Who We Are

The RE Network
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 People
Our Staff Team:
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.
Tree Watson – Co-Director: Operations – tree.watson@rethinkeconomics.org
Tree got involved in the movement for Pluralism in Economics in 2012 with the Post-Crash Economics Society at the University of Manchester where she studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics. After graduating she was then part of setting up the support team in Manchester. Having had a break from Economics working in a pub and in social housing construction she is now Co-Director alongside Laurence. Tree oversees communications, network development and RE’s diversity strategy.
Elizabeth Barrett – Operations and Finance 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 the 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 – Senior Organiser – 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.
Liv Anna Lindman – Nordic Coordinator – livanna.lindman@rethinkeconomics.org
Liv Anna is the regional coordinator of Rethinking Economics in Scandinavia, and the first staff member of Rethinking Economics located outside the UK, . She joined the team in January 2019 after having been an active member in Rethinking Economics Norway since 2017. Liv studied economics at the University of Oslo, before she went on to working with security for the Norwegian government. She later specialized in resource and environmental economics at the University of Life Sciences in Norway where she also helped found the local chapter of RE.
Liv have diverse organisation experience from a variety of both student, social- and environmental organisations, as well as local politics. She takes high interest in topics concerning welfare and sustainability, and consider reformed pluralistic economics to have a crucial role in finding solutions to the ecological and social challenges we face. In 2019, Liv Anna will work from her office in central Oslo, Norway, to consolidate and coordinate the capacities in the Rethinking Economics network across the Nordic region. She will work in close cooperation with the existing local groups in Scandinavia and the team in Manchester.
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:
Aoife O’Leary (Acting 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.
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 Antonia is the Policy and Public Affairs Manager at the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, working previously at The Climate Group and RE’s sister charity, Economy. Studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics made her realise that the economic theories presented in degrees often bear little semblance to reality, which is a problem if we are expecting our graduates to change things! Frustrated by this, Antonia went on to complete a Masters in Politics and Communication, looking at how political and economic ideas are communicated. She now works as an RE trustee and in other roles to promote an economics that is sustainable and equitable.