OKMT is governed by a Board of Trustees and is run by our Director, Clare Lawrence, with a small staff team. We have 7 part-time qualified Music Therapists who have completed a Masters in Music Therapy. They are registered with the Health and Care Professional Council (HPCP) and uphold its Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics supported by the Guide to Professional Practice which is produced by the British Association of Music Therapists (BAMT). We have 4 part-time administrative and fundraising staff members. All of our therapists and staff have DBS checks and receive regular Safeguarding Training. We are also assisted by around 15 volunteers who help at our various concerts and events.
Ron Miao
Chair
Ron is currently the COO for Hadrian’s Wall Capital, a new financial services company in the process of raising capital to invest in UK SMEs. He began his financial services career with Morgan Stanley New York in 1991 in the Fixed Income Department. In 2000 Ron joined Lehman Brothers International in London. In 2004 Ron was recruited by Citi Global Markets International to run ABS trading. Prior to working in the financial services industry, Mr. Miao worked as an electrical engineer for Sikorsky Aircraft in Connecticut. He was responsible for designing aircraft avionics test systems and writing avionics computer programs. Ron earned a B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
Ray Collins
ACMA CGMA – Treasurer
Ray currently is a Director of his own consultancy company, working with large global corporates on senior assignments covering Business Transformation, Commercial and System projects. These have included SONY Plc, BAE Systems, SC Johnson and currently Reed Business Information – part of the RELX US Group. Ray has been involved in community projects throughout his life; examples being helping set up the local sports council, the local town twinning committee and active involvement with his family ownership and running of a non-league football club for over twenty years. He has two grown-up daughters who have started their post-grad careers and keeps active as a member of the Royal Canoe Club, sailing and is a member of the Nuffield Gym. Ray is a life-long supporter of Tottenham Hotspur FC and this is one of life’s great optimists!
Jill Clark
Jill worked for IBM Europe at La Défense in Paris for 5 years, before returning to their UK office in Chiswick. She now lives in Twickenham with her husband and 3 children aged 23, 20 and 16. Her 16-year-old son is diagnosed with autism and attends OKMT for piano lessons. Her 20-year-old daughter is also on the autistic spectrum and attends the OK Music School for singing. Jill first heard about OKMT 12 years ago and has seen it grow to work with disabled children, the elderly, young people with mental health problems, parents and the community. Jill felt so inspired by all the work that Margaret Lobo did that she agreed to join the Trustees in 2014.
Edward Boamah
Edward was born in Ghana and came to the UK in 1998. Edward has a degree in Music and is a seasoned pianist and an accompanist, who used to volunteer to play in therapy sessions with OKMT. He has undertaken a music therapy course in Roehampton University. He currently works at Richmond Adult Community College where he is actively involved in a course called Music and Communication, which targets those with various disabilities with the aim of using music as a therapy tool, to build their confidence and improve their speech. He also teaches Piano and serves as the official accompanist of the College.
Laura (Plail) Clayton
Laura has 15 years experience of working in the cultural/creative industries world; working as a consultant offering strategic advice and latterly in Government, employed at Historic England in the new Government Advice Team and most recently at the Department of Culture Media and Sport. Laura has extensive experience of applying and evaluating grant applications and evaluating success and operational change.
Kamna Muralidharan
Kamna moved to Richmond with a young family and joined OKMT with the desire to give back to the community she feels lucky to call home. Her work experience ranges from the voluntary sector to co-founding a mobile app. She currently works in grant making with a keen interest in supporting community organisations to adopt user led design thinking in order to thrive. For pleasure, she sings with a local community choir.
Clare Lawrence
Director
Clare joined OKMT in September 2015 to be its first General Manager to help it extend its reach and services within the local community and was appointed Director in December 2017. She comes from a background in music tourism. Clare is a keen amateur violinist and plays in a quartet. She specialised in organising tours for amateur choirs and orchestras, particularly those from the US and UK, to go to destinations across Europe. She performed all the operational roles required to make a tour successful and gained the greatest pleasure from when she was organising venues and promoting concerts in France and Spain. Clare lives locally in the borough of Richmond. Her son, who has additional needs, has been benefiting from music therapy from the OKMT since the age of four. He now enjoys being part of the trust’s Music School and participating in their performances. Clare is passionate about helping more children and young people have fun and achieve their potential through music therapy.
Cheryl Valland
Administrator
Cheryl has been an Administrator with the Trust since 2010. Following 20 years of experience in the publishing and the printing industry, and having travelled widely and lived abroad for nearly 20 years, she felt it was time to come home and give back to the community. After winning a World of Difference grant from Vodafone to work for a charity of her choice, the Otakar Kraus Music Trust became a part of her life.
Cheryl also owns and runs a Soft Play Business with a sibling, in the area local to the Trust.
Valerie Roy
Fundraising Manager
Valerie has worked for the Trust since 2008. Following many years in the export business, working for companies including Courtaulds and Colefax & Fowler, Valerie volunteered at Wandsworth Carers Centre, before becoming a Project Worker for a Richmond based charity helping families with a child with additional needs. She subsequently became a founding Trustee of local charity, Me too & Co, and was Secretary for 8 years, responsible for the administration of the charity, assisting with Governance and fundraising. Having witnessed the wonderful work OKMT was carrying out with children with additional needs for several years, Valerie started working with Margaret Lobo on the international side in 2008, and now raises funds for OKMT to ensure their valuable work can continue.
