The speaker biographies for the 2024 National Rural Conference 2024

Hywel Lloyd, Co Founder, Labour Coast and Country

Representing Labour Coast and Country, Hywel Lloyd brings extensive strategic insight into the complexity of public service delivery and the evolving role of local governance. He is committed to promoting sustainable local communities, with a focus on energy, land use, and local food systems.

Hywel has significant experience working with senior politicians and local government leaders, helping them navigate challenges and improve services for their communities. His expertise includes developing new models of local governance, notably through his work with the Local Government Association (LGA) in 2011, and supporting public authorities in areas such as children’s services, adult social care, and environmental sustainability.

At a national level, Hywel has worked on policies related to the built and natural environment, including energy, sustainability, waste management, and biodiversity. He is currently collaborating with local authorities on delivering local energy programmes, helping them achieve their sustainability goals.

Previously, Hywel was a Senior Fellow at the Office for Public Management (OPM) and served as a Policy Advisor to the Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP at the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) and the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Throughout his career, Hywel has consistently worked to strengthen local communities and public services, applying his broad policy expertise to drive positive change.

Kerry Booth, Chief Executive, Rural Services Network

Kerry is the Chief Executive of the Rural Services Network. 

She has been working with the Rural Service Network for almost ten years, honing her skills at representing rural service providers at a strategic level.  Kerry is highly motivated, strategic thinker with excellent communication skills, able to interact with a range of audiences in an engaging and persuasive manner. She has a successful track record of working in a political environment and excellent understanding of the challenges facing organisations delivering services in rural communities.

Prior to joining the RSN, Kerry worked for almost a decade in Local Government where she was part of the National Graduate Development Programme, completing her Post Graduate Diploma in Local Government Management at Warwick Business School. She then held a number of positions in a rural local authority with the last five years spent leading a joint Policy, Performance and Improvement Team across two shared rural local authorities.

Cllr Roger Phillips, Chairperson of Herefordshire Council and Chair of Rural Services Network

Roger is an experienced councillor holding office since 2011, he represents Herefordshire Council.   

He is a previous Leader of Herefordshire County Council and former chairman of the West Midlands Councils, Regional Transport Partnership and joint Strategy and Investment Board.

Councillor Phillips now sits on several outside bodies including County Councils Network, Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority, Local Government Association and Worcester Local Pension Board.

Katherine Lewis, National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) Research Engagement Manager, Royal Agricultural University

Katherine has led NICRE’s Framing Rural stakeholder research to develop and test framings of the rural economy that engage public and policy audiences. She has a background in communications, marketing and event management and has held roles at the Soil Association and Innovative Farmers, where she worked with farmers and researchers, helping them collaborate on finding new, environmentally-sound ways to farm.

Till Specht, Head of Funding Design & Strategy, MHCLG

Till is currently Head of Funding Design & Strategy at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. For the last three years he has worked on the design and launch of local growth funds, while also working on the government’s funding simplification agenda. Prior to this role, he spent his early career in operational roles delivering European and domestic funding schemes.

Sarah Slaven, Managing Director of Business Durham, Durham County Council

Sarah is Managing Director at Business Durham, the business support service for Durham County Council.  In addition to a range of business support programmes to enable business start-up and growth, Business Durham manages a portfolio of commercial office space, industrial units and NETPark, one of the UK’s premier science parks, and home to over 40 innovative businesses.

Sarah has over 32 years’ experience in economic development, business support and partnership working in County Durham, and was part of the management team that established Business Durham in 2012.  She held the post of Operations Director until taking on her current position as Managing Director, and was instrumental in leading the establishment of the Finance Durham Fund and securing over £18m of ERDF funding and most recently £11m of UKSPF funding. 

Sarah is a Director of Engineering and Manufacturing Network (EMN) and serves on the Board of the County Durham Economic Partnership.

Martin Collett, Chief Executive, English Rural

Martin is the Chief Executive of English Rural Housing Association and has been working in the rural housing sector for around 20 years.  He is a Corporate Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing, graduate of the University of London and former Chair of the Rural Housing Alliance.  Martin is also a Trustee of the rural community business charity the Plunkett Foundation and is the current Chair of the Governance and Nominations Committee.  He is also a Trustee of the LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity the Albert Kennedy Trust.  Martin joined the Executive in 2019 as an affordable housing specialist.

Fergus O'Dowd, Senior Planning Adviser, Planning Policy, Department for Transport, Department for Transport (DfT)

Fergus is a Senior Policy Adviser in the Planning Division at the Department for Transport. His work focuses on planning reform and the development of the Connectivity Tool, including user testing with local authorities and across central government. Fergus has recently presented papers at the European Transport Conference and the Transport Practitioners Meeting. He previously worked in infrastructure planning in the Department, managing applications for Development Consent Orders and Transport and Works Act orders.

Nicky Debbage, Housing Strategy and Delivery Manager, North Norfolk District Council

Following on from a housing degree, I have worked in social housing for over 35 years. I have worked in both landlord (Housing Revenue Account) and strategic sides of housing and for large metropolitan and small rural organisations. I have worked at NNDC for the last seven years, five of those as the Housing Strategy & Delivery Manager trying to find solutions to the many housing challenges in North Norfolk.

Anna Clarke, Community Housing Enabler, North Norfolk District Council

Anna has over 35 years’ experience working for Housing Associations and Local Authorities, mainly in inner and outer London organisations within Tenancy Management Services. She has worked for North Norfolk District Council as a Community Housing Enabler for the past 7 years. Whilst in a beautiful part of the country, the district suffers from a chronic shortage of affordable housing. Much of Anna’s role is working to address the balance for local communities through enabling Rural Exception Housing Sites and navigating the various challenges this brings.

Nick Khan, Strategic Director, East Suffolk Council

Nick is a Strategic Director at East Suffolk Council, responsible for strategic leadership in the areas of Planning and Coastal Management, Communities and Environmental Health.  He was responsible for leading the complex merger of two councils to create East Suffolk Council, the largest district council by population and geography.  In contrast, Nick also worked at director level at one of the smallest councils, Rochford District Council, as well as holding roles in the private sector. 

Nick has a broad range of experience and adopts a transformative approach that brings fresh thinking, energy and enthusiasm.  He represents the Council on a number of key groups including Suffolk’s Corporate Parenting Board and Coastal Partnership East. 

Nick also plays an integral role in future proofing the Council for the fourth industrial revolution via evidence-based working/predictive analytics and the creation of in-house data analytics and insight capacity.  He has also developed ‘smart towns’ and digital care technology programmes, securing East Suffolk as a key player in the early intervention space.

Nick lives in Framlingham with his wife and two children and has a passion for communities and was fundamental in the development of the Council’s innovative community partnership model, shaping the direction of our work in the community based on a data and early intervention approach

Alex Heys, Community projects, digital marketing and safeguarding manager, East Suffolk Council

After 25 years leading marketing and comms teams in energy, telecoms and technology, now working in the public sector, focusing on designing and optimising initiatives to tackle inequalities.

Vicky Hicks, Head of Engagement, Digital Voice Programme, BT

Vicky has spent 20 years across the public and private sector, leading large operational teams to meet customer needs. After 13 years at the MoD leading IT Support teams, Vicky moved to the private sector to become the Head of IT Service Operations within BT Security. Here she delivered a transformation programme with a focus on people, technology and process which resulted in a TechWomen100 nomination.

An inclusive and trusted leader, who people depend on to get the job done in the most effective way, Vicky is now the Senior Manager on BT's Digital Voice programme, ensuring everyone in the UK is aware of the digital switchover and what it means for users of the landline. She is also Chair of BT Group’s Gender Equality Network.

