Meet the Team
The day to day running of Fidra’s projects is carried out by our team based in North Berwick, Scotland. You can find out more about members of the team below.
Catherine has overall responsibility for the day to day running of the charity. Catherine has strong leadership and senior management experience built over 30 years in the third sector. She joined Fidra in 2021 with a background in international sustainable development.
Catherine ensures Fidra’s HR, finance and administrative functions are running smoothly, allowing the talented project team to focus on their work. Catherine joined Fidra in 2017, bringing well-honed organisation, administrative and financial experience gained from a diverse education and varied career path.
Clare has managed range of projects at Fidra on plastic and chemical pollution, most recently packaging and aquaculture. Clare’s background in biological sciences, marine environmental protection and biogeography has taken her around the world with projects focussed on preserving coastal and marine habitats and wildlife. She is passionate about ways in which we can reduce our environmental impact.
At Fidra Joanna delivers, monitors, scopes and designs science driven environmental projects. Joanna has a PhD in environmental geochemistry and joined Fidra after working as a researcher investigating agricultural soil greenhouse gas emissions, carbon and nutrient dynamics. Joanna is keen to help find solutions for key global environmental issues.
Heather manages projects to address plastic and chemical pollutants at Fidra and is our Communications Lead. With a background in chemistry Heather has worked for science and environmental NGOs around the world developing strategies to engage policy makers, industry and the public in positive change. She has passion for wildlife and widening participation in science and the environment.
Kate’s primary focus is the PFAS-free project, working to remove PFAS from food packaging. Prior to joining Fidra, Kate worked on biodiversity projects for NGOs, her time in research focused on the impacts of neonicotinoid pesticides on non-target organisms. She is passionate about protecting biodiversity from the chemical pollution crisis.
Hannah works on Fidra’s chemical management projects, focusing on flame retardants for our Sustainable Fire Safety project, as well as supporting our work on chemical policy. Hannah has a BSc degree in Environmental Science and a background in project management and research-based roles, developing sustainable solutions for both people and wildlife.
Dani supports the Best Fishes project focusing on transparency in aquaculture and the Great Nurdle Hunt tackling pre-production plastic pellet loss. Dani has a PhD in Blue Carbon Science and a keen interest in soil and sediment dynamics. She is a passionate advocate for nature-based solutions to support ecosystems and climate change mitigation.
Lyndsay supports our Operations Manager Catherine with the day to day running of the office along with processing and tracking the team’s expenditure, procuring services and scheduling meetings. Lyndsay has a background in Procurement, Finance, and administrative roles and enjoys the organisational aspect of her work and learning new skills along the way.
Jamie works on Fidra’s Great Nurdle Hunt microplastics project, PFAS-free chemical pollution project and Best Fishes aquaculture project. Jamie has a MSc in Environmental Policy and Management, with a background in Research and Development.
Natasha supports the Sewage-free Soils project and the PFAS-free project to end chemical pollution. Natasha has an MSc in International Marine Science, and a keen interest in elasmobranch conservation. She is passionate about protecting wildlife from chemical pollution.
Governance
Fidra is an SCIO and Scottish Registered Charity, SC043895, and is governed by a Board of Trustees. The charity’s activities are bound by the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, which is regulated by OSCR. Day to day operations are overseen by the Executive Director.
Board of Trustees:
Prior to creating Fidra, Becky qualified as a GP and then worked in Public Health Medicine at NHS Lothian, NHS Fife and Scottish Government, where she developed a specialist interest in Environmental Public Health. In addition to her wider responsibilities as Trustee, Becky, as Chair, works closely with the Executive Director, who reports regularly to her. As Chair, Becky oversees organisational direction and project strategy.
Abi trained as a zoologist, and then did a PhD on the conservation biology of bats. She has worked for Fauna & Flora International since 1996 in a variety of roles, and is currently their Director of Conservation Science and Design. Abi, in addition to her wider responsibilities as a Trustee, works closely with the Chair to inform organisational and project strategy.
Michelle has a strong personal interest in the environment including passive housing. In addition to her wider responsibilities as a Trustee, Michelle works closely with the Executive Director and Operations Manager on systems of operational management.
David Gait runs Sustainable Investment Funds at Stewart Investors.
Photos by Emma Martin Photography