Myers and Burden join Creative Access board as new steering group cohort announced

Cameron Myers and Lizzy Burden have been appointed non-executive board directors at Creative Access, as the organisation announces the cohort for its 2023-24 steering group. 

The steering group was launched in 2022 to provide a leadership pathway for participants from underrepresented backgrounds to become trustees or non-executive directors of creative organisations. Both Myers and Burden were members of the inaugural steering group “showcasing the impact of the programme” Creative Access said.  

Myers, former Creative Access trainee at Hodder & Stoughton and current commissioning editor at Penguin General, said: “I’m so thrilled and delighted to be joining the board of Creative Access. I’ve benefitted so much from the organisation’s leadership and impact over the years, so to be able to now feed in to all that Creative Access continues to do on a strategic level is sure to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.” 

This year’s 16-strong cohort is made up of Creative Access alumni from groups that are underrepresented in the creative industries in terms of ethnicity, socio-economic background or disability. Media firm Simons Muirhead Burton has also joined forces with Creative Access this year to guide and sponsor the steering group. Its involvement includes a financial contribution, hosting the meetings at its central London office and providing in-house speakers on legal governance. 

Josie Dobrin, executive chair at Creative Access, said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Cameron and Lizzy to our board. Creative Access has grown rapidly in both its work and its influence over the past few years. It’s extremely exciting to add two such brilliant and skilled people to the organisation – and especially gratifying to have our first alumni on our board as we seek to grow our impact over the coming years, and to create the urgent change required to representation at all levels of the creative industries and culture sector.   

“We are also thrilled to have such a phenomenal new group of alumni to our steering group. Our community have a huge amount of skills and energy to offer to leadership teams of commercial and not-for-profit organisations.  All too often job descriptions require applicants to have experience for non-executive roles, so by creating this leadership pathway, we are removing obstacles for progression. We are indebted to Simons Muirhead Burton for their huge and invaluable support of this programme.”  

This year’s cohort is made up of:

• Alice Kemp-Habib, freelance journalist  
• Akua Boateng, marketing manager, Bloomsbury Publishing   
• Anderona Cole, external relations and public affairs officer, Jisc  
• Annie Muyang, senior diversity and inclusion manager, Bloomsbury Publishing  
• Charmain Leung, senior product manager, Haven Bourne Leisure  
• Chynna Sampson, publicity manager, Objective Media Group  
• Dean Webster, head of development, Ten66 Television  
• Dushi Horti, freelance editor and copywriter  
• Eda Nacar, head of marketing and communications, Shoreditch Town Hall  
• Folarin Sagaya, freelance journalist  
• Gina Chahal, PR and communications manager, Motability  
• Jaber Mohamed, director of health comms and PR, MHP Group  
• Osas Esosa, research analyst, Olsberg SPI  
• Priyanka Chavda, development co-ordinator, The Lighthouse Film & TV  
• Rohan Sethi, producer for digital content team, BBC Sport  
• Zindzi Rocque Drayton, assistant producer, October Films