Meet the Team

The Brilliant Minds Behind the Magic

We're a passionate team of researchers, data scientists, and changemakers dedicated to transforming the VCSE sector through brilliant insights and collaborative intelligence.

Professor Daniel King
Professor

Professor Daniel King

Professor, Nottingham Business School

Researching democratic organising, workplace innovation, and the role of management scholars in shaping organisational practice.

Professor Daniel King

Professor of Organisation Studies, Nottingham Business School

daniel.king@ntu.ac.uk
+44 (0)115 848 2694
PhD (University of Manchester), MSc Research Methods, BSc Business Studies, PGCE
Critical management, alternative organising, democratic workplaces, voluntary sector leadership, participatory scholarship
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Go to Daniel King's publications
Dr. Juliana Mainard-Sardon
Senior Research Fellow

Dr. Juliana Mainard-Sardon

Senior Research Fellow, VCSE Observatory

Leads research on VCSE sector health, community engagement, and participatory methodologies across global and local contexts.

Dr. Juliana Mainard-Sardon

Senior Research Fellow, VCSE Data and Insights National Observatory

juliana.mainard-sardon@ntu.ac.uk
+44 (0)115 848 6548
PhD in Sociology (University of Leicester)
VCSE sector research, neoliberalism and the third sector, community-based ethnography, participatory & visual methods, digital activism
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Dr. Ben Evans
Research Fellow

Dr. Ben Evans

Research Fellow, Nottingham Business School

Ben’s research focuses on work design, age-inclusive performance, and the lived experience of invisible disabilities.

Dr. Ben Evans

Research Fellow, Nottingham Business School

ben.evans@ntu.ac.uk
+44 (0)115 848 6864
PhD (NTU), MSc Organisational Behaviour, BSc Psychology
Successful ageing at work, psychological needs, adaptive performance, invisible disabilities, IBD, fatigue, brain fog
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Dr. Juliet Wakefield
Senior Lecturer

Dr. Juliet Wakefield

Senior Lecturer, Psychology

Expert in social identity processes, wellbeing, and help-seeking in group contexts, including vulnerable and marginalised communities.

Dr. Juliet Wakefield

Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Nottingham Trent University

juliet.wakefield@ntu.ac.uk
PhD in Social Psychology, University of Dundee
Social identity, group belonging, help-seeking, wellbeing, social cure/curse, foodbanks, poverty, loneliness, and youth mental health
Collaborators include Fabio Sani, Nick Hopkins, Ronni Greenwood, and Trussell Trust
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Diwali Pathak
Research Fellow

Diwali Pathak

Research Fellow, Nottingham Business School

Contributing to research across VCSE sector themes including community engagement and sector resilience.

Diwali Pathak

Research Fellow, Nottingham Business School

diwali.diwali@ntu.ac.uk
Research interests include organisational behaviour, wellbeing, and voluntary sector collaboration.
Nottingham Trent University, NTU Academic Schools
Ganesh Aravind
Data Analyst

Ganesh Aravind

Data Analyst, Nottingham Business School

Blending analytics, coding, and communication, Ganesh supports the observatory through data storytelling, dashboard design, and applied digital insight work.

Ganesh Aravind Thangadurai

Data Analyst

ganesh.thangadurai@ntu.ac.uk
Python, SQL, Django, Power BI, data storytelling, insight automation
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Akhil Kappuva Veettil
Data Analyst

Akhil Kappuva Veettil

Data Analyst – Postgraduate Placement

Akhil Kappuva Veettil

Data Analyst – Postgraduate Student Placement

akhil.kappuvaveettil@ntu.ac.uk
Abhishek Jangam
Data Analyst

Abhishek Jangam

Data Analyst – Postgraduate Placement

Abhishek Jangam

Data Analyst – Postgraduate Student Placement

abhishek.jangam02@ntu.ac.uk
Joanne Vickers
Research Administrator

Joanne Vickers

Research Administrator, Nottingham Business School

Joanne Vickers

Research Administrator

joanne.vickers@ntu.ac.uk
+44 (0)115 848 8678
Ingrid Abreu Scherer
Wellbeing Research Consultant

Ingrid Abreu Scherer

Wellbeing Research Consultant, VCSE Observatory

Leads national evidence efforts on wellbeing, impact evaluation, and civil society resilience through research and policy engagement.

Ingrid Abreu Scherer

Senior Civil Society Lead, What Works Centre for Wellbeing

ingrid.abreuscherer@ntu.ac.uk
Wellbeing measurement, voluntary sector impact, evidence-based policy, community resilience, evaluation strategy
Lead author of wellbeing guides, case study frameworks, and toolkits for VCSE organisations
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Our Values

What Drives Us Forward

The principles that guide our research and shape our impact on the VCSE sector.

Innovation

We're constantly pushing boundaries, finding new ways to make research more engaging and impactful.

Collaboration

We believe the best insights come from working together, sharing knowledge, and building bridges.

Transparency

Open data, clear methodology, and honest communication are at the heart of everything we do.

Impact

We're not just collecting data – we're creating change that improves lives and strengthens communities.