Every year, eight students are elected to work one year full-time for the Students' Union as a Students' Union Officer. As the leaders of the Students' Union, they are members of the Board of Trustees, helping to ensure that we remain student focussed in everything we do.

Jake Verity - SU President

Rosa Tully - Women’s Officer

Harry Carling - Development Officer

Martha Evans - Activities Officer

Charlie Porter - Education Officer

Brittany Bowles - Sports Officer

Beren Maddison - Welfare Officer

Sissi Li - International Students’ Officer

Three University of Sheffield students are appointed by Students’ Union Council to serve up to two years as a student Trustee, with the nominations being approved by Students' Union Council.

A further two student Trustees are elected by the student membership for a one-year term of office.

The student Trustees help provide the perspective of students not involved with the day-to-day running of the Students' Union.

Our current student Trustees are:

Emily Jones

Stephen Langford

Lorenzo Omar

Benjamin Hawker

Natalia Mole

Students' Union Council also appoints up to 4 people who aren't current University of Sheffield students to act as Trustees. They are appointed to bring professional skills and experiences to the Trustee Board, which helps it carry out its duties.

They are appointed initially for a four year term of office and may be reappointed for a further four year term.

Our current external trustees are:

Helen Mackenzie - from 1 November 2014 for four years​, extended for a further period to March 2022.

Helen was General Secretary (the forerunner to the current role of President) of the Students’ Union in 1989-90, when she was Helen Pitts. As a student, Helen was involved with Nightline and was a Rights and Advice volunteer. Helen subsequently trained and qualified as an accountant and has worked in a number of roles for several local authorities. She is currently Head of Exchequer Services for Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council). She has also worked as a Management Consultant and a Non-Executive Director of NHS Western Isles. Until recently she was Chair of a School Parent Council and has also chaired Disability Lewis (an advocacy organisation for disabled people).

Paul White – since 1 July 2018 for four years

Professor Paul White OBE served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield from 2014-2015; acting Vice-Chancellor between 2013 and 2014 and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Learning and Teaching from 2004-2013. Paul brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of higher education having fulfilled significant strategic roles at local, regional and national levels in the development of widening participation, quality enhancement, international student education and the student voice in educational developments. He is also a Deputy-Lieutenant for South Yorkshire, and Vice-Chair of a local school academy chain in a less affluent part of Sheffield.

Dan White – since 1 July 2018 for four years

Dan is highly experienced and knowledgeable about young people’s transition to adulthood and is a strong advocate of diversity and inclusion. He is currently the Head of Health and Targeted Services in Sheffield for young people, young adults and communities.

Dan is also a qualified Youth and Community Worker, with an MA in Design and a post graduate qualification in management.

Alison Groombridge – from 1 July 2019 for four years

Alison is a senior leader at AQA, an independent education charity providing academic qualifications for schools and colleges. She has held a number of senior management roles there, gaining experience of working in a highly regulated industry. Alison completed postgraduate studies in education and marketing, and has taught in both a school and a sixth form college. As a student, Alison was Chair of the LGB Society (as it was then known), elected to the NUS National LGB Committee, co-founder of two campaigning groups in Sheffield and an active member of the Women’s Football Club. She lives in Sheffield and also volunteers for a charity that supports asylum seekers.

The Students' Union Officers are your elected representatives but they all act as trustees. Whilst they are obliged to think about the overall organisation when taking decisions as trustees, they still take into account the wishes of the student population. If you are concerned about a decision the trustees are considering, or believe there is a matter they should be considering, please contact the Students’ Union President on su-president@sheffield.ac.uk and your question will be directed to the appropriate officer.

Should you have reason to call for an External or Student Trustee to be removed from office, there is a set procedure that you must follow as both Student Executive Committee and Students’ Union Council need to support the removal. Before following the procedure, you may wish to contact the Students' Union President on su-president@sheffield.ac.uk or sucouncil@sheffield.ac.uk

Students' Union Officers can be removed by an all student vote (referendum). A referendum can either be called by:

• A decision of Students' Union Council
• A petition of 1000 students

If you have any questions about the trustees, including what kind of issues they discuss, when they next meet, etc please contact su-president@sheffield.ac.uk