MEET OUR TEAM
Our team are a fantastic bunch. Push presenters are talented, engaging, funny and, well-informed. They all undertake a thorough and on-going training programme, meaning they're always clued-up on the latest developments in higher education, employability...and they have professional training in performance. The rest of our team, who keep the Push outreach engine well-greased, are wonderful too, and we couldn't do what we do without them. All our team have an enhanced DBS.
JOHNNY RICH (he/him)
Founder and CEO Johnny is a consultant in higher education and careers of 25 years' experience. His clients include the European Commission, HEFCE (now OFS), HEPI, the OFS, Oxford University, and global HE comparison tool U-Multirank. Since founding Push in 1992, Johnny has built it into an influential social enterprise providing information, advice and research about choices and employability. Push runs an award-winning programme of outreach and staff training events that visits 100s of schools and colleges each year. Johnny was also a Director of the Higher Education Academy (now Advance HE). As a contributor to various think tanks and strategy bodies, Johnny contributes widely to policy debates on education, careers, wider participation and social mobility - including spearheading projects on school-leaver recruitment and on work-related learning. With degrees from the Universities of Durham and East Anglia, he is also Chief Executive of the Engineering Professors’ Council: the voice of engineering in UK higher education. and appears regularly on television and radio and is author of the highly acclaimed novel The Human Script. Want to see Johnny's 90 Second Guides on revision, study skills, student finance and more? One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18: "It would have been helpful if someone had told me that 'catered accommodation’ would not mean a guaranteed, balanced diet within my budget. I ended up living on choccy Hobnobs and black coffee." |
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IBRAHIM FAROUK SESAY (he/him)
presenter Ibrahim graduated from the University of Kent, after previously studying at the BRIT School London. As well as being a Push speaker, he is an actor, stand up comedian, inclusive theatre practitioner for Shed in London, and a sketch writer. He has also been a regular facilitator for NCS and currently delivers workshops at Brent Youth Theatre in London for multiple age groups. He often jokes about how many things he is doing at any one time but says "I'm basically being paid to do the things I love". Ibs had the opportunity to study at two different unis in two different continents, which he feels gave him a wealth of experience when discussing the wonderful variety of education and course options with teenagers. He hopes his experience and passion will help young people make informed and educated decisions about what they want to do in the future, based on personal wellbeing and living each day with vigour. One thing I wish I could tell my younger self about making a choice at 18: "The chance to study abroad would not of happened if it wasn’t for the impartial help of my careers advisors and teachers (which boosted my own research and my thinking): these people are human beings who have been through the same stresses as you at your age...but they can only help you if you're willing to open up to them about your hopes, fears and dreams." |
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ANISHA MINOCHA (she/her)
UNDERGRADUATE Student ambassador Anisha Minocha is studying English and Spanish at the University of St Andrews, currently living in Andalucía. She is a writer and poet whose work has been showcased in winning competitions, readings and anthologies. She co-edits SINK Magazine, which gives a platform to Northern creatives, and founded the "Roots"" project with Friends of the Earth that looks at the intersections between South Asian identity and ecology. Twitter: @anisha_jaya What would you tell to other uk students about their wellbeing through school?: It’s important to look after your wellbeing at all times, and not just when you're particularly stressed and anxious like exam season. If you get into the habit of looking after yourself it becomes easier when you need balance and focus the most! |
Tiffany Igharoro (she/her)
Year 12 Student Ambassador Tiffany is a sixth form student. One of her favourite pastimes is writing as it helps her organise her thoughts creatively and dynamically. She has won awards and prizes for poetry, academic and scientific writing and short stories. Recently, she won a nationwide historical essay competition that opened her eyes to the importance of how things are told, and the impact ordinary people have on the world. She studied art GCSE and believes there is something incredible about finding links between drama, art and maths. The best piece of advice I have for my fellow students is to do what you love. Work hard in school, listen in class, be kind to others but most importantly be kind to yourself. There's no denying that school can be stressful so it's important that everyone takes the time to do the things that make them happy. |