Who's who at TOPRA

Directors

Kevin Pay

Kevin Pay | Chief Executive

Kevin has worked at director level in both the commercial and charity sectors for the last 15 years, including many years in pharmaceutical packaging (GMP) and at Imperial College Healthcare Charity, before joining TOPRA.

Kevin leads the executive team and is accountable for strategic direction and business plans. He has overall accountability for performance against agreed objectives and risk management across the organisation.

Contact Kevin for: corporate enquiries, HR, finance, IT and facilities issues. 

Joe Jennings

Joe Jennings | Director of Engagement

Joe has more than 20 years' experience in marketing and communications, with much of that spent in professional membership bodies representing areas that include public health, engineering and accounting. Before joining TOPRA he was Head of Marketing & Communications at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. He is responsible for overseeing TOPRA communications and PR, marketing, digital and publishing activities, as well as the Awards for Regulatory Excellence which recognise achievements in regulatory affairs.

Contact Joe for: corporate communications and PR, publishing and awards. 

Elizabeth Brookfield | Director of Professional Development

Elizabeth oversees TOPRA training courses and educational resources as well as ensuring that the development of professionals in regulatory affairs throughout their career journey is supported. She has a background in all areas of professional education having developed training programmes for the construction industry, FE teachers and trainers, engineers, construction project managers, surgeons, gynaecologists and obstetricians. Liz is also interested in how technology can be deployed to increase access to training and development opportunities while maintaining a positive learning experience.

Contact Liz for: information about courses, webinars, conferences, lifelong learning, opportunities to get involved in training the next generation of regulatory professionals and ideas for new resources and learning pathways that support development.

Membership

Jitesh Mistry | Head of Membership

Jitesh brings with him more than 10 years of experience of managing and building robust membership functions within the not-for-profit sector. His experience includes being part of senior management teams to build effective recruitment, engagement and operational strategies that puts member and stakeholder needs at the heart of decision making. He is responsible for heading up the membership team including managing renewals, oversight and management of TOPRA’s SPINs and INs groups and leading on the development of TOPRA’s membership strategy.

Contact Jitesh for: membership management enquiries.

Caroline Griffin

Caroline Griffin | Membership Officer

Caroline’s responsibilities include membership enquiries, renewals and supervising SPINs and INs meetings and webinars. She has a BSc in Applied Social Sciences from the University of North London and a Diploma in Geosciences from the Open University.

Her wide work experience includes a library and information services background, as well as acting as Personal Assistant and Receptionist, in such diverse companies as Deloitte, legal firm Herbert Smith and architects NBBJ. Previous experience of membership organisations includes stints at the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Institute of Directors.

Contact Caroline for: member enquiries.

Client services

Erik Smit

Erik Smit | Client Development Manager

Erik is responsible for the commercial activities at TOPRA, including exhibitions, sponsorship and advertising. He also coordinates the annual careers fair ‘Regulatory Careers Live’. Prior to that he was responsible for TOPRA’s Marketing Function. Prior to joining TOPRA Erik held roles such as Marketing Executive at the Sector Skills Council for Science & Engineering Manufacturing Technologies and before that Marketing & Development Executive at Miller Freeman (United Business Media), publishers of Food Manufacture, and Manufacturing Chemist. Erik studied International Management at Arnhem Business School, and he has a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing from Kingston Business School.

Contact Erik for: sponsorship, advertising and exhibition opportunities.
 

Education and training

Kay Wood 

Kay Platt | Conferences and Events Lead

Kay joined TOPRA as maternity cover for the Membership and Advertising Secretary. She then went on to become Office Coordinator, taking over the position of Postgraduate Administrator in 2007. Since September 2022 Kay has taken on the role of Conference and Events Lead.

Contact Kay for: Conference and Event enquiries.

Loretta Yarquah | Training and Education Lead 

Loretta joined TOPRA to assist with the delivery of our training courses. She has an extensive background in planning and coordinating various events and is now the Training and Education Lead, taking care of all the CRED courses as well as assisting with in house training.

Contact Loretta for: CREDs and training enquiries.

Andrea Lewis-Ryce | Postgraduate Education and Apprenticeship Lead

Andrea joined TOPRA to support with the postgraduate programmes. She has over 15 years’ experience in the training and membership body industry. Previously she has managed and facilitated bespoke training programmes for a large portfolio of TV industry professionals and members; and produced various short course programmes for freelancers and staff networks. 

Contact Andrea for: postgraduate enquiries.


Zamzam Ahmed | Courses and Programmes Director

Zamzam oversees the TOPRA MSc, apprenticeship and PhD programmes. She is a pharmacist with an interest in medical devices and health technology. Zamzam worked in Higher Education (HE) as a programme leader and Academic Quality Lead, and she has more than 20 years’ experience in teaching, mentoring, and research in HE and the workplace. 

Contact Zamzam for: PhD, MSc, and apprenticeship queries. Webinars, online courses, and training of regulatory professionals.


James Smith | Regulatory Intelligence and Symposium Manager

James oversees the TOPRA Symposium, TOPRA’s annual conference. After graduating with a degree in Chemistry from the University of Nottingham, James had worked in the regulatory affairs sector in both industry and consultancy roles for just over two and a half years. He has now joined TOPRA to support the Training and Education team in delivering TOPRA’s annual symposium and other events, as well as providing regulatory intelligence to the wider team.

Contact James for: TOPRA Symposium enquiries.


Paige Niblett | Online Education and Apprenticeship Lead

Paige leads on online education and apprenticeships. Paige has previously worked within events and adult education and is now looking forward to supporting our members and students progress on their learning journey with us.

Contact Paige for: all online education and apprenticeship enquiries.

Communications and publishing

Alan Booth | Managing Editor

Alan is the Managing Editor of Regulatory Rapporteur, TOPRA’s monthly peer-reviewed journal. He is a veteran of daily newspapers and specialist business publications, with extensive experience across the conception, writing and production of all aspects of publishing, including newspapers, magazines, content marketing, special projects and websites. Alan is a senior, creative, editorial professional who brings broad industry experience to TOPRA’s publishing team.

Contact Alan for: publishing enquiries. 


Catrin Jackson | Content Writer

Catrin is TOPRA's Content Writer. She is responsible for editing and proofreading content for Regulatory Rapporteur, TOPRA's monthly peer-reviewed journal. In addition to writing content for a range of projects, she also TOPRA's monthly membership newsletter alongside additional email communications.

Contact Catrin for: publishing enquiries.

Marketing

Mevin Durasamy | Marketing Manager

Mevin has extensive marketing and communications experience gained within a variety of professional services and membership organisations including Wolters Kluwer, Lexis Nexis, Priority Pass and The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH). He is primarily responsible for leading marketing and communication activities across a variety of channels including email, social media and the main TOPRA website to support the professional development, client services, education and training and communications and publishing functions of TOPRA.

Contact Mevin for: marketing opportunities and general promotional activities. 

Hannah Galbraith | Marketing Officer

Hannah joined TOPRA in the role of Marketing Officer. After graduating from university, Hannah began her professional career championing female financial futures and learning about all things marketing and events along the way. She has now come on board with TOPRA to support the marketing team to work on a variety of activities including website maintenance, social media and member communications.  

Contact Hannah for: marketing activity queries.

Daisy Edwards | Media Officer

Daisy joined TOPRA as the Engagement team’s first Intern to help launch Regulatory Rapporteur's online platform. With three years of media, editing and publishing experience, she is a trained journalist and is currently working as the Media Officer, helping to create content, conduct interviews and handle press enquiries.

Contact Daisy for: press enquiries.

Finance

Jay Gill | Financial Controller

Jay joined TOPRA in the role of Accounts Assistant working in the finance department. He excelled in this role and was ready to take on the position of Financial Controller when the opportunity presented itself.  The experience gained in his previous role, combined with his understanding of TOPRA's inner workings, has made Jay an increasingly valuable member of the team. 

Contact Jay for: financial enquiries, budgets, bank matters, investments, VAT (including overseas VAT). 

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