Meet our new Executive Director Ellie Turner

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of our new Executive Director – Ellie Turner.   
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Ellie joins us from renowned theatre company, Open Clasp who co-create theatre and film with women excluded from society and theatre for personal, social and political change.  

Kiz Crosbie, Mortal Fools Artistic Director & CEO:  
“I am chuffed to bits to have Ellie joining our team as our first Executive Director. She joins Mortal Fools at an exciting juncture for the organisation, and brings skills, expertise and experience that will be invaluable through the next stages of our development. I can’t wait to get started working alongside her.”  

Ellie is an experienced cultural leader based in the North East, with a rich career spanning over 25 years. She has held key roles at BALTIC, The Glasshouse, the Community Foundation for Tyne & Wear and Northumberland in addition to her joint CEO role at Open Clasp Theatre Company. Ellie is currently the Chair of Trustees for Birkheads Wild, a charity dedicated to young people building better futures through the outdoors, and a trustee of The Cultural Spring, which delivers grassroots arts engagement across Sunderland and South Tyneside.   

Ellie specialises in funding, managing partnership programmes, developing philanthropy and programmes to benefit the voluntary sector. Recent work includes securing core funding from Comic Relief Gender Justice Fund, a shortlist for Open Clasp in the Calouste Gulbenkian Civic Arts Award and license agreements with BBC & Bloomberg. She’s skilled in charity governance, leadership, strategic development, income generation, marketing campaigns, facilitation and partnerships.    
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Originally from Belfast, Ellie is a graduate of Northumbria University with a First Class Masters in Cultural Management. Her career has grown out of a passion for using arts & the outdoors for positive social change and social justice. Ellie, lives in Newcastle with her partner, two teenagers & Meg (the dog) loving all things culture & swimming, cycling and running (sometimes in one event!)  ​​

Richard Wise, Mortal Fools’ Board Chair and Partner at Ryder Architecture:  
“We hope Ellie’s appointment will set us in good stead to have an even greater impact and reach in the communities we serve in our next chapter as a charity. We look forward to her joining our empowered, passionate, lively and creative company.”    

The creation of this Executive Director role is a step change for Mortal Fools and an investment in our continued organisational growth, development and resilience. It is our hope that this new role in executive leadership will support us to maintain excellence in business operations, together with creating renewed capacity for the next Mortal Fools chapter.  

Ellie Turner, Incoming Mortal Fools Executive Director:  
“I’m thrilled to be taking up this role as Executive Director at Mortal Fools. I’m passionate about the power of creative learning and the incredible impact it can have on young people. Alongside this talented team, I look forward to fostering a future of co-creation—where ideas, voices, and talents unite to build something truly special. Here’s to shaping a future where creativity thrives, young people are inspired, and fresh ideas lead the way!"  

We are looking forward to Ellie starting her new role in April and bringing her new ideas, new ways of working and new energy into our team and organisation, positively influencing all areas of business development. ​