Kingham 10 Advisory Board

Supporting the Next Generation of Hillians

The Kingham 10 Alumni Advisory Board was established to ensure that younger Hillians remain connected, supported, and engaged with life beyond the Hill. Bringing together alumni in the early stages of their professional and personal journeys, the Board plays an important role in shaping the future of the wider Hillian community.

Representing a diverse range of industries, experiences, and career pathways, members of the Kingham 10 Advisory Board work closely with the School and The Hillians Committee to strengthen alumni engagement for recent leavers and younger alumni around the world.

The Board contributes ideas, insight, and support across events, communications, mentoring opportunities, networking initiatives, and digital engagement. Members also act as ambassadors for their generation of Hillians, helping ensure the alumni programme remains relevant, inclusive, and forward-looking.

The Kingham 10 Advisory Board meets online once per term, with additional opportunities for collaboration and involvement throughout the year.

Leadership

The Board is chaired by Ellie Copsey (Severn, 2009–2016) and Sam Chipper (Havelock and Woodstock, 2013–2020), who also sit on the wider Hillians Committee to ensure younger alumni voices are represented across the broader alumni programme.

Get involved

To find out more about the Kingham 10 Alumni Advisory Board or alumni engagement opportunities, please contact the Alumni Engagement and Development Lead, on 01608 731887 or via alumni@kinghamhill.org.

Kingham 10 Advisory Board Members

Ellie Copsey (Chair)

Ellie joined Kingham Hill School in 2009, beginning in Greenwich House before moving to Severn House. A proud ‘lifer’, she left the Hill in 2016 as Deputy Head Girl.

Following Kingham, Ellie completed a BA in International Relations and Politics at Oxford Brookes University before joining the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) in 2019. Her work has been widely recognised, including being named Emerging Analyst of the Year by the MOD Analysis Function in 2022 and receiving a commendation from the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in 2024.

Ellie is now a Principal Analyst and Team Leader, and recently completed an MA in International Affairs with Strategic Studies at King’s College London. Based in Portsmouth with her fiancé and golden retriever, Loki, she remains passionate about supporting the Kingham Hill community and helping younger Hillians navigate life.

Sam Chipper (Vice Chair)

Sam joined Kingham Hill School in 2013 and spent seven years fully immersed in life on the Hill, taking part in activities including CCF and interhouse competitions. He left in 2020 with a strong passion for design and creativity that had been nurtured during his time at Kingham.

Sam went on to study at Loughborough University before building a career as a creative consultant specialising in the motorsport and automotive industries. His work includes launching new automotive companies, collaborating with Formula One teams, and developing partnerships and sponsorships between global brands and the motorsport sector.

Still based in Oxfordshire, at the heart of ‘Motorsport Valley’, Sam remains closely connected to Kingham Hill through the alumni community and longstanding friendships formed during his school years. Through the Kingham 10 Advisory Board, he hopes to strengthen connections between Hillians around the world, create opportunities for alumni engagement, and support current and future pupils.

Elodie Phillips

Elodie Phillips studied International Relations and Russian at the University of St Andrews before completing the Erasmus Mundus International Master’s programme in Central and East European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, studying across the University of Tartu, the University of Glasgow, and Corvinus University of Budapest. She is currently undertaking doctoral studies in Political Science.

Elodie’s academic interests focus on international affairs, political science, and Eurasian studies. She is passionate about global issues, research, and cross-cultural understanding.

As a member of the Kingham 10 Advisory Board, Elodie is keen to support connections within the alumni community and encourage younger Hillians as they explore higher education and international career opportunities.

Nika Vahcic

Nika attended Kingham Hill School from 2016 to 2018 and was a member of Durham House. She went on to study Mathematics and Economics at the London School of Economics before completing an MPhil in Economics at the University of Oxford.

Nika now works as an economist in the private sector, specialising in macroeconomic analysis and financial markets. She is passionate about supporting current pupils and strengthening the wider Hillian community.

Outside of work, Nika is an accomplished musician and enjoys playing both the violin and double bass.

Louis Wiszniewski

Louis joined Kingham Hill School in Year 9, beginning in Plym before later moving to Norwich House. He credits his time on the Hill, alongside the support of houseparents, teachers and friends, with helping shape his formative years.

After leaving Kingham, Louis chose not to attend university and instead pursued a varied and unconventional career path. His professional experience has ranged from working as a cheesemonger at Borough Market to serving as a Communications Officer in the House of Commons.

Louis now works in strategic communications, advising organisations on how to use broadcast media to influence policy and drive change. He joined the Kingham 10 Advisory Board to support younger Hillians, particularly those who may feel uncertain about their next steps after school.

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