The Exeter City of Literature Team
Anna Cohn Orchard (she/her)
Executive Director
Anna Cohn Orchard is the inaugural Executive Director of Exeter UNESCO City of Literature. With a passion for establishing and developing unique initiatives and a keen eye for cultural development, Anna has been instrumental in elevating Exeter's status on the global literary stage.
Anna holds a degree in English Literature from Lehigh University and a Master’s in Cultural Geography from the University of Exeter. She has forged a professional journey through a blend of strategic planning and practical experience in cultural management. Prior to her current role, Anna worked with several organizations such as the Museum of Food and Drink in Brooklyn, the Robin Hood Foundation in New York, and the Roald Dahl Story Company, where she honed her skills in project management, social impact, and partnership building.
Since taking the helm at Exeter City of Literature, Anna has spearheaded numerous initiatives to celebrate and promote Exeter's literary culture. She conceived of and executed the world-famous Penguin Book Vending Machine, established a pioneering bibliotherapy training course with Exeter College, and has been pivotal in building a Partnership Network that encourages a collaborative approach to creating a vibrant cultural ecosystem.
Anna's vision for Exeter is one of inclusivity and innovation, ensuring that the city's literary heritage continues to inspire and engage future generations.
The books I read repeatedly: Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and Philip Roth's The Human Stain. These two authors— fierce powerhouses of writing—craft sentences and utilize language so masterfully that while my shocking memory can't recall a single sentence months or even weeks later, the profound effect their words had on me is permanent. Both books look at the inner and outer identities we shape ourselves and that are placed on us, and what that relentlessness does to how we respond to fear, loneliness, and our communities. These are books I will re-read throughout my life, taking away something new each time.
Jen McDerra
Public Programmes Manager
Jen is a writer and a literary life historian whose work reunites people--whose voices and stories have been denied a place in history--with their achievements.
Her experience spans two decades of literary, cultural, and community engagement, from leading creative programmes in the South West at The Charles Causley Trust, The Reader, The Writers’ Block and Barefoot Books, to a range of national and international roles with the University of East Anglia, Commonwealth Writers, and the BOCAS Literary Festival in Trinidad & Tobago. Jen is a Fellow of the Clore Leadership programme, during which she established the AHRC funded QUEST project in partnership with libraries in Norwich, New York, Toronto, Rio de Janeiro, and Port of Spain, exploring how we might extend the conditions for comfort and curiosity offered by libraries into other cultural spaces in order to welcome more and different people.
In this role, Jen will lead the design and delivery of innovative, inclusive public programmes that deepen our work with communities across Devon and strengthen our collaborations across the global UNESCO Cities of Literature Network. From our flagship programmes to new, co-created initiatives, Jen will help shape the cultural heartbeat of Exeter as a City of Literature--celebrating storytelling in all its forms and championing Devon's voices locally and internationally.
The book you love to give as a gift: 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. I like posting it to people. It’s all about letters, books, epistolary effort, friendship, laughing, reaching across cultures and into other people’s landscapes, and how this kind of reading relationship can help people to see themselves and their lives differently and shape them for the better. This book is reading and the pursuit of ‘a good clean second-hand copy’ taken seriously. People doing things against the odds, against the grain, loving in literary long distance.
Jordan Thomas (he/him)
Communications Associate
Born and raised in Devon, Jordan has worked locally in the creative industries since 2018. He has spent much of this time in the marketing team at Exeter Phoenix - seeing firsthand how vital cultural organisations are to the local community. Whilst at Creative UK Jordan developed his creative arts marketing skills on a national level, working in collaboration with Netflix, BFI and a variety of local councils - now back in Exeter he is excited to build upon this experience with the UNESCO City of Literature team.
The fictional character you most admire: Piranesi from Susanna Clarke’s novel of the same name - unwavering kindness and curiosity for the world despite the unfathomable situation he finds himself in.
