Samar Shah, Head of UK Partner Success

Describe your role

I’m the first point of contact at Unifrog for the majority of schools so, if they have problem or want something updated or changed, they come to me and I help get it sorted.

If you could be any superhero, who would you be?

Any superhero who can fly and get to places really quickly! I’d love to visit sunny destinations whenever I feel like it...

What does an average day as a customer success lead look like?

On a typical day I’ll come into the office, respond to emails, and make sure any other project work is progressing smoothly. I also answer the phones and help the rest of the team out whenever I can.

What advice would you give to your schoolgirl self?

Not to stress! I’d tell my schoolgirl self not to worry about the small stuff as it won’t actually matter that much in five years’ time - ignore the drama and hit the books instead.

What do you like the most about your role?

I love that my role can be really varied at times. Although the majority of day-to-day tasks are similar, the project work is very diverse. Also, I get to speak to a lot of teachers on a daily basis and find out how Unifrog is benefiting them, which makes me feel good!

Alex Kelly, Co-Founder

What gets you out of bed in the morning to go to work?

Like everyone else at Unifrog I love that what we do helps young people, and it's especially energising to work on projects that make access to information and opportunities fairer. Also, I'm addicted to coffee, so the thought of making my first cup is a big motivation to get out of bed. 

What part of your job do you find most challenging?

When we first started Unifrog, Coralie and I did pretty much every task there was going, and there were some that I was terrible at (I'm thinking especially of the quarterly VAT return); my job has got a lot better since we've hired wonderful people who are good at the things I'm bad at.

My role at Unifrog now is just product development - improving and creating the tools on the platform. I find it so satisfying to go from an idea for a new tool or a way to improve an existing part of the platform, to designing something that I think people will find intuitive and useful. I work closely with Coralie, my co-founder, and Stu our lead programmer, who often knock my initial designs into shape with their more practical minds. I think the most challenging thing about my job now is that it's much quicker to come up with new product ideas than it is to deliver them, so I have to manage my own eagerness to add new things to the platform.

What's the one film you think everyone should see?

I think everyone should watch ‘The Game Changers’, a documentary that argues that we eat far too much meat. I'm not saying everything in it is superb science, but all the same, watching it changed my life for the better!

What’s your favourite way to spend a day off?

My ideal day would start with having had eight hours of excellent sleep, then I'd do a mixture of hanging out with Coralie, making and drinking lots of coffee, doing some sport with friends, eating with friends, and maybe even a party with some dancing. It's hard to do two of these days in a row because the partying normally ruins the eight hours of sleep for the next day. If I can't have a day like this, just give me two hours of surfing in Mexico and I'll be very happy!

Alistair Semple, Product Operations Lead

Describe your role at Unifrog 

As Product Operations Lead, I act as the go-between for all the different things the Unifrog team and users want to feed back on the platform – things like improvements that we can make or requests for new tools. I make sure we keep track of all those requests, solve some of those problems myself, and pass the rest onto the right people.

Ultimately, I’m pushing to make sure Unifrog is as good as it can be and making as positive an impact as possible on the young people, teachers, counselors, parents, and caregivers using it!

Which frog are you on the Personality quiz?

I’m the golden poison frog, which is the frog for an INTJ personality type. I immediately thought, that’s me! It says ‘strategic minds who love to be left alone with an interesting problem’ – and that’s exactly how I like to work. I also really relate to ‘lov[ing] the sensation of having cracked an issue’. That’s always a big motivator for me, both in and outside of work!

If you had to teach a one-hour class on any topic (no matter how silly), what would it be?

It’s not silly, but I really love crochet, so I’d love to teach a crochet class! It’s really fun, but a lot of people think they’ll never be able to do it. But if you teach and explain it in the right way, it’s quite easy to get the hang of, and so satisfying! 

What's your favourite song and why?

As it’s fresh in my mind, I’d have to say ‘Greek Tragedy’ by The Wombats. They’re a band I’ve loved since I was a teenager and I finally got to see them live recently. It’s such a good song; it represents a pivotal time in my life, being a teenager – and the lyrics are really interesting too. It’s a bit of nostalgia!

Amy McCord, Graphic Designer

What motivates you to work at Unifrog?

If I’d had the tools available to me that Unifrog provides I think it would have made figuring out my life path much less stressful! I think it’s so important that young people have the information on the platform available to them, and in a variety of accessible ways, so they feel empowered to make the choices that feel right to them. I’m motivated by the idea that what I’m creating not only makes things more accessible, but hopefully makes people smile as well!

How has your background in TEFL helped you in this role?

Working with young people from lots of different cultures and walks of life has been a wonderful and an eye-opening process, but it also meant I saw a lot of inequality and frustrating barriers that people had to face. I think being made aware of these things make my design and artwork choices more empathetic.

What's at the top of your bucket list?

My brother bought me a skydive for my birthday but I’m yet to do it! So I have to get on that. I also really want to go to Japan.

What's the one film you think everyone should see?

I just love ‘The Lion King’! I think it affected so many of my life choices: the gorgeous animation inspired me to draw and create, the stunning landscapes made me want to travel. I also love cats, so there we go. I was adamant I was going to be a lion when I grew up until I was about six.

Arash Khosravi, Sponsorships and Impact Lead

Describe your role

The role of Sponsorships and Impact Lead involves bringing together employers and HE providers with schools to provide Unifrog to as many schools as we can, regardless of their financial circumstances. My role also involves keeping track of our work around Levelling the Playing Field (supporting disadvantaged students to make the right post school choices for them) and maximising the impact we are having. 

Fun fact: this is my second role at Unifrog! You may recognise me as being an International Partnerships Manager previously before I took a career break for six months to go travelling.

What's your favourite Unifrog tool and why?

There are so many to choose from! It’s probably the Webinars tool though - I really like the fact that we are doing student facing webinars. This is such a great avenue for us to share information, give students exposure to universities, and help them find out everything they need to know - sometimes about things they’ve never even thought about! I really love the fact that over the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve rolled out webinars to help students in new ways.

What's the best concert you've ever been to?

While in New Zealand in December 2022, we arrived in the city of Napier where one of my favourite artists was performing on the day we arrived: Jack Johnson. We didn't know he was performing until we arrived so we didn't have tickets booked. We did manage to find some tickets last minute (literally the hour before!) and managed to go to his outdoor concert which was incredible! He was definitely a bucket list artist for me to see live and it seemed it was fate that everything worked out to be able to see him, which I'll never forget! 

What's your party trick?

This has got to be my Rubik’s cube trick - I can solve them in under a minute. I’d always wanted to learn how to solve them and I had spare time on my hands in my first year of uni, so I got on YouTube and kept practising until I got it right. It took me about a month to learn and my personal best is 56 seconds - it always goes down well when I show it off! 

When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I was an only child growing up so didn’t have much entertainment - I got obsessed with video games. This was back when you played games off of floppy disks and it was all really new technology. All I wanted to do was be a computer games tester - for someone who spent their whole childhood playing computer games, playing games everyday forever sounded like the dream! Ready Player One would have been my dream world! Computer games testing wasn’t really a thing when I was growing up and it didn’t feel serious enough to be a career - it’s different now, but back then gaming was definitely more of a hobby than a career.

Becca Thorpe, Teaching Resources Creator

How has your background in education helped you in this role?

Before joining Unifrog, I taught biology and was Head of PSHE. This has given me a clear understanding of how lessons and courses should flow so they’re engaging, purposeful, and accessible. When I create resources, I often think back to how my own students would have responded to different tasks, which helps me design activities that work well in a real classroom. My biology background means I can break down complex information in a clear and approachable way, while my experience leading PSHE has equipped me to handle sensitive topics like relationships with confidence. Overall I think my experience means I'm able to create resources that are genuinely useful for students and teachers.

On the Personality quiz, which frog are you?

I love this question! I actually have a slight obsession with frogs, so my friends always find it hilarious that I now work for Unifrog. One of the first things I did when I started was take the Personality quiz... I'm a Darwin frog (which is also weirdly fitting given my biology background). Darwin frogs are charismatic, engaging, and have high ideals. We're great at inspiring people around us to do good, and are extremely sociable. I would say that is pretty accurate! 

Which book do you always recommend to people?

