The candidates for NUS member directors are listed below.
For more information about the elections and the positions available see https://www.nus.org.uk/member_board_positions
Candidates for student/sabbatical officer positions (2 positions available)
Kunal Chuvan (candidate has withdrawn from the election)
Candidates for staff positions (2 positions available)
Candidates for student/sabbatical officer positions (2 positions available)
Adewunmi Adeoye
University of Sunderland Students' Union
Statement
I moved around a lot as a kid, changing schools every couple of years. I got a lot of practice listening and building relationships with diverse groups of people. Living in California I was the only black person in my class and sometimes my school. I understand what it feels like to be underrepresented, to question whether your voice is being heard, and to navigate systems that are not always designed with you in mind. I am comfortable with my difference, and my lived experience leads me to constantly consider others whenever decisions are to be made.
I bring direct Governance experience from my role as a member of The University of Sunderland board of governors and the Deputy chair on the board of trustees for The University of Sunderland Students' Union. In these positions, I have participated in a five-year strategic planning agenda, honed skills to scrutinize decisions, and held leadership to account while maintaining a constructive and collaborative approach through relationship building. I have voted on difficult financial decisions that were necessary for the health of the organization and sat in both governance and risk committees.
I will speak with the voice of students, bring my lived experience to the Board and help shape the direction of the organization in line with the mission and vision. This is to ensure NUS works for every student.
Nominators
Clinton Aidejole, Teesside Students' Union
Avery Greatorex, University of Central Lancashire Students' Union
Suraj Acharya, University of Sunderland Students' Union
Kunal Chuvan
University College Birmingham Guild of Students
The candidate has withdrawn from the election
Joseph Cormack
Nottingham Trent Students' Union
Statement
Hi, I’m Joe Cormack, current Vice-President and President-elect at Nottingham Trent Students’ Union.
I am standing for election as a Member Director because I want to help ensure that NUS remains a confident, well-governed and genuinely student-led charity at a time of significant pressure on students and the wider sector.
My commitment to charity and public service began long before my elected roles. Since the age of 16, I have worked with vulnerable people through youth work and elderly care, gaining first-hand experience of safeguarding, accountability and the real-world impact of values-led organisations. I later coordinated youth provision through the council and a small community charity, developing a practical understanding of financial oversight and community trust. Alongside this, my role as a Movember student ambassador gave me insight into how an international charity operates, campaigns and drives change.
In my current role, I work at the intersection of student advocacy, organisational leadership and accountability. I provide lived understanding of the challenges facing students, including cost of living pressures, housing insecurity, safety, wellbeing and access to education, alongside a strong commitment to meaningful student-led decision making.
In addition, as an elected member of the NUS Democratic Procedures Committee, I make impartial decisions on democratic matters while upholding the values and integrity of the student movement, strengthening my understanding of governance, risk and accountability at a national level.
As a Member Director, I will bring clarity, challenge and collaboration to help build an NUS that is trusted, resilient and effective.
Nominators
Libby Sinclair, Nottingham Trent Students' Union
William Gaines, University of Chester Students' Union
Miles Craven, Liverpool John Moores Students Union - JMSU
Tabitha Dearie
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Students' Union
Statement
I am a care-experienced, queer sabbatical officer with experience in both colleges and universities, and I am striving to ensure every student’s voice is represented at the highest level in the NUS.
I will bring a strong Scottish student perspective to the table in a time when this is necessary, working with the Scottish NUS president and the NUS to ensure that you and your students' voices, concerns, and priorities are shaping national decisions at the NUS and beyond
As a freelance community artist, I have seen first-hand the power of student organizing and collective action. This experience has given me a strong foundation in community organising, liberation politics, and campaigning, alongside a practical understanding of risk management and delivering projects responsibly with results. because of this experience, i am particularly committed to broadening conversations and making sure further education and the arts are fully and fairly represented in these spaces.
Most importantly, I genuinely care about students and their officers, their well-being, their opportunities, and their futures, especially in the NUS. I will work collaboratively, think strategically, and advocate tirelessly to ensure all students are heard, valued, and supported.
Nominators
Rufus Horton, Glasgow School of Art Students' Association
Andi Garrity, Highlands and Islands Students' Association (HISA)
Rebecca Ivers, City of Glasgow College Students' Association
Lucy Hart
Leeds University Union
Statement
Student Unions are paying NUS but aren’t getting sufficient value or representation. NUS needs change. I am dedicated to the national student movement and leading this change.
I have experience serving on 4 trustee boards and as Union Affairs Officer 2024/5 (re-elected 2026/7), I chaired the board and represented 40,000 students. As a member of University Council, I gained extensive knowledge of higher education sector challenges.
As Union Affairs I....
