The board of directors oversees all our work, monitors our performance at quarterly meetings and helps us to set our long-term strategy and yearly plans and budgets. Each director has a duty and responsibility to protect the interests of Explore and ensure the organisation is well run. Directors may not represent their own interests or that of any other organisation they have a role in. Directors are volunteers and give their time for free.

Chris Edwards

Chris Edwards

Chair

Chris trained as a physics and mathematics teacher and was part of the education team that established the new City of York Council. He subsequently became Director of Learning and Leisure before moving to Leeds as Chief Executive of Education Leeds. Since leaving Leeds, Chris has continued to work on leadership and culture in organisations, curriculum development and school improvement.

Chris reads a lot, sings a little and is passionate about teaching and learning, culture and the arts and hopes we can further develop the libraries as community spaces and a vibrant, inclusive and exciting part of the rich artistic and cultural landscape in this great city of ours.

A dark-haired woman wearing a grey checked jacket, white top and necklace. She is smiling

Jenny Layfield

Chief Executive

Jenny is the Chief Executive for Explore. Her role is to provide strategic leadership to the Explore team; providing vision, leadership and future direction, ensures the culture of Explore reflects its vision, values and objectives.

Jenny has worked in a variety of roles within the cultural and heritage sector including Museum Director at the National Coal Mining Museum for England and General Manager for Nostell in Wakefield. Jenny is also a Chartered Member of the CIPD and has over 15-year experience working as a HR specialist.

Kate Nash

Staff Director

Kate began volunteering as a storyteller at York Explore in 2019 and soon after started work as a Reading and Learning Advisor there. With the variety of activities and visitors to the library, there is never a dull moment. As Staff Director, she represents all the staff, from Archives to Cafes and every Bookshelf in between, who are passionate about the services they deliver. She has previously worked as a teacher and a museum education and outreach officer in England and abroad. Wherever she goes, she always looks for the stories!

    Helen Apsey - a blonde woman with glasses

    Helen Apsey

    Non-executive Director

    Helen is Head of Culture and Wellbeing at Make It York. She leads on the delivery of the York Culture Strategy alongside the city’s Culture Executive, working closely with City of York Council and the creative and culture sector. Her skills include strategy development and implementation, policy and public affairs, marketing and communications, engagement, and building relationships. Helen believes that culture can support people’s wellbeing throughout their lives, and as community hubs and places that draw people together, libraries have a vital role to play in this.

      Sarah O'Brien a dark-haired woman wearing a black blouse with a red design

      Sarah O’Brien

      Non-executive Director

      Sarah is an academic in theatre and Associate Head for Performance in the School of Arts at York St John University. Sarah has taught in Higher Education for nearly 20 years, specialising in theatre making, acting and participatory performance. She is very interested in how the arts can support communities, develop confidence, and enhance life skills, particularly for children and young people.

        Rosemary has short dark hair and is wearing a black t-shirt and glasses

        Rosemary Cook

        Community Director

        Rosemary has a background in healthcare and has been a not-for-profit sector CEO for 17 years. She also has experience on Boards as Trustee and Director. Rosemary is an award-winning author, writing books about historical true crime with nursing and medical connections. She researches and gives talks about local history and historical crimes.

          A smiling, fair-haired woman wearing a white sweater and pink scarf

          Rebecca Craven

          Community Director

          Rebecca works as a tutor for apprentices following careers into marketing and fundraising. She is a qualified teacher but spent a lot of her career in marketing roles across various Yorkshire museums.  Rebecca has experience in community development and believes in the central role libraries play in where we live and how they contribute to wellbeing and feeling connected. She would like to support Explore with building a sustainable future through getting more people involved in their work, through volunteering and fundraising.
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            Stephen Lewis

            Community Director

            Stephen Lewis retired recently after 28 years as a journalist with the York Press newspaper. For much of that time he was the newspaper’s chief feature writer and leader writer. He has served as an elected governor of York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and as a Trustee of York Civic Trust. In 2018, Stephen co-wrote a book – ‘The Streets of York: Four Centuries of Change’ – with Ron Cooke, Darrell Buttery and Chris Shepherd. Sales of the book raised £70,000 for local charities, including York Against Cancer. Stephen is a cancer survivor.