Our Trustees
Calin Andrei
Trustee
Calin holds a BMus degree from the Royal College of Music in London where he studied with Yuri Zhislin and a LRSM Teaching Diploma awarded by the ABRSM. He is currently a music teacher at Falkner House School.
As a former resident of William Temple House, Calin is very excited to have been appointed a trustee and bring his contribution to the House. He is a member of both Executive and Management Committees, and the lead of Student Welfare Subcommittee.
Residents also have Calin to thank for spearheading the campaign to keep Schweiny the cat.
Edward Woods
Trustee
Edward is a partner in a global alternative asset management firm based in London.
He has been a trustee since 2004 and became involved as a result of family connections with the founding of the House, as well as through a commitment to its charitable aims and its Christian faith.
Christopher Schiele
Trustee, Management Committee Chair
Christopher was a resident in William Temple House for over four years, during which time he made many good friends and helped adopt resident cat Schweiny. He became a trustee in 2018, and is keen to ensure the house continues to run smoothly and provide safe and high-quality accommodation.
Christopher works as a Chartered Town Planner for a private town planning consultancy and advises on major regeneration projects nationwide. He enjoys travelling, playing and watching sports, and ordering books on architecture.
Baskar Sundaram
Trustee
Baskar is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Manager, with qualifications in electrical engineering, accounting, coaching, finance, law, proposal and project management.
Baskar arrived at William Temple House in 2003 as a student, and staying on as Sub Warden. The WTH bursary scheme and accommodation enabled him to stay in the UK, and he credits his success to his warden as well as the trustees, who he joined in 2015.
Fun fact: Baskar met his wife Junko at the House, and eleven friends from WTH attended (and performed at) their wedding in Kyoto, Japan.
Valeria Martinelli
Trustee, Treasurer
Valeria became a trustee in 2011. Having worked as a bookkeeper for many years, she was appointed Treasurer soon after, to allow the existing Treasurer to step down. She has dedicated some of her time with the charity modernising and refining some of the accounting systems and procedures.
In pre-Covid times she enjoyed taking the students out for walks exploring the Sussex countryside. She has also been delighted to get to know dozens of very talented young residents, whether artists, dancers, musicians, or students of various sciences that remain a complete mystery to her.
Ishan Abeysekera
Trustee
Originally from Sri Lanka, Ishan lived in William Temple House from 2012 to 2014 whilst studying for an MSc in Earthquake Engineering at Imperial College London. His father was also a resident in the
Ishan currently works as a structural engineer in London. He is also a member of the Europe-wide working group drafting the codes of practice (Eurocodes) for engineering design in Europe (including the UK).
In his spare time Ishan enjoys sailing, climbing and reading.
Elisa Surini
Trustee
Elisa is a self-employed accountant with over 30 years of experience.
In the last few years she reviewed her work life balance and decided to devote more time to charitable causes, and so she got involved with William Temple House to help the Treasurer and Charity with accounting and finance issues.
Elisa also volunteers as reading helper in some Wandsworth schools, and in 2021 she was an NHS Stewart and Volunteer in various vaccination-hubs, working 50+ shifts.
In her spare time she loves cooking and entertaining (she helps once a week in her local soup kitchen) reading, watching movies, going to the theatre, and travelling.
Natasha Gill
Trustee
Natasha lived in William Temple House from 2012-2014 while she completed her Master degree in Architecture from the Architectural Association in London.
Natasha is currently a Lead designer at Zaha Hadid Architects in London.
Her fondness for the house and its resident cat led to her signing up as a trustee in 2021.
She is primarily involved in design and construction works related to the house.
David Cobb
Trustee, Executive Committee Chair
Rev'd Father Paul Bagott
Trustee