Richard Potts, Chief Adviser for Business and Farm Management, NFU (National Farmers' Union)

I am the NFU Chief Adviser for Business and Farm Management where the team and I cover a wide portfolio of cross sectoral  issues including digital, the rural economy, employment, health and safety and productivity grants. Prior to joining the NFU I worked for 6 years at Defra where I worked on trade related issues and environmental schemes. Before joining Defra I worked for the NFU as a policy adviser in the Brussels office and prior to that in the North East region as a County Adviser.

Elizabeth Anderson, Chief Executive, Digital Poverty Alliance

Elizabeth Anderson is CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, which aims to end digital poverty in the UK once and for all by 2030. Leading the DPA programmatic and operational team, she focusses across advocacy, community building and delivery work, talking to schools, industry partners, government leads, local authorities and other charities. Elizabeth’s career has been focussed almost exclusively in the non profit sector, working in areas including education, disadvantage and healthcare, focussing on strategic development, governance and stakeholder engagement to create social change. Outside work, she holds charity Trusteeships focusing on heritage and animal welfare, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She lives in Kent, and enjoys travel, dance and gardening.

Neil Harrison, Director, Reheat

Neil co-founded Reheat in 2011 and has been at the forefront of the UK’s renewable heat sector for 20 years.  Neil has specialised in the development and deployment of biomass heating, particularly where the benefits are not just lower carbon emissions and bills, but also where economic and environmental benefits are realised in the rural economy.  After completing an MSc in Rural Resource Management at Newcastle University in 1998, Neil worked in nature and science communication for the Peak District National Park and SNH (now Nature Scot) before moving to manage a forest industry extension programme in north east England.  Since then, he’s worked for private sector organisations and government bodies across the UK and internationally, and for supranational bodies such as the EU, UNDP and Danish Refugee Council.  Neil is a passionate advocate for community energy and the role that biomass can play in decarbonisation of our energy system.

Simon Anthony, Head of Environmental Services for Cotswolds District Council, Forest of Dean District Council and West Oxfordshire District Council

Simon is a Chartered Waste Manager with over 15 years in the waste service. Simon is Head of Service for Waste Collection, Street Cleansing and Grounds maintenance services across three district councils’; Cotswold, Forest of Dean and West Oxfordshire delivering services to over 170,000 properties. The three councils are high performing and regularly achieve over 55% recycling rate and appear in the top 20 performing English local authorities. Simon has recently delivered over £1.2M of savings across the three councils following an extensive round reorganisation in Cotswold and letting a valuable recycling contract in West Oxfordshire. The councils have begun their transition to alternative fuel vehicles and have already deployed a number of fully electric collection vehicles.

Gareth Field, Senior Sustainability Consultant, Turner & Townsend, RISE

Gareth is based in Cumbria and is an experienced project professional with experience in a wide range of organisations including Housing, Sustainability, Energy advice and Development. Gareth joined Turner & Townsend in July 2024 from South lakes Housing where he was the Sustainability manager. In this role he was managing the social housing decarbonisation funded programme of retrofit to 900 homes alongside setting the journey to net zero for the organisation.

Gareth worked for Cumbria Action for Sustainability as the Cold to Cosy homes project manager. Delivering an energy advice service to residents in or at risk of fuel poverty across Cumbria. He managed a team of energy advisors delivering community-based energy advice to a wide range of residents in Cumbria.

During his time at Turner & Townsend, Gareth is working on the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) contracts delivering technical support and advise to housing associations.

Johnathan Owen, Chief Executive, The National Association of Local Councils (NALC)

Jonathan Owen became chief executive of the National Association of Local Councils in 2014. He is committed to raising the profile of parish and town councils and giving them a strong voice on the national stage. His interest in local government began with his doctorate studies at Bristol University. His previous experience includes ten years of national public affairs lobbying the government and parliament, fifteen years at the board level with a prominent London Borough, English district and as head of policy at an award-winning county council. He has experience in corporate and frontline service delivery, including leading improvement programmes and delivering savings.

