Meet the team

We're a team of 24 staff and freelancers, working with over 400 members including UK universities, further education colleges and students' unions.

Senior management

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Anne Marie Graham, Chief Executive

Anne Marie joined UKCISA in 2019 from the Association of Commonwealth Universities, where she was Director of Chevening, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s flagship global scholarship scheme.

Prior to that, Anne Marie has led on a range of educational programmes and projects promoting international mobility and intercultural exchange. At Universities UK International, she developed the first government-funded UK Strategy for Outward Mobility, and established the Go International programme to build capacity and influence institutional change in UK universities to increase the proportion of UK-domiciled students with international experience.

Anne Marie is a Commissioner for the International Higher Education Commission, supporting the establishment of a new International Education Strategy 2.0. 

Email: chiefexec@ukcisa.org.uk

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    Yinbo Yu, Head of Engagement and Partnerships

    Yinbo joined UKCISA in 2019 where he leads the non-member engagement function, including stakeholder communications, international student engagement, UKCISA’s strategic partnerships function, the award-winning #WeAreInternational campaign and its student ambassador programme.  

    Prior to that, Yinbo was elected as the International Students’ Officer at the National Union of Students UK (NUS) for two terms, representing around half a million international students in the UK. Yinbo was educated at Nanjing Foreign Language School in China before coming to the UK to study for a BSc in economics at the University of East Anglia and an MSc in urban economic development at University College London. 

    Yinbo was a joint winner of the inaugural PIEoneer Awards Emerging Leader award in 2023.

     

     

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    Heather Knight, Head of Advice and Training

    Heather became Head of Advice and Training in November 2020, having joined UKCISA as an Advice and Training Officer in 2016. She leads the Advice and Training team who monitor, analyse, and interpret legislation and policy that impact international students. She also manages the development and delivery of UKCISA’s advice and training services for member organisations. She is registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) to provide immigration advice.

    Prior to joining UKCISA, Heather worked at London South Bank University and was responsible for providing immigration and welfare advice to international students, their families and university staff. She holds a first degree in Thai and Southeast Asian studies from the University of Leeds and spent time as an international student at Chiang Mai University. She also holds a postgraduate research degree in Thai Studies from the University of Leeds, and as part of this was sponsored by the Thai Royal Embassy and Consulate to conduct research and translation work in Thailand on the theme of politics and social protest.

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    Shreena Dholakia, Head of Finance and Resources

    Shreena joined UKCISA in 2024. As Head of Finance & Resources, she leads on financial planning and management, human resources and operations for the organisation, and acts as Company Secretary for UKCISA.  

    Shreena is an FCCA qualified accountant with nearly 20 years of finance experience, including more than a decade in the not-for-profit and charity sector. 

    As well as a wealth of expertise in financial management and strategic planning, Shreena brings her experience of studying as an international student in the UK.

Our team

  • Anne Marie Graham, Chief Executive
  • Sam Jones, Executive Assistant
  • Oscar Triggs, Website Project Officer

  1. Advice and Training

    • Heather Knight, Head of Advice & Training
    • Christopher Benjamin, Advice & Training Officer
    • Will Burton, Events and Training Manager
    • Deepa Chadha, Advice & Training Officer
    • Kate Handforth, Advice & Training Officer
    • Andrew Humphrey, Adviser (freelance)
    • Yasmin Khan, Adviser (freelance)
    • Ros Martin, Adviser (freelance)
    • Tema Nwulu, Advice & Training Officer
    • Sarah Rimmington, Advice & Training Officer (freelance)
    • Robert Young, Advice & Training Officer

  2. Engagement & Partnerships

    • Yinbo Yu, Head of Engagement & Partnerships
    • Nire Adetimehin, Digital Communications and Content Officer
    • Jane McCarthy, Communications Consultant (freelance)
    • Anne Salter, Communications Manager
    • Carolyn Sowa, Programme Officer (Student Ambassadors)

  3. Finance and Resources

    • Shreena Dholakia, Head of Finance & Resources
    • So-Ha Au, Membership & Web Assistant
    • Anushka Gunawardena, Senior Finance and Resources Officer
    • Jody O’Brien, Office Administrator
    • Ben Miller Williams, Finance & Resources Officer (freelance)

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