
Trustees
Trustees have overall control of a charity and are responsible for making sure it’s doing what it was set up to do.
Access All Areas has trustees from a range of different backgrounds who give advice to the staff, and help support the running of the charity.
Sarah Pickthall
Co-Chair
Sarah has always been interested in the spaces that unite and divide us all and one of her life highlights it to be co-chair of the Board for Access All Areas alongside Charlene Salter
Her extensive facilitation, training, production and coaching portfolio is dedicated to ensuring a broad range of voices and opinions are represented and included in the creative, cultural, media and health sectors in the UK and beyond. A dancer and children’s television writer and puppeteer for 10 years with the Media Merchants for CITV, Sarah joined Arts Council England in 2004 and became the first Chair of its Disabled Workers Group.
She has enjoyed an extensive career as a digital dance producer working locally and internationally but now focuses on bespoke coaching and leadership projects in arts, culture, heritage, broadcasting and health
Sarah founded Sync Leadership in 2008, alongside Jo Verrent of Unlimited, working with its mix of leadership theory and coaching practices, Sync has run its programmes in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Singapore, Jordan and Palestine and in Spring 2025, in Malaysia.
In 2023, she delivered Amplify, a leadership and coaching programme for Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent leaders at ITV.
She also heads up the Inclusive Cultures Programme for Clore Leadership.
Charlene Salter
Co-Chair
After taking part in Access All Areas’ Transforming Leadership programme in 2021-2022, Charlene is now co-chairperson of Access All Areas and brings her experience as a learning disabled artist to the board. She also sits on the advisory board of Battersea Arts Centre. She has since spoken on multiple governance panels championing accessible board practice.
In 2020 she was appointed to join the #FreelanceTaskForce where she joined other freelancers sponsored by arts organisations; together they worked to strengthen the influence of freelancers in deciding the future of theatre.
Charlene is also an Associate Artist of Access All Areas. To learn more on his artistic career, read Charlene’s Artist Profile
Paul Christian
Deputy Chair
After taking part in Access All Areas’ Transforming Leadership programme in 2021-2022, Paul is now deputy chairperson of Access All Areas and brings his experience as a learning disabled artist to the board.
He has sat on governance panels and is passionate about sharing his knowledge of how to make boards more accessible and inclusive.
As a consultant and facilitator Paul has worked with a wide array of organisations including Netflix, the BBC, Magpie Dance, New Direction, Royal London School of Nursing, the Houses of Parliament, the Freelance Task Force.
For the past ten years, Paul has worked closely with academic Sue Ledger to research learning disabled histories (and underrepresentation) particularly in its intersection with race. Most recently Paul worked on untold stories of black learning disabled people living in institutions. He creates easy read documents about important historical events such as the New Cross Fire. Along with Sue, he speaks about his research on Symposiums internationally.
Paul is also an Associate Artist of Access All Areas. To learn more on his artistic career, read Paul’s Artist Profile
Himanshu Acharya
Treasurer
Himanshu joined as Treasurer in 2020 and is responsible for advising the board on how to fulfil its financial duties and manage its finances. He has played a key role in increasing the accessibility of how it presents and shares its financial information.
Himanshu brings 15 years of experience in commercial and financial roles in the public and private sector where he has developed a strong understanding of financial reporting and performance. He currently advises government departments on large-scale commercial programmes.
Himanshu is passionate about leveraging his skills to make a tangible difference in the lives of others and is committed to ensuring the financial sustainability of Access All Areas to further its mission.
Michaela Butter
Trustee
Michaela has worked in the Arts for over 40 years as a curator, producer and programmer. Throughout her career she has championed access and inclusive practice, setting up one of the very first paid disability consultative group at Nottingham museums, curating opportunities for disabled artists and performers at Attenborough Arts Centre and campaigning for wider policy changes when working at Arts Council England and on the board of Culture Action Europe. Michaela has been working as a Trustee for several years supporting staff as AAA developed from a theatre company to the ground-breaking campaigning and development agency it has become.
Charlotte Bennett
Trustee
Charlotte is an award winning theatre director and artistic leader. She is currently the Joint Artistic Director/CEO of Paines Plough. Charlotte has directed numerous productions of new plays, touring plays all over the UK as well as transferring productions to New York. Previously she was Associate Director at Soho Theatre where she led the new writing department, developing artists and commissions and programming and prior to this she was Artistic Director of Forward Theatre Project; an artists’ collective she founded. As a freelance director Charlotte has worked extensively for Open Clasp Theatre Company and she held the role of Producer for theatre company RashDash for 4 years where she toured experimental new theatre around the UK. Charlotte is now a trustee of Open Clasp Theatre Company alongside Access All Areas.
Alison Small
Trustee
Alison has recently joined as a trustee of Access All Areas.
Her job is overseeing production training and industry engagement for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region at Netflix. It involves investing in the training and skills development of freelance crew, to support productions, across film and series, scripted and unscripted. She is lucky enough to work with incredible colleagues and partners to develop the programmes which impact the talent.
Through her work at Netflix, Alison has worked closely with the Access All Areas team who have supported neurodivergent crew and talent on a number of titles, and supported Netflix in ensuring opportunities are accessible for all.
Alison joined Netflix in 2020. Previous to that she was the CEO of the Production Guild, an industry body supporting freelance production management and production finance professionals, where she was driven by ensuring there are no barriers to entry for any individual who wants to work in the industry.
Alison is a member of BAFTA, the BFI, the Royal Academy, the Tate, and the Institute of Ideas.
Ammay Tye
Transforming Leadership Trainee Trustee
Ammay is currently doing Access All Areas Transforming Leadership programme, learning about leadership in governance and sitting on the Access All Areas’ board of trustees.
Having been involved with disability arts for eight years now, Ammay has a background in fundraising and communications, and uses her artistic skills and lived experience of being neurodivergent to encourage debate around disability.
She’s has delivered talks, presented showcases and provided training on disabled peoples’ experiences with organisations such as The Wellcome Trust, Arts Council England and National Portrait Gallery (https://ammay.co.uk/)
Through her work as an Access All Areas trustee, and involvement with the Transforming Leadership programme, she advocates against discrimination and highlights triumphs and strengths within the neurodivergent and disabled community.
John Fuller
Transforming Leadership Trainee Trustee
John is currently doing Access All Areas Transforming Leadership programme, learning about leadership in governance and sitting on the Access All Areas’ board of trustees.
John is also an Associate Artist of Access All Areas. To learn more on his artistic career, read John’s Artist Profile