Meet the Senior Leadership Team
Susie Besant
Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Susie founded One-Eighty in 2011, driven by the belief and ambition that every young person deserves the opportunity to engage with education. That belief remains at the heart of One-Eighty today.
Susie works closely with the Senior Leadership Team, Board of Trustees and Expert Advisors to ensure One-Eighty's programmes remain high quality, tailored and financially sustainable, while continuing to achieve strong outcomes for young people and families.
Susie sits on the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children's Board, representing the voluntary and community sector across Oxfordshire. In 2023, Susie received a High Sheriff Award in recognition for an outstanding contribution to supporting young people in the community.
Outside of work, Susie enjoys swimming, playing board games, photography, modern art, and spending time being adventurous with her family.
Nina Cranfield
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Nina ensures One-Eighty has the structure, resources and systems needed to deliver the best possible support to young people, while continuing to grow to be able to reach more children and families.
Nina values the passion of the staff team and the meaningful difference the work makes to children and young people. It is important to Nina that the support One-Eighty offers is deeply tailored to each young person’s needs, high quality, and delivered with compassion and a genuine desire to facilitate change.
Outside of work, Nina can usually be found doing something practical and hands-on, and is currently six years into a home and garden renovation.
Meet the Trustees
Tina Elder
Chair of Trustees
Tina joined One-Eighty as a trustee six years ago after meeting Susie, hearing the story behind the charity, and feeling inspired by both the vision and the clear need for this work. Tina wanted to play a part in helping One-Eighty grow in impact so that more young people can access support.
Tina’s professional background is in management consultancy, specialising in strategy and transformation, and Tina also comes with extensive knowledge of the charity sector.
Outside of One-Eighty, Tina is a lifelong Everton supporter and loves live sport. Tina's three children are her ‘best thing’ — all very different, with wonderfully eclectic passions that she loves sharing in.
Andy Davison
Trustee
Andy joined One-Eighty as a trustee in 2022, impressed by the charity’s success in helping young people build a positive relationship with education. Having benefited greatly from education, Andy feels strongly committed to supporting this cause.
With a professional background in management consultancy, specialising in leadership, strategy and organisational performance, Andy brings valuable experience in helping organisations grow while maintaining a strong and positive culture.
Outside of One-Eighty, Andy enjoys live music, good food, sport, fell walking, and supporting West Ham United FC.
Jonathan Fisher
Trustee – Social Work and Safeguarding
Jonathan has been a trustee at One-Eighty since 2013, drawn to the charity’s mission to support children at risk of becoming disconnected from education and, in some cases, drawn towards the criminal justice system. With a professional background in children’s social care, Jonathan worked as a social worker for 30 years, managing services across fostering, adoption and leaving care, before lecturing in Social Work between 2011 and 2018. Jonathan values One-Eighty’s intensive and highly tailored approach, recognising the unique therapeutic relationships it builds with children and families, alongside close work with schools and wider support networks.
Jonathan brings extensive safeguarding knowledge to the board and offers safeguarding support to One-Eighty’s safeguarding leads when needed.
Outside of One-Eighty, Jonathan has enjoyed being part of a choir and drama group - including playing a dame twice in panto! - and currently volunteers at Cogges Farm.
Hilary Johnson
Trustee
Hilary joined One-Eighty as a trustee after retiring from the NHS in 2019, feeling that this was the right time to support a charity focused on preventing mental health difficulties and helping children and families flourish.
A retired consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, Hilary brings specialist expertise in neurodiversity, including autism, ADHD, neuropsychiatry, intellectual disability and sleep medicine. Hilary also brings leadership experience from the NHS, alongside expertise in safeguarding, child development, and the interface between health, education and social care. Hilary is a strong advocate for evidence-informed practice and believes it is important that One-Eighty continually demonstrates impact through the outcomes it achieves.
Outside of One-Eighty, Hilary is an experienced beekeeper who teaches, mentors and trains others, and sells bees and honey to fundraise for the charity. Hilary is also a mum and grandmother.
Alison Pierazzini
Trustee
Alison has been a One-Eighty trustee since 2016. A Chartered Accountant, Alison moved to Oxfordshire after a career in London and has recently started her own business. Alison very much supports One-Eighty’s commitment to helping young people become more confident about their futures by re-engaging them with education.
Pauline Scully
Trustee
Pauline joined One-Eighty as a trustee after many years working across mental health services and having previously seen the charity’s work in practice.
A psychiatric nurse by background, Pauline has held a range of roles across both adult and children and young people’s mental health services, later moving into senior operational leadership within Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust before retiring in 2019.
Pauline was drawn to One-Eighty because of the commitment to improving the lives of children and young people, particularly through early intervention and close work with schools. Pauline brings extensive NHS and mental health service experience, alongside many years of operational leadership.
Outside of One-Eighty, Pauline enjoys walking her dog, music and cinema.
