SOFO staff – Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum

Staff

Ursula Corcoran

Museum Director

I joined SOFO in June 2012 as its first Museum Director. Having lived and worked in the USA followed by gaining an MA (Distinction) at Goldsmiths in Performance, I have managed a variety of capital arts complexes including the creation of Rhodes Arts Complex and Museum in Bishop's Stortford. Retraining as a lecturer while my children were young, I have a keen interest in making SOFO as accessible as possible to all potential users, whether as visitors or student curators! I hope the museum reflects the energy which the original team put into it and continues to attract stories from across the county.

Sue Cross

Museum Administrator

I joined the museum in January 2013. I got involved in the project through my husband Mike Cross, one of our most dedicated volunteers. I am responsible for the day to day running of the museum and pretty much organise everything.

Rana Ibrahim

Front of House Assistant

Salam! I am Rana, I have just joined SOFO working with front house staff. Archaeology is my first degree from Baghdad University, then I gained my MA Museum Studies degree from Newcastle University; During my museum career, I had the opportunity to work with objects and people together as paid and voluntary work until I had the chance to join Oxford University Museums and Collections as Education and Outreach trainee. After that I have been doing my educational programs in the school sector, my specialism is Arabic and Islamic collections. I like designing educational, fun activities and games for schools and family events.

Stephen Barker MA

Centenary Projects Manager

I am an independent Heritage Advisor currently working for Oxfordshire Museum Services, the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum and Oxford-Brookes University amongst others. I have curated and design exhibitions including several First World War Centenary projects. In 2012 I ran the national Europeana/Oxford University IT Great War Collections Day in Banbury. Until 2011, I worked at Banbury Museum and was a trustee of the Battlefields Trust, working on HLF projects. In 2009, I had published 'Lancashire's Forgotten Heroes' - a history of the 8th East Lancs in the Great War. I completed an MA (Distinction) in Museum Studies at Leicester University in 2011.

Stephen is also a member of SOFO's Academic Advisory Board.

Duncan Parsons

Front of House and Marketing Manager

I've lived in Oxfordshire all my life - aside from a few years away studying my degree in Modern and Contemporary History at Bangor University, North Wales. A keen interest in history brought me to work in museums after graduating, joining SOFO as Front of House and Marketing Supervisor after previous work at the Museum of Oxford. In my spare time I can be found taking part in medieval re-enactments across the UK with the Thomas Stanley Retinue and practicing Historical European Martial Arts with the School of Medieval European Fencing.

Kim Davies

Collections and Engagement Manager

In 2022, I joined SOFO as the Collections and Public Engagement Manager. I have always had a keen interest in history. During my studies, I went to the University of Chester to study for a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing with History, followed by an MSc in Museums Practice. So far, I have been fortunate to have worked in some extraordinary sites, from Tyne Cot Cemetery to York Minster. I admire SOFO’s ambition to tell the story of how conflict has affected the county and its people and hope to continue to unlock these rich narratives contained within the collection.

Colin Morris

Front of House Duty Manager

My name is Colin, and I am a professional photographer with over 50 years' of experience. I have previously owned a photographic retail business for over 30 years, around the Oxfordshire area. My work has covered advertising both in digital and printed form. Also, product and archiving for various businesses, museums and organisations across Oxfordshire. under the mentorship of Lawrence Waters, I attained LRPS from the Royal Photographic Society. I also produce product shots that sell. I have always been a passionate photographer outside of my work and I enjoyed travelling and documenting various countries in the world. These include Iceland, Kenya, Italy and the USA, with my specialities being landscape, Natural History motorsport and Reportage Photography. I have a keen interest in local history mainly homefront and photographing 1940s events as a 1940s photographer using film of course.

See his photos on Instagram

Anita Joice

Museum Programme Officer

My background is in academic publishing and digital library content promotion. I have a BA (Hons) in Social Anthropology and Study of Religions from SOAS, London, and have illustrated a children’s book with a naval historical character. I enjoy learning about history through museums, stories, sites and engaging with the material world – something the SOFO Museum excels at through interactive displays and the recreation of meaningful spaces that visitors can enter.

Join the team! View current staff vacancies here

Staff