Meet the team
John
Associate
John is a producer and consultant working across the arts, heritage and environmental sectors. With a background in senior leadership in museums and galleries, he has led creative programmes focused on inclusion and access. He also co-owns an ancient woodland in Northumberland and is Co-founder and Chair of Chopwell Regeneration, a resident-led charity working to address social inequality.
Doug
Operations Manager (Forestry)
With a background in forestry, engineering and project management, Doug has worked across a range of private and estate woodlands, with experience in woodland management, forestry operations and working with landowners and stakeholders. At Raise, he leads the management and delivery of forestry operations and is developing forestry services to support long-term sustainability.
Gary
Associate
Before joining Raise, Gary worked in the private forest management sector across South Scotland and North England, with experience in commercial and mixed estates, woodland creation and the long-term management of productive woodlands. He studied Woodland Ecology and Conservation at the National School of Forestry in Ambleside and is pleased to be back in Cumbria, where his passion for woodlands began.
James
Director
Before joining Raise, James spent 28 years working across theatre and the third sector, moving to the Lake District in 1999 to join the newly opened Theatre by the Lake in Keswick, where he became Chief Executive. A Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, he has expertise in leading people, programmes and organisations through periods of change. James is Autistic and has ADHD, and is a passionate advocate for neurodivergent communities.
Zoe
Community Forester
Zoe grew up in North Cumbria before spending ten years in Glasgow, where she became involved in arts, culture and community-focused projects. She went on to study Agroforestry at Bangor University, developing a strong interest in the connections between people, trees, farming and sustainability. Her background in Communication Design and creative work informs her approach to engaging people and bringing ideas to life.
Nathan
Community Forester
Nathan joined Raise after completing a degree in Woodland Ecology and Conservation at the University of Cumbria. He is passionate about woodland creation and the role trees can play in supporting communities, improving access to nature, and delivering environmental and economic benefits. His work focuses on creating woodlands that bring lasting value for people and the environment.
Andy
Community Forester
Andy has worked in a wide range of forestry roles from the west coast of Scotland to North Devon, including commercial forestry, ancient woodland restoration, timber harvesting and woodland creation design. He has a particular interest in nature connection, philosophical and critical interpretations of the environment, and how these inform woodland creation as a creative and relational process.
Kathryn
Apprentice Community Forester
With a degree in Psychology, Kathryn previously worked in HR before moving into practical conservation and community engagement through volunteering. She joined Raise as an apprentice, where she is developing her knowledge of forestry and woodland creation while supporting the team to expand access and opportunities for communities to connect with green spaces.
Lauren
Marketing & Communications Manager
With a degree in Graphic Communications, Lauren has more than a decade of experience in communications across non-profits, start-ups and digital agencies, spending much of her career in British Columbia. She brings a strong creative and strategic approach to her work, with a particular interest in making information clear, engaging and accessible.