ALEX BELLINGER

Engaging ALUMNI With Audio, Pictures & Video

Alex is one of the UK's podcast pioneers, creating SmallBizPod (www.smallbizpod.co.uk), the UK's first business podcast in March 2005. SmallBizPod is now the most popular UK podcast for small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs in Apple's iTunes charts.

Alex also co-organised the world's first podcasting conference in London in September 2005 which attracted participants and media from across the globe, and managed the follow-up event in 2006 too.

With a background in lobbying, marketing and corporate communications for FTSE 100 companies, Alex has a wealth of communications experience. His company BizPod Media focuses on producing SmallBizPod, but also helps organisations develop and produce their own strategies and implementation of podcasting and other social media tools.

MATTHEW D’ARCY

The Future of Alumni Online

Using Online Networking & Virtual Worlds For ALUMNI Advancement

Matthew is Managing Director of OMTAC Ltd (www.omtac.com) has broad experience of the worlds of Education, Alumni Networks, Social Networking, Marketing and the Internet. Over the last 15 years he has been involved directly in a number of alumni networks and has worked in different roles in the Education sector in Schools and HE. He has been using the Internet since the 1990s, developing specific expertise in Internet Marketing & Communications.

Early in his career Matthew worked for Rank Leisure in Florida, USA before taking a role as Enterprise Project Manager for both the University of Surrey (working closely with the Students’ Union and academic departments) and the Department of Employment and Education delivering a range of training courses in transferable management skills locally, regionally and nationally. He was then Director of Marketing for a Secondary School for 3 years. He also worked as a recruitment consultant in the City of London.

In 2000 Matthew co-founded Swing Digital Ltd, a digital web development consultancy developing online membership database systems for alumni and other member associations. Matthew has had responsibility for marketing a broad range of products and services, from sports equipment, travel, conferences, events, retail shops and restaurants to Internet services, independent education and novelty items.

Matthew has served as Chairman of his University department’s alumni society and on his former school’s alumni committee. He is accredited by the Synectics Education Initiative as a trainer in problem solving techniques and graduated from the University of Surrey with a BSc (Hons) in Management Studies. Matthew's spends too much time surfing the Internet, loves skiing and is no longer addicted to Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.

RICHARD DOUGHTY

Engaging ALUMNI With Audio, Pictures & Video

Richard is a highly experienced communicator currently working as a governance consultant, third sector expert and speech writer. He has worked on alumni advancement and has represented students at an institutional and national level, served on the governing body of his University and advised the UK Quality Assurance Agency on how to increase student participation in institutional audits.

After graduating with an honours degree in Politics and Human Rights he led his Students' Union and was then brought in by the Association of Chief Executives in Voluntary Organisations to help develop their response to the recession.

He began life as a dancer and musician, studying at the historic Bretton Hall College, and training in Sydney, Australia, and with Het Internationaal Dantheater voor de Jeugd in Amsterdam. In his spare time Richard likes to eat and sleep.

ANDREW GORDON

Making Your ALUMNI Website Work For You

Andrew is an experienced digital marketing trainer and consultant with over 12 years Web Marketing experience. He has worked on numerous online projects both large and small, written for a number of publications both on and offline and given lectures on digital marketing for institutions such as the University of Cardiff and MIT.

Andrew is a passionate and enthusiastic trainer, recently delivering training for eConsultancy, and is a part-time Lecturer at University of Coventry (Writing for Web) and an Associate lecturer at University of Warwick School of Lifelong Learning.

His extensive business experience includes helping launch www.jobs.ac.uk in 1997/8 as the Website Manager. Andrew left in 1999 to secure £3million venture capital money from 3i and helped launch the ‘JobsIn’ group of jobs websites. He then ran his own online marketing consultancy - New Terrain Limited - for 5 years helping a variety of organisations to use the Internet to grow their businesses. Andrew rejoined www.jobs.ac.uk as Managing Director in 2004 taking profits to £2m+ and increasing registered user sign-ups to 250K.

JOFF MANNING

Using Online Networking & Virtual Worlds For ALUMNI Advancement

Joff is the Development Officer (Annual Fund and Legacy Giving) at Westminster School. As a former Students’ Union President of Royal Holloway University, Joff Manning has considerable experience of the UK University sector having worked with both students and staff at Royal Holloway (including the Alumni & Development office) and on regional and national Higher Education initiatives (particularly the practical application of social networking within educational establishments).

Joff has also worked in development and fundraising (specialising in Regular Giving and social networking), was a member of his University’s Alumni Advisory Group, works closely with AROPS (The Association of Representatives of Old Pupils’ Societies) in an advisory capacity helping AROPS members to meet the changing needs of young leavers, and is an active member of his former school’s Old Pupils’ Committee.

Joff grew up in Germany and North America but was educated at St Lawrence College in Ramsgate before reading Classics and Drama at Royal Holloway, University of London, spending part of his degree studying at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. In his spare time Joff is an enthusiastic theatre-goer and amateur dramatics.

EIBHLÍN MORLEY

ALUMNI Membership Management, Engagement
& Transactions

Eibhlín is Development Manager at Royal Holloway, University of London. Before taking on this role, she managed the College’s Alumni Relations Office, responsible for furthering the College's relationship with its alumni community via effective online and face-to-face communications, events and other initiatives.

Eibhlín read English and History at Trinity College Dublin and went on to study Business at the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, UCD. She has lived and worked all over the world and is a keen long-distance runner.

MIKE TEASDALE

Communicating With ALUMNI Electronically

Mike is the Planning Director and one of the founders of Harvest Digital (www.harvestdigital.com), a full service online marketing agency. Harvest Digital offers an integrated approach to email marketing, creative and technical development, search marketing and online media planning and buying. The agency is one of the largest independents in the NMA Top 100: clients include Tesco, 3M, NatWest, Otto and Auto Trader.

Before Harvest Digital, Mike worked as a consultant with Answerthink, a global IT consultancy where he developed online marketing strategy for clients like IBM, Shell and Abbey National. He started his career as a copywriter in the direct marketing industry, winning numerous creative awards with WWAV Rapp Collins.

A frequent commentator in the press and on his blog (www.indolent.com), Mike is a trainer for the IDM’s Advanced Email Marketing course and Digital Marketing Diploma, sits on the IAB’s Search Council and speaks frequently at industry events. Mike likes to think of himself as having sophisticated tastes, but in reality his ideal day would involve watching a rare Newcastle United victory followed by a few beers.