Luke Jeffrey (he/him)
Events Producer
Luke is an Events Producer with a passion for bold, engaging experiences that connect people through story and is proud to contribute to Exeter City of Literature’s mission to champion storytelling in all its forms.
He is the founder of Wandering Tiger Productions, a Devon-based company specialising in immersive theatre productions and original films. His projects often transform unconventional spaces - from historic buildings to public streets - into stages for meaningful, memorable encounters.
As a producer with the rural arts charity Villages in Action, Luke supports touring performances and participatory projects across Devon’s villages, helping to bring high-quality arts experiences to rural communities. He is also an associate artist with Alright Mate?, a men’s mental health initiative that use the arts to open up conversations and reduce stigma.
A book that changed the way you think about a particular topic: The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band Who Burned A Million Pounds by John Higgs punched a hole in my reality… Art is witchcraft. Stories are spells. Money’s a lie. Light the match.
Board of Trustees
Sharifa Milford Al Hashemy (she/her) - Board Chair
Head of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, Royal Devon University Healthcare Trust and Torbay and South Devon Trust
Sharifa Milford Al Hashemy is an inclusion and equity specialist, holding a leadership role in the NHS, with a particular interest in culture change and organisational development. Outside of work Sharifa collects more books than she can read, has strong relationships with the local community and enjoys being a positive disrupter.
A book that changed the way you think about a particular topic: Lila Abu Lughod, Remaking Women. I have always been interested in narratives surrounding women in the Middle East and North Africa region , and which lens is applied when viewing them. This book explores the lives of women in the region and dismantles the post colonial lens which is often applied to them.
It sparked a deeper understanding and interest in the socio- politics in the region and impacted the way I carried out my own research, ensuring I don’t speak for women, but allow them to bring their stories forward. This lens is one which I still approach policies and systems by asking who’s in the room when decisions are being made, and who has been left out of the narrative.
Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor Faculty of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences, University of Exeter
Adam Watt (he/him) - Board Deputy Chair
Adam Watt is a Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Exeter where he is Professor of French & Comparative Literature. He was born in Edinburgh (the first UNESCO City of Literature) and has lived and worked in Exeter since 2012. He has published numerous books and articles on French Literature, in particular on the life and work of Marcel Proust.
A book that changed the way you think about a particular topic: Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin changed how I think about race and identity.
Dee Rowett (she/her)
Pastoral Mentor, University of Exeter
Dee has spent 20 years working in Further and Higher Education and is a committed educator, coach, and mentor. She was the first Chair of Exeter City of Literature and continues to serve as a dedicated trustee on the Board.
She holds an MA in English Literature from the University of Exeter and remains a particularly passionate reader of Victorian literature following her postgraduate studies.
The book I love to give as a gift: A book I love to give as a gift is Chris Whitaker’s We Begin at the End—because what better present than a story so gripping you can’t put it down, yet so powerful you don’t want it to end?
Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson (she/her)
Sunday Times Bestselling Novelist and Co-Founder of Impact of Omission
Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson is a Sunday Times Bestselling author. Her forthcoming novel, Gutterwitch, sold to Random House Children’s (US) and Bloomsbury (UK) after a nine way auction.
Raised between London and Sydney, her work centres those living at the intersection of identities, in our world—and in others.
She holds a BA in English Literature and Classical Studies from the University of Exeter.
The book I love to give as a gift: I love to give Normal People by Sally Rooney to friends of all ages and genders. It is brutally evocative of the confusion of your twenties, and a perfect reminder of why we should not let good things pass us by.
May Argyle-Lander ACA (she/her)
Finance Business Partner, Met Office
May is a Chartered Accountant with a background in accountancy practice and a passion for making numbers meaningful. She currently works as a Finance Business Partner at the Met Office, where she helps teams make smart, informed decisions by bringing financial insight into everyday planning.
With experience across both the private and public sectors, May enjoys using her skills to support organisations that make a difference.
The book I love to give as a gift: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. A timeless classic that is beautifully written and blends romance, mystery and suspense.
