Our team
Our tutors, coordinators and the people behind Open Book.
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Joe Baden
Open Book Director
Joe Baden is the director of Goldsmiths Open Book. Born in 1962, in Bermondsey, South-East London, Joe, a self-confessed Millwall supporter, is enormously proud of his working-class roots. Even so, from an early age he recognised the fact that virtually every person that he’d ever met from a similar background to himself appeared to be disadvantaged in some shape or form, especially in terms of education.

Sarah Lambert
Academic Skills Developer
A 30-year veteran of Goldsmiths College, Sarah initially taught and researched medieval history, and was instrumental in the building of a History Foundation programme specifically targeting, so-called, ‘non-traditional’ students. Sarah also had a role in Widening Participation at Goldsmiths, where she developed a university access programme for 11-13 year olds.

Fiona Taylor
Community Engagement & Pastoral Support Manager
Fiona has been an integral part of the Open Book team for more than twenty years now and has been involved in our collective struggle to provide higher education opportunities for people from working class backgrounds. Currently she teaches Working Class Histories and Art History, as well as co-facilitating the Open Book Club.

James Carney
Dyslexia Development Co-ordinator
James first came to Open Book in 2006 as a student, where he quickly decided, with the help and support of the Open Book team, undertaking a degree in History from which he graduated in 2009. Following his degree James continued to volunteer for Open Book, and then in 2015, having qualified as a Dyslexia tutor, through Dyslexia Action, became a full-time member of the Open Book team in the role of Dyslexia and Literacy Co-ordinator.

Susan Halliday
Community Engagement Officer
‘Rapunzel’ saved Susan in the 1960’s. The unfashionable dream was a rescuing prince, no prince in sight but plenty of frogs (no offence to the little green things). However this was this introduction into the world of fantasy and magic that sparked her imagination and love of books. Susan would rather write a short story than sit and have a conversation – writing being her weapon of choice.

Carolyn Taylor
Project Tutor
Carolyn has been teaching Open Book’s fantastic Art Class for many years now, encouraging her students to create a vast array of artistic work in various styles, with the added benefit of making bonds with each other, whilst exploring their creative sides.

Neil Bradley
Communication and Programmes Manager
Neil has been at Goldsmiths since 1999, and first started volunteering for Open Book in 2006, delivering a class in Creative Writing, before going on to gain, with the support of Open Book, an MA in Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmiths College, followed by a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education.

Mickey Holland
Project Tutor
Micky first came to Open Book through a friend of the Director and Founder and has real life experience of the Criminal Justice System. Over the years he has held many teaching roles within Open Book and now holds a joint teaching role delivering a class on Writing Towards Publication, which is aimed at students studying for their Extended Project Qualification, along with those working on their own academic and creative projects.

Jasmine Holland
Open Book Project Manager
Despite having expelled from school at a young age, Jasmine, with the help and support of Open Book, went on to earn a degree in Social History as a mature student, even though she claims to have struggled with the culture and academic requirements of university life.

Charlie Mahoney
Project Tutor
Charlie joined Open Book as a tutor in 2013 and is currently involved in the delivery of both the EPQ and Philosophy classes at Goldsmiths, as well as running weekly Creative Writing sessions for Open Book as part of its community engagement in Medway (his local area).

Tracie Moore
Open Book Administrator
Tracie was born and raised in New Cross. Her mother worked at Goldsmiths as a cleaner and, in her childhood, Tracie used to meet her mother at work to collect her bus pass money for school and never saw herself ever studying at such a prestigious university like Goldsmiths.