Speech & Drama Section
Adjudicator
Dr Anita Downey PhD, PGCE, ADVS,LGSM, FVCM, PGCA
Anita began her career as an academic studying at Oxford and Nottingham Universities. After qualifying as a teacher she worked in both Primary and Secondary schools.
She happily combined her academic teaching with her love of the arts. She trained as a Drama Teacher at Guildhall School of Speech and Drama and Central School of Speech & Drama.
Pioneering the integration scheme for Surrey and also working with profoundly deaf youngsters, she then set up a Creative Arts Programme for them.
Winning the International Professor Van Lawrence Award for her research in to voice sounds, led her to research further for her PhD, The Cultural Rhythms of the World. This has led to her working with such diverse disciplines as Formula 1, Opera, the Stock Exchange and with International Speakers.
Currently, Anita is a busy teacher of Drama at a large Secondary school. At home she teaches English, Maths and Physics and believes that being a polymath is a great advantage; the variety of work one can engage in shows how important it is to communicate in all aspects of life.
Her own recreation is learning Japanese and keeping abreast of astrophysics which has always been a fascination.
Anita is a member of STSD (The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama) and an adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals.