Gaby Taylor

Gaby Taylor

Communications Associate

A former director of communications and experienced PR leader for HM Government, Gaby has worked in agency to develop scale-up and start-up businesses, for local government and healthcare providers. She has been generating regional and national media headlines on major campaigns for 25 years. Gaby brings deep expertise in media strategy, stakeholder engagement and reputation management. She wil develop authored content, speaker briefs, panel materials and longform storytelling.

Ben Caspersz

Ben Caspersz 

Communications Associate

Ben Caspersz is a communications expert specialising in behaviour change. He is the founder of Claremont, one of the UK’s leading behaviour change agencies. Ben has worked with NHS England, Mayor of London, Alzheimer’s Research UK, the UN World Food Programme and with companies like Ingeus, Ikano Bank, Capita and BT. 

An early advocate of the application of behavioural science in communications and innovation programmes, Ben regularly speaks at events sharing his own story as a practitioner developing new skills whilst building his business, as well as giving insights into how to apply behaviour change tools and methodologies to achieve social change. 

Ben now works as an independent consultant with clients in the UK and Europe. He recently completed the Oxford University/Said Business School AI Programme and is advising several organisations on AI adoption. 

Nick Miao

Nick Miao

Junior Communications Consultant

As a junior communications consultant for Allegory, Nick conducts business development research and works on content creation, web design, and publishing.

Nick is also the editor of The Cheese Grater, an award-winning publication at University College London. As a Union democracy reporter, he has years of experience in student politics and is deeply passionate about local democracy and policymaking.

Sarah O’Meara

Sarah O’Meara

Senior Communications Consultant

Sarah has over a decade of experience working closely with academics, research teams and innovators in the UK, US and China. She has worked on multiple high-profile science and technology communications projects with outlets including Nature, The Independent, and Scientific American.

Most recently, she managed communications and engagement for the International Public Policy Observatory as part of The Conversation’s media partnership with UCL.

She excels in developing and delivering tailored communications to ensure mission-driven research finds its audience, from key government stakeholders to the general public.

Danica Verrall

Danica Verrall

Senior Communications Consultant

Dani is a strategic communications specialist and programme director with 15 years of experience in healthcare, life sciences, and stakeholder engagement. She has a strong background in behaviour change and systems thinking, helping organisations navigate complex communication and engagement challenges. She has led high-profile projects across the UK health sector, supporting the NHS, NIHR, Wellcome Trust, and Our Future Health in driving change. Recently, she has worked with biotechs to establish and recruit for clinical trials within the NHS. Her expertise spans positioning, messaging, and creative strategy for major pharmaceutical and health tech companies. With experience in both consultancy and leadership, Dani takes a pragmatic, hands-on approach to problem-solving. She excels in designing and leading stakeholder engagement workstreams, from senior health leadership to grassroots organisations. Passionate about AI’s role in healthcare, she thrives in fast-moving environments where strategy and execution go hand in hand.

Jo Robotham

Jo Robotham

Senior Communications Consultant

Jo is an experienced communications strategist, specialising in public affairs, advocacy and stakeholder engagement. She spent seven years in senior strategy and communication roles in government, having led cross-government ministerial stakeholder engagement for Industrial Strategy, working closely with No.10 and the Cabinet. As Chief Press Officer to the Universities Minister Jo Johnson MP and Head of Communications at Liverpool John Moores University, Jo brings in-depth insight into the Higher Education, research, and innovation sectors. She was also Head of Government Relations for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority where she worked to make the case for further devolution. After returning to freelance consulting, she led major projects including identifying regional skills gaps for Liverpool’s biggest further education provider, delivered a campaign to protect children from vaping leading to the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill, and led stakeholder engagement for major regional and national public health and clinical research initiatives.

Lou Lynch

Lou Lynch

Senior Multimedia Associate

A creative multimedia designer with over 30 years of experience, Lou brings a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling to every project. Skilled in graphic design, animation, video production, and branding, she translates complex ideas into compelling visual narratives.

With a strong foundation in Adobe Creative Suite, motion graphics, and visual identity, she has worked across diverse industries, from corporate and public sector organisations to niche SMEs. She thrives in dynamic environments where creativity meets strategy, ensuring every project is both visually striking and purpose-driven.

She embraces innovation and curiosity, always looking for fresh approaches to enhance creative impact. Her approach is grounded in a commitment to delivering work that is both aesthetically engaging and strategically effective, whether refining a brand’s visual presence or crafting impactful digital content.

Richard Baker

Richard Baker

Associate Director and Founder, BakerBaird

Richard Baker is co-founder of BakerBaird. He is a former daily newsroom business editor and deputy editor who has gone on to become an award-winning communications professional. With an extensive regional network, Richard has devised and delivered comms and engagement campaigns for a series of major economic development initiatives, including development corporations, mayoral combined authorities and the East Midlands Freeport.

Experienced in working alongside senior public sector leaders, MPs and councillors, he has managed communications for local authority regeneration portfolios, supported the development of business cases on major infrastructure projects, devised campaigns for HS2 and delivered events at Westminster to support transport investment proposals.

His knowledge of development and placemaking has also seen him work with universities on research destinations and support for spin-outs and one of the UK’s best business schools. Richard has also supported a number of technology-driven businesses, major built environment consultancies and professionals services firms.

Richard’s work is informed by regular frontline engagement: he continues to be involved in planning and engagement journeys at community level to help inform effective communications strategies.

In February 2025, Allegory and BakerBaird took the first steps in their ambition to develop a regional network of agencies working in partnership. They will work together to deliver strategic communications campaigns across the UK, nationally and regionally.

Rachel Hind

Rachel Hind

Senior Communications Consultant

Rachel is a strategic thinker with a scientific background, creative flair, and a 25-year track record in health and medical communications. Directing campaigns for some of the UK’s top communications consultancies, pharmaceutical companies, and health and biotech start-ups, she has developed a diverse skill set encompassing a wide range of communications activities and medical topics.

Rachel’s particular skills are within stakeholder engagement and written communications. In previous roles, she has directed international advocacy development programmes in oncology and atherosclerosis and UK-based campaigns to engage NHS leaders, parliamentarians, and patient and professional organisations in addressing the uptake of new medicines, and scrutinising tobacco and nicotine control policy. Her expertise in written communication has enhanced client profiles and effectively conveyed key messages through educational materials, media coverage, and successful award entries, including a prestigious Prix Galien Medal.

Leila Hrycyszyn

Leila Hrycyszyn

Senior Communications Consultant

Leila has thirteen years of PR of experience working globally across numerous sectors including; B2B technology, advertising and marketing, telecoms, broadcast media and other verticals. Leila started her PR career at an agency called Whiteoaks before being headhunted in 2015 by Elemental, an Amazon Web Services company. Leila’s focus is on all aspects of media relations and she has proven success in securing face to face interviews and coverage across all top tier national, business, trade and analyst titles.