Sophie Pavelle (she/her)
Writer & Science Communicator
Sophie Pavelle is an award-winning author and science communicator. She has a First in Zoology (BSc) and a Distinction in Science Communication (MSc).
Sophie's debut book Forget Me Not: finding the forgotten species of climate-change Britain (Bloomsbury, 2022), and won The People’s Book Prize for Non-Fiction (2023) and was long-listed for the 2023 James Cropper Wainwright Prize for Conservation Writing. Her conservation work has involved her with Beaver Trust, The Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB.
She scripted and narrated the multi-award-winning documentary Recovering The Rainforest, as well as co-hosting the popular climate-action podcast For What It's Earth.
Her writing and research appears in New Scientist, The Times Literary Supplement, National Geographic Traveller, The Guardian, the Independent, Frontiers academic journal and others. She is currently on tour with her latest book with Bloomsbury To Have or To Hold: nature's hidden relationships, longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Conservation Writing (2025).
A book that changed the way you think about a particular topic - Orbital by Samantha Harvey, showed me how powerful fiction and prose can elevate science and natural history storytelling. The way Samantha writes with such power and clarity about the planet, its fragility and our place with it, through the lens of characters you are rooting for, is unforgettable.
Tom Staniford (he/him)
Marketing Consultant, Speaker, and Lecturer
Tom is a freelance Marketing Consultant, Speaker, and Lecturer and has lived in Exeter for much of the last 15 years. A Chartered Marketer, he holds 3 Master’s-level qualifications in Law, Psychology, and Marketing, and is fascinated by stories; the way they are told, and what they represent for people and place. A passionate bibliophile and fan of lifelong learning, he speaks internationally on marketing, intellectual property law, cyberpsychology, rare disease, and storytelling.
The fictional character you most admire: Sherlock Holmes. Inimitable, iconoclastic, insightful - created his own job title and area of study years ahead of contemporaries. Yes, he had an ego, social issues, and notorious problems with substance abuse but he was also fiercely loyal to his friends, uncompromising with the truth, and capable of great compassion.
Victoria Miller (she/her)
Associate, Michelmores LLP
Vickie moved back to Devon recently, after spending 10 years in London getting a degree in Media and Modern Literature, qualifying and working as a lawyer. Now, as part of Michelmores' Corporate team in Exeter, Vickie helps enterprises achieve their aims for a positive future, with a particular interest with sustainable businesses. She has had two children's books published, about a dragon, based on stories she told her young children when they wouldn't sleep.
The book I love to give as a gift: A book I love to give as a gift is the collection of short stories, Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It's a gift I usually give to friends going travelling, so fits the theme. I think the lack of orientation and the slight darkness that runs through much of Garcia's work is strangely comforting when far from home. One of the stories of this collection, Light is Like Water, is one of my favourite stories (strange as it seems to say of such a tragedy). I've also been given it, numerous times, and am delighted, every time.
Youth Advisors
Izzy (she/her)
Izzy likes classic literature, cold weather, and anything satire/commentary. Her favourite book is Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. She wanted to be a Youth Advisor because she believes it's essential to encourage young people to get passionate about reading, especially with the immense plethora of literature available at our fingertips!
Three Favourite Books:
Notes From The Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Babel by R.F. Kuang
The Wrath and The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
Jimena (she/her)
Jimena is a Student Support Administrator at the University of Exeter, where she graduated from with a BSc Psychology degree last July. Literature has been her valued hobby for a long time, which made her feel thrilled when learning about Exeter City of Literature, and which encouraged her to help other young people learn about it too.
Three Favourite Books:
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
The Road by Comac McCarthy
Babel by Rebecca F. Kuang
Noah (he/him)
Noah has been interested in literature from a young age; borrowing the maximum amount of books from the library & writing his own stories. He is especially interested in queer literature, how identity is explored & the complexities of being human. In his free time, he enjoys cycling & spending time with friends. Noah is excited to use his own experience to help develop the Exeter City of Literature further & look forward to the next year.
Three Favourite Books:
In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje
Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong