Julian Tait
Chief executive officer
Julian is a passionate advocate for technologies that build stronger communities, encourage new forms of economic activity and give people a stake in decision-making.
He’s spent more than a decade creating projects that prove the benefits of open and accessible data.
While working at FutureEverything, Julian co-developed Manchester’s Open Data Cities programme, and he’s been involved with many local, national and international initiatives. He is a co-author of the Open Data Handbook, The Open Book and other papers. He is also on the board of directors.
Sam Milsom
Programme development manager
Sam designs and delivers ODM’s programme including training, workshops and projects such as Data for Communities and the lottery funded Our Streets Chorlton.
He is a skilled workshop facilitator with experience of making data accessible to ‘non-data people’ and building strong community and stakeholder engagement.
Previously Sam has worked for Code Club and ReadingWise. In 2011, he co-founded Time/Image Online, responsible for the digitisation and cataloguing of the British Council’s film archive. He can sometimes be heard co-hosting the Tech For Good Live podcast.
Sophie Walker
Project manager
Sophie is the COO and co-founder of Dsposal a clean-tech company, which along with its sister social enterprise Your Dsposal, is on a mission is to empower people to make better decisions with their resources and waste by increasing transparency and accountability to make a positive impact on our environment.
Prior to founding Dsposal, Sophie gained a degree in Conflict Resolution, cycled 8,700 miles around North America and enjoyed a winding career encompassing supply chain, the food industry and sustainability.
She is shortlisted for the NPW Outstanding Entrepreneur award 2020, was voted joint 5th in the 2019 Resource Hot 100, is group coordinator of the Waste Compliance Taskforce and an alumna of the CSC Leaders Programme.
Matt Pullen
User researcher
Matt is a User Researcher for Open Data Manchester and Co-Founder of Curo Carers.He has worked on projects across the sectors of health & social care, sustainability and education. Helping reimagine community care with the NHS, create mentoring schemes for disadvantaged students and build Venture Capital invested startups.He has completed a number of entrepreneurial development programmes including Year Here and New Entrepreneurs Foundation, which have developed his user-centred design skills and business acumen.Work aside, he enjoys Tony’s Chocoloney and Fantasy Premier League.
Maura Hunt
Data Architect
Maura is a PhD candidate in the Decision and Cognitive Science Research Centre at the University of Manchester. She is writing her thesis on cognitive shortcuts used in decision support systems.
Before her doctoral studies, Maura received her MSc in Business Analytics – Operational Research and Risk Analysis at the University of Manchester. She also completed aBSc in Psychological Sciences at Kent State University in the USA.
Maura’s research interests include multi-criteria optimisation, rationality, cognitive and resource constraints, human-computer interaction, open-source software (mainly in R programming language) and open-science practices.
Personally, she likes to watch Netflix, explore cute coffee shops, go hiking and travel.
Shanice Blair
Office manager
Clara is a ‘tech for good’ user researcher based in Manchester. She has worked with clients in a variety of spaces, such as education, social care and homelessness.
She currently works with Diverse and Equal researching issues around ethnic diversity in tech, as well as upskilling people in Agile, User-centred Design and Research.
In her past life, Clara got a Master’s degree in Digital Media Management at Hyper Island, as well as a PGCE in Art and Design at Manchester Metropolitan University.
In her spare time, Clara likes to crochet, eat chips and go hiking!
Doctor Phoenix Andrews
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Data – Research Lead
Coming soon