This is a question I don't love, because I have read and love FAR too many books to choose a favourite. What I will say instead is that I am a big fan of cosy crime as a genre, especially during the autumn and winter months. I recently read a book called ‘The List of Suspicious Things’ which I really enjoyed. It's written in the voice of a young girl in Yorkshire trying to investigate a series of murders, who gets to know people in her local town along the way.

I also LOVE quizzing, and I once read another called ‘The Fellowship of the Puzzlemakers’, which is about a young man who grows up surrounded by some of the smartest minds in Britain, and has to solve a set of puzzles to work out who his real parents are, and what his story is. Generally, though, I will read most genre of book and I even run a book club where I live!

Would you rather be able to teleport or time travel – and why?

I'm going to try and be smart with this one and say time travel, provided I can go anywhere in the world so long as it's in the past? If not, then definitely teleportation. There is so much of the world I'd love to see, and so many foods I want to experience eating! Some of the top places on my list to visit are: Mexico, Korea, and Thailand. 

Caroline Collins, Head of Employer Partnerships

Describe your role at Unifrog

As Head of Employer Partnerships, I reach out to both national and international employers showcasing the Unifrog platform and helping them to raise their brand awareness with young people from a diverse range of backgrounds. I plan different opportunities in which students can engage with employers, such as webinars, and help collect information from our employer partners to populate the Know-how library, our Special opportunities tool, and our Apprenticeship tool. It’s a very exciting time to start this role as it’s a brand new part of Unifrog, so I’m looking forward to seeing how this area develops and the employer partnerships we create!

How has your background in social enterprise and higher education helped you in this role?

Before starting at Unifrog, I worked as a Partnership and Engagement Manager at Enactus UK, a youth social enterprise charity which works with university students. My role involved building and delivering partnership plans to ensure that the corporate sponsors achieved return on investment. This role involved exciting opportunities such as working with Amazon’s Black Employee Network to build 1:1 mentoring opportunities, creating virtual work experience weeks with Schroders, building grant funding opportunities with SAP and Sodexo, and helping to change Unilever’s graduate recruitment processes based on Enactus student feedback. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with the Careers and Employment Service at the University of Derby.

Both experiences have built my awareness of employability skills, which are vital for the world of work, and what activities I can create with partner employers to help young people build these. I’m excited to bring my experience to Unifrog and continue to support young people to make the best decision about their future.

If you could meet any celebrity, who would you choose and why?

It would definitely be Helen Bonham Carter! With all of the incredible films she has been in like ‘Harry Potter’, ‘The King’s Speech’ and the Netflix series ‘The Crown’, she’s bound to have some brilliant stories to tell!

What's the one film you think everyone should see?

I'd recommend watching ‘Monuments Men’. It's an absolutely incredible film with George Clooney, John Goodman and Bill Murray to name a few. It's about seven museum directors, curators, and art historians from the Allied Forces coming together in an effort to protect, recover, and return priceless artefacts damaged or looted by the German army in World War II and is based on a true story. Make sure you add it to your must-see list!
 

Charley Rigling, Area Manager and UK Education Lead

What do you find most exciting about being a Unifrog Area Manager? 
 
I love the excitement when a new partner school comes on board, and we have the first strategy meeting to establish their goals with the platform. It's exciting to help schools take a step back and think about what beneficial changes using Unifrog can bring to their CEIAG programme. Additionally, my partner schools are spread across the East of England and London, and I find it really exciting when I discover cute coffee shops in places that I never would have visited if it weren't for my job. 

As our Gatsby Benchmark Champion, how do you help schools meet the benchmarks? 

As Gatsby Champion, my role is to be as clued up as possible on all things CEIAG policy related. With my partner schools, I'll support them in various ways with this. Often, we'll go through their CEIAG plan with a fine-toothed comb comparing this with the DfE's guidance on meeting the benchmarks. Many of my partner schools are working towards achieving CEIAG awards, so I'll help them by applying my knowledge of how Unifrog relates to the benchmarks and the assessment frameworks for the awards they're applying for.  

How has your background in teaching helped you in this role? 

Before Unifrog, I was an RE teacher at a secondary school in Camden, London. Teaching gave me first hand experience of the challenges schools face in a variety of areas, as well as the positive impact good careers education can have on students. Teaching develops your resilience and your ability to empathise with others. All of these things drive me to do a really good job of supporting my partner schools as an Area Manager. I enjoy addressing the variety of issues my schools face relating to careers and destinations, and I love celebrating their successes using Unifrog to combat these. 

What’s your favourite song and why? 

Tough question! I'm all for a girl power anthem. ‘Fighter’ by Christina Aguilera is one of my faves.

Chloe Hayes, People Lead

What gets you out of bed in the morning to go to work?

I love my work and I get very excited about the variation of tasks I get to focus on that day, and the lovely colleagues I’ll be interacting with. Unifrog has a strong social mission, and so this is a huge motivator for me to be the best I can be every day and support our team with the wonderful work that they do.

All that being said, I have to admit that the immediate thought which often gets me out of bed in the morning is the promise of a hot drink!

How has your background in Human Resources in the university access space helped you in your role at Unifrog?

I’ve always worked in Human Resources within the university access and widening participation sector. It's given me a strong sense of personal mission, and also an understanding of some of the hurdles that employees might be facing at work when striving to achieve educational equality and to level the playing field for pupils of all backgrounds – it’s no easy task!

I also think my background in Human Resources has helped me to be able to form great working relationships with many different people across an organisation.

If you could meet any celebrity, who would you choose and why?

At the moment, I’d probably choose to meet Davina McCall, to have a conversation about all the fantastic work she’s doing raising awareness on different women’s issues and how they can affect you at work and in your personal life. She seems like an energetic and caring person to have around, and I actually think she’d be a great HR and people professional!

What gives you energy?

I like doing things that inspire me in my daily life that help me to feel energised and excited at work. The main thing that I love doing when I have a day to myself is wandering around a great art gallery or exhibition, with my earplugs in so that I can block out the world and focus on the art for a couple of hours. I always come out super energised.
 

Claire Crease, Marketing Lead

What gets you out of bed in the morning to start working?

I always try to get outside for a nice walk with a podcast before I sit down to work in the morning, so the idea of getting out in the fresh air is a good incentive! I live in Scotland though which means that my routine is regularly spoiled by the weather, and on those days, a big cup of coffee and a good breakfast does it for me. 

What do you like most about your role?

I really like that I get to shout about all of the great work Unifrog is doing. The projects I'm involved in are so varied, and I appreciate that I get to mix critical thinking and strategy with more creative work. It's nice to flex both of those muscles at once!

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

This is such a cruel question, but if I have to choose one thing, I'll go with meat-free 'pepperoni' pizza. I stopped eating meat eight years ago, but at that point, meat-free alternatives weren't quite there and I spent a while feeling deprived of good pizza toppings. Now that I'm able to get my hands on a good slice of 'meaty' pizza, it's my go-to.

What gives you energy?

Engaging with the arts in general gives me energy, but especially live theatre. The performing arts were a massive part of my life when I was growing up, to the extent that becoming a performer was a viable career choice for a while! Although it's not the path I chose for myself, seeing a live show still gives me such a buzz and always leaves me on a massive adrenaline high. I took a solo trip to London last year and, because I had no supervision, I saw about six shows in four days. I didn't sleep for weeks after that...

Clare Stevenson, Account Manager

Describe your role

I haven't been at Unifrog for very long, but I've already received amazing training and support from the team. Essentially, my role is to enable partner schools and colleges in my region to maximise the value of their subscription to the platform. It's so important to understand each partner's specific goals and provide the necessary training, resources, and support to staff and students to help them achieve these.  

What made you want to work at Unifrog?

I love the ethos of the organisation and it's mission to raise aspirations for all students, regardless of their background. I was the first person in my family to go to university back in the early 90s, and I wish I could have had even a fraction of the access to the information and support that Unifrog provides.

I love that Unifrog is a B Corp with an incredibly positive culture.

I also used the Placements tool during my previous role for a large secondary school, coordinating over 150 student placements for sixth form students each year. This element of the platform made such a difference to my workload, so I was confident it was a platform that I could really get behind, and I know its potential to be transformative in helping partners manage their entire careers programme.

What would your perfect weekend look like?

My perfect weekend would involve at least one lazy morning when I'm not on the clock. Also, my daughter has recently moved away to college, so time spent with her at weekends will be incredibly precious to me. I love country walks with my family and our Schnoodle Cooper, via a pub for lunch perhaps. I enjoy catching up with friends and the occasional concert or theatre trip.

