RAY Staff
RAY currently employs a small team of staff on a part-time basis to run each aspect of the services RAY offers. All employees hold enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service, formerly CRB) clearance.
Meet the team below:
Carrie wheater - RAY CEO
Carrie has worked as RAY’s Manager then CEO for 11 years. Previously she worked for a church for 8 years, where she gained valuable experience in managing volunteers, setting up policies and procedures, and -through spending some years as a Trustee - in governance. Prior to that Carrie spent 9 years working for a housing association in the South East of England, marketing Low Cost Home Ownership. In this role she supported house-buyers through their whole purchase process, providing information and support throughout. She also developed skills in staff management, budget monitoring, working with partner organisations and marketing.
Carrie has a Master’s Degree in Marketing, and an Institute of Leadership and Management Level 5 Certificate.
As CEO, Carrie’s main role is to oversee the running of RAY’s various projects and services. Another part of Carrie’s role is working with the trustees to promote The Hub to potential referral agencies and users, to represent RAY at meetings with other agencies, to contribute to policy development, funding applications and to monitor and evaluate RAY’s work, including consultation with service users.
John Williamson - SENIOR PROJECT WORKER.
John has been involved with RAY for several years, initially as a Volunteer and more recently as a Volunteer Trustee. He came to RAY with a lengthy background in anti-racist activism and this was the driver in becoming involved in a charity that directly helps refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
John’s work background involves 28 years in the Civil Service working in the Courts and Tribunals system. The first half of that time was spent in clerical and managerial roles in Court offices and the second half as a Learning & Development professional covering areas ranging from South Yorkshire northwards and into Scotland. He is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD). He did also train as a greengrocer in his youth!
As our Senior Project Worker, John is responsible for ensuring that support, guidance and signposting in a range of fields is offered to those in need, specifically via appointments at RAY’s Hub. He also oversees the work and development of the Ambassadors who represent RAY at charity events and talks. But he is happy and willing to be involved in anything involving RAY and supporting its Service Users.
Away from work John is a Leeds United Season Ticket holder, a keen cyclist (albeit on sabbatical!) and helps to coach a boy’s football team.
Steph Cooper - SENIOR PROJECT WORKER
Steph has been involved with RAY for several years, as a befriender and volunteer, and more recently as a volunteer trustee. Her involvement as a volunteer working with asylum seekers in York during the pandemic led to her wanting to become more involved with RAY.
Steph previously worked as a Regional Coordinator for Christian Aid for 15 years. She was their first point of contact in North and East Yorkshire and spent a lot of time sharing stories of Christian Aid’s partner projects in churches, schools and other groups across Yorkshire, and supporting and organising fundraising and campaigning events. She was also privileged to travel to visit Christian Aid’s partner projects in several places (Guatemala, India, Sierra Leone and Zambia) and to host partners and beneficiaries in the UK.
Steph has a Master’s Degree in Development Management and a CMI Level 3 Diploma in Business and Management. She has also recently completed a Level 2 Arabic course. Steph is also a qualified facilitator of Peaced Together courses (www.peacedtogether.co.uk) and has recently done some additional training to facilitate courses for women where English is not their first language.
Steph is currently seconded to take the lead in RAY’s support to the residents of York’s asylum hotel. Steph organises several drop-in sessions per week where hotel residents can come and ask for support and advice, and helps to offer support, guidance and signposting to those in need. She also represents RAY at various inter-organisational meetings and liaises with other RAY colleagues and volunteers when residents receive a positive decision on their asylum claim, or when someone needs additional support.
Away from work, Steph enjoys lots of different sports, especially running, and she loves doing parkrun with the family’s rescue dog, Mila, and her husband and grandchildren, and is a member of a local running club. She also enjoys learning about different cultures (and especially different foods), and a variety of crafts.
SALAM KHANJAR - PROJECT WORKER
Salam began his involvement with RAY as a translator volunteer. He has more than eight years of experience working with refugees and displaced people and has worked in a challenging humanitarian context in Iraq. Salam has worked with multinational and international organisations such as Norwegian Refugee Council, TDH in Italy, MSF in France and SEED Foundation. He has extensive experience in GBV, human trafficking, and women, girls and youth empowerment and protection.
Salam has a Master’s Degree in International Humanitarian Affairs and is currently attending a Master’s programme in International Relations. Salam is a Rotary International Peace fellow and speaks English, Arabic and Kurdish.
Emma Drake - Project worker
Emma works with RAY as a Project Worker, providing support and guidance to those in need and has taken the lead on some of RAY’s initiatives, including the Swimming Project.
Prior to joining RAY, Emma graduated from the University of Durham with a BA (Hons) Degree in History with Criminology. Following University, Emma worked in the Civil Service as well as for a national Refugee Charity, supporting refugees and asylum seekers across the Leeds area. In addition, Emma has nine years’ experience working in Human Resources during which she spent time living and working in both New Zealand and the UK, obtaining a CIPD Level 5 Diploma in Human Resource Management. Emma is also a trained Mental Health First Aider and has experience in supporting with health and wellbuing in the workplace, recruitment and employment law.
Away from work, Emma enjoys spending time with her family, including exploring the outdoors with her two young boys. Emma is also a keen traveler and has spent time living in Ghana whilst volunteering at a local orphanage as well as several months travelling across Asia.
TULAY KIRAN - PROJECT WORKER
SARAH MENYS - VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Sarah began volunteering with RAY in 2019, initially as a Children’s Helper at the Hub, moving into other roles during the pandemic before becoming employed as the Volunteer Coordinator. Sarah loves meeting new people and being involved in the community, opportunities RAY offers in abundance!
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology and Religious Studies and alongside her role with RAY, also works as an administrator at York St John University. Prior to this Sarah worked with volunteers at York Minster and held administrative posts at York Hospital.
As Volunteer Coordinator, Sarah oversees RAY’s team of volunteers - without whom RAY’s work would not be possible.
Away from work, Sarah loves spending time with her family outdoors, reading and embroidering.
MEG PECHONIS - office manager/Volunteer Coordinator
Meg began volunteering with RAY as a befriender in 2017 before being employed as Administrator in 2022. She later took on Bookkeeping and Volunteer Coordinator responsibilities and in 2023 took on the role of Office Manager.
Having lived in three countries and worked with vulnerable individuals, Meg became involved with RAY because of a desire to help refugees and asylum seekers new to the UK to adjust to and integrate into their new community. As Volunteer Coordinator, Meg has taken on the organisation and oversight of the RAY volunteers who are involved with supporting a large group of asylum seekers living in York. As Office Manager, she maintains the administrative systems of the organisation, performs bookkeeping duties and manages RAY’s record keeping.
Meg has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy and a Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Bookkeeping. Prior to working at RAY, she has held a variety of roles in the non-profit sector including as admissions director for a small school, exhibition coordinator for a festival and children’s work coordinator for a church.
Away from work, Meg is involved in her church and enjoys reading, crafting, hiking and wild swimming.
ganna bielcheva - Youth worker
As Youth Worker for RAY, Ganna delivers a programme of youth activities and initiatives, including sports sessions, youth club and information sessions. She engages with older children and teenagers to help achieve outcomes and delivers a programme of activities for children and young people at the monthly Hub meetings.
Ganna has a Master’s degree and Phd in IT. Her work experience has always been related to learning environments. In addition to the education process, she actively worked with the Enrollments Team and organised Open Door Days for apprentices where they met students and colleagues. As a lecturer and curator of the students’ group, Ganna was in touch with students’ families to provide feedback about the education proecss, attendance, academic perfomance, safety and coordination.
She has lived in York since 2022 and has integrated into the local community. Ganna understands the needs of new arrivals to the UK and is keen to contribute to the fantastic work that RAY does in the community.