Cllr Ian Bark, Leader of Bridport Town Council, The National Association of Local Councils (NALC)

Cllr Bark grew up on a farm and then spent his working life almost 50/50 between education and the business world.   On retirement he was a Parish Councillor for Bothenhampton and Walditch, Chaired the Greater Bridport Neighbourhood Plan Joint Committee, is currently a Trustee at the Bridport Food Bank, Bridport Youth and Community Centre Bridport Charities, and Citizens Advice, and has been a long term member of the Bridport Community Orchard Management Team.

Having spent time as a Bridport Town Councillor and Mayor he is now the Leader of the expanded council.  Councillor Bark spearheaded the Plastic Free Bridport campaign, established the Bridport Litter Free Street Champions, the From Street to Sea twice yearly mass litter picks and the annual reclaim the streets cycle ride through the town. I have also taken an active role in supporting a number of climate/sustainability groups including Food Matters and Sustainable Bridport.

Rural Statistics Team, DEFRA

From left to right: Beth Kerwin, Stephen Hall, Martin Fowell, Sarah Harriss (click image to enlarge)

Team leader: Stephen Hall

Stephen has led the rural statistics team within Defra’s rural policy division for almost 12 years. Current areas of work include the Statistical Digest of Rural England, the Rural Urban Classification, Indices of Deprivation, and the Rural England Prosperity Fund. His earlier roles have covered environmental and sustainable development indicators (including as an expert on EU/OECD/UN projects); planning and land use statistics; and local government finance. Stephen is founder music director of the Civil Service Choir.

Nadine Trout, Assistant Chief Executive, The Rural Services Network

Nadine is the Assistant Chief Executive for the Rural Services Network. She has over 20 years’ management experience working with rural communities in the voluntary sector and local government both in the UK and overseas. She has led a number of award winning council services including tourism and marketing; economic development; locality working; and commissioning. She has also held directorships for destination management and community land trust companies. She now provides support to the Rural Service Network’s wide and varied national membership and is passionate about providing valued services to members and campaigning for a fair deal for rural communities.

Donna Chapman, Development Manager, NHS Cornwall & Isles of Scilly

With a 37 year career in the NHS in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (IoS) Donna is currently the development manager for one of three integrated care areas in Cornwall and IoS. She is employed by the NHS Cornwall and IoS integrated care board (ICB) and is deployed to work across one integrated care area as an enabler, bridge, coach and facilitator that drives to build stronger relationships with all of the health, care and community partners. Rebuilding the relationships, sensible ways of working and a focus on what is right for the ‘person’ being treated/supported. This has been lost over the past decade or more due to the national health legislation that split the system into a provider versus commissioner.  Donna has spent all of her NHS career working with general practice, initially in admin role and since 2000 in a management role. She has also led on many successful developments across Cornwall and IoS in her career and these include the development of an acute GP service and the Cornwall based referral management service.  She is currently leading on a county wide development that is aimed at reducing inequalities for those living in the most deprived areas of Cornwall and IoS.

Matt Harris, Clinical Senior Lecturer in Public Health, Imperial College London

Matthew Harris is a Clinical Senior Lecturer in Public Health Medicine, Theme Lead for Innovation and Evaluation, and Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes at Imperial College London’s School of Public Health.  He is an NHS Consultant in Public Health Medicine at Imperial College NHS Trust.  With a background working in Brazil as a GP, Ethiopia with the WHO, and Mozambique as an HIV advisor, his research has focussed on translating frugal healthcare solutions from low-income contexts to the NHS.  Author of “Decolonizing Healthcare Innovation: low-cost solutions from low-income countries” (Routledge 2023), co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of Healthcare Innovation (OUP, 2024) and 150 peer reviewed publications, he has advocated for, researched and led the translation of the Brazilian CHWW role into the UK since 2010.

