CIAO Logo If you were sailing away on an ark to a low carbon future, what would you save and what would you leave behind? Childrens Answers
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Our People

CIAO! is currently run by a core team working with freelance professionals in the planning and delivery of projects and events.

Karen Draisey, Artistic Director
Karen is CIAO!'s co-founder and her leadership role includes artistic and organisational management. She programmes CIAO!'s events based on visits to festivals within the UK and abroad. Karen has a professional theatre background and specialises in the arts in education, having worked with arts organisations in the UK and Canada. Her career highlights include working with Augusto Boal in Paris and acting in an English teaching series for East German TV - for which she has been 'awarded' a Stasi file!

kdraisey@ciaofestival.org.uk

Emma Howell, Project Director
Emma is co-ordinating the education programme and environmental science aspects of the Ark Project, working closely with colleagues at the Environmental Change Institute and Oxford Brookes University. She is a writer and lecturer in Creative Writing at Ruskin College, Oxford. Emma has written drama for stage and radio and more recently worked as Poet in Residence for the Environmental Change Institute. She has worked with the Theatre Royal Stratford East, the Pegasus Theatre and others and is currently developing a series of children's books inspired by her love of environmental science.

ehowell@ciaofestival.org.uk

Alex Smith, Education Co-ordinator
Alex is coordinating the Ark's science and arts projects with ten participating schools across Oxfordshire and is liaising with teachers, scientists and artists to make the myriad of workshops and events run smoothly. Alex is a primary school teacher with more than 20 years experience of working with children from Foundation Stage to Key Stage 2. He has held the post of Science Coordinator in several Oxfordshire primary schools. As well as working on the Ark Project he currently teaches part time at Wolvercote Primary School to which he cycles from his home in South Oxfordshire!

asmith@ciaofestival.org.uk

Paula Clark, Communications & Marketing Manager
Paula leads on CIAO!'s external communications. Informing the general public and colleagues about its cultural and educational activities through the CIAO! website, e-newsletters, printed materials, photography and by marketing projects to the regional and national media. She was the former editor of Oxfordshire Living magazine and has worked as marketing consultant for various Oxfordshire based arts organisations, such as The North Wall Arts Centre and Oxford Inspires. Paula's love of the arts now extends to her out of office activities with her recent theatrical debut in the Forest Hill village panto!

pclark@ciaofestival.org.uk