meet the team
Paula Gamester / founder
An entrepreneur since the age of 15, Paula has set up businesses both here in the UK and in Dubai, UAE, and her work has taken her all over the globe.
“My vision for Connector Media is to replicate this business model – providing a commercial service (in our case, event management, film, writing and editing work) to other organisations, and the profits generated will fund our social mission, which is to provide education and training packages for women – across the country to inspire women to believe in themselves and ultimately gain meaningful employment and set up their own businesses or social enterprises.”
Paula founded Connector Media CiC in September 2007 and has kept herself busy. So far, she has been:
- Shortlisted for the North West Development Agency’s Social Enterprise of the Year award
- Traveling across India with UnLtd as part of an international knowledge-sharing exercise with social entrepreneurs
- Running creative writing courses for women in St. Helen’s
- Managing events across the North West
Looking ahead, what Paula sees as one of her most significant challenges is the securing of commercial contracts. Doing so will allow the company to reduce its dependency on grants and strengthen its financial foundation in order to increasingly fulfill and improve the impact of its social mission.
Keely Khoury / editor
With a professional background in journalism, research and communications, Keely’s long-time interest in politics and current affairs has come to focus on the different issues facing women around the globe.
Having previously worked in government communications, public policy research, public relations and as a free-lancer for a number of national and regional newspapers in both the UK and US, Keely sees Connector Media as a way to combine her interests and skills.
She wants to help create opportunities for other women while sharing her love of reading and writing. Keely manages the writing, editing and news monitoring provided by Connector Media.
Ian Gamester / head of media production
Ian Gamester is a filmmaker, lecturer and Head of Media Production at Connector Media. His role in Connector Media combines his diverse background and experience in media and vocational lecturing.
A graduate of London School of Communication in Film and the University of Technology Sydney in Event Management, Ian has worked as a freelancer for the BBC and C4, shot music videos for various independent record labels in Australia and UK, devised numerous community art and photography projects in the UK, Dubai and Ghana, as well as directing short films shown in festivals in the UK and US.
Ian is well versed in delivering training in media skills, and he frequently runs video workshops for Connector Media. He also oversees the commercial video arm of Connector Media, producing promotional videos for clients.
