Leanne (she/her) has been part of the 20SH team since 2011, starting as Participation Manager. Her work is rooted in empowering & supporting young people to thrive. She is Paul McCartney’s biggest fan.
(she/her) Having worked in the creative industries for 13 years, Lucy’s passion is in communities, connections and making new theatre. She enjoys eating good cake and keeping the office tidy. Her favourite show at 20SH was High Times & Dirty Monsters.
Maisy Gordon (she/her) is an artist from Liverpool. She has worked with 20 Stories High in multiple roles since 2022 and is also the Co-CEO/Executive Producer of Tip Tray Theatre, a Knowsley based, disabled-led arts organisation.
Amy (she/her) joined 20 Stories High in 2008 as a young person in Youth Theatre and has remained part of the organisation’s journey ever since.
She has since progressed into the role of Office Manager, leading on the organisation’s operational systems and processes, including administration, finance support, governance and organisational coordination. Amy works closely with the senior team to support the effective delivery and development of the company’s work.
Outside of work, Amy enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews, listening to books, and enjoying board games, writing and singing.
Paislie Reid (she/her) is an Actor, Director, Writer and creative. She is Co founder and Artistic director of The Black Actors Collective Liverpool and has worked with 20 Stories High in many roles as both an artist and freelancer over the years. Paislie has worked all over the country with theatre companies such as Royal Shakespeare company, Frantic Assembly, Contact, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse and more. She also has TV credits for BBC, ITV, Sky and has worked with young people and adults in her community for over a decade. Paislie is a huge Beyoncé fan and JME & Kano are her favourite grime MCs. She loves music, Ru Paul’s Drag race, Chinese food and Call of duty!
(Photo by Michael Shelford)
Leonisha Barley (she/her) is a creative producer in the theatre industry, passionate about developing inclusive, community-focused work. Leonisha joined 20 Stories High as a participant of the Actor’s Training Programme and has since had multiple roles progressing to Producer. Alongside producing, she created a creative writing group for global majority writers in Liverpool called ‘The Gathering Pen’ and she enjoys performing spoken word poetry and occasionally acts. Leonisha loves to use her platform to share stories rooted in her experience as a second-generation, Black, neurodivergent Scouse woman.
Donna has been at 20SH since 2014. Originally training as an actor, Donna still holds a passion for performing and is currently developing her own one-woman show. Her work with young people extends over 20 years and she is motivated by helping young people, removing barriers and allowing young people to succeed and shine.
Rosie (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist from Liverpool. Since 2023, Rosie has worked across various sectors of the entertainment industry including Film, TV, Theatre and Social Media. Her credits include Finding Emily (2026) and Season 3 of G’wed (2026). She is the founder of Dope Cult Comedy Club and a co-host of the podcast The Scouse Haus. Rosie is a firm believer in the power of the people.
Laura is Finance Manager for 20 Stories High and has been with the company since 2019. She is also Co-Chair for Homotopia, and works as an interior designer – check out her work @hexagonalhouse!
Rob (he/him) has worked with 20 Stories High since 2019 and has been an arts and culture fundraiser for nearly 20 years, raising money for museums, festivals and music organisations – among many other things. You name it, he’s raised money for it! He’s from Merseyside but lives on an olive farm in Catalonia, Spain, with his family, 6 goats, 3 sheep, 10 hens, a dog and a cat. Rob loves music and is absolutely obsessed with The Beatles.
Catrina was born in Liverpool and lived in London, Scotland and the North East before coming home to the best city in the world. She consults for lots of organisations helping them develop their strategies, organisations and teams. She loves music (and has a shrine to David Bowie in her house), visual arts, theatre, reading, yoga and walking for miles. She believes that creative expression makes people happier and life better and is always fascinated to hear other people’s stories.
Jennifer John is an artist, composer and creative director whose work explores participation, connection and collective voices. Over a career spanning more than three decades, she has created original work across music, theatre, heritage and community settings, bringing people together through singing, storytelling and shared creative experiences. She is the founder of Sense of Sound and creator of projects including Folk to Folk, Love Sings and Enormous Vocal Ensemble. Jennifer is Vice Chair of the Board at 20 Stories High and is passionate about ensuring that creativity, access and opportunity are available to all.
