OUR TRUSTEES
John Mitchell OBE – Chair
My initial career was in banking, followed by four years as Finance Director for International Nepal Fellowship - a Christian medical mission / NGO based in Nepal. I then joined the British Council and have subsequently lived and worked in Hungary, Zambia, Algeria, UK, India and Afghanistan. Latterly, I was British Council Director in Morocco.
Anne Clayton - Vice Chair
In 2004 my husband and I moved to Jerusalem, where we lived in East Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. We worked with World Vision in the West Bank and Gaza. On our return to the UK in 2010, I became UK Director of Friends of Sabeel, stepping down in December 2015. I am currently an HR consultant with Oxford Leaders Ltd, which supports and mentors the leaders of national and international non-profit organisations.
Victoria Smith, Treasurer
I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. My finance career has spanned both the public and private sectors and I have recently retired from my role as Finance Director for a national programme within NHS England. Having had the privilege of witnessing first-hand the work of Embrace the Middle East’s partners in the region, I am committed to supporting the work of the Charity and its Christian partners.
Rev Josh Harris
I am Priest in Charge of St Katharine Cree in the City of London, and Director of the Joseph Centre for Dignified Work. As well as prior church ministry in the East End, I have worked in and around the political world on governance reform and policy development in think tanks, parliament, and the civil service. I became a Trustee for Embrace in September 2022.
The Revd Dr James Hawkey
I am Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey, and a Chaplain to HM The King. I am also currently a member of the International Reformed/Anglican Dialogue and of the Malines Conversations Group.
Katie Hodkinson
I am training for Ordained Ministry in the Church of England and currently serve in a local church whilst studying for a Masters in Theology. My passion and focus is to enable the church to embrace cultural diversity. Prior to this I spent five years working in the Inter Religious Affairs Team for the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace, focusing on the Middle East.
Munther Isaac
I am a Palestinian Christian pastor and theologian. I am Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, the academic dean of Bethlehem Bible College, and the director of the Christ at the Checkpoint conferences. I am passionate about Palestinian theology and have published numerous articles on the subject. I am the author of “The Other Side of the Wall”, “From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth”, “An Introduction to Palestinian Theology”, and a commentary on the book of Daniel. I am also involved in many reconciliation and interfaith forums. I joined Embrace in July 2020.
Ben Morgan
I am currently Group Corporate Counsel to Entain plc, a FTSE 100 business operating in the entertainment sector. Prior to joining Entain, I was General Counsel to Forum Partners Investment Management, a global regulated real estate investment management firm. I have previously spent time working with Christian refugee communities in north-eastern Syria, where I coordinated the delivery of English language education programmes to local communities.
Iain Osborne
I am currently leading development of strategy for the Anglican diocese of Ely, but am mainly a parish priest. As well as leading mission and worship, this has included a good deal of organisational development, including running a food bank and developing a housing project for homeless people. Before ordination in 2017 I worked as an economist, enforcing competition and consumer law and setting price controls, in the aviation, energy, water and telecommunications sectors. I have been a board member for various public sector and charitable bodies, large and small, and became an Embrace Trustee in May 2024.
Mary Oakes
I have worked in the INGO sector for almost 20 years with a focus on fundraising, communications and team leadership. I am currently Deputy Chief Executive for Opportunity International. I have been blessed to have travelled widely during my career but visiting the Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut, Lebanon had the most significant impact on me. I became a trustee of Embrace The Middle East in 2016 as a result.
Kathryn Shah
I am a Lecturer in International Development at the University of East London. After several years working in humanitarian response, my teaching and research now focuses on faith, humanitarianism and development, and empowering local civil society.
Katharine Von Schubert
After graduating in Arabic, I spent six years working in the Middle East with the Church Mission Society, Oxfam, Save the Children, Christian Aid and Quaker Peace & Social Witness. I currently work as a Mission Enabler in the Southwark Diocese of the Church of England, helping churches think through their calling and engagement with their local community. I have a passion for theology, and recently completed an MA in Christian Leadership at St Mellitus College, and I was a Trustee of the Church Mission Society (2007-2011).
Kristiina Wells
I am currently based in Geneva, working as a consultant for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Iraq. Prior to this, I worked in the UK Civil Service on migration policy and engagement. I have spent several years in the Middle East, most recently in Egypt where I managed IOM’s counter-trafficking portfolio. I have an MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies from Oxford. I joined Embrace as a trustee in April 2024.