Maria-Anna Petrou

Membership and Finance Officer

As NEON’s Membership and Finance Officer, Maria-Anna will will be the point of contact for enquiries from members ensuring first class customer service and that NEON’s financial records are accurately maintained. Prior to this she worked as NEON’s Training and Events Officer,

Maria-Anna helps to organise the Summer Symposium, Awards, Access Academy Training and Summit events. She also worked for the Willow Foundation, a charity dedicated to bringing special days to seriously ill people, as their Special Events Manager. For eight years, she worked at Stonewall, the largest LGBT equality charity in the UK, delivering conferences, gala fundraisers, seminars and residential training programmes during a time of significant change for LGBT equality in the UK and around the world.

Maria-Anna Petrou

Membership and Finance Officer

As NEON’s Membership and Finance Officer, Maria-Anna will will be the point of contact for enquiries from members ensuring first class customer service and that NEON’s financial records are accurately maintained. Prior to this she worked as NEON’s Training and Events Officer,

Maria-Anna helps to organise the Summer Symposium, Awards, Access Academy Training and Summit events. She also worked for the Willow Foundation, a charity dedicated to bringing special days to seriously ill people, as their Special Events Manager. For eight years, she worked at Stonewall, the largest LGBT equality charity in the UK, delivering conferences, gala fundraisers, seminars and residential training programmes during a time of significant change for LGBT equality in the UK and around the world.

Martin Webster

Director of NEON

Martin Webster has been working within widening access since graduating from Liverpool Hope University in 2000. Between 2005 and 2011 Martin was Head of Widening Participation at Nottingham Trent University. During that time he was Co-Director of the East Midlands consortium for Routes into Languages, a national outreach project, as well as representing the University in the local AimHigher partnership.

In 2011, he helped to establish NEON, and became its Operational Consultant, taking an overview of all NEON activities. In July 2022 Martin became the Deputy Director of NEON leading on its day to day operations. In March 2025 he was appointed to the the role of Interim Director and in October 2025 the position was made permanent. Martin has contributed to many NEON research reports and has regularly presented and spoken at widening access events.

Marion Angelin

Events and Membership Services Officer

Marion is a bilingual communications and coordination professional with experience across the education and creative sectors. Her background includes PR, textile design and long-standing involvement in a bilingual school community, giving her strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and a collaborative approach. Her experience in school settings has strengthened her ability to support diverse communities and contribute to positive, well-organised learning environments.

At NEON, she supports events, membership services, and communications, helping to deliver a professional, engaging, and seamless experience for members.

Our team

NEON is driven forward by the commitment of its experienced and dedicated staff and trustees, who work together to drive NEON’s mission forward.

current NEON members
neon staff
Martin Webster

Director of NEON

about Martin
Maria-Anna Petrou

Membership and Finance Officer

about Maria-Anna
Marion Angelin

Events and Membership Services Officer

about Marion

Trustees

The trustees includes those from HE, the voluntary sector and the school/college sectors.

Professor Sir Les Ebdon CBE DL

Chair of NEON

Naomi Clements

Senior Teaching Fellow, University of Southampton

Professor Peter John CBE

Vice-Chancellor, University of West London

Danielle Mannion

Communication & Engagement Lead, Greater Manchester Civic University Board, The University of Manchester

Stacey Mottershaw

Associate Professor (Teaching and Scholarship), University of Leeds

Jenny Shaw

Higher Education External Engagement Director, Unite Students

Professor Nick Braisby

Higher Education Consultant/Adviser and Former Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive, Buckinghamshire New University

Alex Holland-Leavens

Widening Access and Outreach Coordinator, Nottingham Trent University

Dr Karen Lipsedge

Associate Professor (Teaching and Scholarship), Kingston University

Dr Hannah Merry

Operations Manager, Higher Horizons+

Chloe Riley

Researcher & Analyst, Pragmatix Advisory

Minutes from Annual General Meetings

Annual General Meeting 2025 – held online on 13 November 2025

Annual General Meeting 2024 – held online on 26 November 2024

Extraordinary General Meeting – held on 2 March 2021.

Annual General Meeting 2019 – 13 June 2019

Get involved

NEON is the professional organisation supporting those involved in widening access to higher education at all levels and in all sectors to affect change in their own organisations and communities.

become a neon member
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