Who was your childhood hero?

I was massively into George Michael and Wham when I was a child. I had posters plastered everywhere in my bedroom!

Coralie Colmez, Co-Founder

Describe your role

I'm one of Unifrog's founders, so over the years my role has included pretty much everything from Sales to Data analysis to HR. I've passed on all my management and leadership responsibilities to other people, so these days I get to spend all my time on what I like the most, which is developing the platform. 

We look at ideas from wherever they come, including teachers and students at our partner schools and everyone in the team, and decide which ones we want to go forward with. I then work with Alex (the co-founder) and our lead programmer Stu to make them happen! I focus mostly on our products that involve using data, whether that's information from outside sources like UCAS or job market predictions, or usage stats from the platform. 

What advice would you give young people?

Always ask yourself what it is that you really want, and then do that instead of doing what the world expects of you. And remember that the decisions you make are very rarely permanent, and you can change your mind and your life at any point.

What book do you always recommend to other people?

I love reading, so this could be a long list, but one of my favourites is ‘Station Eleven’ by Emily St John Mandel, which is about… a pandemic - so recently, people have been a lot less enthusiastic when I recommend it to them! Her writing gives the book an addictive other-worldly feeling, and it has a very lovely message about the importance of art. 

What does your ideal weekend look like?

Sleeping in indecently late, sun all weekend, a good party, and the perfect level of hangover.

Dan Seamarks, Head of Video Content

What's the most exciting thing about being a video producer and director?

The most exciting thing about my role is filming such a diverse range of people and locations. One week I could be at the Royal Opera House and the next, on a Navy aircraft carrier! I love hearing people’s stories and what it takes to do their roles. 

What gets you out of bed in the morning to get started on work?

After a few snoozes of my alarm and a big cup of coffee, I’ll get cracking on organising shoots, editing footage, or travelling to shoots. I feel very lucky to say that I never have that Monday morning feeling, as I love my job and the variety it brings, therefore I always wake up looking forward to the day ahead! 

Which actor would you get to play you in the movie of your life and why?

I’m a big fan of nostalgic, old-school films so it would have to be Robert De Niro or Marlon Brando. However, it's safe to say my life in film would be nothing like the films they’ve been in!

What’s your karaoke song?

Name any ABBA song…

Dave Nicholson, Account Manager

What made you want to work at Unifrog?

As one of a relatively small number of students at my secondary school who went onto university, I've always felt very aware that the platform needs levelling in terms of students being able to access resources to inspire their decisions for their future. When I became aware of Unifrog and what it offered, I felt slightly jealous I didn't have access to it myself at school age! I was very excited at the prospect of working with schools to offer the platform to their students and supporting them in doing that.

Describe your role at Unifrog

In general terms, I am responsible for trying to make sure that all our Partner Schools in Warwickshire and Oxfordshire (and slightly further afield!) can get the most out of Unifrog.

This means speaking to schools new to the system and helping them use the system to make their lives easier than before they started using Unifrog, and also working with longer term partners to ensure that they are maximising what Unifrog can offer them. This could be new features, an area of the platform they would like to use to support their Careers aims going forwards or simply refreshing them on something they might have already seen.

If you could be any superhero, who would you be?

I think I'd be Spiderman. Sometimes people get down on lil' Spidey because he can't do much apart from shoot webs and react quickly, but I'm a goalkeeper in football. so those reactions would definitely lead to me playing in goal for England. I think the web thing would be very useful for when I'm feeling lazy and want to grab something across the room. Being someone like Superman would be far too much pressure as well.

What's your favourite thing to do outside work?

I'm a big sports fan but I wouldn't honestly say I enjoy following York City FC these days. I love playing cricket on a warm summer day and having a few drinks afterwards. I am also a fan of quizzes - I do a lot of pub quizzes and am part of a quiz league - so I'm reasonably likely to be able to pluck some obscure knowledge out at any given moment. A weak claim to fame is that a clip of me went slightly viral when I appeared on Pointless on the BBC, and not for embarrassing reasons, fortunately.

Elizabeth Verner-Pollard, Area Manager

What do you like most about your role at Unifrog?

My favourite part would have to be the interactions with schools. I’m naturally curious, and relish meeting with new schools to understand their needs and challenges. I also find it hugely rewarding to support partners to get the best out of the Unifrog platform for each and every one of their students. 

What motivates you to get out of bed for work?

What motivates me is the feeling that I am doing something worthwhile. I am part of an organisation that is helping to make a difference to the futures of young people by raising aspirations, removing barriers and widening participation. Oh, and a couple of wet noses and wagging tails beside the bed get me up bright and early.

What book do you always recommend people?

I always recommend ‘Wonder’ by R. J. Palacio. It’s a great book about the importance of kindness, and was the first novel my son chose to independently read - which can be quite an achievement for boys - and then re-read many times over. He loved the film too, but thought the book was better (a win!).  

What advice would you give your younger self?

You are your biggest critic and are more capable than you believe. Besides, pretty much everyone else is winging it too! Take every opportunity to try new stuff to find your ‘thing’, and then do what YOU love - not what you think will please others. Also, almost nothing in life is permanent. If it doesn’t work out it is probably for a good reason (even if you can’t see it at the time) and a chance do something different. Above all: be brave.

Emily Adkins, Head of Teaching Resources

What made you want to work for Unifrog?

As a former teacher, I really wanted to stay working in the field of education. I used to enjoy creating teaching resources for myself and colleagues at school, and I am now doing that every day at Unifrog. I had used Unifrog with my own students, so I knew it was an incredibly useful platform to support students in pursuing their career aspirations. I was really excited by the opportunity to work for a company with a positive social impact and help level the playing field for students.  

What does an average day as Head of Teaching Resources look like?

What I like best about my role is that no two days are the same, as I might be working on a leadership lesson one day and a marketing and product design course the next. I get to work on lots of exciting projects like the Careers Year Plan, PSHE Lesson Pack, skill development lessons, online courses, and virtual work experience. Providing and acting on feedback is a big part of the role too, to make sure our content is the very best quality for partner schools and colleges. I love reviewing the work of my colleagues and seeing their creative ideas come to life in lessons and courses!  

What book do you always recommend to other people?

My background is in psychology so it has to be ‘Elephants on Acid and Other Bizarre Experiments' by Alex Boese. It’s a collection of weird and wonderful (and often unethical!) experiments that have been conducted in the name of science. It contains a summary of Stanley Milgram’s experiment, in which the majority of people followed orders to give a stranger an electric shock strong enough to kill them! 

What's your karaoke song?

My ‘kitchen karaoke’ song is definitely ‘Naive’ by The Kooks. I’ve been known to play it several times on repeat whilst cooking. But I’m not sure I’d subject anyone to my singing voice outside of the house, no matter what the song was! 

Emma Byrne, Events Assistant

Describe your role at Unifrog

I help the Events team bring Unifrog’s conferences and fairs to life. That means supporting the In-Person Events Lead with everything from choosing and setting up venues, coordinating suppliers and equipment, and making sure exhibitors have what they need, through to welcoming guests and keeping things running smoothly on the day. I also help with follow-up afterwards and sometimes support our virtual events too.

What gets you out of bed in the morning to go to work?

Knowing that our events really help teachers, advisers, and students. I love the buzz of being part of a live event, seeing all the planning come together, and working with such a friendly, supportive team.

 If you could meet any celebrity, who would you choose and why?

It would have to be Charlie Parker. As a saxophone player myself, I’d love to pick his brain on technique (and maybe finally learn how he managed to play at lightning speed without even seeming to breathe).

How would your friends describe you?

They’d probably say I’m warm and reliable, with a good sense of humour — and definitely the kind of mad animal lover who remembers dogs’ names long before their owners’!  

Farhana Somani, Head of International School Partnerships

Describe your role as an International Area Manager at Unifrog

My role is to introduce Unifrog to schools in Asia and help counselors and students at those schools get the most out of the platform. I'm from London, but I'm based in Hong Kong, so it's easy for schools in Asia to get personal Unifrog support whenever they need it. 

What does a normal day look like?

It's a cliché, but one of the best things about my role is that no two days are the same. I might be in the office training counselors on a video call, visiting a school to launch Unifrog to students, or at a conference meeting counselors from all over Asia. I also chat to my team regularly to bounce ideas off them - even though we're scattered around the world, everyone is really supportive. 

