Meet the Team

Hayley Rennie - Lead creator and facilitator

I have been with the University of Sheffield (TUoS) for 11 years and currently work full-time as a Specialist Mentor within the Disabled and Dyslexic Student Services (DDSS), supporting postgraduate research (PGR) students across all faculties. I recently completed a secondment as Project Delivery Lead for Disabled PGR Experience, where I led strategic initiatives to enhance the experience of disabled PGR students within the Research, Partnerships, and Innovation team. I remain an active member of the PGR Well-Being Committee.

My approach to mentoring is rooted in the belief that every student has the potential to develop effective strategies to navigate university life, though I also recognise that there are times when additional support is essential. I am a strong advocate of the social model of disability, which emphasises the importance of creating an educational environment that is accessible and equitable for all students.

I hold accreditation as a Specialist Mentor through the Royal Holloway University pathway and have served as a regional coordinator for the University Mental Health Advisors Network. In recognition of my contributions to student well-being, I was honoured with the TUoS Student Union’s Overall Contribution to Wellbeing Award in 2020-21, received a Highly Commended distinction for Academic Tutoring at the 2023 University of Sheffield Academic Awards, and was a 2024 nominee for the National UMHAN Award for Embedding Student Mental Health Across an Institution. I became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2022 and have been a fully qualified teacher of Secondary and Further Education in philosophy and religion since 1996.

My pronouns are she/her.

Kat McDonnell, Course administrator

I have worked at the University since 2018 in student facing roles in the School of Education and in Journalism Studies, I have been with the Support Worker Service at DDSS since 2022. Prior to joining TUoS, I worked for a company in Manchester supporting disabled students at various HE and FE institutions across Greater Manchester.

I am originally from Sheffield and live here now but studied and lived in Manchester for 8 years. I hold a BA in Criminology and Social History and an MA in Criminology, both from Manchester Metropolitan University.

Bethan Lee - creator and facilitator

I started working at the University of Sheffield in 2023. My first role was as a PGR and Research Support Officer within the Humanities, which provided me with a good foundational understanding of the PGR journey and an appreciation of the joy and privilege of working with PGR students.

I became a Specialist Mentor in DDSS in 2024, and work in this role part-time alongside Freelance Editorial work in academic publishing. This dual role means that many of the academic and organisational skills I support students to develop through mentoring, I am usually also grappling with myself! I believe this personal experience enables me to bring an empathetic understanding to some of the challenges PGR study can present. Prior to this work, I have held roles in publishing, primary education, and healthcare (both NHS and private healthcare services).

I value the importance of mentoring as a space for students to process and to support them to thrive in all aspects of the university experience. I believe the PGR Thrive community is integral in creating a space to foster connection and enable shared experience amongst PGRs, which can be invaluable.

I hold a BA from Cambridge University and an MSc from Reading University. I am a member of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the University Mental Health Advisers Network (UK) (UMHAN).

Angie Frost - creator and co-facilitator

I have worked as a Specialist Mentor for the Disability and Dyslexia Support Service (DDSS) for 10 years. I gained professional accreditation through the Royal Holloway University route one pathway and I hold my professional body membership with University Mental Health Advisors Network (UMHAN). Prior to this, my professional background spanned supporting individuals on the autistic spectrum with building confidence and developing employability skills, coordinating community mental health programmes, and volunteering support to combat isolation and loneliness.

In my role as a Specialist Mentor, I have had the privilege of guiding hundreds of students through their academic journeys from start to finish. I champion a person-centered, holistic approach, collaborating with each student to identify tailored strategies and build a sustainable toolkit of support they can carry forward. For me, building strong, trustworthy professional relationships is about creating a safe, non-judgmental space where students feel comfortable enough to truly navigate their growth. I am dedicated to understanding the whole person, respecting the unique values and beliefs that shape how we work together.

I believe the strength of our service lies in the depth and breadth of knowledge and expertise within our team, and we are constantly striving to review our personal and professional practice to offer the best service to those students we see one-to-one and within group settings.

I am a keen cinephile, theatre goer, and lover of words, as well as a self-declared geek for many random things. I have a cat called Gigi who sometimes likes to make guest appearances on my Google calls. I also love supporting students to discover and settle into our fantastic city, and I am happy to share my favourite spots for local cafes, events and our wonderful parks!

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