Who We Are

Rethinking Economics is an international network of students, academics and professionals building a better economics in society and the classroom.

Through a mixture of campaigning, events and engaging projects, Rethinking Economics connects people globally to discuss and enact the change needed for the future of economics, and to propel the vital debate on what economics is today.

Our Staff Team:

Maeve Cohen – Co-Director Campaigns – maeve.cohen@rethinkeconomics.org

Maeve got involved with Rethinking whilst a student at the University of Manchester, co-founding the Post-Crash Economics Society there. After graduating, she continued to maintain her involvement with Rethinking, volunteering as a trustee, while she worked in external affairs at IPPR North, before becoming co-director.

Laurence Jones-Williams – Co-Director Operations – laurence.jones-williams@rethinkeconomics.org

Laurence started as Head of Operations in July 2017. He began his career helping build a website to connect campaigns in Manchester and London called Pando, before getting involved in the anti-austerity movement to reverse the severe cuts hitting the UK. After that he set up the Tenants Union, a membership based organisation created to connect housing campaigners across the UK to build a national organisation to tackle the housing crisis. Laurence oversees all finances, HR and governance. He would like Tilda Swinton to play him in a film of his life

Ali Al-Jamri – Diversity Campaigns Manager – ali.al-jamri@rethinkeconomics.org

Ali started at Rethinking Economics in November 2018. After studying Journalism, he did a Masters in Near & Middle Eastern Studies in SOAS. Since graduating in 2014, he’s worked on human rights campaigns in the Middle East, and most recently at the British Red Cross International Family Tracing Service, working with refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. Ali believes the field of economics has to become diverse and inclusive if we are to achieve an economy that works for everybody.

Elizabeth Barrett – Operations Coordinator – elizabeth.barrett@rethinkeconomics.org 

Elizabeth started at RE in October 2018. She recently graduated in LLB Law (with Spanish Law) at the University of Sheffield. During her degree, she developed an interest in the regulation of financial services and the utility of behavioural economics in formulating more effective legislation for this sector. Elizabeth has also spent time volunteering with refugees and local school projects as well as working in Spain. She assists the whole team with issues concerning finance, HR, and event logistics.

Ross Cathcart – Head of Local Communications and Events – ross.cathcart@rethinkeconomics.org

Ross began as Head of Local Communications and Events in May 2018. His previous work focused on city-region devolution and he continues to work in housing activism. Ross believes addressing the issues of structural inequality and environmental degradation needs to start with a better understanding of economics in the classroom and society at large. Ross leads on events hosted by Rethinking Economics HQ and provides support to local RE groups’ events and campaigns.

Cameron Fay – Economics Education Campaigns Manager – cameron.fay@rethinkeconomics.org

Prior to joining Rethinking Economics in November 2018, Cameron had worked in social housing in the North West, before studying for a Masters in Intercultural Communication and International Development. He set up a grassroots advocacy group in Sheffield which continues to engage local politicians, media, and the public to campaign for support for overseas aid. After finishing his Masters, he worked for an NGO delivering reintegration assistance to people repatriating to their country of origin from the EU. He believes that achieving sustainable global development requires a re-evaluation of our economic systems, which starts with a more critical and open economics education.

Nicola Scott – Research Manager – nicola.scott@rethinkeconomics.org

Nicola joined RE in January 2019. Previously, after her PhD in IPE used fieldwork in Mexico/the US to research trade issues, MNC interests, and the development of GM crops, Nicola investigated CSR topics for Ethical Consumer. She was then involved with grassroots campaigns which focused on awareness-raising about climate change, as well as the need to reign in the power of the global crop biotech industry. Throughout, Nicola has taught at university to develop students’ skills to conduct reliable research and think critically. She believes there needs to be diversity within economics in relation to what is taught and practiced, by and to whom, for the global economy to work in the interests of the planet and its inhabitants.

In the role of Research Manager, Nicola will produce the evidence base for a book about the lack of diversity within the economics discipline, so her work will considerably overlap with the aims of RE’s Diversity Campaign. As this is a novel topic within the new economics movement, Nicola is keen to support and enable Rethinkers to carry out peer to peer research of their lived experience on the lack of diversity in economics at university.

Call our office number on 07380874091

Our Trustee Board:

Christine Berry (Co-Chair) (Currently on Maternity leave)

Christine is part-time director of the Policy and Government unit at the New Economics Foundation think tank, whilst studying for her PhD at the University of Sheffield. Prior to this she worked as a researcher for both the pensions charity FairAction and for David Haworth MP after obtaining her degree in Social and Political Science from the University of Cambridge.

Sofie Jenkinson

Sofie is Head of News at the New Economics Foundation (NEF). Previously Head of News & Digital at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank. She studied Sociology and Journalism at Cardiff University and is a keen supporter of REs campaign for an economy that works for people and planet, not profit.

