Core Team
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Chine McDonald
Director
@ChineMcDonaldChine McDonald is a writer, broadcaster, author and Director of Theos, the religion and society think tank. She was previously Head of Public Engagement at Christian Aid. She speaks and writes regularly on issues of race, faith and gender, and is the author of ‘God is not a white man: and other revelations’ and ‘Unmaking Mary: Shattering the Myth of Perfect Motherhood’. Chine has written for the Financial Times, the Guardian, The Independent, The Big Issue, Prospect, The Mirror and contributes to TV and radio programmes such as regularly presenting the BBC’s Thought for the Day on Radio 4’s Today programme, Moral Maze, Sunday programme and BBC Sunday Morning Live. She is also vice–chair of Greenbelt Festival and a trustee of Christian Aid and Demos. She is on the Advisory board for Cambridge University Library, and is a Canon Theologian at Chester Cathedral.
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Nick Spencer
Senior Fellow
nick.spencer@theosthinktank.co.uk @TheosNickNick is Senior Fellow at Theos. He is the author of a number of books and reports, most recently, ‘The Landscapes of Science and Religion’ (OUP, 2025), ‘Playing God: Science, Religion and the Future of Humanity’ (2024), and ‘Magisteria: the entangled histories of science and religion’ (Oneworld, 2023). His next book, on ‘Christianity and the Future of Welfare’ is due out with Cambridge University Press in 2026. Nick is host of the Theos podcast Reading Our Times, and outside Theos he is Honorary Professor at the World Religions and Education Research Unit, Bishop Grosseteste University; Visiting Research Fellow at St John’s College, Durham; Visiting Fellow at the Faiths and Civil Society Unit, Goldsmiths, University College, London; and Fellow of the International Society of Science and Religion. He tweets infrequently @theosnick
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Andrew Phillips
Head of Content and Communications (maternity cover)
andrew.phillips@theosthinktank.co.ukAndrew is Interim Head of Content and Communications at Theos. He is an award–winning content strategist and media leader with more than 25 years’ experience across radio, television, podcasts and digital platforms. His career has included roles with XFM, Channel 4, Microsoft Xbox and ABC Australia. Andrew has also worked in politics and government communications in Australia. Meeting people in positions of considerable influence strengthened his belief that, whatever our status, we share the same fundamental hopes, fears and need to be understood. At Theos, he is particularly interested in helping important ideas reach wider audiences through content that is thoughtful, accessible and human.
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Lizzie Harvey
Head of Content and Communications
lizzie.harvey@theosthinktank.co.uk @theoslizzieLizzie is Head of Communications at Theos. She has a BA in Politics from Durham University and a background in communications with over 10 years’ experience developing content and strategic communications projects for brands, government clients and not–for–profits. Lizzie spent a couple of years in Australia establishing the Sydney branch of a social change focused communications agency, and has a particular interest in the power of human stories in shaping our foundational beliefs and culture.
To contact Lizzie for out–of–hours media matters, call 07778160052.
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Madeleine Pennington
Head of Research
madeleine.pennington@theosthinktank.co.ukMadeleine is Head of Research at Theos. She holds a doctorate in theology from the University of Oxford, and previously worked as a research scholar at a retreat and education centre in Philadelphia. She is the author of ’The Christian Quaker: George Keith and the Keithian Controversy’ (Brill: 2019), ‘Quakers, Christ and the Enlightenment’ (OUP, 2021), and various Theos reports.
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Sarah Hall
Head of Strategy, Operations and Planning
sarah.hall@theosthinktank.co.ukSarah joined Theos in July 2026 as Head of Strategy, Operations and Planning. Her career has spanned government and the non–profit sector, as well as founding and running her own business, with a common thread of helping people turn ambitious ideas into practical reality. Sarah initially worked in public policy, including roles in the Department of Health and the NHS, before spending over a decade working in church ministry. Those experiences shaped her interest in the places where faith, public life and the everyday realities of communities meet. Sarah studied International Relations at the University of St Andrews and Applied Social Studies at the University of Oxford. She is especially interested in how Christian faith can contribute to a richer vision of society — not simply as a set of ideas, but as something lived out in institutions, relationships and communities.
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Elizabeth Oldfield
Head of The Sacred
@ESOldfieldElizabeth is host of The Sacred podcast. She was Theos’ Director from August 2011 – July 2021. She appears regularly in the media, including BBC One, Sky News, the World Service, and writing in The Financial Times. She is a regular conference speaker and chair. Before joining Theos in August 2011, Elizabeth worked for BBC TV and radio. She has an MA in Theology from King’s College London.
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Nathan Mladin
Senior Researcher
nathan.mladin@theosthinktank.co.ukNathan joined Theos in 2016. His research, speaking, and writing focus on the philosophical foundations and ideological matrix of Artificial Intelligence, and the anthropological and social impacts of AI systems. He holds a PhD in Systematic Theology from Queen’s University Belfast and is the author of several publications, including ‘AI and the Future of Work: A Catholic Social Teaching Perspective’, a chapter in ‘Artificial Intelligence and the Common Good’ (Bloomsbury Academic, forthcoming), ‘AI and the Afterlife’ (Theos, 2024), and ‘Data and Dignity’ (Theos, 2023). He is currently writing a book for Bloomsbury with the provisional title ‘You are Not a Machine: Being Human in the Age of AI’. Nathan is also the co–founder of Faithbase, a community and resource hub for Christian technologists, entrepreneurs and investors, and Ethicist–in–Residence at Healthbase, a healthtech startup based in Romania. You can connect with Nathan and find out more about his work on his LinkedIn profile.
