledge in children with autistic spectrum disorder and completed a 2 year research and service development project for children with autistic spectrum disorder and their families in the London Borough of Ealing. Sian has presented workshops and spoken at national conferences. She has also worked in private practice. Sian has post graduate training in numerous areas including Sensory Integration including therapeutic listening and Bobath (neuro-developmental ) treatment approaches.
Name Bernie Barthram
Position Paediatric OT
Qualifications BScOT
Background Bernie joined Hope in September 2007. Prior to joining Hope she has worked with a wide range of children with complex needs for the NHS . This included special schools, community clinics, mainstream schools and Sure Start. In 2005 Bernie spent three months undertaking OT voluntary work in an orphanage in South Africa. She is trained in various areas such as sensory integration, therapeutic listening treatment and Bobath (neurodevelopment).