The QCEA team
Representative
Alexandra Bosbeer
Alexandra Bosbeer has been Representative at QCEA since October 2012 and a member of the Religious Society of Friends for over twenty years. Alexandra grew up in the Netherlands and the US, and she has long been interested in movements beyond national or ethnic boundaries. In the 1990s, she helped organize citizen diplomat exchanges with Siberians. More recently, she worked around the globe, monitoring and managing the accreditation programme for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). She has also lived for fifteen years in the West of Ireland, where she taught environmental and social forest management to undergraduates and to professionals, as well as managing a small consulting business. She is a potter and photographer and has blogged extensively about social inequality in Central and North America.
Alexandra holds a BA in psychology and has been trained in social accountability auditing and facilitation. She also holds a PhD in Botany and an MSc in Forest Ecology and Silviculture, along with professional certification as an ecologist (Ecological Society of America) and as a chartered environmentalist (Society for Environment (UK)).
You can contact Alexandra by emailing abosbeer [at] qcea.org, where [at] is replaced by @.
Deputy Representative
Andrew Lane
Andrew has been involved with Quakers in Britain Yearly Meeting since 2007, including with groups such as Quakers in Criminal Justice. Until January 2014 Andrew was the policy advisor to a regional police commissioner, particularly working to promote diversity and inclusion within the police service. During his eight-year police career, he has worked to reduce gender-based violence and alcohol-related violence in his community. Both in the police and as a prison mentor, Andrew has worked with a range of victims and offenders; he points to this experience in testifying to that of God in everyone.
Andrew has degrees in International Politics from Aberystwyth and Peacekeeping from Birmingham. He has also studied at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia and Transnational Organised Crime at Staffordshire University.
At QCEA, Andrew focuses on peace and criminal justice. He can be contacted at alane [at] qcea.org where [at] is replaced by @.
Programme Assistants
Chris Diskin – Programme Assistant
Chris joined QCEA in September 2013 after completing a range of internships in policy, public affairs and International Development. He holds a Masters Degree in Modern History from King’s College London and has worked in a variety of roles at Friends House London before arriving at QCEA. Chris is looking forward to learning more about the work of Friends at the European level, improving his French language skills, and experiencing Belgian culture. He is particularly interested in Economic and Social Justice and welcomes any opportunity to discuss these topics.
You can contact Chris by emailing cdiskin [at] qcea.org, where [at] is replaced by @.
Communications Assistant
Sevasti Christoforou
I was born and raised in Athens, Greece. I hold a BA in Communication and Media from National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and I just finished my master studies in
Media, Culture and Society at Erasmus University Rotterdam. My main interest is to explore the role of social media in socio-political change and political communication. The recent socio-political developments in my native country and Europe in general intensified my overall passion for social research and action. I am excited to be able to provide my support to the practices of QCEA, as well as to learn more about Friends and their work on European affairs.
You can contact Sevasti by emailing schristoforou [at] qcea.org, where [at] is replaced by @.
Office Manager and Friendly Presence
Gordon Matthews
Gordon Matthews is a lifelong Quaker from the south of England. He has worked for a variety of Quaker and ecumenical organisations, including the Fellowship of Reconciliation in England, Charney Manor (Quaker retreat house and conference centre), Church and Peace (European peace church network), and Evesham Friends Meeting (as Meeting House warden). He has worked for QCEA as a programme assistant (for six months in 1987) and as Joint Representative (for six months in 2012/13). He is pleased to be working part-time as Office Manager, so that he also has time for freelance translation work. (He is fluent in German and has a good knowledge of French.) He posts “reflections of an English Quaker” on his blog at http:/letthesilencering.wordpress.com
You can contact Gordon about supporting QCEA, room hirings, or other topics by writing to gmatthews [at] qcea.org where [at] is replaced by @.
(And if you are wondering what the ‘Friendly’ is, it is a term used by Quakers to refer to other Quakers – members of the Religious Society of Friends.)
Oversight
Oversight of QCEA’s work programmes is the responsibility of the Council, a body made up of representatives of other Quaker organisations.