MEET OUR TEAM
Here are some of the lovely brains that are part of The Community Brain family

ROBIN HUTCHINSON
Robin is a Director of The Community Brain, with much of his work focused on encouraging people to engage with ‘place’ not ‘space' and influencing the design and regeneration of community assets, like the High Street.
He is a founding Trustee/ Director of The Rose Theatre, Kingston, and Chair of the charity Creative Youth, organisers of the International Youth Arts Festival, held annually in Kingston.
Robin was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Kingston University for works in the arts and communities and an MBE in the 2015 New Years Honour’s list.

HIMALI PATIL
Himali is a Service designer at The Community Brain with a focus on environmental and social sustainability projects.
She's an illustrator at heart and uses her storytelling skills to design a kinder world. Graduate of MA Sustainable Design at Kingston University.
Himali has recently been working on The Community Brain's wayfinding project in Tolworth, to promote awareness of Kingston's largest nature reserve, Tolworth Court Farm Fields.

MANNY EPTON
Manny has been working for The Community Brain since 2023 as the Food Project Coordinator overseeing Kitchen Roots Community (KRC). KRC is a non-profit social enterprise created to tackle the cost of living crisis offering a Community Hub – supporting people suffering food insecurity through the provision of free meals or pay as you can basis and food skills workshops.
Manny is a qualified nutritionist who has worked or studied in the Health and Wellbeing sector since 2004 and been in charge of the operations of a charity called Helping Hackney Health (HHH) from 2013 to 2018. Since then she has started up 2 companies – one in the East End of London involved in training and food preparation & delivery service. More recently she founded Manny’s Kitchen CIC based locally focusing on fusion cooking and event and private catering .

MADOKA ELLIS
Madoka is a core member of 121 Collective and completed both his BA and MArch in Architecture at Kingston University.
Madoka has been heavily involved with The Community Brain through his key involvement at the Farm of Futures and other SHEDx events such as 'Greening the Greenway' along Tolworth broadway.
He enjoys interacting with people from different cultures and backgrounds through design, craft, and social activities.

ANIELA ZABA
Aniela is a Director of The Community Brain with a focus on project and event management, artistic and creative programming and ensuring each community gets the right mentoring and support they need to deliver their own projects confidently.
Aniela has worked in festivals and events for over ten years and has a passion for bringing together professional artists with communities to create beautiful, brilliant and breathtaking performances and happenings.

JAREK ZABA
Jarek graduated from Kingston University in 2009 with a degree in History and Journalism, and today applies these disciplines to his work with The Community Brain.
Specifically, he focuses on its local heritage projects, applying his research, interviewing, and storytelling skills to bring the hidden histories of Kingston, Surbiton, Tolworth and beyond to the surface. As a specialist in oral history, Jarek has used his interviews to inform exhibition content that has found its way into venues as diverse as the V&A, Hampton Court Garden Festival, London Zoo and Kingston Museum.
Each year he works closely with Kingston University's MA Publishing programme to deliver and coordinate a Community Brain publication printed in partnership with Kingston University Press.
Outside of local heritage work, Jarek is an audio producer and sound designer who has worked on podcast and radio content for BBC Radio 4 and The World Service.

OLIVER MONK
Oliver is a journalist and photographer working to spread the news of The Community Brain’s work far and wide.
After covering a number of events on the Seething Village calendar during his MA Photojournalism course at UAL and subsequent stint in the local press, Oliver joined TCB in late 2024, where he now helps document and share the group's activities in-house.
He is working on establishing a contemporary photographic archive of Kingston borough and its people, which he hopes will help foster a greater sense of community in his hometown.

TINA DEZART
Tina is a freelance Stage and Production Manager who works on a range of projects in theatre and live events with a passion for site specific productions. Her experience ranges from opera and dance to working in muddy fields at Boomtown and Glastonbury.
With a love for live music she helps program and run the music stages at The Community Brain events throughout the year.
Having lived in Surbiton for nearly ten years, Tina is passionate about her vibrant local area and helping deliver events and projects for the community.

CHARLOTTE LEVY
Charlotte is a Director of The Community Brain who focuses on our events and activities programme and is experienced in marketing and digital media.
She is a performing arts/events photographer and active member in the local community and arts sector.
Charlotte has been involved with Creative Youth, organisers of the FUSE International, for several years and is passionate about bringing arts to the community.

SALAH KRICHEN
Salah is one of the founders of 121.Collective who have been partners with The Community Brain on establishing the Farm of Futures, a sustainable community hub on the Tolworth Main Allotments.
Salah has been involved with The Community Brain since his time as an Architecture Masters student at Kingston University, having a key role in managing both The Heritage Shed and the Surbiton Yatai.
Since then, Salah has continued his work with The Community Brain through the 121.Collective, delivering projects such as the New Malden pocket park and the Tolworth Wayfinding.

REUBEN TRUMAN
Reuben is a passionate designer and researcher with a breadth of experience in community engagement, material research, fabrication, and public realm design. His formal architectural training and ongoing practical research continue to shape his focus on the integration of circular economy practices, management of blue and green infrastructure, and community-led design.
He is eager to apply his range of valuable skills to research that challenges traditional boundaries and addresses contemporary challenges while creating sustainable and socially responsive design solutions.
Reuben joined 121 Collective in August 2023 and has been involved in a range of community-led projects, interacting closely with local stakeholders and community partners, as well as being involved in a variety of making and fabrication projects that continue his ongoing passions and interests in crafts and community.

PAUL DAY
Paul has spent over 20 years planning, managing and delivering communications projects for charities and not-for profit organisations, including using communications to help people around the globe lose less and grow more food.
Paul is a founder member of The Community Brain, committed to supporting sound strategy, and focusing on getting real impact and change from its work.