Meet the team

Simon McCrossan

Head of public policy

Simon is head of public policy for the Evangelical Alliance. Prior to joining the charity, he was in full time practice as a barrister with specialisms in personal injury and employment law. Simon holds a specialist LL.M in employment law and is focused upon issues of religious liberty. Before he was called to the Bar, Simon worked as a teacher in secondary education (11-18). Moreover, he is also an experienced law lecturer having tutored both undergraduate and postgraduate students. He enjoys most sports and walking in the country.

Kieran Turner

Public policy officer, Scotland

Kieran joined the Evangelical Alliance Scotland team in 2012. Prior to this he worked for MSPs at the Scottish parliament for three years, with spells in both Edinburgh and Inverness. Before this he spent a number of years working in youth and community work in the housing estates of his native Glasgow. Kieran helps the Evangelical Alliance connect with politicians in Holyrood and local government, connects with national and local media, and also provides support and encouragement to churches, organisations and individual Christians trying to engage with wider Scottish society.

John Coleby

Public policy researcher

John began working at the Evangelical Alliance in 2016, focusing on issues of debate in parliament that are relevant to evangelical Christians in the UK. Before this he worked as a research assistant for the Church of England Bishop of Coventry, supporting his work in the House of Lords and his focus on freedom of religion or belief and global reconciliation. He holds a BA in Theology and an MPhil in Judaism and Christianity in the Graeco-Roman world, and he remains very interested in biblical studies and inter-religious dialogue. He also teaches English to speakers of other languages at a class run by his church.

David Smyth

Public policy lead, Northern Ireland

David Smyth is public policy lead at Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland and coordinates the Public Leader: Northern Ireland course. He is a former solicitor and represents the Evangelical Alliance on a range of government, civic and charitable forums. He serves in the space where faith, law, politics and culture intersect.

Peter Mitchell

Education policy officer

Peter joined the Evangelical Alliance in 2018 as the Education Policy Officer and engages with national education policy and work with our members involved in education. Prior to this he had worked in the US for a Christian public policy institute (The Center for Public Justice) in policy areas including education, religious freedom and poverty and opportunity. He has been involved in politics as a local councillor in England and in public policy in both the US and the UK; having worked both on the policy side of education (particularly around education funding and curriculum design) and also having served as a school governor at both primary and secondary schools in the North East of England. He's married to a former primary school teacher and he and his bride have four children.

Sam Pritchard

Public policy officer, Wales

Sam joined the Evangelical Alliance in September 2018 as the Public policy officer for Wales, he also serves as a County Councillor in Swansea. Prior to working for the Evangelical Alliance Sam has worked for both a Welsh Member of Parliament and an Assembly Member. He graduated from Cardiff University with a Certificate of Higher Education in Religious and Theological Studies before graduating with a degree in theology from Union School of Theology. Sam is married to Jess and is a deacon at his local church.

Find out more about our public policy team