Mark Gussy, Global Professor in Rural Health and Social Care, University of Lincoln

As Global Professor in Rural Health and Social Care, Professor Mark Gussy's academic career has been characterised by a pursuit for equity in health care, particularly in rural and coastal communities. With a strong foundation in oral health and a diverse academic background, Mark has embarked on a mission to unravel the complexities of health disparities experienced by vulnerable and marginalised communities, carving a path as a leading figure in the field of rural health and social care. His academic career is underscored by an extensive record of research contributions including over 140 peer-reviewed publications and more than 3,000 citations. Mark has secured millions of pounds of research funding, and spearheaded numerous ground-breaking studies, spanning complex intervention trials, longitudinal cohort analyses, and innovative qualitative methodologies. As Director for the Lincoln Institute for Rural and Coastal Health (LIRCH) which has been awarded £10.9 million from Research England, Mark is a leading figure in the field of rural health and continues to inspire transformative change, bridging the gap between research, practice, and policy to create a healthier, more equitable world for all. His dedication to improving health outcomes for the most vulnerable populations remains a driving force behind his extensive and impactful career.

Caron Whaley, Director of Services, RABI

As Director of Services at RABI, I am proud to be part of a professional team that is passionate about making a difference in the lives of farming people. Having initially qualified and worked as a Civil Engineer and Project Manager on large-scale, international infrastructure projects, I retrained in Industrial Psychology before moving into the third sector, specialising in Service Delivery. Due to this, I have a wealth of experience in delivering holistic support solutions to diverse clients across geographical boundaries. In addition, as a farmer’s daughter, I have a personal connection to the agricultural community and an understanding of the challenges they face.

Dr Tom Jarvis, Senior Evidence and Analysis Officer, Transport for the North

Dr Tom Jarvis leads Transport for the North’s research and strategy on transport and social exclusion. This spans the causes, consequences, and solutions to transport inequalities in the UK. He has previously worked across a number of fields connected to poverty, inequality, and social justice, including community integration, corruption during armed conflict, and homelessness.

Richard Stevens, Managing Director, Plymouth Citybus

Richard Stevens MBE DL FCILT became Managing Director of Plymouth Citybus in May 2012. Citybus and Go Cornwall bus serve over 18 million passengers each year, making them one of the largest public transport providers in the region. Employing 950 people and operating a fleet of 350 buses, Richard brings over thirty years of experience in the bus industry, starting as a bus driver in Cornwall in 1989.

He currently chairs the Devon & Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, the Plymouth Area Business Council, and the Plymouth Growth Board. Richard also chairs Destination Plymouth, the city's destination management company, and serves as a director of the National Marine Park. He actively promotes businesses across Cornwall and Devon, ensuring their voices are heard. Last year, Richard was awarded an MBE in the 2023 New Years Honours list, something that Richard is immensely proud of.

In education, Richard chairs the Governors for City College Plymouth and All Saints Secondary School, striving for a bright future through quality education and diverse job opportunities. He also chairs the Mount Batten Water Park Centre.

Proud of his West Country heritage, Richard serves as one of the King’s Deputy Lieutenants, residing and working across Devon & Cornwall. In his spare time, he enjoys sailing, rugby, and being a grandfather.

Richard was awarded an MBE in the 2023 New Years Honours list, something that Richard is immensely proud of.

Dr Stephen Goss, Policy Research Manager, Campaign for Better Transport

Experience
Stephen has over a decade of experience in research and analysis in academia, politics and public policy at the local, devolved and national levels. He has also managed successive parliamentary, Northern Ireland Assembly and council election campaigns. A published historian, Stephen has previously worked on science policy and Net Zero at the Royal Society, local authority social care, and developed transport policy in Northern Ireland.

Why I work for Campaign for Better Transport:
As a keen cyclist and life-long railway enthusiast, with a strong belief in the importance of affordable, integrated and green public transport, I jumped at the opportunity to use my skills and experience to help reshape our public transport for the better.