What do you enjoy most about living and working abroad?

Before getting this job I'd never been to Asia, so it's been amazing to explore new places on work trips and weekends - and try the food. My favourite trip so far has been to Vietnam, where I tried my first grilled frog!

Hong Kong is a really exciting place to live and I'm always learning new things about the city. My current challenge is to learn some more Cantonese so I can talk to taxi drivers.

What do you miss about home?

Nando's, my eyebrow lady, and complaining about the cold.

Greg Brown, HE Partnerships Manager

What does a good work day look like to you?

The great thing about working at Unifrog is that every day is different and we are constantly innovating! As a University Partnerships Manager I’m often travelling, so when not on the road at conferences or fairs I really enjoy working from home in the peace and quiet. Plus, I always get to choose the 'office' music!

A good day will involve meeting with Unifrog partners, which requires me to be flexible with timing – I could be speaking with people in India in the morning, Europe at lunchtime and the USA in the evening!

What’s the most exciting thing that’s happened to you whilst travelling for work?

A couple of years ago I was in Singapore visiting some Unifrog schools and I decided to take a trip to the ‘Treetop Walk’ in MacRitchie Park. I knew there were lots of macaque monkeys around but I didn’t bet on just how aggressive they could be. As I was crossing the bridge I saw them sizing me up but decided to take a selfie on the bridge anyway. Just as I was looking at the screen, I could see a big macaque monkey charging at me from behind! It jumped on to my shoulders, reached into my bag and tried to grab my stuff. Thankfully I’d seen it coming so turned around quickly and fought him off. He was obviously after the Unifrog booklets in my bag…even the monkeys are keen!

Where are you living at the moment?

A few years ago I moved to Copenhagen from London. I love living here and because Copenhagen is a lot smaller (and quieter) than London, it means you’re never too far from the beach or forests as well as the city centre. The best thing is the freedom to cycle around the city. Danes are obsessed with cycling, and there is even a word - ‘Copenhagenize’ - which describes making a city better for getting around by bike. The food is also amazing and although I’m not that into seafood (which is a big deal here) there are plenty of delicious pastry shops and ice cream stands to keep me happy. If you need an excuse to visit, just google ‘Nyhavn Sunset’.

You grew up in Northern Ireland - what are your favourite things about it?

Northern Ireland has a unique charm to it which is hard to find anywhere else. It’s a small place with a real sense of community. If you meet another person from Northern Ireland elsewhere in the world, then you’ve an instant friend. Despite its small size, it has amazing scenery, from rugged rocky coastlines to sprawling mountains and lakes. The slower pace of life makes it a lovely place to relax when I’m home visiting family and the food always goes down well - an Ulster fry with potato and soda farls, Fifteens and Yellowman honeycomb! 

Helen Clifford, Account Manager

What made you want to work for Unifrog?

I had just finished a PhD and wanted to stay in the education sector, but move more towards outreach and access. I had only just started the job search but when the role with Unifrog came up I was really keen to apply, and it worked out really well! Unifrog’s social mission is really important to me, and I love feeling that I’m a little cog in an organisation that’s making a difference to people every day.

What does an average day as a Partner Success Lead look like?

Busy! We get lots of emails and calls to answer helping our partners to get the most out of Unifrog, as well as solving any tricky technical issues for them.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I can never say no to noodles, so I'd probably choose pad thai! 

What’s your karaoke song?

I’m not a big karaoke person (don’t tell anyone), but I have learned from past experience that Uptown Girl is never a good choice because the chorus always goes on for far longer than you expect and requires some serious breath control!

Jack O'Keefe, Area Manager

What gets you out of bed in the morning to go to work?

Physically? A combination of my alarm and wafer-thin curtains (hello, early morning light). Beyond that, I’d say a sugary breakfast and the fresh promise of a new day.

More seriously, I’d say people – I love them. I’m lucky that my role involves fairly constant introductions, interactions, and opportunities to hear stories and build pretty exciting relationships. I’m becoming very familiar with the sound of my own voice though, and nobody is getting out of bed in the morning to listen to that (probably).

How has your background in working with schools for charities helped you in this role?

My background at an education charity directly led me to Unifrog and specifically our social purpose. I’ve worked closely with schools serving pupils most affected by poverty, and have seen the extraordinary work that those schools do to close a gap that, as we know, shouldn’t exist. Pupil destinations follow a similar pattern of cyclical poverty and disadvantage, leading to a huge gap in aspiration and opportunity.

Going back further, I went to a struggling state school that was forced to close the year after I left, so my role involves a lot of me thinking ‘I wish I had this!’, whilst witnessing a school leader experience a platform and partnership that can genuinely help them support their most in-need pupils.

Levelling the playing field is a system-wide challenge. I’m fortunate to have a broad geographical scope across South London and the South East, and therefore an opportunity to work with pretty much all forms of school provision. I’m here because Unifrog is doing incredible work to eliminate the pupil aspiration gap, support schools, and improve outcomes for communities.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

A fun fact about me is that I’m probably the coldest person you are ever likely to meet, despite growing up in a much colder part of the country (Yorkshire) than the tropical London climbs I find myself in these days. By that I mean two pairs of gloves in the winter, one pair of the gloves in the summer (I kid). So cold is off the menu – let’s flip it on its head and go Mediterranean. I have a vision of being one of those one-hundred-year-old Greek locals who get by playing cards and eating olive oil and fresh tomatoes.

What's the best joke you know?

My Unifrog induction was a ribbeting experience. Get it? I’m here all week!

James So, Area Manager (Asia)

What made you want to work for Unifrog?

When I applied for this job, I was looking for something that would be meaningful, but would also work well for my location, as I’d just moved back to Hong Kong. The role completely fit me as someone who knows the international school market (I went to one!). Plus, I found the job advert on Escape the City, which celebrates meaningful work – something Unifrog is recognised for. The mission was something I could really get behind. Within a few weeks of working here, I realised just how much I wanted to be a part of it.

What does an average day as an international area manager look like?

I meet with schools from India all the way to New Zealand, so I have to structure my day in line with their time zones!

For most of my mornings, I’m responding to questions from schools, so I have lots of calls and emails to pick up. My calendar will be mostly made up of meetings like new business demos and strategy calls.

Then, in the afternoon, I tend to have most of my internal meetings, as part of the team is based in the UK. I can have three to five calls a day on average! But I really enjoy speaking to people around the world and building our relationships ‘face to face’.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I’d have to go for a local Hong Kong dish called char siu. The version I’m thinking of is the one with two types of meat: crispy pork belly, and barbecued pork with a sticky sauce. You have it with some veg, a fried egg, and rice. That’s the meal I could eat for the rest of my life.

How would your friends describe you?

I think most people would say I’m quite a positive, optimistic person. I always like to see the good in people or situations. I love to meet new people – I’m always chatting away. And I think they’d say I’m laid back about most things, apart from the hobbies I have a goal for, then I’m obsessed about them, like surfing and climbing! But generally, I don’t take things too seriously.

Jen Carter, Employer Partnerships Manager

What’s your favourite thing about your role?

My favourite thing by far is getting out into schools and colleges and meeting my contacts, to chat through how they can use Unifrog most effectively. No two schools use it in exactly the same way, and everybody has challenges which I love to try and overcome. The platform is so flexible in the way it can be incorporated into the curriculum, and the perpetual tweaks and content launches mean that my meetings are always punctuated with exclamations of “I didn’t know it could do that!”. 

As my contacts will testify, I love a cuppa and a catch up, and I really enjoy building relationships with my schools and colleges so that everyone feels supported and able to come to me with anything they might need, be it platform queries, suggestions for future tweaks, or requests for training.

What’s your favourite anecdote about Unifrog having an impact on a student’s life?

Technically this isn’t one of my wins, but a fantastic colleague of mine went into a school on the day the Canadian University search tool was launched, and on a whim (or was it pure serendipity?) she decided to showcase that tool. For one of the students there that day, it opened their eyes to the world of possibilities, and they subsequently applied and were accepted to study in Canada. Unifrog really does change lives!

What advice would you give to your 17-year-old self?

There are a few clichés that I could come out with here and they’d all be true! 

• Act now, apologise later.
• Don’t stress too much; whatever will happen is going to happen anyway.
• Follow your instincts - they are there for a reason!
• Pretend to be confident until it comes naturally.
• Procrastinate less (having spent far too long thinking about these questions, I’m not sure I’ve learnt this lesson yet!)

