Mark trains organisations and individuals on how to engage effectively with the media. He continues to work as a journalist, regularly interviewing frontline politicians, business leaders and sports stars.
Our Trainers
Meet the people who teach our courses
Our expert trainers are practitioners with a wide range of experience who are ready to help you take your career to the next level.
As the best in the journalism, content and communication industries, they bring first-hand experience combined with excellent training skills. PA Media Academy’s trainers are well-connected and reflect the diversity of thought and practice in our industries, ranging from professionals with decades of experience to practitioners earlier in the careers, at the cutting edge of best practice.
We hold ourselves to high standards and will help you reach those too.
Meet our trainers
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Alison Kershaw – Senior trainer
Alison has extensive experience in news journalism, most recently as a PA news editor. She started out in local newspapers and joined the PA news agency as a general reporter.
Andrew Knight – Trainer
A former Scottish Young Journalist of the Year, Andrew worked as a features editor in Aberdeen before moving to BBC Scotland, and was assistant editor of the Bath Chronicle before becoming training manager for Media Wales newspapers in Cardiff.
Bridgid Nzekwu – Managing Director
Bridgid leads PA’s media training business. She is a broadcast journalist and award-winning communications specialist, named ‘Outstanding Woman in Professional Services’ in 2018 at the Precious Awards.
Celine Bijleveld – Trainer
Celine is a digital editor and producer with 25 years' experience in journalism, specialising in loyalty and engagement strategies and products.
Claire Spreadbury – Trainer
Claire Spreadbury is Head of Features at PA Media. She has over 20 years’ experience as a journalist and editor, is an ‘all-round’ expert, though writes most frequently across travel, wellbeing, beauty and parenting.
Emily Pennink – Trainer
Emily has more than 20 years’ experience in journalism, specialising in violent crime and terrorism. Having begun her career at Northcliffe Media, she has worked at PA as a reporter, news editor, assistant editor and most recently Old Bailey Correspondent.
Harry Slater – Associate Trainer
Harry is Digital Director at Dazed Media where he oversees best practice, growth and innovation on Dazed and AnOther.
Howard Smith – Trainer and apprentice cohort leader
Howard has more than 20 years’ experience working as a senior executive on national newspapers and in communications, including as assistant editor of a daily national newspaper and head of external relations in the UK for a global company.
Ian Collier – Trainer and apprentice cohort leader
Ian started his career in local newspapers, at the Worcester Evening News and Nottingham Evening Post. He spent 15 years as staff for Sky News Online, working as a producer, chief sub-editor and assistant editor in charge of digital output overnight
Jon Bernstein – Associate Trainer
Jon Bernstein has been running training courses for over a decade and comes with 25+ years’ experience as a journalist.
Kate Charles – Trainer
Kate is an NCTJ-approved Shorthand Tutor with more than 30 years' teaching experience.
Keme Nzerem – Specialist media trainer
An award-winning TV correspondent and presenter, Keme has spent two decades reporting, presenting and interviewing leaders around the world on global events.
Lea Sellers– Specialist media trainer
Lea is an experienced international media trainer and television consultant. A former Deputy Foreign Editor of Channel 4 News, Lea edited The Pulse and First Edition for Channel 4.
Liz Isemann – Media Training Manager
Liz Isemann is PA’s Media Training Manager responsible for ensuring the smooth running of our media training courses, planning all necessary logistics and client requirements.
Mark McQuillan – Specialist Media Trainer
Mark is an experienced media trainer, TV anchor and reporter. Over more than a decade he has presented and reported on national and regional TV, including Sky News, ITV News and 5 News.