NHSN is grateful to our Trustees, who share their time and considerable expertise to oversee the strategic direction of NHSN.

Dr Gordon Port

Chair

A retired lecturer from Newcastle University, Gordon is NHSN’s Invertebrate Specialist Group coordinator, leading popular invertebrate events and bringing expertise to reserve open days. Gordon also plays an active role in supporting NHSN’s citizen science schemes and was a contributing author of Bumblebees of North East England. His interests include general natural history and entomology, with a specialist interest in Hemiptera.

Dr Annie Tindley

Vice-Chair

An academic at Newcastle University, Annie is Head of the School of History, Classics and Archaeology and Professor of British and Irish Rural History. She is experienced in leadership and strategic direction, including consortium directorship of the AHRC Northern Bridge Consortium. She is also Honorary Advisor on land management plans for National Trust Scotland and runs archival and publication masterclasses for the Scottish History Society. Using the NHSN Library and Archive, Annie has carried out research on John Hancock and his taxidermy.

Rob Carr

Working for the Environment Agency throughout the North East and more specifically in the Tyne catchment, Rob coordinates partnerships to come together to develop and deliver environmental projects for the benefit of people and wildlife. He works with many partners, including NHSN, to develop and find funding for projects. He is a member of the Durham Wildlife Trust and sits on their Conservation Committee. Rob also sits on the Newcastle Blue-Green Cities Learning and Action Alliance and acts as a task force member of the University of Durham NATURVAION project.

Lisa Gill

Lisa currently works at the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, as a Peatland Support Officer. She is a recent graduate from Newcastle University, having studied an MSc in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. During her time as a student, Lisa wrote an article for the NHSN and delivered an 1829 Talk on her dissertation research project, analysing the effects of cattle grazing in semi-ancient wood pasture in Kielder Forest.

Sammy Mason

Sammy currently works for the British Ecological Society. She works on the citizen science project MammalWeb which aims to engage people of all ages and backgrounds in mammal monitoring with camera traps. She is passionate about engaging children and young people with nature and has worked with thousands of students across North East England on various different projects. Sammy has delivered multiple talks for NHSN and has been involved in open days at Gosforth Nature Reserve as well as bringing students to visit the reserve.

Dr Rinke Vinkenoog

Rinke works at Northumbria University as the Programme Leader for MSc Biotechnology. Rinke is a STEM ambassador and active in public outreach, working with schools, societies and groups to encourage outdoor learning and engage with natural history. Over the years, he has presented his research at NHSN’s talks, supported NHSN’s public outreach work and is a contributing author of Bumblebees of North East England.

Dr Yulia Dzenkovska

Yulia is a Lecturer in Marketing at Newcastle University Business School, and a social entrepreneur. She brings over a decade of experience in marketing and customer experience management to the NHSN board. Yulia is dedicated to co-creation with the audiences using design thinking approach, as well as sustainable improvement of relationship between people and their environments.

Irena Peel

A chartered accountant, Irena currently works at a local mental health charity after a career in various finance leadership roles across different industries. She is passionate about nature and enjoys walking in Northumberland with her family.

Neil Emery

A seasoned leader and manager, Neil has a 24-year career in the British Military, serving in numerous global operations. Post-military, he transformed teams at Your Homes Newcastle and Virgin Money into market leaders. In 2020, Neil joined NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) to spearhead transformation initiatives. He is the founder and chair of the NHSBSA Armed Forces Network and serves on the NHSBSA’s Shadow Board. At weekends, Neil finds tranquillity and challenge in the mountains with his dogs. His extensive time living in nature during his military service has instilled a deep appreciation for the outdoors. As a trustee, Neil aims to inspire the younger generation to embrace and connect with nature, promoting well-being.

Andrew Sinclair

Andrew works for Womble Bond Dickinson as a Chartered Legal Executive in their construction and engineering team. At Womble Bond Dickinson, Andrew has worked for various central and local government clients as well as educational providers, and also advises a range of commercial clients on construction related matters. A member of NHSN since 2020, he has broad interests in design, culture, the natural world and heritage, and enjoys all aspects of photography.

Andy Hedman

Individual to observe Board as possible trustee in future

Andy has keen interest in conservation and ecology. During his time in the North East, he has developed a particular interest in protecting our peatlands and coastlines. Andy has volunteered with NHSN at the Gosforth Nature Reserve and been involved in practical works in his local village, including restoring and creating new hedgerows, planting wildflower meadows and trees for our local community woodland. With a long career in IT and a recently completed MSc in Conservation and Ecosystem Management, Andy is eager to integrate his skills and knowledge from both fields. He is especially interested in applying machine learning and data modelling to aid in addressing ecological challenges and advance conservation efforts.

More information

Meet our Trustees ›
Founded in 1829 by a small group of passionate, North East naturalists, NHSN has a rich history dating back over…
Meet our Trustees ›
NHSN is a voluntary organisation run by its membership. With your support, volunteers make a difference for nature, from the…