My name is Tia, I’m a 19-year-old dual heritage actress, writer and singer/songwriter currently studying Musical Theatre at LMA. I am a long-standing member of 20 Stories High Youth Theatre and also a Young Trustee for the company
Ash (they/she) is an artist and access consultant from Salford. They focus on making and supporting work that aligns with their lived experience of being a disabled, queer, working-class arts and science nerd. Ash is a big supporter of 20 Stories High’s value “everybody’s got a story to tell… and their own way of telling it” and is over the moon to be a trustee.
When Ash isn’t advocating for Disability Justice and being an Artivist, they love to watch sci-fi from bed, read mythologies and get immersed in gig theatre and contemporary performance.
Matt was born in Liverpool and was involved in amateur theatre during his schooling years. After moving to London to study at UCL School of Podiatric Medicine, he pursued a clinical career, becoming an NHS Consultant in 2016. During his time at university he kept his passion for theatre by working in the West End as a lighting designer. In 2012 he was part of the Project Board that helped achieve Independent Prescribing for Physiotherapists and Podiatrists. His commitment to promoting health and well-being both clinically and through theatre is how he hopes to support the wonderful vision of 20 Stories High.
Tina (she/her) is originally from the South of England but has been proud to call Liverpool her home for more than 30 years. She has a background in finance management for the charity and creative sectors, working at 20 Stories High for six fun-filled years, then as Head of Finance and Operations at Citizens Advice Liverpool and now as Finance Manager for the Foyer Federation, a national charity working with Foyers that provide supported living and opportunities for young people who have experienced homelessness.
Away from work she enjoys yoga, reading (member of a book group), attending live theatre and listening to music.
Liz grew up in Rochdale, Lancashire, and has lived and worked in London for the past twenty years. She is a creative and strategic cultural leader with expertise in co-creation, community engagement, and developing the next generation of cultural and social leaders.
She currently works at the Victoria & Albert Museum, where she leads the Adobe Creative Residency Programme – a landmark, multi-million-pound initiative embedding making and creative practice within the museum.
Prior to this, Liz was Director of Creativity and Social Change at Battersea Arts Centre, where she played a key role in establishing the organisation as a leading voice for arts and social change. She led the creation and growth of The Agency, now an independent charity supporting creative social entrepreneurship in partnership with youth arts organisations across multiple UK cities.
Liz is passionate about the civic role of arts organisations, and her interests include Brazilian culture, youth culture, and cold water swimming.
Stella trained as a lighting designer and moved on to production management. She is an experienced technical theatre specialist who has worked with diverse clients to deliver events that represent a broad cross section of culturally stimulating projects with over twenty years’ experience within the performing arts and live events industry. Leading a production management department in higher education utilising her knowledge and varied experience portfolio in production management, lighting design, event management, consulting and producing.
Jemimah Akaunu is a Young Board Trustee. She lives in Tuebrook and, ethnically, is from Nigeria and St Kitts. She is classically trained in singing (Grade 5) and has also been acting for a number of years. She is currently studying at The Belvedere Academy, taking A Levels in English Literature, Drama and Psychology. She is on the school’s Senior Student Leadership Team, meaning she is a senior prefect for Year 10. She was a part of 20 Stories High Youth Theatre for just over three years and has performed in a number of shows with the company. She currently volunteers and performs with Positive Impact, a non-profit organisation that gives young people access to the performing arts.
Scout (they/them) is a multidisciplinary artist, theatre maker and activist based in Liverpool. Working across film and theatre, their work explores identity, access and belonging. As a multilingual, neurodivergent and queer artist, they create spaces that challenge exclusion by centring intersectionality through co-creation. Trained through YEP, Scout produced Lizzie Nunnery’s The Snow Dragons and curated DaDaFest’s DaDa40 exhibition. They have been published in Gay Times and DIVA Magazine and were recognised by Just Like Us for their work in LGBT+ education. Scout was part of the Changemakers programme at 20SH and is completing a BA in Drama and English Literature. Recently, they have worked with Afloat Theatre to deliver theatre-for-social-change workshops for asylum seekers.