Tim Crook

PROFESSOR TIM CROOK BA Hum BA Open LLB LLM PhD PG Dip Law PG Cert Law Dip Lit Dip Eur Hum Cert Rad Journ (LCP) FHEA MCIJ OWC

Tim Crook is a past President of the CIoJ (2020-22) and currently chair of the Institute’s Professional Practices Board (PPB) and Welfare Committee. He has been a professional journalist for around 50 years, was the country’s first specialist broadcast legal affairs correspondent with LBC/IRN and won multiple awards for journalism, presentation and radio drama writing and production.

He received a Campaign for Freedom of Information Award in 1988 for his workpromoting Open Justice in the legal system and taking the UK to Strasbourg to win the right to appeal Crown Court reporting bans.

He’s had a longstanding career in academia and is Emeritus Professor in the Department of Media, Communications and Culture at Goldsmiths, University of London and writing many books on media law, radio, sound and audio drama.

His biography of the spy author and MI6 intelligence officer Alexander Wilson was the basis of the BBC drama series Mrs Wilson. He continues to research and write history books including the forthcoming Chelsea Blitz– chronicling how one of Britain’s smallest Boroughs fought the Home Front during WW2.

Janice Shillum Bhend FCIJ

Janice served as CIoJ Vice President between 2016 and 2018, then as President from 2018 to 2020. She was honoured with a Fellowship of the Institute at the 2022 AGM. She is currently a member of Council, the Professional Practices Board, a Charity Trustee and member of the new Welfare Fund committee.

During her long career, mostly in women’s magazines, she has been a columnist and feature writer, celebrity interviewer, women’s editor, restaurant reviewer, TV and radio broadcaster,book contributor and a voluntary writer for charities. She founded, published and edited her own national, bi-monthly, glossy magazine, YES! for five successful years.

Her enthusiasm for professional writing led to seven years as a lecturer in magazine journalism at Harlow College’s respected Journalism Centre, where she wrote and taught a magazine journalism module for Middlesex University’s BA course and devised, co-wrote and piloted a post-graduate fast-track magazine journalism programme for the NCTJ, gaining additional PTC accreditation as programme leader.

Janice has a lifetime’s love for and an in-depth knowledge of the magazine industry plus a passion for encouraging young journalists to enjoy a career that, while necessarily different to the one she experienced, will still require the same core standards and skills. Without those, she says, in a world of Fake News and AI, our lifestyles, even our democracy, will be at risk.

ANDREW SMITH FSAScot FRHistS FCIJ

Andy Smith is a Life Fellow and Past-President of the Chartered Institute of Journalists. He began his active involvement in the Institute in 1986 as Hon. Treasurer of the Institute’s Fleet Street District and the following year was appointed Fleet Street representative on Council.He was Chairman of South East Region from 1994 to 2001, was elected CIoJ Vice-President (under Millennium President Lord Montagu of Beaulieu) in 2000, and was President 2001-3.He has been Editor of The Journal since 2003.

During Andy’s four decades in journalism he has worked in news agencies, newspapers, magazines, public relations and corporate communications, and has gained wide-ranging experience of the industry, including five years in a senior communications role in government. Now a freelance writer and media consultant, he specialises in heritage and countryside conservation, and is a director of the London Green Belt Council.

Andy is involved with several charities; he is currently a trustee of the Betjeman Society, which promotes interest in the life and work of the journalist, poet and broadcaster Sir John Betjeman, and is chairman of trustees for the Victorian Military Society which encourages study of Victorian and Edwardian military history, as well as being the editor of several military journals. A Freeman of the City of London, Andy is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

MICHAEL EVANS MCIJ FRSA

For more than 50 years Michael has been involved in education, including 20+ years as a primary school head teacher and 13 years as a proprietor of an independent pre-prep school. He also spent three months working as a volunteer in an English language primary school in Bulgaria.

He began writing professionally while he was still a young teacher, writing reviews and small pieces that ranged from education and health and safety to general interest topics. His work was accepted by a large number of magazines, and hesubsequently had more than ten books published. For the last 30+ years he has worked as a freelance writer, covering a diverse range of educational topics principally for school leaders.

He has been a member of the Society of Authors since the late 1980s, including two periods where he served on the committee of its Education Writers Group. For more than 30 years he has been a member of CIoJ, having served latterly as chairman of its Freelance Division and a member of Council. He also serves on the CIoJ Welfare Committee.

His other memberships include the English Speaking Union, the Media Society, the Royal Society of Arts, the London Freelance Media Group and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). He also has life membership of the National Association of Head Teachers.

Other activities include 20 years as churchwarden of his parish church, and trustee and chairman of the management committee of his village playgroup.

He continues as a freelance writer for an educational publisher, with output that includes weekly reviews and updates of on-line topics, plus a monthly feature article.

JOSETTE LESSER BA (Hons) MCIJ Dip.CIPR MCIPR MABP NLP Cert. TEFL(A)

Josette Lesser has over 20 years’ experience as a print and broadcast journalist, editor, producer, and presenter. Having started in newspapers, Josette moved into radio and television, and went on to become Head of News on Garrison FM, the British Army’s original UK radio network. She has also worked in the sports and entertainment arenas, giving her a broad view of the industry.

In 2015, Josette set up The Communication Experts, specialising in Media, Presentation and Leadership Communication skills coaching and training. 

With a passion for great communication and the science behind it, Josette is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and the Association for Business Psychology. Together with her background in journalism, these three areas allow her to help clients develop more powerful messages, and increase their personal impact and effectiveness in all areas of communication. Her client list is global, and spread across the Public, Private and Third Sectors. 

Josette continues to freelance in all areas of journalism, ensuring that her industry knowledge remains current. She is also proud to volunteer as a communication champion for several charities, including the Maritime Volunteer Service, and Flying Scholarships for Disabled People.

Josette is co-author of the successful book “How to Give the Ultimate Sales Presentation”.