Meet our Trustees
Student TrusteesCo-Opted TrusteesNominated Trustees
Student Trustees
Leonardo Coppi
Leonardo Coppi is a fourth-year Electrical and Electronic Engineering student, currently serving as the Co-Chair of the Students' Union Board of Trustees. Throughout his time at Bristol, Leonardo has strived to ensure that student representation is heard at all levels of decision-making. In his first year, Leonardo was elected as the JCR President of Badock Hall and collaborated with senior university staff to reopen shut-off facilities. In his second year, Leonardo was elected to the Student Union's Democratic Standards Committee, scrutinising FTOs and ensuring fair democratic procedures. Currently, Leonardo is also serving on the University of Bristol's Board of Trustees.
Kreeshi Shavdia
Kreeshi Shavdia is an incoming penultimate Mathematics and Physics student and an elected Student Trustee of the University of Bristol Student’s Union for two terms effective June 2024.
During her first year, Kreeshi strived to ensure that fair student representation is heard at all levels of decision-making.
She was the EDI representative for first year Physics students where she encouraged students, especially from minority groups, to provide feedback, which was shared with other committee members to ensure discussions and decisions are always mindful of the whole student community.
Kreeshi is looking forward to her new role as part of the SU.
Sude Capoglu
Sude Capoglu is a final year law student, elected as a Student Trustee in 2023 for a two-year term.
She was elected as the First Year Law Course Representative and the Undergraduate Law Faculty Representative. Sude served as the Vice President of the University of Bristol Law Club and will be the CAP Co-Director next year. She worked as a Peer Mentor and will become a Senior Peer Mentor and Global Lounge Ambassador next academic year.
Sude likes playing the classical guitar, playing tennis and learning languages.
Sude would like to ensure that BSU stays committed to its objectives.
Varenya Mehrotra
Varenya Mehrotra, a second-year law student, has been elected as Student Trustee for 2024-25. In her first year, she actively participated in various societies, both as a member and in committee roles. For the upcoming year, Varenya has been elected Vice President of the Bristol Indian Society. She also serves as a Student Advisor at the university’s Law Clinic and works as a Peer Mentor, aiming to help new students transition smoothly into university life. Varenya is excited to take on the role of Student Trustee and is committed to ensuring the student voice is well-represented and prioritised.
Co-opted Trustees
Noelle Rumball
Noelle first joined the Bristol SU family as a student (BA Joint Hons Philosophy & Maths 2003; MA Philosophy 2005). She began her career in civil service business intelligence before it was cool (or called business intelligence), but has mostly worked in Higher Education. She now runs a consultancy and interim management business, primarily supporting the HE sector in strategic planning and all things data. On wet Thursday evenings, her favourite activity is attending charitable board meetings; she currently sits on five boards. Her column about charity governance, ‘Chair’s Corner’, can be found in Governance & Leadership magazine.
Shraddha Chaudhary
Shraddha leads the University of Exeter's activity across EDI and Culture Change and supports the delivery of the University's People Strategy.
Her role also supports the University’s Executive Board and senior leadership teams in ensuring the diversity, differential experiences and emerging EDI issues are considered in decision-making at the highest levels.
Shades has held various leadership roles in Higher Education, including the Office for Students, Exeter Students' Guild, and as a Non-Exec on the University of Exeter's governing body.
Steph Harris
Dr Stephanie Harris is Bristol alumni and a former sabbatical officer at Bristol SU. Steph is currently the Director of Strategy, Insight and Member Engagement at Universities UK (UUK) the representative body for UK universities where she has worked for 7 years in various roles.
The focus of Steph’s career has been higher education policy and influencing, a path that she owes to her own time as a sabbatical officer and Bristol SU. Steph has previous been a trustee at other Students' Union and a school governor.
Helen West
Helen has a strong sense of equality and justice and is passionate about creating a free and fair world in which we can all participate and realise our potential. Bristol born and bred, Helen has a degree and post-graduate diploma in Spanish & French.
Helen has mostly worked in Students’ Unions from full-time elected officer to CEO. She now supports Students’ Unions as interim CEO and offers conflict resolution work.
Helen is an accredited facilitator in restorative justice, a former trustee on the National Executive Committee of UKCISA, and chair of a national Diversity Action Working Group for Students’ Unions.
Nominated Trustee
Lucinda Parr
Lucinda is the Chief Operating Officer, Registrar and University Secretary at the University of Bristol. After graduating from Goldsmiths College with a BMus, Lucinda secured employment there as an Admissions Officer whilst studying for her MMus in Historical Musicology and has continued to work in HE ever since. Lucinda moved to London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to become their University Secretary and Registrar. Lucinda is a member of various sector organisations, a member the Children and Young People’s Board, and chairs the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Task Force on behalf of Bristol City Council.
