Our team

David Westhead

Founder and CEO

David founded Wembley To Soweto in 2010 and has subsequently run countless projects for historically disadvantaged young people across Africa, Europe, The UK, Russia, The Middle East, The United States and Brazil. He is also an actor and producer. His numerous film and television credits have garnered BAFTA, Golden Globe, Emmy and Academy Awards.

John Cole

Co-Founder and Director of Photography

John has worked for over forty years as an internationally recognised professional photographer. He has been responsible for shooting stories all over the world and brings this wealth of experience to his teaching, where his goal is to inspire, enthuse and motivate students to express their own creativity. In John’s own words, “Wembley to Soweto has been one of the most rewarding projects I have ever worked on”.

Susan Morton

Director of Communications

Susan joined Wembley To Soweto in 2011 and was the driving force behind its incorporation as a charity in 2014. She is responsible for PR, media relations, and student welfare, leveraging her expertise as an award-winning communications consultant specializing in education. Susan dedicates her spare time to both teaching and competing in martial arts.

Karmen Royal

Karmen is one of our most experienced graduate teachers, having mentored and taught new learners in the USA as well as in many locations across the UK. She first studied with The Foundation on our 2015 collaboration with Arsenal in the Community, at which point she was homeless.

Thapelo Motsumi

Thapelo has taught on courses in South Africa, UK, USA and Brazil. After studying on the inaugural W2S project in Soweto he went on to become a photographer for the Johannesburg Star and the youngest student ever to be given a place at the world-renowned Market Photo Lab. He now works as a professional photographer whilst running The Umuzi Photo Club.

Donna-Lee Lindo

Dee trained originally with W2S at The Arsenal and has gone on to become a top-class photographer. She is currently in full-time employment and is one of the graduate students to be seen in the upcoming documentary “Shooting Stars”.

Victor McCauley

Victor is an experienced teacher with The Foundation, mentoring students from all 20 Premier League Clubs in courses run at Manchester City and The Arsenal. He has run and organised events for W2S nationwide and now runs The Running Charity in London. He came to The Foundation as a refugee from Sierra Leone and, having gained his British Citizenship after 13 years, is set to become one of our key representatives worldwide.

Joshua Campbell

Josh hales from The Elthorne Council Estate in North London. He has been a teacher with W2S since the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro where he guided 10 student through a 4-week project in Turano Favela. Josh has found full-time employment and is actively involved in “Shooting Stars”.

João Paulo Almeida

João Paulo, or “Baqueta” as he is known to the team, is integral to the charity both as a teacher and a producer. In this capacity he organised the course in his home favela, Jardim Columbo, at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He has also trained students in Rio de Janeiro as well as across the UK.

Kasey Newton

Kasey comes from London’s East End and trained with us at the 2012 London Olympics. She has gone on to teach all over the world and led her first cohort in São Paulo, Brazil in 2014. She is currently teaching students in China, in Cantonese! She now has a degree from the University of Beijing.

Heidi Sandoval

Heidi hales from East Los Angeles. Originally a student on our LA 2022 programme, the initial US rollout course, Heidi graduated to becoming a mentor and subsequently a teacher on our second LA project in 2023/24. As such she has been on assignment  at Getty, LA Galaxy, Santa Monica, TG Boxing Gym, and Little Mexico to name but a few!

Cherrelle Jiminez – “Mowgli”

Mowgli is a stills photographer, videographer, editor, mentor, teacher and LA fixer for The Foundation. Having worked with us on the LA 2022 project, she subsequently went to the UK and re-connected with her W2S contemporaries in London. She has worked in all her capacities in the latest LA 2023/24 programme!
https://mowglisworks.pixieset.com/2023-12-15finalselectionw2sgallerty/

Alfred Westhead

Alfred has been a regular hands-on contributor to the charity for the past 10 years. He has overseen photography assignments for participants on many UK and global projects, curated exhibitions and actively raised funds for The Foundation. He currently produces the play “Krapp’s Last Tape” by Samuel Beckett, directed by Academy Award nominee Stockard Channing. This production tours globally and all profits are donated to the charity.

Billy Westhead

Billy has worked with us for many years, starting with promoting and publicising the original BFI award-winning feature documentary “Wembley to Soweto”. He has since been a regular member of staff, helping train some of the UK’s most disadvantaged young people. He has successfully coordinated projects with many prestigious outreach organisations, including many Premier League football clubs.

David Magliano MBE

David Magliano, a key architect of London’s 2012 Olympic bid, has a rich background in sports and media. He served as Managing Director for Membership at The Guardian and was a founding director of King’s Cross Knowledge Quarter. Currently, he’s Chief Strategy Officer at Informa Tech, an event and media business.

John Phillips

John Phillips (b.1951) is an artist, designer, printmaker and curator based in UK and France. John co-founded and worked at Paddington Printshop West London (1975-89), was Director of London Print Workshop/londonprintstudio 1989-2021, and is currently Director of lps21 and the Museum of Unrest.

Dame Janet Suzman

Born in South Africa, Janet is one of Britain’s most distinguished actresses, with countless awards to her name including an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Alexandra Feodorovna in the hugely successful feature film Nicholas and Alexandra. She has been a political activist all her life, an important advocate for social change and has been instrumental in giving a voice to the voiceless.

Adjoa Andoh MBE FRSL

Adjoa has for many years been one of the UK’s leading actors, starring in countless roles both on stage and screen. She is feted globally for her performance in the hit series “Bridgerton” and has been a champion of young people’s rights throughout her illustrious career.