Meet the Team

Staff

Sophie Woods

Artistic Director

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I oversee the artistic direction and operation of the organisation and develop and deliver the programme.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
I spent my formative years producing video content for global brands and then moved into working in design for PR agencies.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
Can be found walking or cycling through the countryside. I enjoy all things creative, social and travel.

sophie@cranleigharts.org

Camilla Gibson

Operations Director

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I manage the day-to-day operations and finance at Cranleigh Arts and am responsible for private and community hires.

Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
After beginning my career in events marketing and sponsorship, I took time out to raise my family before moving into the education sector, working in finance and operations.

Life outside Cranleigh Arts
Musical theatre, film, walking my wirehaired dachshund and gardening.

operations@cranleigharts.org

Katie Leitch

Volunteer & Community Coordinator

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I look after the volunteers at Cranleigh Arts – overseeing the rota and staffing, organising training, and welcoming new volunteers to the team.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
I worked in Front of House and Operations for ten years, managing a range of departments including box office, duty management, stage door, hospitality, and volunteers.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
I enjoy taking part in amateur dramatics by directing and choreographing musicals with local societies. I’m also an avid history buff!

volunteer@cranleigharts.org

Alison Wanner

Facilities Manager

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I oversee the building maintenance and environmental, health and safety (EHS) compliance. I am the lead on physical set up of event hire space in line with client requests.
Life pre-Cranleigh Arts
Previous to joining Cranleigh Arts I worked for a global environmental engineering consultancy both in the UK and Australia, primarily undertaking EHS legislative compliance audits and helping corporations with their EHS Management Systems.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
In my spare time I enjoy time with my family, walking our labradoodle, socialising and pilates. I am also on the Ewhurst Cricket Club committee and support the juniors’ cricket on a Friday night and help with general maintenance of the building and grounds with a team of volunteers

alison@cranleigharts.org

William Lees

Bookkeeper

Responsible for maintaining Cranleigh Arts accounts.

accounts@cranleigharts.org

Admin Support

Chris Dubois

Contracts/Front of House

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Contracts, settlements, management information, PRS, occasional front-of-house. I enjoy “putting on a show.”
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts

Before retiring, IT and business services career, travelling a lot. My wife Rosemary and I have volunteered here a long time, and she was voluntary Centre Manager 1985 – 1997 (the refurbishment bid to the Lottery). Later, we were both trustees for about ten years.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
Family, theatre, music, opera, walking, learning languages, and trying to persuade Sophie to put on a Wagner Ring all-nighter.

chris@cranleigharts.org

John Coghlan

Technical and Projection Team Leader

Life at Cranleigh Arts
I manage and work in a small team of volunteer projectionists who run the presentation of our movies, our NT and ROH live theatre relays and the live streaming of our classical music concerts.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts

I started doing theatre work as a teenager in a small seaside theatre. Depending on the show, I would be operating the spotlights, being a stagehand or flying the backcloths. After University I worked in the IT industry, initially as an engineer and later in sales management. When I retired, the theatre, in the form of Cranleigh Arts, called me back!
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
I play tennis, work on the Watercress Line steam railway, take photographs, listen to music, and have fun with my three grandsons.

johncoghlan@me.com

Bernice Harris

Office Support

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Since I came back after lockdown I have been volunteering in the office helping the artistic director.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
In my working life I was a bookkeeper, so after I first came to Cranleigh Arts as a volunteer I spent the following 5 years in that role.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
When I have time I enjoy walking and spending time with my grandchildren.

bernice@cranleigharts.org

Marilyn Runnalls

Handmade At Cranleigh

Life at Cranleigh Arts

I look after Handmade at Cranleigh organising a range of arts and crafts to sell all year round.

Life pre- Cranleigh Arts

I worked with people who had MS running art therapy classes. I was involved in the Ockley drama group and made all the costumes for the pantos etc. I was the secretary of the Dorking group of artists for 18 years.

Life outside Cranleigh Arts

I enjoy keeping fit by doing aqua aerobics classes and gardening. I still find time to paint and exhibit my work locally.

cranleigh@cranleigharts.org

Elizabeth Campbell

Friends Coordinator

friends@cranleigharts.org

Trustees

Cranleigh Arts is a charity and company Limited by Guarantee, overseen by a Board of Non-Executive Directors, or Trustees. The Board has a formal structure and meets every two months delegating the day to day running of the Centre to staff and volunteers. The Non-Executive Directors behave as instructed in the Articles of Association.

Chairman: Brian Freeston

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Brian was appointed as a Trustee in August 2022, becoming Chairman in December 2023.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
He is a former Cranleigh Parish Councillor who helped save our Recreation Fields from development. He has worked in film and television for more than 40 years. Before that, Brian was a journalist in Scandinavia and Canada.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
Brian still works as a feature film producer.

Trustee: Caroline Heslop

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Caroline was appointed a Trustee in July 2022 having been associated with Cranleigh Arts for many years and continues to work as a volunteer steward.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts

She worked for many years in event management, publishing and marketing and has organised fund-raising events for various charities including opera nights, walks, music events and tennis tournaments.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
I love music, theatre and amateur drama. I like to paint and organise pop-up galleries. I enjoy mountain biking, tennis and travel.

Trustee: Alan Froggatt

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Alan was appointed as a Trustee in June 2023.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
He has had a long career as a Chartered Surveyor and has been involved in the management of a number of property-focused businesses.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
He has lived in this area for nearly 40 years and has participated in several community activities including the Samaritans, Friends of Thursley Common and Age UK.

Trustee: Stephanie Gallo

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Stephanie was appointed as a Trustee in November 2023. She has been a regular volunteer at the Arts Centre for over 12 years and is often found behind the tea bar at evening events.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
She has many years of recruitment, admin and estate agency experience but is now happily retired. Latterly she ran a large private estate in the area and has recently completed a huge renovation project on her own property as well as one in France
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
She loves to participate in ‘crafty’ pursuits, travel, anything to do with animals and her family – all of whom live locally.

Trustee: Brough Scott MBE

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Brough was appointed a Trustee in November 2024. He has lived in Ewhurst since 1978 and is a huge fan of the Arts Centre.

Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts
An award-winning broadcaster and journalist, Brough has been involved with charities for more than 40 years. In 2009 he was awarded the MBE “for services to sport and charity”.

Life outside Cranleigh Arts
Brough is currently vice president of the Injured Jockeys Fund, a patron of Regain, and chairman of the Jamie’s Farm Charity Raceday at Plumpton.

Trustee: Richard Everitt

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Richard is a regular attender at events and exhibitions and hopes to make a contribution to ensuring the charity continues to prosper well into the future.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts

He has a business background having qualified as a solicitor and moving into senior management roles in the aviation and maritime sectors.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
Richard has lived in Cranleigh for over forty years and is involved in a couple of local small charities. His interests include tennis and sport generally, choral singing, theatre, ballet travel and the garden.

Trustee: Brian Farrelly

Life at Cranleigh Arts
Brian was appointed a Trustee in October 2025.
Life Pre-Cranleigh Arts

He has lived in the Cranleigh area for over 25 years and had a long career in TV production and the media. He was a coach for the local youth football team for many years and is also a volunteer for Citizens Advice.
Life outside Cranleigh Arts
Brian is a keen cyclist and walker in the Surrey hills and has recently been converted to Padel.