What do you get up to when you’re not working? 

I’m married with two teenagers and a dog, so they take up a lot of my time! Alongside working part-time at Unifrog, I’m also studying towards becoming a qualified Psychotherapist, a subject I love and find fascinating. I also volunteer at Cruse Bereavement as a counsellor which is incredibly rewarding. 

My favourite way to relax is taking long walks along the river near where I live with my dog. That or playing cards, board games and video games with my kids.

Jethro Martin, Video Producer/Director

What gets you out of bed in the morning to start work?

Video production is all about problem solving, so in general, the people who find themselves in this field tend to love the challenge of finding creative solutions to logistical problems and the satisfaction of seeing a plan come together. Being able to apply these skills to content that makes a positive impact is a huge bonus and one of the big things that gets me out of bed in the morning. Also, coffee.

What’s your favourite thing about your role (so far)?

Meeting new people and talking to them about subjects that matter to them is incredibly rewarding. I also feel very privileged to be able to travel for work, filming in various locations around the UK.

Which actor would you get to play you in the movie of your life and why?

I would like Danny DeVito to play me in the movie of my life as he is the only actor who could capture the true majesty of my existence.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Live in the moment. Be kind to yourself. Invest in bitcoin.
 

John Hillis, Employer Partnerships Manager

Describe your role 

I'm an Area Manager covering Leeds down to Northamptonshire - that's about 250 schools and colleges. When I started in 2015 there was just a small group of us doing everything from admin, accounts, sales and marketing, and training teachers. Now there are around 50 of us! My day usually involves demonstrating the platform to potential partners, training teachers/staff, arranging webinars and CPDs, all from home at the moment until the occasional dog bark or doorbell interrupts the little grey cells!

What's your favourite Unifrog tool and why? 

Apprenticeships and MOOCs. I know that's two favourites, but I've always been passionate about both since joining Unifrog. Both my sons did apprenticeships, and the value of MOOCs is something I've always promoted.

What book do you always recommend to other people? 

The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson, Tell No One by Harlen Coben, and the Bible, by you-know-who. Something for everyone there!

What's your ideal weekend like? 

Walking in the Lake District. I've gone at least once every year since I was 17, apart from the last year due to the pandemic, and 2001 due to the foot and mouth outbreak. I've been lucky to see the Brocken Spectre recently, and the Hale-Bopp comet in 1997. I think I've done most of the Wainwright walks several times.

What's the most unusual thing you've ever eaten? 

In South Africa, we had snake, crocodile, and impala at a BBQ. The snake was like chicken as was the crocodile, and impala was like fillet steak.

Julia Jaworska, Partnerships Lead (Europe)

What motivates you to work at Unifrog?

I've always wanted to work for a company that has a positive social impact, especially on kids and young people. I've benefited enormously from studying internationally and having the right people around me to support my choices. If I could have also had the tools that Unifrog provides, some of the most stressful parts of this process would have been so much easier and simply more fun!

Knowing that the work we do supports young people in making the best choices for their future is what's great about working here. On top of that I really love the culture at Unifrog and working with people from all over the world which is what I get to do as part of the International Team! 

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learnt working at Unifrog?

The amount of tools and resources on the platform blew me away! Unifrog is so much more than just a destinations platform – it can help students learn about different cultures, acquire new skills, and broaden their horizons in so many ways. The 'if only this was around when I was at school' feeling is strong!

What would your perfect weekend look like?

On a weekend my favourite thing to do is to go for a hike in the Scottish highlands and have a picnic with a view. I've not bagged many munros yet, but you have to start somewhere! Having a drink in the pub after is also a must. Then I'll have a lie-in on Sunday and cook something nice. And if I have a long weekend – I try to travel somewhere I haven't been yet!

What would your superpower be?

Being in a couple of places at the same time – like enhanced teleportation. I do have family and friends in a couple of different countries so it does seem unfair not to be able to be everywhere, always!

Kai Feltham, Primary School Partnerships Manager

What gets you out of bed in the morning to start work?

I’m very much a people person, so the thing that gets me out of bed is the enjoyment I get from bothering other people! I’m not very good in my own company, so whether it’s with a teacher or a colleague, I look forward to that first conversation.

What’s your favourite Unifrog tool, and why?

My favourite would have to be the UK Universities tool. When I was at school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I applied for a couple of things, and then panicked the month before I was due to start uni and pulled out at the last minute. Then, I went and did my own research to find what I really wanted to do. So I know that if I’d had access to the UK Universities tool when I was at school, it wouldn’t have been as stressful a process.

If you could eat only one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I’m a lover of proper fresh pasta. If money was no object, I’d eat out as much as I possibly could, so I’d choose pasta from an Italian restaurant. I love seafood as well, so I’d probably go for a dish with salmon, prawns or mussels maybe.

What’s your favourite way to spend a day off?

I’m quite a busy person and rarely have a lie-in. So my ideal day off would be getting up around 8 or 9am, having a strong coffee, and probably going for a walk around Gunnersbury Park and doing some dog-spotting. I’d go along to the football in the afternoon - I support Wycombe Wanderers, for my sins - then in the evening, I’d see live music at a venue like Brixton Academy or The Roundhouse. And finally, I’d round it off with a couple of drinks, probably regretting some of my decisions the next morning.

Kathryn Donnelly, Account Manager

What made you want to work at Unifrog?

I was a teacher before this and I loved Unifrog - I thought it was an absolutely brilliant platform. But the main motivation for me is to ‘level the playing field’ for students, giving students who aren’t in privileged positions the opportunities to learn what is available to them. I worked in the north east in a deprived area, so I was able to support those students as a teacher, but now I can help students nationwide by working for Unifrog!

What does an average day as an Account Manager look like?

An average day involves helping lots of teachers via emails and video calls. It’s great because I get to speak to so many people across my region. I’m just about to book my first face-to-face school visit too, which is exciting. 

What book do you always recommend?

I was an English and Film Studies teacher, so I recommend L'Étranger by Albert Camus - it’s amazing - or Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. Both a bit miserable, I’m afraid.

Build the best ice cream sundae

This is so difficult! My dream sundae would be chocolate-heavy, as I’m a bit of a chocoholic. I think peanut butter ice cream on the bottom, maybe some chocolate sauce… Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream… then some more chocolate sauce… lots of whipped cream (a must), nuts, and some more chocolate sauce. And maybe some more chocolate ice cream in there.

Khadija Jackson, Account Manager

What do you like most about your role?

I'm really passionate about social mobility through schooling and education. For seven years I was a maths teacher and year leader which allowed me to see firsthand the challenges faced by students when thinking of their lives beyond Year 11. I also experienced the challenges that can be faced by teachers in terms of time and resources to help students discover the educational/career pathways available to them. 

Being an account manager for Unifrog is so exciting as I'm able to show tools and resources that will help eliminate a lot of these issues. Students, regardless of their background, have fair access to understanding the pathways available to them and how they can get there. Staff also have access to resources that are easy to use, save time, and are impactful – an absolute dream for teachers! Knowing that I am a part of making this change is what I love about the role. 

What part of your job do you find most challenging?

The most challenging thing is choosing only a few parts of the platform to demonstrate during training sessions! The platform has such a wide range of tools that are so useful and, as a former teacher, I want to talk about every single one as I know how much of a difference they can make in the classroom.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I'd definitely live in Canada! I had the opportunity to complete part of my degree in Toronto and I instantly fell in love. I love the friendliness, the Sakura in High Park, and, controversially, the knee-height snow in the winter. Also: Tim Hortons - need I say more?

What gives you energy?

Engaging with art gives me energy! I especially love the theatre and I go whenever I get the chance. After seeing a play or musical (even if I've seen it three times before!), I feel completely buzzed with positive energy.

Laura Charter, Account Manager

What’s your favourite thing about your role at Unifrog?

It's too hard to pick just one thing! I love working closely with teachers and schools to make their careers provision as seamless as possible. I also come from a background of working in social mobility, so working for a company that really supports students in understanding all the options available to them is really rewarding! It’s also so exciting to be part of a dynamic company that constantly innovates to improve its service, and as a bonus, the team here is so nice! 
 

Which frog are you on the Personality quiz?

I'm a glass frog – ‘enthusiastic, warm characters, curious about everything and everyone’. It couldn’t be more accurate!
 

What's your favourite way to relax?

I’m actually terrible at relaxing in the traditional sense! My version of unwinding usually involves doing as many adrenaline-fueled activities as possible. Playing rugby is pretty much my version of yoga.
 

What's your karaoke song?

‘All the Small Things’ by Blink 182 is my karaoke song! It brings out my inner teenager every single time! I'm actually a massive country music fan… but it's hard to sing!

Lizzie Brennan, Data Manager

Describe your role as Data Manager at Unifrog

As Data Manager, I help to maintain and update all of the information we have on our opportunity search tools, as well as researching and designing new tools to add to the platform. This means my job can have an instant impact on hundreds of thousands of students all around the world, which is very exciting! It's super important we have the most up to date, impartial information to show to students to allow them to make informed decisions about their future.

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

I'd say the most challenging part of the job is making sure that we are always on top of the latest developments and releases in education-related data. There are lots of great data sources which release data on a whole range of different areas in education, from the amount of students who go on to a graduate job once they finish a particular course at a particular institution, to the latest Ofsted reports for a school or apprenticeship provider in the UK. We need to make sure we have the most recent, relevant information to share and also look out for any new data points which we could use to supplement the information we already have. Getting feedback from students and teachers using the platform is also crucial to making sure we achieve this.

You were very involved in Unifrog’s move to a new office. How did you make sure that this would be somewhere the team were happy in?

People spend a good chunk of their day at work so we wanted to try and make the new Unifrog office a place people enjoy coming to, rather than just somewhere they have to be! We've made sure the space has lots of light, plants and colourful furniture to promote a happy, positive environment and we’ve also made sure people have the chance to add their own touches to the space. As we've now moved over from a shared to a private office, we've also invested in an office radio and it has exposed us to lots of questionable music tastes…

What are the best and worst bits of being an Arsenal supporter?

I was brought up an Arsenal fan, with my family all having their roots in Islington, but unfortunately during our glory days I was too young to appreciate how good we were. It's good to know our history, but since I started taking a serious interest it all went downhill and let's just say the struggle is real and I'm missing my favourite Frenchman…

Lucy Lundstrom, Area Manager (Americas)

Describe your role at Unifrog

As the International Area Manager for the Americas, I get to work with our current partner schools to make sure they are having the best Unifrog experience possible while also connecting with prospective partner schools in the region. That means that I’m often communicating with teachers and counselors, giving demos, and running training sessions for the platform.  

How has your background in education helped you in this role?

Before I started at Unifrog, I was an English language teacher for nine years in Latin America and the US. My students worked so hard and had incredible aspirations, but didn’t always have great access to information about the opportunities that might await them outside of high school. I noticed that applying to universities seemed like an overwhelmingly stressful ordeal, or students would often just apply to nearby schools that were familiar because they didn’t have the tools to sift through the many, many opportunities that were available to them globally. I really believe in Unifrog’s mission, and I like to think that my background in education has provided me useful experience to empathise with and better understand the needs of students, teachers, and counselors who are contending with the sometimes challenging process of higher education applications.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

This is such a hard question! I love where I live now, in Colombia, but I would ideally like to be somewhere close to the mountains where I can get outside and enjoy nature easily! I’d be deliriously happy to live in a cosy alpine cabin with beautiful views and maybe a lake to swim in nearby! 

What's your party trick?

It’s not much of a trick, but mine would probably be immediately gravitating toward all of the animals in the host’s home and disappearing into a corner somewhere to befriend them!

Matthew Jones, Area Manager

Describe your role as an Area Manager at Unifrog

Every day is different and there is no ‘normal’ or ‘repetitive’ week. As I cover north west England, north and mid Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man, I travel quite a bit. One day I can be over in Enniskillen in Northern Ireland, the next in Greater Manchester (take a look at a map of the UK - it’s some distance)!

There’s no normal 9-5. Some days I’m on the road at 5.30am or catching a flight over to Belfast at 6am and not walking back through the front door until gone 9pm later that night! Whilst demanding and often very tiring, it’s also exciting, rewarding and most importantly, doesn’t bore me to death! I enjoy the role as it keeps me on my toes and at the end of every day I feel like I’ve achieved something.

You've lived in Anglesey all your life, tell us your favourite fact or thing about what it's like to live there?

Bar two brief stints elsewhere yes, I’ve lived in Anglesey my whole life! When I was 16, I left Anglesey and joined the British Army as an Electronic Avionics Technician in Harrogate. But it wasn’t what I anticipated and I left after 12 months to go back into education and work towards university.

Anglesey really is such a beautiful place to live and many of the teachers I meet love coming over to Anglesey in the summer! What I most love about it is it’s a great place to bring up my daughter (who’s now two)! It has everything - from my family and friends, beautiful beaches, countryside, the mountains of Snowdonia just round the corner and the cities of Liverpool and Chester within a short commute.

What made you want to work at Unifrog?

So, it’s quite an interesting story. I was at home (set the scene) doing some work when I got a call from a friend (and now colleague Tom) asking if I was interested in speaking with his boss regarding a possible job. Out of interest I accepted and Alex, Unifrog’s co-founder, set up a Skype call to show me what exactly Unifrog was.

At the end of the call, Alex asked me for an answer. In my mind I already knew I was going to say yes but I didn’t want to look overly keen and asked for a few days to consider his offer. The next day, I called Alex to accept and made my way to the old office in Bethnal Green on the Saturday afternoon to start training for the following week - dedication!

Seeing how fantastic Unifrog is for supporting kids to make the right choice, to really broadening their horizons and how they can make their aspirations a reality is what sold the job to me. When I joined the army, I wasn’t aware of half the options available to me. I made a naïve decision at 15 without really considering all my options. So you could say what made me want to work for Unifrog is the fantastic product, Alex and Coralie’s vision and my own experiences from having made uninformed decisions!

What do you do to unwind?

I love spending time with my beautiful daughter Raya and dog Baxter (yes, named after the dog in Anchorman!), whether it’s family days out or just a walk with a pit stop to the park. A simple walk is the best thing ever, with Raya jumping up and down in muddy puddles (all parents will be able to relate). Other than spending time with family, I’ll have the occasional day out with friends watching football - from the lunch time kick-off to the evening kick-off and every match in between!

Meryem Ismail, Account Manager

What's the best thing you've learnt at Unifrog (so far)?

When passionate people come together, they can achieve incredible things. It’s inspiring to see how much Unifrog has accomplished in the last ten years, and I’m so excited to be part of the impact we’ll have over the next ten (and beyond!).

On the Personality quiz, which frog are you?

I came out as the ‘Fire-bellied toad’, which I thought sounded a bit intense at first, but the summary – ‘reserved but full of drive and passion when it’s about something I really care about’ – does hit the nail on the head! I’m a classic extraverted introvert – I love connecting with people and experiencing new things, and I put a lot of energy into things I believe in, but I sometimes need to remind myself to take a step back and recharge! Overall, I’d say it reflects my thoughtful and passionate nature quite nicely.

Where is the best place you've travelled to, and why?

This is a tough question as I’m that person who says ‘I could live here’ to just about anywhere I visit! But if I really had to choose, I’d have to say Mexico. As a foodie, it’s hard to beat! I especially loved San Cristóbal de las Casas - a peaceful town in the mountains with friendly people, diverse culture with unique traditions, and stunning landscapes nearby. Add it to your bucket lists!

What gives you energy?

Spending quality time with family and friends and being outdoors. I love a good board game night, though my overly competitive nature means this doesn’t always end well, but it’s safe to say a long walk in nature always resets me!

Michelle Butterworth, Content Creator and Editor

What do you like most about your role at Unifrog?

I love that I get to learn about so many things. When researching for a new Know-how guide or Subjects library profile, I’ll be looking for answers to questions like ‘what’s the difference between ophthalmics and optometry?’, ‘why study in Canada?’, or ‘what causes anxiety?’ Discovering lots of interesting facts is definitely a perk of the role! 

How do you make sure you keep in touch with the team when you're working remotely?

I think Slack has definitely been a game changer - it makes it so easy to brainstorm new ideas or get advice from someone in the team, so I try to use it pretty often. It’s also nice to take part in things like the online yoga class. 

What's the best concert you've ever been to?

The best concert would have to be Rammstein. They really know how to entertain a crowd and their pyrotechnics are mind-blowing.

