Who’s who at Anthem

Our team

Anthem is driven by a board of trustees and a core staff team, with support
from our members and our youth forum.

Rhian Hutchings

Chief Executive Officer

rhian.hutchings@anthem.wales Rhian joined Anthem Music Fund Wales in 2020. She is an opera director, creative producer and connector with a passion for young people and music. Rhian has been active in the participatory music sector in Wales for the last 20 years, founding Operasonic in Newport, leading the Youth & Community team at Welsh National Opera for seven years, and driving the ArtWorks Cymru Partnership to explore sector development.

Kofi Acheampong

Programme Manager

kofi.acheampong@anthem.wales

Rebecca Hobbs

Fundraising Manager

rebecca.hobbs@anthem.wales

Tori Sillman

Communications Manager

communications@anthem.wales

Sarah Sweeney

FFWD>> Project Manager

projectmanager@anthem.wales

Elijah Jeffery

Anthem Gateway Discord Manager

elijah.jeffery@anthem.wales

Lennon Williams

Anthem gateway project manager

lennon.williams@anthem.wales

Richard Jones

Anthem gateway content manager

richard.jones@anthem.wales

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Heledd Holloway

Fundraising assistant

heledd.holloway@anthem.wales

FFWD>>

FFWD>> is Anthem’s Youth Forum who meet regularly to support Anthem’s work. Find out more about them here

Our trustees

Anthem’s trustees are all united by a passion for music and young people. They shape
organisational strategy and lead our fundraising activity.

Catrin Roberts

Catrin Hughes Roberts is Director of Partnerships at S4C - the Welsh language broadcaster. She has a communications background, with external affairs experience at devolved, Westminster and EU levels. Catrin leads on S4C’s public affairs work, and its partnerships, as well as the broadcaster’s support for skills and training for the screen sector. She oversees S4C’s diversity work and is a board member of the Creative Diversity Network of UK broadcasters. She is also an RTS Cymru committee member. Before joining S4C, Catrin worked in the BBC’s corporate affairs team in London and also spent time with BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Worldwide. She has previously worked as a campaigner in the third sector, and in the European and UK parliaments. Catrin is a fluent Welsh speaker with a smattering of other (slightly rusty) languages too. She is passionate about music and the role it can play in wellbeing and development. Catrin likes confusing algorithms with her slightly eclectic listening ranging from Beethoven to folk, Queen, hip-hop and beyond.

Dafydd Hedd

Dafydd Hedd first joined Anthem on their Youth Forum during 2023 and loved the experience. Outside of his work with Anthem, he is a recording artist making Welsh/English music primarily in the alternative rock/dance genre and was a promoter with Gigs Cefn Car.

Gwenda Carnie

Gwenda is a city trained media and entertainment lawyer, now a partner in a niche media commercial and business affairs advisory company, Industry Media. Her skills include deal-making and commercial and copyright advice for people in the creative industries. Gwenda has advised creatives for over 20 years and has experience of the business of Music, including a legal role at MTV Networks Europe and a role as legal and business affairs advisor to BBC Wales' Music Department. Gwenda speaks fluent French and Welsh and lives in Barry with her husband, 3 musical children (2 guitarists and a harpist).

Natalie Roe

Natalie is a composer and electronic artist interested in combining acoustic and electronic music in her work. Collaboration is key in Natalie's creative process as seen in her work with The Flying Bedroom Theatre Company, Tangible Lemon and in projects such as BBC NOW's Composition: Wales. Passionate about advocating for young people in the music and culture sector, Natalie was elected Royal Welsh Students' Union President 2022-2024 and is now a current Board Member for EPASA and CUKSN Chair.

Sheryl

Sheryl is an experienced Project Coordinator and Creative Curator with a strong passion for empowering young people through music and the arts. Based in Wales, they currently serve on the FFWD>> Youth Forum for Anthem Cymru, where they lead initiatives that support young people’s creative development and access to opportunities in the music industry. With a background in community-driven projects, Sheryl has worked across various roles to champion inclusion, innovation, and meaningful engagement within creative spaces. As a board member for Anthem Cymru, they are dedicated to shaping strategies that amplify the voices of young people, foster collaboration, and create impactful change in the Welsh arts landscape.Catrin leads on S4C’s public affairs work, and its partnerships, as well as the broadcaster’s support for skills and training for the screen sector. She oversees S4C’s diversity work and is a board member of the Creative Diversity Network of UK broadcasters. She is also an RTS Cymru committee member. Before joining S4C, Catrin worked in the BBC’s corporate affairs team in London and also spent time with BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Worldwide. She has previously worked as a campaigner in the third sector, and in the European and UK parliaments. Catrin is a fluent Welsh speaker with a smattering of other (slightly rusty) languages too. She is passionate about music and the role it can play in wellbeing and development. Catrin likes confusing algorithms with her slightly eclectic listening ranging from Beethoven to folk, Queen, hip-hop and beyond.