Mercedes Bianchin
Music School Coordinator
Mercedes joined OKMT in January 2017. She helps coordinate the Music School as well as supporting the organisation with its fundraising events and concerts. Originally from Argentina, she lives in the Borough of Richmond upon Thames with her family. Mercedes came across OKMT when one of her daughters was diagnosed with ASD and Music Therapy was recommended. In the past she worked as a language teacher both in schools and privately in Buenos Aires and in London. Subsequently she worked for nearly 10 years in purchasing within the catering industry. She was Purchasing Director at Ritter Courivaud Ltd, one of the leading specialist food ingredient importers and distributors in the UK. Mercedes also sits on the committee of the local branch of the National Autistic Society. She enjoys playing tennis and reading if she can get some peace and quiet.
Edison R Carolino
Music Director
Edison qualified as a Music Therapist at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama completing a Department of Health approved Diploma in Music Therapy ( SRAsT(M) and also is registered with the HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council). Edison works for the Otakar Kraus Music Trust with children and adults with a wide range of conditions. He has many years of experience as a music therapist and teacher. He devised OK Music School with our Founder, Dr Margaret Lobo and has developed the IRP technique, a unique teaching method which has achieved great success enabling children and young people with disabilities to learn to play an instrument.
Carmem Coles
Carmem Coles (SRAsT) is a full member of the BAMT and also is registered with the HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council). She originally qualified in Brazil (having taken a 4-year full-time degree in music therapy) and then gained accreditation in the UK, having completed a module at APU (Anglia Polytechnic University). She has worked with children and adults with a wide range of conditions, ranging from learning disabilities, special needs, emotional and behavioural difficulties to dementia, both in Brazil and the UK.
Gemma Lenton-Smith
Gemma qualified as a music therapist in 2005 with a Post-graduate diploma from Anglia Ruskin University and completed her MA in Music Therapy Research in 2007 from Roehampton University. She has worked with Otakar Kraus Music Trust since 2014, running individual music therapy sessions with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Gemma also currently works as a music therapist for Ealing Music Therapy in schools within the Ealing Borough for children who have autism, profound and multiple learning difficulties and emotional difficulties. She has extensive experience of working with adults with acquired brain injury including Stroke, Huntington’s Disease, clients in low awareness state and clients who have behavioural difficulties as a result of brain injury. Gemma plays the piano and saxophone and sings, and is a member of the Health and Care Professions Council and the British Association for Music Therapy.
Niamh Owens
Niamh completed a masters in Music Therapy at the University of Roehampton and she is also registered with BAMT (British Association for Music Therapy) and the HCPC (Health and Care Professionals Council). Prior to this, she completed an International Bachelors of Music Degree at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth (2011). Niamh has worked with both children and adults with a wide range of additional and complex needs for the past ten years. These have included and expanded beyond her role as a music therapist, including working as a carer, social facilitator, special needs assistant, and music teacher. Niamh has a client-led approach, tailoring sessions to the individual’s strengths, needs and abilities.
Laura Pearce
Laura qualified with a Masters in Music Therapy at Roehampton University in 2013. She is registered with the HCPC (Health care professional council) and a member of BAMT. Laura works for OKMT at the music school and works for the trust in various projects in the local area. Laura has gained experience working as a developmental music class facilitator for a company called Tempo Tots. She also works for a charity called Momentum, providing music therapy for young children with cancer and or life limiting conditions. Laura also works for PACT (Parents and children together) where she provides music therapy for adopted children with behavioural and emotional difficulties and/or developmental trauma as well as providing music therapy in nursing homes for elderly people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Laura is a keen musician and passionate singer/songwriter. She also plays the violin, piano and guitar.
Lydia Jenkins
Lydia is a qualified music therapist with career experience in special educational needs, children’s interactive music, theatre performance and jazz music performance. She trained at Royal Academy of Music (Masters in Musical Theatre) after completing a First Class Honours in Vocal Studies from Trinity College of Music. She spent a number of years performing across the UK, Brussels, Ireland and Kenya in opera, theatre, cabaret, jazz and electro-swing. Highlights include performing opera and Gilbert and Sullivan at the Buxton Opera house, creating the part of Meredith in ‘Ed The Musical’ at Trafalgar studios (West End) and singing lead soprano in Tocatta’s Kenya Tour. Lydia is one-fifth of Elle and the Pocketbelles, a five-part vintage vocal group who gig regularly at venues from The Ritz to Glastonbury Festival.
After extensive experience in special needs environments and children’s interactive music, she decided to retrain in 2016, finishing her Master’s in music therapy at Roehampton University in June. She is thrilled to be working with the Otakar Kraus Music Trust and embarking on her music therapy career.
Margaret Nicholson
Margaret (Moggs) is a Music Therapist who lives in Surbiton, Surrey with her three children and husband, Michael. After attending the Purcell School of Music where she studied Trumpet, Piano and Voice, Moggs completed a BA in Music from Durham University, where she was a choral scholar, and was awarded a First for her final year Recital (Soprano). After graduating from Durham University she worked as in recruitment in London whilst keeping up her passion for singing. She was a member of Voce Chamber Choir, directed by Suzi Digby OBE, and the Southwark Cathedral Merbecke Choir directed by Huw Morgan. She performed as a soloist and choir member in many great choral works such as Bach’s B Minor Mass, Faure’s Requiem and MacMillan’s Seven Last Words. With Voce Chamber Choir she performed with The Rolling Stones in the O2 arena during their 2012 UK tour.
After starting a family, Moggs trained as a Music Therapist at Roehampton University where she was awarded an MA with Distinction. As Music Therapist she has worked with children with profound and complex needs, children with social and emotional needs and elderly people with Dementia. She is very excited to be working with the team at Otakar Kraus Music Trust to promote well-being and quality of life in the community through music-making.