Meet the team

Dom is an experienced fundraising and partnerships specialist. He is passionate about the transformational power of partnerships and has worked for leading international development, conservation and climate charities. He loves to walk and wild camp in the forests of South West France. 

Favourite tree:
Maritime pine

Ashling is a seasoned fundraising specialist with a passion for building meaningful, mission-driven partnerships. With a strong commitment to gender equity and socially progressive initiatives, she is dedicated to exploring ways to protect our planet while advancing equality. Ashling enjoys being amongst nature and exploring mountains. 

Favourite tree:
Douglas fir

Max has worked in conservation and in human rights, for local and international charities. He is energised by the pursuit of social and environmental justice and has experience in campaigning, casework, fundraising and nature surveys. He participates in citizen science within the community and enjoys exploring the green outdoors. 

Favourite tree:
Common oak

Favourite tree:
Mukau

Samuel has over 5 years’ experience working with coffee communities and farmers across Uganda’s Rwenzori mountains and beyond, drawing on his education and qualifications in project management. Samuel has one of the largest coffee model farms in the Rwenzori region and enjoys training coffee farmers in good agronomic practices.  

Favourite tree:
Flat top acacia

Paul is a trained environmentalist and project manager, with over 16 years’ experience managing conservation, climate change and community empowerment programmes.  He loves nature and is very passionate about working with grassroot communities in developing local solutions to environmental and social-economic challenges.  

Favourite tree:
Mugumo

Samuel is experienced in environmental conservation projects, offering forest extension services and monitoring and evaluation. He has a passion for community-led conservation projects, training farmers and schoolchildren in afforestation, climate change and conservation. 

Favourite tree:
Bird plum

Favourite tree:
Walnut

Lara has a strong background in supporting NGOs, with expertise in partnership management, strategic planning, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement. She has successfully secured and managed six-figure funding commitments. Lara also works as a consultant for the World Bank, contributing to various development projects. She loves hiking and swimming!  

Favourite tree: 
Olive 

Esther has 10 years’ experience of working across fundraising, marketing and communications in both social care and international aid charities. She is particularly interested in how trees provoke a sense of awe, and the way in which nature is integral to our mental health.  

Favourite tree:
Jacaranda

Ian has over twenty years’ experience in finance and administration management across both UK and international charities, working in the housing, health and now environmental sectors. He has always had a love of trees, inspired by a family member who planted many pines on the Black Isle in Scotland many years ago – hence his favourite tree! 

Favourite tree:
Scots pine

Kayte has a background working in financial services in the city as well as establishing a sales consultancy business in the Cotswolds. She is fascinated by the social life of trees, how they communicate, nurture one another and even have memories. 

Favourite tree:
English elm

Stephen is an assessment consultant and management trainer with extensive experience in education and accreditation. During his career, he has been an NGO representative at the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea, an education expert working at Oxford and Cambridge and the Chief Executive of multiple organisations, including the British Accreditation Council.  

Favourite tree:
Olive 

Kate is Professor of Environment and Development and is currently the Head of the Geography Department at King’s College London. She has 30 years’ experience in research, policy and fieldwork related to community management of trees and forests.  

 Kate previously worked for the German Sahelian Programme, UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme, the World Forestry Institute and Overseas Development Institute.

Favourite tree:
Apple 

Jon is an author and Hon. Professor of Birmingham University’s Institute of Forest Research. His career has been in the public understanding of science, from being a documentary director and producer for the BBC, to being a Trustee of the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Eden Project, the Cambridge Science Centre, and the Raspberry Pi Foundation – a computer literacy project with links to East Africa. 

Favourite tree:
Cedar of Lebanon

Tom is a Chartered Accountant and Impact Investment Fund Manager, with a wealth of experience in African forestry and agriculture-related businesses. After spells living and working in Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Uganda, Tom returned to the UK to lead the FCDO Impact Programme and now holds several advisory and board positions in organisations committed to positive impact in sub-Saharan Africa.  

Favourite tree:
Baobab

An economist by training, Christine served as a diplomat for nearly 30 years, both at home and overseas. She spent 10 years as Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications for a Swiss company providing technology to governments worldwide to combat fraud. She has also led business CSR initiatives, including policies to achieve net zero.  

Favourite tree:
Horse chestnut 

Rachel is a committed climate policy enthusiast, sustainable development professional and the Managing Director of Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa.  She is interested in creating positive change for local communities, promoting sustainable livelihoods and advocating for multi-stakeholder engagements.  

Favourite tree:
Acacia

Josiah is an experienced IT professional and entrepreneur with a long list of voluntary contributions, from serving as a school governor to working on building capacity in education. Previously Josiah served in the British Armed Forces for 7 years, experiencing a great deal of field training. His love for the environment started as a young child in rural and urban Kenya.  

Favourite tree:
Mugumo

Miriam is a consultant in financial services, with over 20 years’ experience in governance, risk and compliance across Europe, America and Africa. Miriam grew up in the Kenyan highlands, where her interest in trees began. She holds an advisory role for a water management and conservation project in her home county.  

Favourite tree:
African tulip

Favourite tree:
Dawn redwood

For over 20 years, Ben has worked in Human Resources for large businesses, including Sainsbury’s, Sky, Amazon and Sony Music. He also has vast experience across retail, telecoms, TV, media and advertising. Today, Ben partners with an international business working in over thirty countries across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. He holds a BSc in Biology and is passionate about both the environment and people development. 

Favourite tree:
Baobab

Favourite tree – Brazilwood

Favourite tree:
Greenheart