Meet the Campaigns and Policy team
You can find out everything you need to know about who we are, what we work on, what we've achieved and what we're planning next as well as how we can help you in this document.
Here's more information about each team member and what they do.
Patrick Olszowski, Campaigns and Policy Manager
Patrick heads up the Campaigns and Policy team of 4 and two fantastic interns. Patrick is an award winning campaigns and public affairs professional who has worked at some of the UK's largest health charities. Patrick launched the Life After Stroke Campaign in May 2012, highlighting the barriers faced by stroke survivors and their families. Patrick leads on the Research and Social Care policy areas.
Chris Randell, Parliamentary and Policy Officer
Chris leads our parliamentary and public affairs work, engaging on a daily basis with politicians, civil servants, other charities and think tanks. Chris leads on the policy areas of childhood stroke and health. Chris was centrally involved in securing the National Stroke Strategy for England, which has led to thousands of lives saved.
Alison Clarke, Campaigner
Alison leads the charity's work on the financial impact of stroke and also benefits. Alison has worked for a number of charities prior to joining the Stroke Association. She also is responsible for the work on dementia.
Emma Nye, Campaigner
Emma's background is in local party politics and she works to defend and enhance services that stroke survivors rely on. Emma is working to build the stroke community, a network of trained campaigners across the UK, able to help ensure the best life after stroke for survivors. She is also involved in prevention work to ensure more people can avoid having a stroke in the first place.
Danielle de Bruin, Campaigns Assistant
Danielle de Bruin, who works with us one day a week, has been instrumental in helping establish the charity's position on the financial impact of stroke and our work as part of the Hardest Hit coalition.
Paul Washe
Paul has a BA degree in Politics and Philosophy, and has since worked in the HR field for a number of charities. Paul is assisting the team with political and parliamentary engagement, helping us to promote our latest campaign on the emotional impact of stroke, working on our Campaigners’ Network emails as well as giving general support to the team as needed.
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Jakob Stenkvist
After joining the team in April Jakob is contributing and editing materials for the upcoming events on the emotional effects of stroke campaign. Furthermore he is working on the Campaigners’ Network and supporting the team on an ad hoc basis. Jakob has an MA degree in Politics from University of Manchester and has previously been engaged in local party politics.
Click here to meet the team in Scotland
What happened next for former Campaigns and Policy Interns?
Douglas Johnson, Intern, November - February 2013
Douglas joined us after completing a MA in Politics, Security and Integration at UCL. Douglas helped to process responses to our survey on the emotional impact of stroke, he also worked to design and implement an internal UK wide campaigns and policy conference as well as providing general support to the team. Douglas left us in February to take up paid employment at a public affairs agency.
Anne Pollock, Intern, August - November 2012
Anne facilitated our Party Conference diaries and helped run our fringe event at the Liberal Democrat conference as well as our UK Stroke Club Conference. She also provided material for the website and began working on the early stages of a future campaign. Anne went on to secure employment in the Communications and Strategy department of a London Council.
Morwenna McNeill, Intern, August - November 2012
Morwenna worked to improve the Campaigns and Policy section of our website, and on supporting our work round party conferences. She also helped us develop posters and other campaigning materials. Morwenna went on to gain a permanent graduate role in the manufacturing and design industry.