What's at the top of your bucket list?

I’ve always wanted to try cliff jumping. And if I could do it off Haew Suwat - the waterfall featured in The Beach - that would be a huge bonus! 

Nalin Narang, Video Producer/Director

Describe your role at Unifrog

As a Video Producer/Director, I help bring our platform’s videos to life. From sharing career insights to showcasing our partner employers and universities, our team makes many different kinds of videos. I get to meet people from all walks of life, travel on location for shoots, and sometimes jump into the edit suite. It’s a dynamic job that blends creativity, variety, and purpose.

What gets you out of bed in the morning to go to work?

As a passionate fan of movies and TV shows, I draw inspiration from great storytelling and bring that energy into my own work. I see every project as an opportunity to improve my craft. If I can get 1% better each time, I know that consistency will lead me toward excellence.

What's your favourite song and why?

I tend to have seasonal favourites, but one song that never fails to lift my mood is Finesse by Bruno Mars. My wife and I did a choreographed entrance to this song at our wedding reception, so whenever I hear it playing, it puts a smile on my face!

What things do you spend money on unreasonably, but very satisfyingly?

I definitely have more streaming subscriptions than any reasonable person needs. And I’ll happily pay extra to skip the ads. No regrets though, I get full value out of each one.

Pam Gardner, Employer Engagement Coordinator

Describe your role

My role as Employer Engagement Coordinator is to make sure that every employer partner who works with us at Unifrog gets the most value out of working with us and our audience. That can range from suggesting our exciting upcoming events to employers to creating a targeted recruitment campaign for them focusing on priorities like geography or sector interests. Supporting the work of our three wonderful Employer Partner Managers largely involves coordinating the data on how well engagement is going with that partner's content or events they’ve delivered with us. During my interview, I said that I envisaged my role as being “the glue” for our wonderful employer team at Unifrog and that must have resonated (and they’re stuck with me now, haha).

What’s your favourite Unifrog tool and why?

This would have to be the Placements tool. In my previous role, I was a work experience coordinator in a sixth form college and I used it! I absolutely love the simplicity for students as they input their information, that it’s so easily manageable for the school/college, and that it brings in a ready-made employer database for the school. The ‘help’ documents and videos are short and accessible to share with student and staff groups too!

What advice would you give to your younger self?

It’s great to be a lovely person and you should always be true to yourself, but don’t forget you can put yourself first too. Have that confidence, believe you are worth it, and go for it!

What things do you spend money on unreasonably, but very satisfyingly?

Having bought not one but two kayaks this year, that is my splurge! Paddling on a quiet lake in total peace is the ultimate satisfaction and worth every penny!

Peter Howarth, Salesforce Administrator

What does an average day as Salesforce Administrator look like?

My days as Salesforce Administrator are very varied, and I enjoy the different tasks each day brings. I'm a big fan of to-do lists, so a day where I can work through many jobs and tick things off is a great day for me. Alternatively, I love a day where I can focus on one puzzle and spend the whole day building and testing a cool solution, watching the Salesforce magic happen! Those days are incredibly rewarding.

Whatever the day brings, everything I do aims to help a fellow Unifrogger and make their work easier, quicker, or better, which is why I love this job so much.

How has your background in Salesforce helped you in this role?

Learning Salesforce in my previous role was invaluable, but at Unifrog, I have been able to flourish and grow so much since starting. The people at Unifrog are amazing and the support from my manager is awesome and gives me real confidence.

What's the one film you think everyone should see?

It has to be ‘Star Wars’! It has shaped so much of my life, to be honest. My first trip to the cinema was in Bury to see ‘Return of the Jedi’ and it was amazing. I collected the toys as a child and the films were all about heroes, bravery, belief, and adventure. As a (childish) adult, I still love to watch the films, new ones and old ones, and I now collect Star Wars Lego, sharing some photos of my collection to show some fellow Star Wars fans at the recent Unifrog Team Day! 

For millions of people, it is a universal shared interest that you can talk about joyfully with people. And now, I get to share the films and TV shows with my children as well. Sitting watching ‘The Mandalorian’ with my children or building a Lego Star Wars model together, you can't beat that.

It's certainly geeky, but who cares!?

Who was your childhood hero?

It has to be my dad. He travelled the world when I was child, selling textile machinery, and we couldn't wait to hear all about where he had been on his latest trip. Hearing all about huge cities and life in the US, Russia, Argentina, India, and Egypt was enthralling. Knowing that he had travelled to all but one country in South America and so many countries all around the world was fantastic.

We also grew up looking at ships, going to air shows, and learning about aeroplanes, going on holiday to Cornwall every year and always visiting the RAF base there to watch the helicopters. Every time we went anywhere with any machines, my dad was always showing us how they worked and talking to anyone who could teach him something. We grew up watching action films together and still do now. He worked hard, was an amazing parent and husband, and made me who I am today.

Rhian Harris, Employer Partnerships Manager

What gets you out of bed in the morning to start work?

I have a young daughter who's an early riser, so I'm up and about every morning by 6.30am latest, no alarm needed! I'll also grab a coffee at the first opportunity, usually when my daughter has gone to nursery. My motivation has always been making a difference, and I look forward to logging in each morning and working out how I can best make a difference to the employer partners I support, and in turn the students using the Unifrog platform.

How has your background in education helped you in this role?

Before joining Unifrog I spent 12 years at Teach First, an education charity working to end inequality in education. I spent much of my time there building and managing partnerships for the charity, which is at the heart of my role at Unifrog now. Before that, I coached and trained teachers, and I now use the coaching skills I developed – such as building rapport and active listening – on a day to day basis when working with our employer partners.

What's the one film you think everyone should see?

My favourite film of all time is ‘10 Things I Hate About You’, which is from 1999 and stars Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles. I can't tell you how many times I've watched it, but 26 years after watching it for the first time I still seem to know most of the lines. It's a millennial classic with an amazing soundtrack. If you haven't seen it, give it a watch!

What gives you energy?

I go to a clubbercise class, which is essentially an aerobic dance class done in the dark with disco lights and glow sticks. It's pretty high intensity and takes all the energy I've got, but gives me energy too! It's a little bit of me-time in the middle of a busy week, and I try to never miss it. 

Robyn Langdon, Events Lead

Describe your role at Unifrog

My role at Unifrog as the Events Lead is to run the virtual events on the platform. This could be from arranging webinars for a small group of students and/or teachers/counselors, straight through to organising large virtual exhibitions attended by 1000s of students from all across the world. I love the process of planning various events, from the event conception, to the end goal of the event being a great success. I really enjoy having lots of events going on at once, and means that the humble to-do list is my best friend!

What gets you out of bed in the morning to start work?

Usually, my dog or a small child! I'm not a coffee drinker, but luckily I'm a morning person, so that certainly helps. But also really enjoying my job; I'm new to Unifrog and already love working here. The days go by quickly and it's a really friendly place to work. I was a bit worried I'd find it difficult working remotely from my home in Plymouth, but that hasn't been the case at all! You can tell that everyone is really proud to be working here and helping make a difference.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I have this conversation more often that I'm happy to admit and it changes regularly! At the moment, it would have to be pizza, but it must be one cooked properly in a wood-fired oven. There's nothing more disappointing than a sad oven pizza!

What's your party trick?

I can make a turtle out of the metal covering of the cork ('muselet' is the official name) from a champagne bottle. My brother-in-law is French and passed on the wisdom!

Shameel Wahid, Head of Finance

Describe your role

My role is really interesting because of how much variety it has. It includes everything from payroll - making sure everyone gets paid correctly - to managing and accurately reflecting Unifrog’s cash flow and financial position. On top of that, I’m also working on some exciting projects around making our financial processes more efficient and automated through the use of technology and a lot of Excel! 

What made you want to work at Unifrog?

There were two things that really stood out to me about Unifrog. The first was its mission; being a part of an organisation that helps students make some of the most important decisions in their life really resonated to me. The second was its culture; Unifrog’s online resources showed how important culture was to the company and what it stood for, and that mattered to me.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you want with you and why?

The first two items I’d want would have to be a duvet and a pillow - I really need my sleep, no matter where I am! And the third would be an autobiography of someone else who’s been stranded on an island. I think it would reassure me to know they’d survived it!

How would your friends describe you?