- Advocated for improvements to student housing as Unipol trustee and reduced rent inflation from 6.7% to 4.5%
- Spoke at APPGs lobbying for fairer student finance
- Secured £2,500 from the mayor for nighttime safety
- Worked with the university on achieving sanctuary scholarship status and lobbied for ethical partnerships
My passion continued as a student this year...
- Universities UK Quality Council Board member
- Spoke in Parliament for removal of international student levy
- Led NUS women’s collective sessions
- Events Officer for Students Against Sexual Harassment Society
If elected, I will push NUS for...
- Financial transparency and strategic direction that delivers value for members
- Bottom-up approaches so officers lead campaigns aligning with SU priorities
- Tackling cost-of-living “ finance reform including a fairer student loan system, increase maintenance grant support
- International students “ removing the levy, extend graduate route visa, cap on fees
- Social justice “ support student-led campaigns for trans, LGBTQ+, racialised, disabled and class liberation, influence policy on gender-based violence, defend right to protest
- International solidarity “ challenge university complicity in exploitative partnerships, support students seeking refuge in the UK
Don’t lose Hart, vote Lucy Hart!
Nominators
Lewis Wilson, University of Sussex Students' Union
Favour Samuel, University of Nottingham Students' Union
Holly Thompson, Liverpool Guild of Students
Sam Omondi
University of Sheffield Students' Union
Statement
As soon as I stepped foot on my campus, I made it a priority to become a student organiser because I recognised the power of a movement with as large potential as the student movement. I even nominated myself for NUS Delegate and attended conference twice before ever considering running to be a sabb.
No one enters a movement thinking about their exit, but the relationship between NUS and the rest of the movement has become increasingly fractured, and we find many strong organisers increasingly unable to operate under the NUS. From the handling of the open letter, to general lack of support for activists being privately investigated or the evictions of student-led Palestine encampments, many of our students have had to stop and ask what the NUS means to the movement anymore.
As a Sheffield sabb, I’ve inherited a long, proud history of student activism both locally and nationally. The infrastructure for national mobilisation cannot sit there collecting dust. Students deserve strong championship of their rights, with well-organised direction and resource distribution where it exists.
I could list my experience in governance at my university and SU as a reason for electing me, but I’m sure that's something most nominees share. You should elect me if you want the board to reflect the political energy of our movement, and commit to the values we established it for. We’ll fight until it’s really over.
Nominators
Molly Pemberton, Sheffield Hallam Students' Union
Alec Severs, University of Manchester Students' Union
Sam Bland, Hull University Students' Union
Jessie Yeung
University of Bristol Students' Union
Statement
The unprecedented oppression on students’ unionism in Hong Kong, my home country, reinforced with me the absolute necessity of a strong national organisation of students’ collective power, steadfast in their political pursuit to deliver real progress “ this prompted me to run for office.
As Chair of the ˜People, Culture, EDI’ at Trustee, I facilitated productive discussions around the 2025 Supreme Court case with For Women Scotland, where I carefully guided trustees to weigh up our risk and legal responsibilities without compromising our Liberation politics. In addition, I’ve navigated challenging and conflicting matters as a trustee by balancing my commitment as a student representative to champion student voices, as well as my legal duty as a trustee to ensure the safeguarding for students. I brought a high level of scrutiny to board-level decision making and am confident to take action in order to mitigate risk and protect organisational reputation where necessary.
As a Sabbatical officer coming from an activist and community organising background, I radicalised my role of International Students Officer to reflect the ever-political student voice around migration and international students. I developed key campaigning skills and in-depth understanding of students’ unionism within and outside of parliamentary politics.
My expertise lies in my sharp lived-experience driven perspectives on Transnational Education and decolonising education, a crucial area given the growing internationalisation of HE. With another term as a Sabbatical officer and my final year of study remaining, I’ll remain relevant within the student body during my three-years term, if elected.
Nominators
Ash Scholz, Edinburgh University Students' Association
Elliot Briffa, University of Manchester Students' Union
Othman Ibrahim, Liverpool Guild of Students
Candidates for staff positions (two positions available)
Richard Evans
University of Nottingham Students' Union
Statement
I bring more than twenty years of leadership experience within students’ unions, having worked across small and specialist, Post-92 and now in the Russell Group as Chief Executive of the University of Nottingham Students’ Union.
Throughout my career, I have remained deeply committed to the value of students’ unions and the difference they make in students’ lives. This is a particularly challenging time for students, for the higher education sector, and for society more broadly. The role of students’ unions, NUS, and the collective student voice is more important than ever in helping to build a better future.
I am motivated to stand for Member Director following my recent temporary time on the boards, because I would welcome the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to that shared future. I see the role as an important link between the boards and students’ unions. Ensuring that members’ voices and realities are heard, while also undertaking the responsibilities of a director across both NUS UK and the NUS charity.
I believe I can bring a thoughtful and constructive contribution to the role. Alongside my board experience, I have led institutional change programmes and helped organisations develop and improve. Most importantly, I believe in collaborative leadership, in listening well, and in working with others to create positive change.
Nominators
Jo Thomas, University of Birmingham Guild of Students
Phil Kynaston, Nottingham Trent Students' Union
Max Mcloughlin, Aston Students' Union
Trish McGrath
Aberystwyth University Students' Union
Statement
I’m proud to have been part of the student movement for 26 years, working my way up through as an Officer and then working in advice, campaigning, democracy, insight, representation and governance. I’ve worked across small, specialist and large unions in England and Wales, at Lancaster, Cumbria, Manchester and now Aberystwyth, where I’ve been CEO for the past decade.
Across the movement, SUs are questioning what NUS means for them, raising concerns about legitimacy and feeling disconnected. I’ve shared frustrations at times, but I don’t believe the value of NUS can be measured solely by individual benefits to each SU. I know in my bones that a strong, collective national voice for students is positive and necessary and that the future depends on working together to shape an NUS we can be proud of.
Recent discussions and disaffiliations are worrying for the future of our national movement. They’ve pushed me to step up rather than sit on the side-lines feeling frustrated. I know I could be contributing more, and I’d rather be part of strengthening NUS from within. We’re at a pivotal moment: either we actively build the NUS we want, or we risk losing something valuable while focusing only on individual gain or disagreements about policy and priority processes.
I’m a considerate but confident leader who speaks plainly, collaborates well and understands accountability. If you want someone firm, compassionate and committed to helping NUS survive, thrive and feel legitimate to its members, I’d be honoured to get involved.
Nominators
John Abell, Coventry University Students' Union
Steve Ralph, Trinity Saint David Students' Union
Minkesh Sood, Swansea University Students' Union
Rhiannon Roberts
The Union MMU
Statement
Many of you will know me already, but for those who don’t, I’m Rhiannon and I am the Chief Executive Officer of The Union at Manchester Metropolitan University, having previously worked in a variety of roles at three other SUs over the last 20 years. Working in SUs has given me a career I love and friends for life – I care deeply about the future of our movement.
I’m standing for election because I believe NUS matters — especially at a time when students’ unions are under real pressure but also full of potential. I want to use my experience to help ensure NUS remains resilient, focused on members, and confident in the role it plays on our behalf.
I believe I have skills that will be helpful to the Board; I’ve led through post Covid recovery, financial challenges, structural change, and transformation to strengthen governance and sustainability including incorporation. I’m comfortable working at board level, asking the right questions, and helping to make good long term decisions.
My leadership approach is grounded in collaboration, inclusion, and empowering others. I’ve prioritised equity and inclusive leadership in my work, and I’m committed to ensuring those values are reflected not just in words, but in how decisions are made.
If elected, I would be an active, thoughtful, and constructive Member Director — bringing a strong understanding of the realities unions face, offering challenge where needed, and always keeping the voices of unions and their students at the centre of the Board’s work.
Nominators
Paul Chapman, Liverpool John Moores Students Union - JMSU
Jane Stafford, Hull University Students' Union
Ed Moloney, University of Salford Students' Union
Becca Turton
Oxford Brookes Students' Union
Statement
The higher education sector is on its knees, and SU funding is depleting rapidly. We need a transparent NUS that wins, looking outward instead of inward, and listening to members before making big decisions.
I have spent the last 12 years working in students’ unions, with a background in communications and engagement roles before becoming CEO of Brookes Union in 2024. I have been actively involved in much needed sector-development projects through NUS Charity including the AdviceUK Trailblazers project and the Muslim Inclusion project group, including taking part in and hosting the anti-Islamophobia pilot programme. I care about - and have been doing the work towards - creating a healthy, equitable and sustainable sector.
I deeply believe in a strong NUS (both Charity and UK). A strong NUS is one that centres the membership - listens, reflects and meaningfully engages with us as members. I will use my background in strategic communications and membership engagement in order to ensure that the Boards provide transparent and genuinely useful information and updates to the membership, as well as holding regular members meetings. I also know that hearing from a plurality of voices leads to better decision-making, so will ensure that members from all across the four nations are meaningfully engaged in decision-making and that the Boards hear from multiple perspectives. A healthy Board relationship is one that is both high-support and high-challenge, and I believe I can bring this.
Nominators
Ben Ward, University of Manchester Students' Union
Ben MacPhee, Christ Church Students' Union
Dionne Walton, University Of Suffolk Students' Union
