Trustee

Mike retired from a 45 year career in accountancy and auditing in October 2023. After graduating from Edinburgh University in 1978, he had trained as a chartered accountant ibn the Edinburgh office of Scott Oswald, the largest independent Scottish firm at that time, and gained his formal qualification in 1981, before leaving a year later to gain overseas work experience. After just over 3 years working in Johannesburg with KMG (later KPMG) Mike switched to their Edinburgh office, before returning to Scott Oswald in 1988 for 25 years, during which time they became RSM Tenon.

A graduate of Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities, Gordon has spent most of his working life in Economic Development and from 1995 until he retired in 2016 was a Director of Aberdeen City Council.  He was then approached by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada to serve as their Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, which he did from 2016 until 2019.  Over his career he has held various positions on Boards including Chair of the North of Scotland Hub Partnership Board, Director of Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, and Chair of the Scottish Local Authority Ec

Priscilla graduated in Anthropology and Sociology  from  Durham University and as a mature student  returned to university to undertake a Diploma in Land Economy at Aberdeen. She subsequently qualified  as a Chartered Surveyor and between her two degrees married the owner of Drummuir Estate in Moray where her academic studies informed her  life and work.

Alan is Professor Emeritus of Physical Geography, University of Dundee and former Research Director of Dundee’s UNESCO Centre for Research on Water, Law Policy and Science and Honorary Professor at the University of St Andrews.  He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the British Society for Geomorphology, the Royal Scottish Geographical Society and a former Vice-President of the Royal Geographical Society.  
 

Mark Shucksmith OBE is Professor of Planning at Newcastle University and Visiting Professor at Ruralis, Trondheim. Mark’s main areas of research include social exclusion in rural areas, rural housing and rural development.

Ashish is a Lecturer at University of Aberdeen since 2019. His research and teaching focuses on understanding microbial processes in soil that are involved in carbon cycling and the underlying mechanisms with a genes-to-ecosystem approach. Using a multi-scale integrated ecology approach, he aims to leverage fundamental science to address key societal challenges of sustainable land use, climate change resilience and peatland restoration. He is also keen on exploring newer ways of doing research, improving research culture, and promoting diversity and inclusivity in academia and beyond.

Emma is a Sustainable Governance specialist, Chartered Environmentalist and Fellow of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment. Her experience spans a broad range of disciplines including policy and process development, integration of environmental considerations into business governance structures, environmental risk management, environmental impact assessment, investment due diligence, carbon footprinting and stakeholder training. She specialises in communicating science, environment, and sustainability with an extensive and varied range of stakeholders.
 

Isobel works as a Wildlife Consultant specialising in bats. She has had a varied career and gained a BSc. Hons. Biology from Aberdeen University as a mature student. Isobel has an interest in the environment and has worked in the environmental sector for many years. She is a Member of the North Sea Commission Energy and Climate Change Group, exchanging information and collaborative projects between North Sea coastal countries.

Sheila is a solicitor, dealing for the last 30 years, mostly in commercial and corporate work.  She is part retired and is now a consultant  with Grant Smith Law Practice, where she was a partner and director for more than 20 years.
 

She has been involved in NGOs connected with  rural affairs for many years, having sat on the North and West Grampian LEADER Board, the local enterprise trust board, Rural Forums’s Council- a long time ago- and  the Council and Scottish Advisory Committee of the RSPB.

Brian Clark is a specialist in environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment, urban and rural planning and environmental management. His initial research at Glasgow University was on regional development policy and mobility of industry in the UK and urban deprivation followed by research at Durham University   on urban planning  in Iran, Iraq and the Gulf States.