ANDREW FRASER -  Founder/Deputy Chair/Coordinator

Andrew Fraser started off in the professional acting arena from the age of 11, staring in Cinema, television and theatre productions. A few of his acting credits are; (Royal court theatre - A Heroes Welcome), (Broadway/Tricycle theatre - The day the Bronx died), (Disney Channel - Presenter), (Eastenders - Andy), (Dog eat Dog - Danny).
Born and raised in Hackney, he realised how acting kept him out of the traps that lay waiting for young people from similar backgrounds and wanted to give others similar options to what he had, thus YSN was born.

Michael Buffong is a full time professional director and writer who also takes time out to do workshops in and around London. His directing credits include: EastEnders(BBC) Feeling it (eye2eye), Roll With It (Carlton), Blazed (Channel Four), Raising the Roof (Palace Theatre Shaftsbury Avenue) On My Birthday (Manchester Royal Exchange) Long Time No See(Talawa theatre company) Souls (Theatre Centre) Stories From Mean Street (New End Theatre Hampstead), Unfinished Business (Oval House), The Prayer (Young Vic), Brother2Brother (Lyric Hammersmith), Airport 2000 Asians in Transit(Leicester Haymarket/Riverside Studios) In Pieces (Belgrade Theatre Studio Coventry). Michael has also written and directed the award winning short film ‘Simple!’

Gina has been YSN company secretary since 2003 and brings both her many years of secretarial experience as well as her marketing experience which she gained as she worked as part of the Red Bull Marketing Team for the last five years.

 ALEM DE NARDI - Committee Member/ Tutor

Alem De Nardi joined YSN in 2004 and has since edited various projects as well as tutored people in camera operations and filming techniques.

He is a practicing artist and studied art at Central Saint Martins School of Art before moving on to Nottingham Trent University; he is currently organising a solo exhibition of his work to be hung in Italy.

Steve has worked the last two decades presenting and writing numerous shows for national television, including the BBC and CITV in the UK. Some of his credits include: Dream Street CITV – Script Writer, Sign-a-song – Presenter/Writer, CITV – Script Writer - Cleopatra Comin’ Atcha (2 series for Endemol), CBBC – Script Writer/Presenter – The Friday Zone.  Steve also speaks at events and holds various creative writing and creative thinking workshops for schools, colleges and universities across the country.

DICKON TOLSON - Committee Member/ Tutor

Dickon Tolson is a young British actor who started training at the Anna Scher Theatre school when he was 8 years old he has featured in shows such as Peak Practice, Hot Money, EastEnders, Vicar of Dibley, Casualty and Silent Witness . Dickon has previously has taught drama in local schools in south East London Bermondsey.

KAT MANSOOR - Researcher/Consultant

Kat Mansoor has a broad experience of the media world. Beginning within the acting sphere, she has 10 years of professional acting experience. She then decided to go into TV production and completed an MA in TV and Video Production.

Kat has also set up a small independent production company called Animal Monday, which is dedicated to making ethically sound documentaries and films. 

Ade Onilude joined the Chartered Institute of Marketing after studying the Advanced Certificate and Post-Graduate Diploma. Working as a consultant in the consumer division of the luxury brand Swarovski, the global manufacturers and retailers of cut crystal. She conceived and project managed The Chartered Institute of Marketing's first Women in Marketing event held in 2004. Ade is an alumni member of The University of the Arts, enhancing her interest in the creative sector. Her marketing experience spans roles in regeneration, the local community and in the charity sector.

Graham Fletcher-Cook attended the Anna Scher Theatre. His acting roles include; Wally in Sid and Nancy , Wizard in Absolute Beginners, Londet in A Little Romance and Lester in Eastenders. He went on to teach professionally. Teaching work includes; Director of Timber Theatre at Jacksons Lane Theatre 1990 -2003 Tutor in film and video editing at Finchley Youth Theatre for the BFI Director of Highgate Film Festival. He also tutored at Chicken Shed Theatre, Hoxton Hall and North London University Holloway Road.

Tameka Empson trained at the Anna Scher Theatre School. A few of her theatre credits are as follows: Aladdin (Hackney Empire); Our house (Cambridge Theatre, West End), Top Girls, Who and Bondage (Royal Court). She has also appeared several times on television in Three Non Blondes (Brown Eyed Boy/BBC), Babyfather, Thinkabout, Eastenders and many more. She has also appeared on the Lenny Henry Show and in London Buring (LWT).