I’ve worked at ITV’s Good Morning Britain as a producer and served as an advisor to the National Council for the Training of Journalists’ Examinations Board. As a trainer, I’ve coached all of the BBC’s digital editorial apprentices across the UK over six years and also taught post-graduate NCTJ students at Bournemouth University.

I’ve been a producer for ITV News in London and at ITV Central in Birmingham, Nottingham and Leicester. I’ve worked internationally too, leading teams as an Executive Producer for the African broadcaster ARISE News, working in the UK and South Africa.

In radio, I was a producer for Janice Long on BBC Radio 2 and early in my career also worked at BBC Radio WM.

I developed video journalism skills in camera work, editing and packaging while working as a producer for the British Forces Broadcasting Service and developed a Group-wide video strategy for MNA – the UK’s biggest regional publisher – where I was Managing Editor.

Hi, I’m Beth, a dynamic and innovative social media manager turned educator. My journey in the digital world has been incredibly exciting, as I’ve honed my skills in crafting engaging content and building vibrant online communities. It all started with a fascination for connecting people through compelling stories which I did through my own personal blogs, which quickly evolved into a successful career managing high-profile social media accounts for commercial companies.

Now, I’m thrilled to be teaching at Blackrook Academy, where I empower aspiring social media candidates to master the art of digital communication. At Blackrook, I’m known for my energetic teaching style and my ability to make even the most complex concepts accessible and fun. Whether it’s through hands-on workshops or insightful lectures, I’m dedicated to helping my students unlock their full potential and navigate the ever-evolving social media landscape with confidence.

Outside the classroom, I’m a passionate advocate for continuous learning and personal growth. I believe in the power of social media to not only connect but also inspire and educate. When I’m not teaching or exploring the latest trends in digital marketing, you can find me enjoying nature walks, or dancing in the kitchen. For me, every day is an opportunity to learn something new and make meaningful connections.

Hi guys, I’m Lynne – the ultimate music enthusiast and concert goer! With a passion for live music that knows no bounds, I am always at my happiest when I am in my seat, in the venue, soaking up the energy and vibes of my favourite bands.

But my love for music doesn’t stop at just attending concerts – oh no! I am also a skilled photographer and videographer, capturing those magical moments on stage and off stage editing them into what become treasured memories for both the artists, fans and businesses alike. I understand the power of a single snapshot, and how that can make a great real or perfect post!

Being behind the lens isn’t just a hobby – it’s a way of life. This passion drives me forward, above and beyond the lens, pushing me to explore my job and its opportunities – for myself and for our Learners.

My career has provided some amazing experiences. That includes Hair & Beauty and Teaching. I love to teach, by engaging with Learners,  I help them achieve what they desire and dream of, by building relationships with businesses that need help with social media content creation.

Working as part of the BlackRook team, I will help you find that dream job. So, grab your smartphone and let’s go and learn together – and then find a job we love. 

When you have a job you love you won’t work a day in your life!

I’m Hannah, a digital marketing pro with nearly 10 years of experience under my belt. 

Since I left school, I’ve immersed myself in various marketing roles—from being a one-woman marketing department to contributing as part of a corporate agency and collaborating with big brands to promote their products and services.

A year ago, I took the plunge into freelancing. This decision has allowed me to embrace a diverse role, where I not only help businesses establish and grow their online presence but also share my expertise by teaching students social media skills to broaden their portfolios.

I’m Rhea, a trained journalist who launched my own public relations and digital marketing business in 2009. 

15 years on, J&PR is now an award-winning agency based in Shropshire and working with businesses and organisations across the West Midlands and Wales.

In addition to working with clients in-house and in marketing support roles, we are a training agency that runs digital marketing training courses in-house at client sites and online from our own digital studio. We are also the digital trainers for the Shropshire Chamber of Commerce.

As part of the Blackrook Academy I work with students on newsworthy content ideas and case studies as well as analytics and insights on social platforms and touch on Google Analytics.

Hey, I’m Ammaarah! 

If you’re old enough to remember piczo then you’ll remember creating your own website, and if you remember that you’ll also remember aaaalllll the digital art produced to stick on there. Remember the people you paid to make blends and edits for you? Yeah, hi. I was one of them.

So you could say my freelance journey started out when I young! My background stretches over multiple digital areas including social media content creation, management, website building, UX/UI and more. I have mentored many budding creatives and helped secure their first role! 

I specialise in local businesses, salons, travel agencies, portfolio accounts to name a few – growing Pinterest and instagram accounts. Helping create engaging content by using getting the creative juices flowing. 

Working now with Blackrook gives me the opportunity to release my passions into the world and give back, put my mentoring skills to use – FYI my teaching style is very workshop! You can expect to get stuck in with group discussions, pitching in together to get creative whilst having loads of laughs. Come and join me to learn to build the social media empire of your dreams!

Hi I’m Dani, I’m a trained journalist and started my career doing radio presenting before moving over to newspaper journalism.

When I left journalism initially, I went over the ‘dark side’ and started working in PR where I began to manage social media accounts for clients and much more.

I retrained to become a teacher at the same time and began teaching journalism – which I still do now, but instead of working for one particular company I’m now fully freelance doing journalism, PR, teaching both of these and I’m an exam board assessor.

I bring a right mix to the table and am hoping my experience can help those setting out in any of these industries and in whichever way BlackRook Academy students want to get in to work!

My name is Luis, I am an ex-professional rugby player and have been running my digital media marketing agency for the past 5 years since I was 19.

