Jon is a teacher at one of EmpathyLab’s pioneer schools, with a passion for developing genuine reading cultures in schools. He coordinates the Patron of Reading initiative, writes a regular blog and talks about books at every possible opportunity. In 2019 he won the Experienced Teacher Award in UKLA’s Reading for Pleasure Awards.

She is Chair of the Libraries Connected North West Regional Group, a Trustee of The Reading Agency and on the Diversity Steering Group for Curious Minds.

Anna Nolan has been working as a psychologist for nearly thirty years with experience in the UK and internationally; a rich experience of working with children, families, teachers and other psychologists. She leads a large team of psychologists in Hampshire and sees connections in her role with the work that EmpathyLab is doing to build empathy in school communities.

Valuing the power of story started in her time as a primary teacher, the opportunity to develop discussions with young children about lives imagined, about different possibilities, different perspectives.  She is very much looking forward to immersing herself in the wonderful transformative world of story on the EmpathyLab panel.

Nicolette is a writer and journalist who has been the children’s book reviewer of the Sunday Times for more than two decades.

Richard is an experienced Key Stage 2 teacher and Professional Teaching Enhancement Lead at Springwell School, Heston. He co-leads a Teachers' Reading group in Ealing, South-West London and is the UKLA representative for London. 

Having studied the effect that graphic novels may have on their readers in his own research, he is interested in developing children's empathy through a wider range of texts. 

Dawn has spent all her career mainly with a Schools’ Library Service, moving to include children’s libraries, then back as manager of SLS. 

She has more recently brought that knowledge and experience to the School Library Association where she still enjoys the challenge of getting the right book into the hands of students and teachers who need a particular book for a specific need at any one time.

Sarah is the Libraries Development Manager for Brent Libraries. Her role involves the planning and delivery of strategic service provision for libraries covering children and young people's services, adult learning and adult reading services. 

A highlight of her role was being a lead partner with Apples and Snakes arts organisation for the delivery of the Spine annual arts and literature festival for children and young people across half of London.