OUR TRUSTEES
John Mitchell OBE – Chair
My initial career was in banking, followed by four years as Finance Director for International Nepal Fellowship – a Christian medical mission / NGO based in Nepal. I then joined the British Council and have subsequently lived and worked in Hungary, Zambia, Algeria, UK, India and Afghanistan. Latterly, I was British Council Director in Morocco.
Victoria Smith, Treasurer
I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. My finance career has spanned both the public and private sectors and I have recently retired from my role as Finance Director for a national programme within NHS England. Having had the privilege of witnessing first-hand the work of Embrace the Middle East’s partners in the region, I am committed to supporting the work of the Charity and its Christian partners.
Janet Bolton
I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. With over 40 years’ experience in HR, my career has been mostly operating at a strategic level in the Housing, Healthcare and NFP sector in the UK. Additionally, I worked for several years with a humanitarian NGO that supported local African communities by providing agricultural expertise. The later part of my career was working internationally with the United Bible Societies, which operates globally with local partners in over 150 countries. In 2019, as part of my role, I spent time in Israel and the West Bank meeting with local Christian partners.
Sorcha Connell
I am a communications professional with a specialism in faith-based organisations, individuals and charities, and have studied Theology, Interfaith and Religious Studies at three universities. I have also been very involved in Christian communities with an ecumenical ethos, which use intentional listening, solidarity, prayer and shared life as a doorway to reconciliation and bridging differences. I joined the Embrace board in July 2025.
Revd Josh Harris
I am Priest in Charge of St Katharine Cree in the City of London, and Director of the Joseph Centre for Dignified Work. As well as prior church ministry in the East End, I have worked in and around the political world on governance reform and policy development in think tanks, parliament, and the civil service. I became a Trustee for Embrace in September 2022.
Revd Dr James Hawkey
I am Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey, and a Chaplain to HM The King. I am also currently a member of the International Reformed/Anglican Dialogue and of the Malines Conversations Group.
Revd Katie Hodkinson
I am training for Ordained Ministry in the Church of England and currently serve in a local church whilst studying for a Masters in Theology. My passion and focus is to enable the church to embrace cultural diversity. Prior to this I spent five years working in the Inter Religious Affairs Team for the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace, focusing on the Middle East.
Revd Iain Osborne
I am currently leading development of strategy for the Anglican diocese of Ely, but am mainly a parish priest. As well as leading mission and worship, this has included a good deal of organisational development, including running a food bank and developing a housing project for homeless people. Before ordination in 2017 I worked as an economist, enforcing competition and consumer law and setting price controls, in the aviation, energy, water and telecommunications sectors. I have been a board member for various public sector and charitable bodies, large and small, and became an Embrace Trustee in May 2024.
Katharine Von Schubert
After graduating in Arabic, I spent six years working in the Middle East with the Church Mission Society, Oxfam, Save the Children, Christian Aid and Quaker Peace & Social Witness. I currently work as a Mission Enabler in the Southwark Diocese of the Church of England, helping churches think through their calling and engagement with their local community. I have a passion for theology, and recently completed an MA in Christian Leadership at St Mellitus College, and I was a Trustee of the Church Mission Society (2007-2011).
Kristiina Wells
I am currently based in Geneva, working as a consultant for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Iraq. Prior to this, I worked in the UK Civil Service on migration policy and engagement. I have spent several years in the Middle East, most recently in Egypt where I managed IOM’s counter-trafficking portfolio. I have an MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies from Oxford. I joined Embrace as a trustee in April 2024.
Regional Advisors to the Board of Trustees
Revd Munther Isaac
I am a Palestinian Christian pastor and theologian. I am Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, the academic dean of Bethlehem Bible College, and the director of the Christ at the Checkpoint conferences. I am passionate about Palestinian theology and have published numerous articles on the subject. I am the author of “The Other Side of the Wall”, “From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth”, “An Introduction to Palestinian Theology”, and a commentary on the book of Daniel. I am also involved in many reconciliation and interfaith forums. I joined Embrace in July 2020.