Chief Operations Officer
Raphael Laurent
Raphael has been with NKG since its inception in 2018 structuring our research and leading on our fact finding around electoral violence within the African continent. His academic formation, Bachelor of Theology from the University of Oxford, underscores his vocation as a Community Theologian it was at NKG that he developed his collaborative style which utilises community action research to ensure the equitable involvement of the community at every part of the process. He is committed to working with people who bring about structures to support human flourishing and values the power of story to reconcile people and align a trajectory of justice.
Founder & Advisor
Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell
Our Founder was the first Black woman to swim for Great Britain (GBR), quitting the 2012 GBR Olympic Team to attend the University of Oxford. She graduated with a BFA (Hons) degree before moving to Paris; there she worked as a communications strategist and learnt French. Her work now is mostly concerned with Decoloniality through storytelling—often crossing into gender, social, and cultural politics—this mostly happens through her writing and filmmaking. In 2019 she directed and produced the acclaimed documentary Breakfast in Kisumu.
Legal Advisor
Anthony O’Driscoll
Anthony is an associate in the Dispute Resolution team at Travers Smith LLP, he is developing a broad commercial litigation practice with a particular interest in regulatory and transactional issues. Travers Smith works on complex, multi-jurisdictional disputes heard before the Commercial Court and High Court. Anthony is also a member of the firm's BAME and LGBT Groups. He is a former international athlete and graduate of the University of Oxford where he read Human Sciences as a Moritz-Heyman scholar and was a Full Blue athlete. Anthony is also a recipient of the Dover Straits Award for the fastest CS&PF English Channel crossing in 2014.
Charity Sector Advisor
Thesia Kouloungou
Thesia was born in Congo Brazzaville but moved to Ivory Coast after the 1994 civil war. Thesia graduated from Northampton University with a degree in multimedia journalism and sociology. She worked for the National Lottery Community Fund, latterly overseeing grant making activities supporting organisations to engage more fully with communities. Thesia was also appointed the London and South east EDI lead for NLCF, leading initiatives to reduce inequality. Thesia was the EDI Lead at London South Bank University with a strategic focus on embedding equality diversity and inclusion in the lifecycle of staff and student experiences. She is now at the DCSM.
Mica Vidal-Taylor
Dr. Mica Vidal-Taylor BSc, MSc Oxon, MRes, PhD is a consultant, professional coach, scientist and writer. She completed her PhD at Imperial College London. She also holds Masters degrees from the University of Oxford. Mica is an Argentinian native who now calls London home; she has over 10 years of experience in the corporate world; working for major consulting firms in London. Mica has a longstanding interest in personal development and growth. She is the founder of a professional coaching combing solutions-based coaching with science-based approaches—all this she brings to NKG, assisting the team with their corporate relations development and growth.
Community Engagement
Chiara Stennett
Chiara is currently studying for a BA in Politics and International Relations at SOAS University of London; her interests lie in the University’s focus on non-Western perspectives and local solutions to safeguarding human rights. She also has a deep connection to the performing arts, having studied at Rose Bruford School of Drama. Chiara volunteers for Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees, she joined NKG in December 2020 as a community researcher.
Creative Producer
Lucasta Emley
Lucasta joined NKG following her BA in History of Art and Spanish. She also has formal art training, with a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design and a year studying plastic arts and printmaking at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico. Lucasta started at NKG as a production assistant, thereafter she worked as our in-house Creative Producer, directing shoots, producing films and running the NKG media department.
Researcher
Johnathan Brown
Johnathan is an American student studying Communications and Cinematic Arts as a Robertson Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. In Summer 2022, he joined NKG as an intern, helping to support research, planning, and outlining efforts; providing social media updates; and incorporating decoloniality through his storytelling and interpersonal endeavors.
Oliver Bradley-Baker
Ollie is a visual artist and cinematographer specialising in documentary filmmaking. After two years at Oxford University’s Ruskin School of Art he graduated with a Masters degree in Fine Art. His projects make extensive use of the medium of film: shooting in a mix of Digital, DV, VHS and 16mm film. Ollie has been a long time collaborator with NKG, shooting our long and short piece film work.