Meet the REP members

• First elected as a Councillor for Annandale North in 2007. 
• Spokesperson - Environment & Economy for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. 
• Spokesperson - UN Sustainable Development Goals & Agenda 2030 for the Council of European Municipalities and Regions.  
• Lives and farms near Lockerbie with her Husband, grown-up family and Cocker Spaniel, Bailey. 
• Truly passionate about our Region.  

• Originally from Ireland, brought up in the Scottish Borders before going to university 
• Employed in the IT sector in Edinburgh then moved to Dumfries and Galloway to work for a local web-design company before starting own web business. Been here with family ever since 
• First elected as a Councillor for Annandale North in 2012, and served ever since. 

BIO TO FOLLOW

• Sole Lib Dem Councillor in Dumfries and Galloway Council 
• Involved in local government representation since 1981 
• Teacher, founder of the five star Devil's Porridge Museum and heavily involved in the regeneration of Annan Harbour. 

• Hands on business experience in pharmaceuticals, and textiles industry. 
• Business Development and Investment Banking 
• Various oversight and review roles in the financial sector and HM Treasury 
• OBE for promotion of Scottish Industry 
• Numerous advisory roles with public, third sector and charitable sector. 

• Tourism and Hospitality Industry (GG's Yard / Laggan Outdoor Activity Centre) 
• Passionate about the South of Scotland. 
• Previously worked in the Television and Media Industry. 

• Responsibilities for farming, forestry, rural diversification, native woodland creation and long-term property management.
• Set up and runs a holiday let business and created a holiday lodge park on the Estate. 
• Previously established and ran a property management firm in Edinburgh. 
• Over ten years' experience in global publishing firms in London, running the global print marketing arm for The Economist Intelligence Unit, a division of The Economist Group. 
• Has a BA Hons degree in French with Accounting from Newcastle University. 

• Farmer in southwest Scotland.  Alongside his brother, they farm 1100 dairy cows and 200 sows.
• A trained conflict mediator
• Founder of the Milk Suppliers Association
• Vice Chair of Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS) Scotland
• Food supply chain cooperation enabler and founder of the Fast Breeders genetics project.
• A strong believer that diversity in its widest sense is just a way of being.

• Councillor for five years, previously the Executive member for Wellness, Sport, and Culture.
• Passion for sport, improving lives, and helping create avenues and opportunities for people in the region, so they do not have to go elsewhere to excel. 

• Grew up on the family farm near Ancrum in the Scottish Borders. 
• Completed a Modern Apprenticeship and also studied with the SRUC. 
• Elected in 2017 to represent Jedburgh & District and held various positions and Chairmanships within the Council.
• Following re-election in May 2022, took on the position of Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Community and Business Development. 

• Former Chair of Scottish Borders Housing Association (SBHA)
• Retired, previously a career as a business journalist, and ran own financial and corporate relations consultancy for over 20 years. 

• Over 30 years' experience in hotel industry and Third Sector. 
• Passionate about making the Scottish Borders the best place to live, work, play and grow older.
• Owned by a mad greyhound/lurcher cross and two tubby cats. 

• Worked for almost 15 years as Chief Executive of the Scotland Malawi Partnership, with responsibility for the strategic development of the national network, engagement with stakeholders and policy advisors, supporting member interests, and external partnership working.   
• Previous roles include Services Manager, then Youth and Schools Manager, for the British Red Cross. 
• Based near Selkirk, and is passionate about helping drive sustainable tourism across the South of Scotland and making a positive difference to the region in which he lives.  

• Over 35 years experience in the public sector, with 19 of those at senior management level in Further Education. 
• Joined Borders College as Principal & CEO in September 2022, from North East Scotland College 
• Director of LIVE Borders and Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC).
• Former Director of Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges (EAUC) and Newbattle Abbey College.
• Led a number of award-winning low carbon and sustainability projects. 

