Our People

MPS Director, Dr Sarah Kyambi, is an expert on UK immigration policy with an exceptional track record of securing change. She leads MPS work to promote better insight and dialogue on migration and connects perspectives from Scotland to UK-wide debates. Her work includes designing research and insight infrastructure that improves the evidence base on migration in Scotland, spearheading fresh thinking that takes into account the full spectrum of migration experiences, and fostering capacity building and leadership development among migrant communities in Scotland.

Sarah founded Migration Policy Scotland in 2021 in response to the need for greater policy capacity on migration in Scotland identified through a scoping exercise funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. Her experience working for think tanks in Edinburgh, London and Brussels showed her the power of bringing different actors together to discuss and learn when shaping policy responses.

Sarah has high-level experience of research-driven policy influencing on migration. She has worked with government, funders, migrant communities and third sector organisations. Prior to founding MPS she led several projects that have changed policy thinking and practice, including contributing to shaping Scottish Government’s 2020 migration proposals and the establishment of its Independent Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population (2018-20), leading work on new immigrant communities at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), authoring the first UK report exploring scope for regionalisation within the UK’s immigration system (‘Room for Manoeuvre’, 2009), and developing the first CoSLA guidance for Local Authorities in Scotland on migrant entitlements and eligibility for public services (2012).

Sarah is a seasoned media commentator with over 100 interviews, comment and press articles in mainstream media across the UK and globally. She was an expert contributor to the BBC documentary ‘Who Lives in Scotland’ (the programme won the UK Analysis in Government Award in Communications, 2023).

Sarah has been active in the UK migration sector for over 25 years. Previous roles include Policy Director at the Migrants’ Rights Network, Director at Migrants Rights Scotland, Trustee at Asylum Aid and Legal Caseworker at the Refugee Legal Centre. In 2015 she co-founded Edinburgh Churches for Sanctuary. Sarah holds a PhD in Law and Social Theory from Birkbeck College, University of London (2002).

MPS Associate Director, Professor Rebecca Kay, is an expert on migration issues in Scotland. She has over 30 years’ experience of social research and is particularly skilled in qualitative research including participatory and action research. She is passionate about the importance of a considered, evidence-based, and holistic approach to migration policy, which better reflects the benefits and challenges migration brings, the vulnerabilities migrants experience and the contributions they make.

Rebecca joined Migration Policy Scotland in 2022 as Senior Researcher, progressing to Associate Director in 2024. She has extensive experience of working directly with policymakers, service providers, employers, host communities and migrants. Rebecca leads MPS programme of work on Migration and Poverty, through which our Policy Laboratory approach has emerged as a flexible and effective model for connecting research, policy and practice in ways which can make change happen fast.

Rebecca is chair of the Scottish Government’s Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population which provides advice to government on Scotland’s migration needs and challenges.

Prior to joining MPS, Rebecca was Professor of Russian Gender Studies at the University of Glasgow, where she designed and led a large 5-year study of migration from Eastern Europe to Scotland. Rebecca has a PhD in modern languages and cultures from the University of Bradford (1997) and was Professor in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow (1999-2023).

MPS Research Assistant, Leri Price holds an MA (Hons) in Arabic from the University of Edinburgh and an MA in Public Policy from the University of York. She is currently completing a doctorate at Heriot-Watt University where her research explores Syrian women’s experiences of home in Scotland. Outside of her academic work, Leri has volunteered with a migration organisation in Edinburgh.

Leri is Research Assistant at MPS supporting delivery of our project Better Mixing: Supporting Scotland’s diverse future. In addition to her doctoral studies and her work at MPS, Leri is a translator of contemporary Arabic literature.

Varvara is Participation Officer at Migration Policy Scotland. She also works in employability at Govanhill Community Development Trust, supporting migrant communities and people facing barriers to access employment.

Her community work in Glasgow includes active involvement with Ukrainian Scottish Council, where she supports activities, funding and practical support for families. During the humanitarian response, she led the set up and operation of a Ukrainian Information Centre. She is also cofounder of The Showroom Collective CIC, a social enterprise developing an accessible evening community space. Varvara brings her own lived experience of migration to her work at MPS.

MPS Chair, Grace McGill WS, is a Solicitor in private practice in Scotland with a career of almost 30 years dedicated to the practice of UK Immigration and Refugee law. She holds a Masters degree in International Human Rights Law. She was the founding and Senior partner of MCGILL & Co, a specialist Immigration law firm based in Scotland, recognised by the Legal 500 for the last 7 years as the leading firm in the field with Grace herself recognised as the leading individual for the last 6 years. She and her firm joined Burness Paull LLP in 2021.