I have since scaled the business to be full stack offering Website builds, SEO, Paid Ads, App builds and much more. Some of our clients include the United Nations, NHS and Paragon Living. 

One of my passions is helping people to scale their own business’s and teaching how to run a marketing agency, specially as a young founder. 

In collaboration with BlackRook I will teach you how to build out your value proposition for your business, how to sell anything to anyone and also how to deliver your service to a client.

I look forward to speaking with you.

I’m Joe, I’ve been a content creator for over 10 years now. Starting with my own Woodworking social media ventures then moving into agency work and now I’m a freelancer working with some amazing brands.

My passion is videography and editing so that is what I specialise in for BlackRook Academy. Video is king and I love how we can use the creative output to connect with an audience.

Social media can open a lot of new opportunities. I never thought I would be teaching but I absolutely love it! My woodworking youtube channel even played a part in me appearing on the channel 4 show ‘Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker’ I didn’t win the show but I did win ‘Chair Week’ so I’ll take it. 

I’m very much an Average Joe but Average Can Be Extraordinary!

Hi, I’m Emily. My background is in Fine Art and academia, teaching at undergraduate level since 2022 and achieving a PhD in 2023. I have been working as a freelance artist for the past ten years, while supporting West Midlands-based creative practitioners and art organisations with their social media outreach, generally as part of a publicly funded project.

I am particularly interested in how social media can be used to build vital communities through collaboration, skill-sharing and cultural exchange in the creative industries. Some of the organisations that I have worked with on social media projects include New Art West Midlands, Vivid Projects and the National Association for Fine Art Education.

I am also experienced in access support work. This includes one- to-one mentoring for students with access requirements and individual assistance for other freelancers, including facilitating the navigation of mental health challenges and triggers, physical difficulties, neurodiversity and learning differences, and cultural and language barriers.

Alongside teaching on the theory elements of the Bootcamp, my role at BlackRook Academy has involved organising the valuable insights of the industry tutors into a cohesive and accessible structure for the classroom.

My name is Genevieve and although I got my professional start getting my law degree, now I run a social media marketing agency!

I run full social media management for clients across the globe. I also specialise in UGC creative ad strategy, management and production. I’ve worked across all sorts of industries, from e-commerce to service based, beauty products to money transfer services! I’ve helped brands scale their ad strategy to 6 and 7 figures and sell out entire new launches. You might occasionally see my face pop up in an ad on socials!

In collaboration with BlackRook, I’ll teach you how to get to grips with the ins and outs of social media strategy, how to figure out who to talk to, how to plan and create content your audience will love.

Hi, I’m Simon Gordon and I’ve been teaching the video content creation section of the course since April 2024. I love working with people teaching them skills that will help them further develop themselves and their businesses. 

I have been in the creative media industry for over seven years. I run a creative agency that specialises in photography, videography, web design and social media.

Hi, I’m Joe, and I’m the Head of Video for both BlackRook Academy and our sister company, BlackRook Media. I’ve been a part of the BlackRook family for over 7 years now, and my work with them has run the gamut from current affairs broadcast TV to live events to corporate video from sectors as varied as medical technology, leisure, agriculture, and finance.

As a tutor, my focus is on the production and post-production elements of content creation. The smartphone has democratized access to high-end video tools in a way that I never saw coming when I first started in the industry around a decade ago. The way it has progressed in leaps and bounds has been astonishing.

For the most part, we all now carry with us, at all times, everything we need to shoot and edit engaging and professional-grade video content in our pockets. The possibilities for storytelling and the voices that this access allows us to hear, which would otherwise go unheard, are why I think it is imperative to spread our knowledge to as many people as we can.

In addition to my work as an editor, I also work as a support mentor for students in higher education with SEN and have certifications from the National Autistic Society. I am also a screenwriter and have a master’s ​degree in Feature Film Development, so at any given time, I am developing my own projects for pitch and production.

Hi there!

I’m Tasha, A BlackRook Academy alumni. I’ve gone from participating and graduating the course to working with BlackRook, taking up an amazing opportunity to be part of this innovative, forward thinking company.

I support the Managing Director and the delivery team of BlackRook Academy as well as the learners and fellow alumni.

I have many creative pursuits and too many to mention here, but my main content on social media is my blog, Ronin Cinema, where I write about and share my love of films!

You’ll meet me at some point at the start of your BlackRook journey, and I will be there to support you every step of the way!

Take care, see you soon!

Hello there,

I’m Bear, a professional photographer, videographer, graphic designer and social media content creator. My journey in the creative arts began when I received my first camera for Christmas at the age of four. My passion for photography evolved into a vibrant career, starting from my days as a Club DJ in the late ’80s, where I honed my design skills creating promotional flyers.

In the early ’90s, I had the opportunity to work with the first versions of Photoshop and QuarkXPress, which ignited my interest in graphic design. This led me to launch a successful regional magazine in the mid-to-late ’90s, where my photography skills gained recognition from numerous brands and agencies. I ran a thriving photography studio until 2023, when I had to take a break due to a critical illness.

During my recovery, I discovered BlackRook Academy through a Facebook post about their free four-week course on social media. The course was transformative, allowing me to merge my newfound knowledge with my existing skills and launch my own digital agency. Today, I am proud to teach classes at BlackRook Academy, covering Theory, Graphic Design, Video, and Photography.

My goal is to share my extensive knowledge and real-world experiences with you, helping you become a more successful and productive Social Media Manager or Content Creator. I look forward to seeing you in class and guiding you on your creative journey.

See you soon!