• A former graduate of Dundee University, Joanna commenced her Tertiary Education career, spanning over 23 years, as a Lecturer in Computing before progressing into a number of senior management roles. 
• Joined Dumfries & Galloway College as Principal in June 2019 from City of Glasgow College, where she held the post of Vice Principal Student Experience.   
• Trustee on the JISC Board. 
• Member of the AI Alliance Leadership Circle. 

• Graduate of the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne  and Glasgow University with over 40 years of academic service. 
• Joined SRUC as Academic Director in 2017.  As Provost and Deputy Principal, responsible for all Research and Teaching within SRUC.   
• Grant holder and Deputy Director Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH). 
• Grant holder and SRUC lead on the Director Executive Committee (DEC) on the Scottish Government funded Strategic Research Programme for Agriculture, Environment and Food.  
• Research interests focused on the understanding and manipulation of gut ecosystems to improve animal productivity while reducing the environmental impact of animal husbandry.  
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and an Associate of the Royal Agricultural Society.

• Main interests in consumer affairs, equality issues, education and training, rural and environmental issues and the arts.  
• Actively involved in public service for 40 years including Chairmanship of the Scottish Consumer Council; Equal Opportunities Commissioner for Scotland; a Board member of SE and SNH and former Board of SOSEP.
• First woman Non-Exec Director of the Clydesdale Bank plc. and BP plc Scottish Advisory Committee. 

• Career started in clothing production engineering in the clothing industry as a Product Developer, engineering products for commercial manufacture. 
• Academic career spans 28 years. 
• Has championed a focus on education being informed by industry practice in all aspects of product development. 
• Research interest centres around size, shape and movement in products and the commercialisation of design. 
• Has held a number of posts within and out-with the University including work with the QAA, review panels, external examining, SQA advisory panels and has been a visiting lecturer in a number of international institutions. 

• A vastly experienced and highly respected housing leader, having worked in the sector since 1995.
• Overseeing the extensive new-build and development programme in the east, driving Wheatley Group’s customer engagement strategy, as well as leading on strategic areas in rent/income and void property management.
• Post Graduate Diploma in Housing Studies (with merit) from The University of Stirling and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.
• Appointed as Managing Director for Wheatley Homes South in March 2024.

• Leading SBHA since 2011.
• Over 30 years’ experience in housing, working in the public, private and community sectors.
• Held a range of senior leadership positions throughout her career, radically rethinking and transforming services with a focus on building resilience fit for the future.
• She is a housing representative on both the South of Scotland Regional Economic Partnership and the Borderlands Place Programme Board and a Board Director of the Wise Group, a UK-wide leading social enterprise working to lift people out of poverty.

• Passion for fair and rewarding rural policy which puts people and communities first, specifically agriculture's place in reaching Net Zero. 
• Dairy Farmer- Family business milking 400 cows on 300 hectares on two sites in the Machars. 
• Produce milk for Arla Foods as a Farmer Owner. 
• NFU Scotland Regional Chair & National Board Member. 
• Freelance columnist for Farmers Weekly. 

BIO TO FOLLOW

• Senior management experience in private sector / local government. 
• Lifelong involvement in third sector.
• Experience of chairing third sector boards at national / local level. 
• Member of International Standards Organisation Working Group on Risk Benefit Assessment in Recreation and Leisure. 
• International speaker on children, risk and play. 
• Board member, Portpatrick Community Development Trust, Stranraer Water Sports Association, Stranraer Millennium Centre Trust.
• Keen open water swimmer. 

• Keith Dickinson (Emiritus Professor) moved to East Berwickshire in 2007.   
• Chair of the recently formed Berwickshire Area Partnership - Place Making Group 
• Chair of Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund. 
• Chair of Gavinton, Fogo and Polwarth Community Council between 2013-2022. 
• Chartered Engineer with background in Higher Education, academic management, teaching and research. 
• Held senior positions with Universities and Higher Education providers in the UK and Overseas. 
• Has a lifelong interest in mountaineering and climbing.