Ben Lewis

Ben is the CEO of Young Voices, organisers of the world's largest children's choir concerts. Over the past 30 years Young Voices has staged shows across the globe, involving nearly 3 million children.

Hayley Smith

Meet Hayley, a dynamic force at the intersection of music, creativity, and innovation. She's been immersed in the creative industry from a young age, writing, producing and performing music. Hayley's love and passion for creativity naturally led her into the world of music and tech. Over the past 8 years, she's made waves in the music and tech scenes, becoming a driving force behind disruptive brands that are changing the game across the creator economy. Hayley has a knack for capturing the essence of these industries and bringing them to life. She started at Pirate.com, where she played a crucial role in transforming the company from a small startup to a global scale-up. With her exceptional skills in brand, marketing, PR, and community engagement, she helped put Pirate.com on the map to empower musicians worldwide. From there, she joined Contact.xyz, leading brand marketing teams to orchestrate explosive content, PR and campaigns. Fuelled by a passion to champion creatives and start-ups, in 2022 Hayley ventured out on her own as a brand, marketing, and content consultant. Her goal has been to empower small and mid-size enterprises, equipping them with the tools and strategies they need to thrive in a competitive landscape.

Ify Iwobi

Swansea born classical/contemporary pianist Ify Iwobi is a Welsh A List artist. She studied Music Performance at Brunel University in Uxbridge. Ify performs solo and with her ensemble around Wales at Wales Millennium Centre, Royal Welsh College Of Music And Drama and National Museums Of Wales for example. She has also performed internationally in Ohio and Nigeria. Ify composes scores for soundtracks as well as her own original works. Releases have included ‘Flying High,’ her album ‘Illuminate,' EP ‘Bossin’ It’ and 'Solo' ft Luna Lie Lot. Two of her ‘Bossin’ It’ EP tracks ‘Love Rapsody’ (ft Anwar Siziba) and ‘Thinking About You’ (ft Jinmi Abduls) have been A Listed on BBC Radio Wales. 'Solo' ft Luna Lie Lot was also A Listed. Awards have included: 2016: Black History Young Musician of the Year 2017: Swansea Bay Young Achiever Award (Performing Arts - Musician of the Year) 2019: All Wales Ethnic Minority Welsh Women’s Achievement Award for Arts and Music 2020: BBC Radio Wales A List Artist

Tayla-Leigh Payne

Tayla-Leigh Payne is a Welsh composer based in Cardiff, where she recently graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) with a First Class Honours in Composition and Creative Technology. Her most recent achievements and commissions include, Composition Wales in association with BBC NOW, being the assistant composer to the Anfamol production in association with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, Folks of the Footbridge in association with Operasonic, Ty Cerdd's CoDI Move, CoDI Lead and Encore Scheme, Burry Port Towns Band ACT Scheme, as well as premiering her interactive audio installation, MIXTAPE at RWCMD's Atmosphere's Festival. Likewise, Tayla was previously part of the Anthem Youth Forum and the Welsh Music Youth Forum, as well as working as a part-time Music Youth Support Worker at YMCA Swansea.

James Radcliffe

.James has worked in Politics and public affairs roles for at least 15 years, including 10 years working in the Welsh Parliament. James is passionate about music, has played in heavy metal bands as well as been a rock club DJ, and wants to ensure the next generation get their chance to be involved in creating music.

Laurence Collier

Laurence is a musician, composer, event organiser, teacher and promoter. He has been a figure in Cardiff’s music scene for over a decade, performing in some of the city’s best musical outfits, namely with Afro Cluster and N’famady Kouyaté, putting on music and art events and being a mentor to the next generation of musical talent.

Emyr Afan Davies

An experienced CEO of Afanti Media Ltd, Cardiff Business of the Year and Creative Business of the Year 2023 and is the 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 at the Cardiff Business Awards. Emyr is also a Bafta award winning programme maker and former musician. Currently also Chairs Welsh Music Guild and Discover Pembrokeshire C.I.C.

Pea Pearson

Pea is currently in their third year at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama studying the oboe.

Ryan Singh

Ryan is Chairman of Anthem, Music Fund Wales and serves as HR Advisor for a market leading company overseeing key functions such as training and development, recruitment, employee relations and experience, benefits, payroll, and EDI. Ryan has many years of Board-level experience. Serving as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees at Growth Path, and HR Director at Cattleya CIC. In these roles, he contributes to strategic leadership and governance, offering advice primarily in the fields of people and organisational development, performance management, law, and recruitment.

Rosemary Morwenna Brown

She has previously worked for Collective Cymru, Operasonic, Open Up Music (who run the National Open Youth Orchestra), and St David’s Hall. Rosey is also interested in DIY music, is a member of SHIFT, and works as an occasional sound designer for theatre and animation.

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Wales in which music can empower every young life.