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Hannah Rich
Senior Researcher
hannah.rich@theosthinktank.co.uk @hannahmerichHannah joined Theos in November 2017. She is a mixed–methods researcher and author of several Theos reports including Growing Good (2020) and Beyond Left and Right (2021) and A Torn Safety Net (2022). Previously, she worked for a social innovation think tank, a learning disability charity and as a care worker. Hannah studied French and Spanish at Durham University, including a year abroad working with faith–based organisations in Paris and Madrid. She also holds an MSc in Inequalities and Social Science from LSE.
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Marianne Rozario
Senior Researcher and Projects Lead
marianne.rozario@theosthinktank.co.ukMarianne joined Theos in February 2022 and is the author of several Theos reports including Creating a Neighbourhood Health Service (2025), Moving on Project: Wraparound Survivor Support (2025), and co–author of Ashes to Ashes (2023). She holds a PhD in International Relations exploring the notion of Catholic agency in international society through the University of Notre Dame Australia, as well as a MA(Hons) in International Relations from the University of St Andrews. She is an Honorary Researcher for the Benedict XVI Centre for Religion and Society, and a former Lecturer for St Mary’s University.
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George Lapshynov
Researcher
george.lapshynov@theosthinktank.co.uk @GLapshynovGeorge is a Researcher at Theos. He previously joined as Intern in January 2023. He holds an MRes in International Relations as well as an MA(Hons) in History and Politics from the University of Glasgow. Outside of Theos, George conducts research in the field of historical musicology and diaspora studies. He is the author of several publications, including the Theos reports “From Strangers To Neighbours”, “Living Stones” (with Nathan Mladin), and “Volunteering After the Pandemic” (with Hannah Rich).
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Coco Parkinson–Huggins
Researcher (Policy & Impact)
Coco.Huggins@theosthinktank.co.ukCoco is a researcher at Theos. She also works across the research and comms teams on policy and impact. She recently completed a PhD in UK benefit policy at the University of Cambridge and has published research on austerity and local government, and the role of media and literature in the formation of social imaginaries. She lectures at the University of Cambridge on issues around work and welfare and undertakes invited talks on benefit policy and Christian thought. She was previously attached to DWP as part of an ESRC doctoral fellowship.
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Joe Downy
Marketing & Communications Manager
joe.downy@theosthinktank.co.ukJoe joined Theos in July 2025. He holds an MA in Conflict, Security & Development from the University of Sussex exploring Middle East politics. He has a communications background and over 10 years’ experience in digital content management working for think–tanks, international development charities, human rights groups and the private sector. Prior to joining Theos he worked for the counter extremism think–tank Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
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Emily Ikoshi
Creative Content Designer & Animator
emily.ikoshi@theosthinktank.co.ukEmily joined Theos in July 2019. She graduated with a MA in Documentary Animation from the Royal College of Art and achieved her BA in Illustration Animation at Kingston University. Alongside working as Creative Content Designer & Animator at Theos, she works independently as an animation director, specialising in documentary short film. Emily has a passion for visual communication; expanding research through visual metaphor and engaging design.
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Yuanee Tampoe
Executive Assistant to the Director
yuanee.tampoe@theosthinktank.co.ukYuanee Tampoe is Executive Assistant to the Director at Theos. She brings over two decades of experience supporting senior leaders across international organisations, research institutions and the private sector. Before joining Theos, Yuanee worked at the Francis Crick Institute, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the United Nations Development Programme, where she developed expertise in executive support, governance, project coordination and organisational operations. With a passion for creating efficient systems and enabling others to do their best work, Yuanee enjoys helping create the conditions in which Theos can explore the big questions at the intersection of faith, society and politics. As a Christian, she is committed to supporting work that reflects her faith and contributes to the common good.
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Rosie Bromiley
Communications Officer
rosie.bromiley@theosthinktank.co.ukRosie joined Theos in June 2024 as Research and Communications intern and became Communications Officer in August 2025. She holds a BA in Theology & Religion from Durham University specialising in Christian ethics. Rosie has previous experience working for youth and mental health charities.
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Amari Yogendran
Marketing Officer, The Sacred Podcast
amari@theosthinktank.co.ukAmari is the Assistant Marketing Officer at The Sacred Podcast. She has a BA in English and Creative Writing from University of Birmingham. Amari is fascinated by the potential for the arts to influence stories that we are living in and outside of Theos, she works as a freelance photographer, writer and is studying to be a counsellor.
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Joshua Lelo
Videographer and Editor, The Sacred Podcast
joshua.lelo@theosthinktank.co.ukJoshua is the lead videographer and editor at The Sacred Podcast. He moved to London from Washington DC in 2020 to work as a freelance videographer, and began working on the Sacred Podcast in January 2026. Utilising his experience in documentary filmmaking and brand development, Joshua is passionate about creating cinematic content that both reflects the values of Theos and The Sacred Podcast, while authentically honouring each guest and their individual life journey.
Associate Fellows
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Barbara Ridpath
Associate Fellow
In recent years, Barbara Ridpath has combined her education in economics and work in finance and regulation with her interest in theology and ethics. She served as Director of St Paul’s Institute at St Pauls Cathedral from 2014–18, and then as a member and subsequently Chair of the Ethical Investment Advisory Group of the Church of England. She is the co–author of two Theos publications and also serves as a non–executive director of two financial organisations, and on the International Advisory Board of the Institute for Business Ethics.