This week is Trustee Week, an annual UK-wide celebration recognising the contribution of charity trustees and the important role they play in supporting organisations.
We are delighted to welcome Lisha Zhong as our new Student Trustee and Chair of Students. Currently studying MA Fine Art at the Art School. Prior to this, she has an academic background in Natural Sciences (BA, University of Cambridge), later specialising in Bioengineering and Materials Science as a departmental scholar (MRes, PhD, Imperial College London/University of Oxford). During this time, she has worked at the Heong Gallery, received the Blyth Art Award & Fellowship and the Twining Egginton Fine Arts Prize. She has also worked on teams such as the Fitzwilliam Museum Society and ESEA collectives. She is active in outreach and community engagement, co-delivering events at the Great Exhibition Road Festival and Eastway Baths.
We would also like to recognise and thank three trustees who are retiring from our Board after nine years of service.
Dr Caroline Campbell was appointed a Trustee of the Art School in January 2018. She is Director of the National Gallery of Ireland. Born and educated in Northern Ireland, she has lived in Kennington for over a decade. In her museum career, Caroline has curated exhibitions across the range of Western art, from the Middle Ages to the late 20th century, with a particular focus on Renaissance Italy; and was until recently Director of Collections and Research at the National Gallery, London.
Professor Jane Rapley OBE was formerly the Head of the College of Art and Design at Central Saint Martins, during which time she orchestrated the development and relocation to the new campus at Kings Cross. She also served as Head of Fashion and Textiles for nearly two decades, helping to launch designers such as Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney, and is now Professor Emerita. She was made an Honorary Fellow of Musashino University, Tokyo in 2009 and was awarded an OBE for services to Higher Education in 2001. She is widely respected for her expertise in art higher education.
Martin Hatfull is a former British diplomat (Minister to Japan; Ambassador to Indonesia and ASEAN) and Director of International Public Affairs at Diageo plc. He served on board of UK-India and UK-ASEAN Business Councils; and is currently advisor to a global public affairs company, Chair of Anglo-Indonesian Society, and Deputy Chair of the Japan Society.
We are hugely grateful to Caroline, Jane and Martin for their commitment, expertise and contribution to the Art School over the past nine years, and wish them all the very best.