• Native of Stranraer but now lives in Dumfries with his family. 
• Worked both in the third and public sector and previously managed a drug rehab centre near Kirkcudbright. Also worked for Alex Fergusson MSP, and as a councillor with Dumfries and Galloway Council. 
• Chief Executive Officer of Relationships Scotland Dumfries and Galloway, a charity offering family support, counselling, mediation, and child contact services, along with counselling for Carers. 
• In his spare time he enjoys walking the family dog, coffee, and listening to classical music 

• Experience in addressing the challenges faced by deprived communities and marginalised groups in Brazil and the United Kingdom, with roles in the private, public and the third sector.   
• Committed to social justice and equality, the diverse cross-sector experience resulted in a holistic approach to community development, with a experience in fostering corporate partnerships to build capacity and community empowerment. 
• Chair and Co-founder of Sea the Change, an environmental charity with a focus on S-E-A (sustainability, Education, Accessibility) 
• Has a BA in Pedagogy and a MSc in Applied Positive Psychology. 
• Volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officer and director for Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund 
• In her spare time, can be found by the sea, swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, dog walking, hiking, cycling or simply enjoying good food with family and friends.   

• 13 years of community activism in the Stewartry region of Dumfries and Galloway. 
• Previous Chair of Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway; current Chair of COGITS (Chief Officers Group in the Third Sector).
• In a previous life, 13 years' experience as an engineer and project manager in the oil industry, including two years working two weeks on/ two weeks off on a gas production platform. 
• First class degree in Engineering and Materials Science from Oxford University. 
• A fan of loch swimming, shoreside barbeques and the occasional gravel ride. 

• Strong interest in community capacity building and creating effective partnerships. 
• Experience in creating, growing and supporting innovative enterprises. 
• Experienced non-executive director across public, private and third sector.
• Qualified in permaculture design and has a strong interest in sustainable food growing, food insecurity and facilitating food system change. 

BIO to follow

• Joined VisitScotland in August 2021. 
• Over thirty years' experience in senior public sector and corporate leadership roles and has experience at a national and local level of a wide range of services and projects that involve economic development, tourism and environmental issues. 
• Prior to joining VisitScotland, worked at Scottish Borders Council for ten years latterly as Executive Director for Corporate Improvement & Economy. Led the Council's work on re-opening the Borders Railway and on agreeing two growth deals including the cross-border Borderlands Growth Deal.  
• Seconded to the Scottish Government from 2018 to 2020, and led the group of officials who worked on the South of Scotland Economic Partnership in advance of the Government launching South of Scotland Enterprise in April 2020. 

Bio to follow

• Over 27 years of experience working across the entirety of health and social care services including Acute Services, Community Services, Primary Care, Mental Health, Social Work and Social Care, Women and Children’s Services and a range of non-clinical support services. 
• Began her career in 1996 through the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme at NHS Lanarkshire, before becoming Commissioning Manager for Community Services with NHS Dumfries and Galloway in 1998 thereafter holding a range of strategic and operational management roles
• Previous roles include Chief Operating Officer of the NHS Board where she had the role of Senior Responsible Officer for the Design, Procurement and Delivery of the new Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.
• Formerly Chief Officer of the Integration Joint Board and the Health and Social Care Partnership, operating in strategic, tactical and operational environments building key relationships to develop and deliver strategic ambitions..  
• Appointed to the role of Chief Executive of NHS Dumfries and Galloway from 1 April 2024.

• Grew up in Dumfries and attended the University of Glasgow.
• Started NHS career in Dumfries & Galloway before moving to Edinburgh in the early 2000s.  Over 25 years' experience in healthcare finance. 
• Current chair of the Scottish Branch of the Healthcare Financial Managers' Association (HFMA) 
• Current duties include executive responsibility for the Board's Estates & Facilities.  
• Public sector representative on the board of South East Hub. 
• Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. 

• Takes the strategic lead in Historic Environment Scotland in areas on International Strategy, working with communities, and economic development.
• Coordinates Historic Environment Scotland's Growth Deal responses and strategic approaches to economic planning.
• Has over 30 years cultural heritage management experience  in the UK, East Mediterranean and Middle East.