Meet the people who run the Society of Young Publishers
The Society is run by members who have volunteered their services, helping out between their full-time jobs or degree courses. Further details about each post is shown below, together with a contact email address – feel free to contact us if you have any questions or ideas for the SYP.
SYP Oxford is also looking for new members to join our well-oiled committee to help carry over the positive events of 2011 into 2012. If you are interested please contact the current Co-Chairs, Chris Boor or Polly Silk (at oxford@thesyp.org.uk) to express your interest in any of the committee roles. Thank you!
See also the London Committee page.
Oxford Committee 2011
Co-Chair
Chris Boor shares responsibility for the Oxford SYP committee, along with Polly Silk. Together they chair the committee meetings, think up new ideas for regional events and introduce the speakers at SYP Oxford speaker meetings.
Interesting fact: Chris once kissed Natalie Portman, nutmegged David Beckham and wrote the Great American Novel, all in the same night. Then he woke up.
Co-Chair
Polly Silk shares responsibility for the Oxford SYP committee, along with Chris Boor. Together they chair the committee meetings, think up new ideas for regional events and introduce the speakers at SYP Oxford speaker meetings.
Interesting fact: Once dressed up as an eye test and danced in front of the OUP staff!
Speaker Meeting Coordinator
Heather Benn and Joanna Williams help publicise the speaker events that SYP Oxford hold on a monthly basis. Heather coordinates the speaker events in Oxford and works alongside the rest of the committee to spread the word about events to publishing professionals across Oxfordshire.
Interesting fact: Heather has a slightly strange fondness for milk.
Marketing, Publicity and Web Coordinator
Brianna Corbett and Annie Rose maintain and update the content on the Oxford pages of the SYP website, and promote the group’s events via Facebook, Twitter and regular Press Emails.
Interesting fact: Is trained as a scenic designer and theatrical painter, welder and carpenter.
Treasurer and Membership Secretary
Jennie Courage helps the SYP Oxford committee by keeping track of finances, helping take payments at speaker meetings, keeping on top of expenses and income, and handling the Oxford accounts. Jennie is also the first point of contact for all members, keeps them updated with the goings on, maintains our membership database and provides a familiar face for members at their first speaker meetings and socials.
Interesting fact: Once crashed her car going the wrong way down a one way street. Jennie has since re-calibrated her GPS!
Oxford Brookes University Liaison
Brynna Gabrielson is currently pursuing her Master of Arts Degree in Publishing. With Liesa Opitz, she helps keep the students of Oxford Brookes informed on all the going ons of the SYP Oxford.
Interesting fact: She spent three summers working at Walt Disney World.
Social Events Coordinator
Megan James and Katie Lewis help publicise the social events that SYP Oxford hold on a monthly basis. Along with other SYP members, she comes up with new ideas for training events, special guest evenings and make sure everyone ‘has a laugh!’
Interesting fact: Has an identical twin, which has resulted in many confusing and awkward situations!
Annual Conference Chair
Aaron O’Dowling-Keane will be taking on the role of Conference Chair. Her duties will involve organising the 2011 Annual Conference speakers, venue and programme for the Oxford committee’s biennial publishing conference. This will be done with a lot of support from the of the committee!
Interesting fact: Aaron was once mugged by an ostrich.
Social Events Coordinator
Katie Lewis organizes social events with Megan James. In the past year they have organized two parties, a pub quiz, a photographic treasure hunt, a pub crawl, Pimm’s fuelled punting and a traffic light networking evening – and there’s plenty more to come! Most of Katie and Megan’s events involve some kind of gratis beverages!
Interesting fact: Once hitchhiked from Leeds to Morocco for charity.
Oxford University Undergraduate Liaison Officer
Antonia Powell is responsible for publicizing the SYP and its events to undergraduate students at the university. She is a third-year Geography student at Jesus College, hoping to go into publishing once she graduates.
Interesting fact: She is the proud owner of four Blue Peter badges!
Events Coordinator
Katie Reeves is helping the Committee with speaker events and socials. She
worked as a Sales Exec at HarperCollins in commercial fiction Sales for 2
years, and is currently undertaking an American History masters degree at
Oxford Uni.
Interesting fact: She is distantly related to Shania Twain.
Marketing, Publicity and Web Coordinator
Annie Rose and Brianna Corbett maintain and update the content on the Oxford pages of the SYP website, and promote the group’s events via Facebook, Twitter and regular Press Emails.
Interesting fact: Is 1/8 Iranian.
Speaker Meeting Coordinator
Joanna Williams helps to co-ordinate regular speaker events in Oxford alongside Heather Benn.
Interesting fact: She once won a school trip to Mars for her class (although they only got as far as the Space Centre in Leicester).