Antonia Jennings

Laurie Laybourn-Langton (Co-Chair)

Laurie is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research, where his work covers transport and Anthropocene policy and political economy. He is also the founder of Bring Back the NHS, a campaign to improve understanding of the UK’s public healthcare system, and formerly worked for Lord Skidelsky, the Institute for New Economic Thinking at Oxford University, and Purpose. Laurie became a trustee because he believes the lack of critical thought and accessibility in economics to be one of the greatest barriers to developing solutions to 21st century problems.

Juliet Michaelson

Juliet is Head of Operations at the New Economy Organisers Network (NEON). She previously led the wellbeing programme at the New Economics Foundation, where she experienced at first hand the challenges of bringing an alternative economic approach into policy-making. Juliet’s background in is in social research and she has experience working with and for a number of charities, as well as the UK civil service.

Aoife O’Leary (Acting Co-Chair)

Aoife an experienced environmental advocate and qualified lawyer in Ireland, England, Wales and New York. Having done her training as a solicitor in Ireland, Aoife then moved into the NGO sector in Brussels and London. She has wide experience of EU climate and energy policy and law, with a speciality in international transport climate law and policy. Aoife took up economics after being told repeatedly that it was all about the economy when trying to persuade policy-makers to do something (anything!) for the climate. Dissatisfied with mainstream economic environmental thinking, Aoife is delighted to be able to assist RE in their campaign to broaden the view of the next (and current) generation of economists.

Dara Leydon

Dara worked at Save the Children UK for several years before taking a break to return to education, he’s currently studying for Masters in International Political Economy at the University of Sussex. He’s also a Sustainability Adviser at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, a charitable start-up which aims to improve humanitarian responses and enable them to be led by local communities. He previously worked in financial consulting at PwC, London. A graduate of both Economics and Engineering Dara has a keen interest in Political Economy, International Development and Social Justice.

Ben Pringle

Ben has been a part of the Rethinking Economics movement since his first semester at University when he became involved in the Post-Crash Economics Society at the University of Manchester. Over his time involved in the society, his roles included Chair, Treasurer and Blog Editor. He was also Chair during the first PCES conference and was the lead on the second conference. Since then he has continued to be involved in the local, national and international campaign for pluralism within economics. His role as Trustee involves building and sustaining membership of Rethinking Economics.

J.Christopher Proctor

J.Christopher stumbled into the world or Rethinking Economics when he enrolled in a masters degree in 2014 called Economic Policies in the Age of Globalization. Studying in London and Paris, he has since bounced around Europe, working with various pluralist economics initiatives including RE’s sister charity Economy and oikos International, a student organization promoting sustainability in economics and management education. Along the way he co-edited the book Rethinking Economics: An introduction to pluralist economics and created the oikos Guide to Pluralist Economics.

Yuan Yang

Yuan started studying Economics and Philosophy at Oxford in 2008, the year she discovered economics teaching isn’t geared to help students understand the economy. Helped by critical-minded tutors, she carried on learning more about the philosophy of social science, and went on to study an MSc in Economics at the London School of Economics, where she set up the first Rethinking Economics network of student groups in 2013, and was part of the first RE staff team in 2015. She is now a correspondent for the Financial Times in Beijing, writing on China’s economic and technological developments.

Our Advisory Board:

Lawrie Simanowitz

Lawrie is a lawyer at Bates Wells Braithwaite specialising in charitable organisations. His advice to Rethinking Economics has been invaluable when considering fundraising opportunities and writing contracts, as well as during our merger with Post-Crash Economics in 2015. He is also the Chair of 38 Degrees Trust, a UK-based progressive political activism organisation.

John Ashton

Now an independent speaker, John previously served as the UK Government’s Special Representative for Climate Change between 2006-2012. To Rethinking Economics, he provides expertise as we attempt to influence those institutions responsible for higher education policy. John is also a visiting professor at London School of Economics and SOAS, as well as serving asa Trustee for the UK Youth Climate Coalition.

Andrew Thompson

Andrew  works as Grant Manager for the Friends Provident Foundation, one of Rethinking Economics’ core funders. Andrew’s support ever since Rethinking was established as a charity has been invaluable and he is always on hand to answer questions and provide feedback on our work.

Victoria Chick

Victoria is Emeritus Professor at University College London. Her contribution to our understanding of Keynes’s General Theory made her a respected member of the economics community. Victoria helps us understand the academic community and how we can ensure our voice is heard in these circles.

Dan Vockins

The New Economics Foundation, which Dan works for, have been a good friend of Rethinking Economics since our inception. Dan has a good understanding of how to build a strong network of voluntary organisers, and has contributed much to making sure our community feels ownership of Rethinking Economics.

Karel Williams

Karel is Professor of Accounting and Political Economy at Alliance Manchester Business School. Karel was also a director of the Centre for Research and Socio-Cultural Change a major ESRC research centre which ran between 2004-2014. Karel has been a great supporter of the student movement since its early days and provides crucial input which helps us develop our strategy effectively.