I think my friends would say I’m calm, indecisive, and forgetful. I’ve lost count of the number of times they’ve had to remind me about something! When it comes to making small decisions, I tend to overthink (it might be my economics background that leads to analysis paralysis). But if all hell breaks loose, they’ll turn to me to stay calm!

Siân Phillips, New Partnerships Lead

What's your favourite thing about your role?

I enjoy reaching out to schools and colleges and helping to grow the Unifrog community! I was inspired to join Unifrog as I strongly believe in our mission to level the playing field for all young people by helping them find their best next steps. It's so exciting when a new school decides to join us, as I know the impact the platform is going to have on their student's futures.
 

What part of your job do you find most challenging?

The role can be very busy! Day to day, I'm responding to enquiries from schools, writing campaigns highlighting different platform features, working with our Area Managers to organise demonstrations, and reaching out to schools about our Sponsorship programme. 
 

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I would choose Barcelona! It's such a cool city, full of culture, great beaches, and lots of dogs! I love it so much I'm actually getting married just outside the city in August 2024!

What’s your favourite thing to do outside work?

I like exploring new places with my partner and our rescue dog, Isla (featured in my photo at our first doggy yoga session).

Siri Minsaas, Head of International School Sales

What gets you out of bed in the morning to go to work?

Before joining Unifrog, I was a teacher and worked in university access for many years, so helping students find their next step and figure out what they want to do in the future has always motivated me in the mornings (that, and a breakfast of berries and cereal).

What's your favourite thing about your role?

I love getting to work with colleagues and support schools all around the world. I'll catch up with colleagues in Colombia, hear how schools in Hong Kong are getting on, and talk to teachers in Cyprus - it's super varied, and feels like I've travelled the world in the course of the working day!

Where is the best place you've travelled to, and why is it your favourite?

I went to Sri Lanka a few years ago, and it was absolutely incredible. It's really easy to travel around the island, so you can take in all of the stunning beaches and mountain landscapes. We swam with turtles and saw elephants and leopards. The food was so delicious – I'm still dreaming about it! 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I wouldn't want to mess with the time-space continuum by saying too much to my younger self, but I'd say that it's okay to not have a plan, or for your plans to change. I didn't know where in the world I wanted to live, what I wanted to do with a politics degree, or what job to do after teaching, but not knowing exactly what you want to do just gives you an opportunity to try new things and figure out what works for you!

Stephen Rodwell, People and Operations Director

Describe your role as Head of People and Finance at Unifrog

As my title suggests, I lead on two main things at Unifrog: managing our cash flow; and recruiting, retaining, and developing a happy and effective team. We think we do a pretty good job at making Unifrog a great place to work (hopefully you can see that from our reviews!), but part of my role is to make sure we're always thinking creatively about how to improve – whether that's introducing new perks and benefits, streamlining our internal processes to make them super efficient, or supporting everyone to find their best next steps for professional development. We try to take ideas from everywhere, especially our own team, to continue to make Unifrog an even better place to be.

When you first started, what struck you about Unifrog?

It's a great team of people who support one another and celebrate each other's successes; everyone is eager to help and push the platform forward. It's also inspiring that we have a group of experts in Higher Education and post-16 opportunities who are helping lead the discussion about the future of young people.

As a former teacher, why do you think that what Unifrog is doing is important?

Although I worked in a primary school, I know that my Year 1 pupils would still have loved exploring the different careers on the platform! Every year my class made a ‘Book of Dreams’ where each child drew a picture of what they wanted to be when they were older. In a way, Unifrog is just a grown-up extension of that! Even from a young age, giving children ideas about what careers are out there is hugely important in shaping their aspirations.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you want with you and why?

A corner sofa, the Beatles discography, and a lifetime supply of cheese. What more could you want?

Thaïs Donovan, Primary School Partnerships Manager

Describe your role at Unifrog
My role is really exciting! I'm one of the Primary Partnership Managers at Unifrog, working alongside Kai, and together we're a bit of a two-man band. Our job is to grow the reach of Unifrog Primary, which means doing a bit of everything: going to conferences, launching prospecting campaigns, speaking with schools across the UK (whether prospective or existing partners), sales, strategy, and marketing. 

What gets you out of bed in the morning to start work?
Aside from three alarms and a massive cup of tea, I'd say it's the variety and the bigger picture. I love having a different day every day; it keeps things busy and exciting, and there's no room to get bored. I'm also really motivated by targets, and it feels like the sky's the limit, which is really inspiring! I also love working closely in a small team to make it happen. I'm very lucky to be part of Team Primary. They're such a great bunch, and honestly so on the ball that I probably should be getting out of bed early just to keep up with them… perhaps I’ll start setting five alarms?

What's your top life hack?
It might not be a particularly unique one, but I always come back to some kind of five-minute rule. Whenever I don't want to do something, I commit to just five minutes of it. The idea is that once you're already doing it, you tend to carry on, and it's never as bad as it seemed. I also find the rule works in reverse: if I'm struggling with a task or feeling overwhelmed, stepping away for five minutes is usually enough to reset. If things are really bad, you can even use these together. A little progress is always better than nothing!

What things do you spend money on unreasonably, but very satisfyingly?
I wish it wasn't… but it's clothes… jewellery… bags… shoes. I'm addicted to Vinted. If you catch me staring into the middle distance, I'm probably just thinking about my saved items. I have since implemented a system though, where my wardrobe stays circular: I won't let myself buy something unless I've sold something first! It also massively helps that my wardrobe seems to be communal amongst my friends. I can't remember a time when I had all my things in one place.

Vikki Garner, Partnerships Director (UK and Employers)

What do you find most exciting about working at Unifrog?

So many things! I would probably have to say new developments and the impact they have on schools and students. It's super exciting when you’ve had an idea yourself, or heard about one from the team or a partner school, and then see it develop into a new tool. We always ask a few of our partners to test out new tools, and seeing their reactions as they realise how much of a difference it's going to make to either their CEIAG tracking and management, or opportunities for their students, is equally as exciting as the initial idea.

What part of your job do you find most challenging?

I support the Account Management and Partner Success Teams, and with 2,000 partners to look after, every day is super busy. Our partners provide us with amazing feedback, from how fantastic they're finding the platform to the barriers they have in delivering CEIAG in their schools. I love hearing about these barriers and helping the teams to support our partners to overcome them. I suppose you could say it's our partner schools' challenges that become mine, and I love the challenge of finding the perfect solution. 

Has previous experience as a teacher served you well in this role?

Absolutely! I've had first hand experience of the difficulties when it comes to planning and delivering careers, whether that be a shortage of allocated time, making sure students have the right information for their chosen pathway, trying to create lessons which capture their imagination and raise their aspirations, the list goes on! But it's these experiences - those of the team and of our partner schools - that drive everything we do at Unifrog.  

If you could meet any historical figure, who would it be and why?

This is a tricky one. I'd have to say Rosa Parks. I'd love to go back in time to watch her make a stand against racism through simply sitting on a bus. That one act sent shockwaves through America and earned her the title of ‘the first lady of civil rights’. A phenomenal woman!

Zoe Mackenzie, Head of People Operations

What made you want to work at Unifrog?

One of the reasons I was keen to work at Unifrog was its social mission. It’s quite important to me that my workplace has a wider social purpose. When I had my interview, the staff on the panel were just so friendly too - and having now met the team at the Team Day, I can confirm this goes for everyone else!

What’s your favourite thing about your role?

The best part of my role is the fact that it’s so people-facing. I really enjoy getting to know people, so it’s great to have a role where I get the chance to chat to the whole team, learn what they do, and work out how best I can support them.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I think I’d choose to live in Tasmania. In 2020, before the pandemic hit, I was travelling around Australia with a friend and we stayed with a family who lived there. It’s the most beautiful place you can imagine. There’s loads of independent art going on, vineyards, beaches, and freshly grown food. The family I was staying with had a boat, so we even went lobster fishing, caught a lobster, and ate it on the same day!

The one caveat is that I’d have to bring all my family and friends with me, as Tasmania’s a bit of a distance from the UK!

Which reality TV programme do you think you’d win, and why?

I’m not sure if this counts as reality TV, but I definitely think I could win Pointless. I always used to watch it when I was coming home from school, so I’ve got a good knowledge of the different categories that might come up. You have to do it in pairs, so I’d go with my housemate - she’s got the pop culture sorted, and I studied geography at university. So if the right categories came up, I reckon we could win!