Naomi Sweeney – Portfolio Manager for Transformation – Scottish Borders Council
Naomi is a Portfolio Manager within the Transformation team at Scottish Borders Council. She joined the council in November 2021 and comes from a private sector background in commercial interior fit out and project management; having worked on contracts for Edinburgh Council, and previously supported clients like Scottish Water and Diageo with business change.
View Naomi’s slides here.
John Curry – Director of Infrastructure & Environment – Scottish Borders Council
Having spent his early career in Architecture, 10 years working with Scotland’s Rural College, and then a period in consultancy, John Curry joined Scottish Borders Council in 2020 as Director Infrastructure & Environment.
John is the Council’s strategic lead for Net Zero, Transport, Cycling. He leads delivery of the Council’s ambitious and diverse capital programme and works closely with colleagues in Planning and Economic Development supporting growth and investment in the region.
Operationally, he is responsible for a number of frontline services, delivered by a diverse range of skilled, experienced, and capable team members who are committed to supporting the development of the region.
He is driven to deliver progressive projects and services that make a positive impact, enables people to thrive in every aspect of their lives, positively enhancing community, place, environment and business.
View John’s slides here.
Nile Istephan – Chief Executive – Eildon Housing Association
Nile joined Eildon as Chief Executive in April 2010 having previously undertaken a number of senior roles in the Scottish Government.
In his current role as Chief Executive at Eildon Housing Association he currently leads a staff team of over 200 people working across a range of housing, care and support services. He has recently completed six years on the Board of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, serving five of these as Vice Chairman.
View Nile’s slides here.
Angela Crow – Manager – Energise Galashiels Trust
Angela served 22 years as a police officer, starting in Lothian & Borders before finishing in Devon & Cornwall, undertaking a range of roles at different ranks in both areas. On returning to Galashiels in 2017, she undertook self-employment whilst volunteering for the Citizens Advice Bureau, where she became their Session Supervisor. In 2022, Angela co-founded and is now CEO of Hike & Bike Hub. She has also been Trust Manager of Energise Galashiels Trust since September 2022, successfully overseeing completion of “Vibrant Gala” and “Build a Better Galashiels” projects and now supporting development of the Galashiels Town Team.
View Angela’s slides here.
Sam Smith – Chief Officer for Economic Development -Scottish Borders Council
Sam Smith is Chief Officer for Economic Development at Scottish Borders Council. She joined the Council in January 2022, having previously worked as a civil servant in the Scottish Government in the Scottish National Investment Bank. Prior to that, Sam was Programme Manager for the Borders Railway Blueprint at Scottish Enterprise, and also worked on European Commission rural development investment programmes. Her early career was spent working with environmental NGOs and community development.
View Sam’s slides here.
Jayne Ashley – Head of Natural Capital – South of Scotland Enterprise
Jayne Ashley has been a sustainability practitioner for over 30 years, advising, facilitating and mentoring communities and the private and public sectors, from the local to the European level. Jayne is Head of Natural Capital at South of Scotland Enterprise, helping to maximise the region’s natural assets through forging new partnerships and influencing strategies and projects, across the region and beyond.
View Jayne’s slides here.
Dr Martin Valenti – Director of Net Zero – South of Scotland Enterprise
Dr Valenti is an award-winning sustainability practitioner and serial disruptor, with extensive experience of strategic business engagement and innovation. For over 30 years he has worked in a variety of senior management roles shaping and delivering inclusive growth initiatives and directing major collaborative projects. He joined South of Scotland Enterprise in July 2021 as Director of NetZero, and is leading the economic and community development agency’s efforts to help the region to just transition to a NetZero economy.
View Martin’s slides here.
Ewan Doyle – Workforce Mobility Manager – Edinburgh & South East Scotland City Region Deal
Ewan is currently seconded from Scottish Borders Council into the Edinburgh & South East Scotland City Region Deal, to deliver the Workforce Mobility Project. The project is looking to identify and help deliver long term solutions to transport related barriers to employment, training and education. The main opportunity and focus of the project is to support partners accessing quality data and provide them the tools and capabilities to analysis the data effectively to inform decision making for transport, spatial planning and economic development.
View Ewan’s slides here.
Jenni Craig – Director of Neighbourhood Services – Scottish Borders Council
Jenni Craig is currently Director of Resilient Communities at Scottish Borders Council, a position held since 2021, with responsibility for a number of services including economic development and communities & partnerships. Prior to this she has held a number of strategic and operational posts within the Council covering a range of services, all with a particular focus on customer and communities. She has over 30 years of experience working in local government. A native and resident of the Scottish Borders she is passionate about the region, its people and reducing inequalities.
View Jenni’s slides here.
Hawick Town Team
Hawick Town Team is the team of people to bring the town’s ideas for the future to life! They will be represented by Keith Johnson, Gordon Muir and Ruth Lyle.
The Town Team have produced a graphic to show the extent of their work with community groups, this can be seen here.
Irene Beautyman – Place & Wellbeing Partnership Lead – Improvement Service & Public Health Scotland
Irene works between Public Health Scotland and the Improvement Service on their shared ambition for public health and local government to collaborate around Place. Irene was instrumental in establishing a consistent and comprehensive set of features that, if we get right in a place, enable those using them to thrive. These are called Scotland’s Place and Wellbeing Outcomes. Irene was the 2020 Convenor of the Royal Town Planning Institute in Scotland and recently became a Fellow. She is an Honorary Research Fellow at Heriot Watt University and sits on the Board of Paths for All, a Scottish charity that seeks to change the way people move, travel and enjoy life.
View Irene’s slides here.
Gordon Thomson – Planning Director – Lichfields
Gordon Thomson is a Planning Director in Lichfields’ Edinburgh office. He has worked in planning in Scotland for over 20 years, in both local government and consultancy, in that time working with and consulting communities to achieve positive and sustainable outcomes. Gordon is currently managing a number of large energy, tourism and residential projects across Scotland. Since the adoption of NPF4, the themes of community wealth building and community benefits are increasingly arising in the promotion of these projects.
View Gordon’s slides here.
HOPS 