MEET THE TEAM
KATHERINE CHESSON
Director
Katherine joined CAG Oxfordshire in January 2022. Most recently, she supported a multi-disciplinary net zero research initiative at the University of Oxford as programme manager. Prior to that, she spent ten years at the US-based National Park Foundation supporting programs and partnerships that engaged people with their national parks. As part of the senior leadership team, Katherine provided strategic direction focused on creating equitable access to public lands for historically excluded communities.
Katherine leads the CAG Oxfordshire staff team, overseeing strategy, network facilitation, funding and offering development support to groups in the network.
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ANAÏS BOZETINE
Community Wealth Building/Network Support Coordinator
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Anaïs joined the CAG team in 2018, and has been involved in climate and social justice activism for over a decade. Prior to joining CAG, Anaïs ran an Oxfordshire-based community garden, supporting local people to strengthen their connection to the land and learn how to grow their own food. Prior to this, she worked as an English language teacher in France, Spain, Italy and Germany. Anaïs has a BSc. in Psychology from University College London.
Anaïs provides support to network members and coordinates Owned by Oxford, a project set up by CAG and partners using community wealth building to address Oxford’s wealth problem.
Email: anais@cagoxfordshire.org.uk
ALICE WILLIAMS
Communications Co-ordinator
Alice joined CAG Oxfordshire in July 2021. She comes to the organisation with over 13 years experience in marketing, communications and development in various third sector roles including social enterprise development and chairty and community business support with the Social Enterprise Network in Lancashire and the Community Foundations for Merseyside and Lancashire. Recently she has supported the development of the Homeshare sector across the UK. Originally from Oxford, she is now back living locally and keen to re-connect with the community action groups and use her skills and experience to raise awareness, spread positive news and inspire action.
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Email: alice@cagoxfordshire.org.uk
MARYAM GOHARI
NETWORK SUPPORT CO-ORDINATOR
Maryam joined CAG in April 2024 to provide day to day support to the network of Community Action Groups
She is passionate about social justice and women's health but also deeply cares about the environment and believes that all our struggles are interlinked and to move forward and make progress, we need to unite as one.
Maryam's background is in landscape architecture and so, enjoys designing spaces but also tries to be creative and crafty as much as possible in her free time.
Originally from Oxford and after living and studying at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales, Maryam decided to bring back some of the skills and knowledge on environment and community to help strengthen the community we have in Oxfordshire.
JO MILTON
Project Co-ordinator
Jo joined CAG Oxfordshire in August 2021 as the Operations Coordinator, managing core operations and contributing to funding applications.
In December 2022, Jo took on the role of Replenish Project Coordinator. ‘Replenish‘ supports Oxfordshire residents to cook and grow their own healthy food, with as little wastage as possible. Jo has a degree in nutrition and dietetics and a doctorate in nutrition and is excited to be working on a project that promotes eating well alongside wasting less.
Jo also helps facilitate the CAG trees and nature’s recovery collaborate groups.
Jo is passionate about the environment, conservation and sustainability and is a keen gardener. She's involved in a number of community projects, including Greening Jericho and the Marston Forest Garden, part of Marston Community Gardening as well her own garden, focusing on plants for pollinators and wildlife gardening and growing organic fruit and vegetables.
MARTA LOMZA
Community Gardens Co-ordinator
Marta joined CAG Oxfordshire in May 2024. They are a community engagement practitioner who has worked across heritage and environmental sectors for over 10 years. In Oxford, they have previously been involved in organising various projects within the CAG network, such as OxGrow Community Garden, the Oxford Food Surplus Cafe, the Wolvercote Repair Cafe, and Cutteslowe Greenhouse. They also served as co-chair of the board of directors of CAG Oxfordshire (2019-20).
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Marta is co-ordinating the development of new community gardens around the county as well as supporting the exisitng network of around 30 community growing and green spaces in Oxfordshire.
JABU NALA-HARTLEY
Community Advocate
Jabu initially joined CAG Oxfordshire to support the delivery of the Owned by Oxford, Community Wealth Building project. She lives in and has been an Oxford City Councillor for the Barton area of Oxford. Originally from South Africa and growing up under the Apartheid system has fueled her sense of fighting for Social justice. She has been involved in a number of campaigns in the city including the Why Vaccinate event which drew hundreds of people in January 2021. She is also Chair of the Oxford living Wage campaign and a member of the SHA central committee as well as co- chair of my ODLP and the founder of M4JU which focuses on the criminal justice system.
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Acting as an ambassador for Community Wealth Building , Jabu's role focuses on relationship building, advocacy and support for grassroots and community initiatives across the City with a particular focus on the Barton area.
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OUR BOARD MEMBERS
We have a highly committed and effective board of directors (who can also be called our trustees). Our board is made up of three elected representatives of CAGs, as well as up to two staff representatives (the current Director, and one other elected staff member not described below) and one other co-opted members (Ruthi).
SAM CLARKE, CHAIR
Sam joined the board as the new Chair in January 2026. Picture and Bio coming soon!
Sam
NICOLA SCHAFER, SECRETARY
Nicola is a founding member and Chair of Watlington Climate Action Group (WCAG). The group runs projects aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the parish through a programme of projects and community awareness events.
For the past 5 years she has undertaken a photographic and documentary project about the people that make up her local community. "Watlington Folk" has been published in a book and the portraits exhibited in Autumn 2020.
Following time spent in marketing and product management roles, Nicola re-trained as a portrait and event photographer, and then more recently as a film-maker. She now makes documentary films with a community and environmental focus.
Nicola lives in Watlington with her partner Gerald, their two children and three chickens. She grows fruit and veg on the family allotment, and in her remaining free time enjoys local countryside walks and mountain hikes around the UK.
RUTHI BRANDT. TREASURER
Ruthi started campaigning on conservation and environmental issues over 25 years ago, and has been continuing to do so - off and on - ever since (expanding into climate and environmental justice). Along the way she founded the now-defunct Oxford University Roots & Shoots society, worked for the indigineous-solidarity organisation UK Tar Sands Network and sat on the board of Green Course, the national student environmental organisation in her native Israel. She also spent four years as an Oxford city councillor. She is currently the chair of the management committee for the East Oxford Farmers and Community Market, and is a member of Low Carbon East Oxford - both are members of the CAG Network. She has several degrees in biology and behavioural ecology, and has recently completed an MSc in Sustainability and Adaptation Planning at the Centre for Alternative Technology, focusing on urban green spaces and urban nature.
KATE PRITCHARD
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Kate co-chairs Hendreds Environment Group (HEG), a CAG in South Oxfordshire. HEG raises awareness around climate, environment and nature recovery in the springline villages between Wantage and Didcot.
Additionally, she wears many other hats! In her role as Therapeutic Gardener at a mental health charity, she practices social and therapeutic horticulture using gardening and nature-based activities in sessions for participants. She also works with the Long Mead Foundation at Eynsham on the Thames Valley Wildflower Meadow Restoration Project. There, she supports groups of volunteers in plant propagation and meadow management.
Previously, she was a curator at the University of Oxford Botanic Garden and has co-founded and co-run two digital businesses. In her conservation work in the UK and abroad, she has learnt that consultation at all stages of a project is fundamental to effective participation, that strength lies in diversity, and that everyone has a valuable contribution to make.