Shraddha Chaudhary (Shades) (she/her)

Assistant Director (Culture and Inclusion)

Usual working pattern: Monday – Friday

Email: S.Chaudhary@exeter.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)7554 229110

As the Assistant Director (Culture and Inclusion), I work with students, staff and community partners to collaboratively design and deliver the University’s EDI Vision and Strategy. I lead the University’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) team and work closely with colleagues from Widening Participation, Academic Development and Education and Student Support.

The role also supports the University’s Executive Board and Senior leadership teams in ensuring the diversity, differential experiences and emerging EDI issues are considered in decision-making at the highest levels.

Through my previous experiences, I have specialist insight into EDI, Wellbeing, Student and Staff Engagement portfolios within Universities and Students’ Unions. In the past few years, I have held various leadership positions in the Higher Education Sector, including a Board-level role with the Office for Students (OfS).

Dorcas Cowan (she/her)

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager

Usual working pattern: Monday – Thursday (Flexible hours)

Email: D.M.Cowan@exeter.ac.uk

Dorcas is the strategic lead for equality, diversity and inclusion at the University and works in an advisory capacity to further embed equality, diversity and inclusion across our whole community.

She leads the EDI team in the delivery of the University's EDI Vision 2025 with specific responsibility for our institutional agendas for Gender and Sexual Orientation including associated accreditation work.

Dorcas joined the University in 2004, originally as an HR Policy Officer with responsibility for equality and diversity issues before moving into her current role in 2010.

Beau Bell (they/them)

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager

Usual working pattern: Monday – Friday 

Email: B.Bell@exeter.ac.uk

Beau is a strategic lead for equality, diversity and inclusion at the University and works in an advisory capacity to further embed equality, diversity and inclusion across our whole community.

They lead on our institutional agendas for Disability and Race Equality including associated accreditation work.

Prior to this role, Beau has worked across alumni relations, student support and wellbeing, residential life, and internal communications.

Rae Preston (she/her)

Athena Swan Charter Manager / Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Advisor (Cornwall)

Usual working pattern: Monday - Friday

Email: R.Preston@exeter.ac.uk

Rae works full-time split between two roles as the University's Athena Swan Charter Manager (0.5FTE) and EDI Advisor for the University's Cornwall campuses in Penryn and Truro (0.5FTE). She leads on gender equality within the team and is responsible for driving forward the EDI agenda at the Cornwall campuses. 

Prior to joining the University in 2019, Rae worked in the charity sector in community mental health and refugee support services. She currently volunteers for a local community sponsorship charity as an Arabic interpreter.

Lewis Nurton (he/him)

Learning and Development Manager (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion)

Usual working pattern: Monday - Friday

Email: L.Nurton@exeter.ac.uk

Lewis co-delivers the bystander intervention training, engaging students and staff in conversations around the strategies and approaches that can be taken to make Exeter University a more inclusive organisation.

Prior to this role, Lewis worked for the Students’ Union in Cornwall supporting academic representation, sabbatical officers, campaigns and events and large-scale student events. He has a background in primary education and a specialism in autism.  

Deborah Lee (she/her)

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Advisor

Usual working pattern: Tuesday - Wednesday

Email: D.S.Lee@exeter.ac.uk

Deborah is a part-time EDI Advisor based at the University of Exeter. She leads on sexual orientation equality within the team, supporting related groups, providing guidance and progressing continual improvements toward a more diverse and inclusive environment for all staff and students.

Prior to joining the University, Deborah has worked in IT, Environmental Science and Relationship Management roles.  Voluntary work has included leading an LGBTQ+ Staff Network and providing Dignity and Respect Advice, and she is currently on the committee of a local women’s group.

Lena Worwood (she/her)

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Advisor

Usual working pattern: Monday - Friday

Email: S.Worwood2@exeter.ac.uk

Lena is an EDI Advisor looking after the Disability Equality Group and liaising with the associated networks. She works on accreditation projects such as Disability Confident.

Lena is also one of the organisers of the University’s Trans and Non-binary Cafe and has worked for the University since 2016 in a number of roles including philanthropy, quality and standards, advice, the Student Information Desk and degree apprenticeships.

Jasper Privett (he/him)

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor

Usual working pattern: Monday - Friday

Email: j.f.privett2@exeter.ac.uk

Jasper is an EDI Advisor, supporting departmental Athena Swan applications across the University.

Alongside this role, he is one of Co-Chairs the LGBTQ+ Staff Network and helps facilitate the Trans and Nonbinary Café. Before this post, Jasper completed both his undergraduate and MA at the University of Exeter, then worked as a staff-facing administrative assistant in the College of Social Sciences and International Studies.