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Staff
- Executive Director - Niamh Eastwood
020 7324 2980 niamh@release.org.uk - Niamh was appointed Executive Director in January 2012. Niamh is a non-practising barrister who started at Release in 2002 as a legal advisor, she was then appointed Head of Legal Services in 2007, and Deputy Director in 2008. She has extensive experience of service delivery, policy strategy, fundraising and operational development. Having worked in drug policy for the last ten years Niamh is passionate about drug policy reform and believes that the most vulnerable in society are disproportionately impacted upon by the current drug laws. Niamh regularly contributes to drug policy journals and publications including Drugs and Alcohol Today and Drink and Drug News, as well as authoring and editing a number of Release’s publications including ‘Drugs and the Law’ and ‘Sex Workers and the Law’. She has presented at international and national conferences and is regularly invited to comment in the media. Niamh is also a Board member of Youth R.IS.E. (www.youthrise.org), a member of the Expert Steering Group for the Global Drug Survey (www.globaldrugsurvey.com) and is on the steering group for the UK Harm Reduction Association.
- Head of Legal Services - Kirstie Douse
020 7324 2982 kirstie@release.org.uk- Kirstie was appointed Head of Legal Services in January 2012. She is a solicitor who joined Release in 2008 as a legal advisor and was appointed Legal Services Manager in 2011.
Before joining Release Kirstie practiced as a solicitor specialising in criminal defence. Having become disillusioned with the way in which drug users are dealt with in the criminal justice system, Kirstie joined Release with a view to tackling the problems at an earlier stage in proceedings by challenging policy and procedure.
In addition to managing the Legal Team, Kirstie continues to advise clients on the legal helpline and at Release's legal surgeries. She has become increasingly involved in the organisation’s policy and campaign work. Kirstie has a regular advice column in Drink and Drug News (‘Legal Line’) and has contributed to local and national press as well as Release publications. She has also presented at national and international conferences. - Legal Advisor - Nadia Salam
- 020 7324 2981 nadia@release.org.uk
- Nadia joined Release in 2006 as a volunteer. She left in 2008 to undertake her training contract at a not-for-profit social welfare law firm where she trained in family, debt, social security, and housing law as well as advising on employment law. On qualification as a solicitor in July 2010 Nadia returned to Release. Nadia is passionate about vulnerable and marginalised people having access to legal justice.
- Legal Advisor - Lorna Macfarlane
lorna@release.org.uk - Lorna obtained a degree in English Literature from Edinbugh University and worked for the BBC before re-training as a lawyer. She is a qualified Duty Solicitor who continues to undertake Legal Aid criminal defence work. Lorna advises Release's clients on the helpline and at outreach projects, believing in accessible, good quality representation for all.
- Legal Advisor - Ida Nowers
ida@release.org.uk- Ida joined Release in 2006 whilst reading Law at the University of London. Now a full-time legal advisor, Ida provides free advice and assistance through legal outreach projects in West London and assists with media and communications work. Ida has a particular interest in civil liberties, human rights and criminal justice and wishes to combine a focus on prison, police and public law both at work and throughout her postgraduate research.
- Ida is currently on maternity leave.
- Head of Drug Services - Gary Sutton
020 7324 2971 gary@release.org.uk - Gary has worked in the field of substance misuse for 18 years, previously managing the largest needle exchange project in London. Gary's drugs expertise is often called upon; he has sat on two parliamentary advisory groups, has run training for the Royal College of General Practitioners and has provided expert testimony in over 150 cases since 2002. Gary has written 3 booklets on heroin treatment and dependence and also has a MSc in Therapeutic Counselling, in addition to being a member of the Expert Witness Institute.
- Drugs Advisor - Colin Stewart
020 7324 2972 colin@release.org.uk - Colin has been at Release as a volunteer and a staff member since 2002. He has a wide range of experience in the field and trains on harm-reduction related issues. Colin comes from a user involvement background and is the mainstay of the drugs helpline at Release.
- Project Manager: Talking Drugs - Rupert George
020 7324 2978 rupert@release.org.uk- Before joining Release Rupert worked at the Daily Telegraph and was Head of Content at the online public sector IT publication eGov monitor. He is interested in use of the internet by charities for online campaigning and fundraising. This is coupled with a passionate interest in addressing the global governmental failure to address substance use effectively. He has been instrumental in creating TalkingDrugs, Release's innovative multilingual web platform to support drug policy reform. He also supports Releases campaigning and communications work.
- Finance & Operations Manager - Keith Edwards
020 7324 2979 keith@release.org.uk- Keith joined the organisation in the autumn of 2008, and provides financial, administrative and advisory support to Release and our associate organisations. He previously worked for number of years in Higher Education as an academic eventually moving to manage a Students' Union. He has professional background in engineering whilst also having a degree in law (LLB Hons).
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