Grace has been admitted as an accredited specialist in Immigration law by the Law Society of Scotland and is an appointed trainer and Trustee for the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA), serving on the Board since 2014. She has been admitted to the Society of the Writers to the Signet (WS) and serves on Council, and is also a member of the Professional Conduct Committee of the Law Society of Scotland. She is the Principal author of the Immigration Law Chapter for Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia and a contributor for Lexis Nexis and the International Bar Association.

Shaina Gabi is currently the Advice Services Manager for Immigration at Citizens Advice Edinburgh. Her recent work in developing the immigration service has led to the organisation becoming the first CAB in Scotland to be accredited to OISC level 2, ensuring free accessible immigration advice to safeguard migrant rights.

With over 7 years in the CAB service, Shaina has focused on the essential provision of holistic advice recognising the intersection between navigating the complicated rules and entitlements of the immigration system and addressing inequalities and poverty reduction. With a drive to ensure policy is grounded in these nuanced realities of migration, Shaina has sat on migrant lived experience panels including JustCitizens supported by JustRight Scotland, and Migration Policy Scotland’s own LEx Panel.

Shaina is a certified Immigration Adviser to OISC level 2, and holds an MA in International Relations from Edinburgh University.

MPS Secretary, Dr Rachel Marangozov has over 20 years’ experience working on migrant integration and has both learned and lived experience of disadvantage and poverty.

Rachel has twice held expert/advisory roles with both the UK Parliament and the European Commission and is currently a member of the Scottish Government’s Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population. She has a strong record in harnessing robust evidence to influence policy, including for clients such as the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

Rachel is currently a Director of MigrationWork CIC, which helps communities, policymakers and practitioners across Europe respond to migration in practical and evidence-based ways. She holds MPhil and PhD degrees from the University of Cambridge.

Lauren Roberts currently works in the Scottish Government to support the growth of Scotland’s economy and offshore wind supply chain. She is an accomplished policy and project professional with extensive experience in managing interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder initiatives.

Prior to her move to the Civil Service, Lauren spent 14 years in research administration at the University of Glasgow, including programme management for the UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts £4.5m international research portfolio. She also helped develop several internationally recognised research networks, including Glasgow Refugee, Asylum and Migration Network (GRAMNet).

She holds a BSc in Psychology from the University of Glasgow, a MSc from the Open University and is a certified project manager.

Giulia Preponis is a Project Officer at the Centre for Civic Innovation, where they work on projects that support inclusive public services, civic participation and social innovation. Their work brings together research, design and community engagement to help organisations develop more equitable, rights-based approaches to policy and practice.

Giulia has a strong background in migration, anti-racism and children’s rights, with experience across the third sector, public bodies and cultural institutions in Scotland. They hold a Master’s degree in Design Innovation and Citizenship from The Glasgow School of Art and have a long-standing interest in migration policy, identity and belonging.

Professor Christina Boswell is an expert on UK and European immigration policy, in particular the role of expert knowledge in policy-making and political debate. She has served as consultant for a range of governments and international organisations, including the European Commission, European Parliament, OECD, UN High Commission for Refugees, and UN Global Commission on Migration. Christina was MPS first Chair from 2020-2023.

Derek Mitchell was born and raised in Ayrshire and has spent most of his working life in local government in a variety of management and public policy positions. He worked for the first Scottish Government as a Policy Advisor before joining COSLA in 2005, where he became a Chief Officer. He became Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) in August 2017. Derek’s passion and drive is to give a voice to people who otherwise would not be heard.

Rebekah has spent much of her career focused on the application of knowledge and understanding to policy and practice. She became a senior civil servant in 2008 and left Government in 2017 to become the Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. She is currently Vice Principal, People and Diversity at the University of St Andrews and a member of the Board of Management of City of Glasgow College.

Nicola McEwen is Professor of Public Policy and Governance, and Director of the Centre for Public Policy at the University of Glasgow. Nicola specialises in nationalism, devolution and intergovernmental relations, with a focus on Scotland and the UK in comparative perspective. Nicola is actively involved in informing the policy process and public debate, through media work, public engagement, and advice and support to parliaments and governments.

John has been Head of Scotland for the Equality and Human Rights Commission since April 2017. He has a strong commitment to equality and human rights with long experience in the voluntary, statutory and private sectors in Scotland and the UK. Prior to the EHRC he worked as chief executive of Scottish Refugee Council between 2008 and 2017. John has extensive experience of governance and serving on boards.