Members of the Mountaineering Scotland board work on a voluntary basis to support the Mountaineering Scotland staff and CEO. They are required to stand for election annually at the Annual General Meeting. Each director may serve for a four year term of office, plus an additional two years if agreed.
The composition of the board following the 2023 AGM is:
Elected as President in 2023
I am London born but have spent most of my adult life in Plymouth and Aviemore. I grew up walking on the South Downs, Dartmoor and Exmoor and following a move to Devon in 1987, spent a great deal of time exploring Dartmoor on foot and on horseback.
Before my retirement I was a Clinical Nurse Manager in the NHS, I also hold a Masters Degree in Management. I have been a member of The Munro Society since 2005, holding the posts of Secretary and President. I am also a Trustee of the Mill Cottage Fund (SCIO).
I fell in love with the mountains during a trip to Scotland in 1998 and I had no idea then, how hillwalking would shape my life over the next 25 years. My appreciation for the hills blossomed in my mid 30s and I discovered a passion for the mountains which has since taken me to some extremely remote and challenging places. Following a move to Aviemore in 2008, hillwalking has kept me physically and mentally strong and I have developed a deep connection with the landscape and the natural environment. I have completed five rounds of Munros and in September 2023 I became the first woman to complete two SMC Full Houses (the completion of two rounds of Munros, Munro Tops, Corbetts, Grahams, Donalds and Furths).
Using my own personal experience, I would like to show that women of any age and athletic ability should not be deterred from accessing the hills. I am keen to encourage women of all ages to safely explore and enjoy the Scottish mountains by advocating that the hills are a place to be shared by all. I look at the days spent on the hills as time well spent; time that has improved my confidence and wellbeing. I am at my happiest when out in the wilds and immersing myself in the freedom of the landscape.
I believe that my passion and enthusiasm for the Scottish hills and my extensive hill walking experience will be beneficial to Mountaineering Scotland.
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Elected 2020
I am London-born, grew up in Australia and have lived in Scotland since 2010. I did a lot of bush-walking and camping with my family and friends in Australia and I have also hiked in New Zealand, Guatemala, Switzerland and Iceland. Moving to Scotland allowed me to exchange bush-walking for Munro-bagging and hill walking which has taken me to all parts of Scotland. I also have particular personal interests in mental health and equality issues.
I am a qualified lawyer and company secretary. I also have a Masters degree in Ethics and Professional Conduct. The skills I use in my professional life hopefully enable me to fulfil the role of Director of Governance, HR and Equalities for Mountaineering Scotland. However, my work life does not give me the pure joy that being in the outdoors does. Standing on a hill, freezing in a burn, reading an OS map, books about Scotland/hiking or simply discussing the Scottish hills and outdoors is what really fires my passion. I am delighted to be part of an organisation where protecting and encouraging access to the outdoors is its reason for being.
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Chairs the Finance Advisory Group
Professionally I have spent recent years in senior management roles in large international oil and gas contractors. I hold an MBA and accreditation to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and have a solid background in management, leadership and strategic decision making.
I have been an active member of Mountaineering Scotland for many years. I spend my leisure time hiking, scrambling, climbing and ski touring in the Scottish mountains as well as further afield in Europe. I am a qualified Summer Mountain Leader and aspiring Winter ML. In particular I’m interested in the topics of physical and mental wellbeing, mountain access and safety. I also hold a certificate in Mental Health First Aid.
I am a volunteer committee member for my local mountaineering club, Aberdeen Mountaineering Club (AMC). I have been treasurer for the club for two years and contribute significantly to the running and promotion of the club.
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Brendan has been an individual member of Mountaineering Scotland since 1999.
He started hillwalking and climbing when a student at the University of Glasgow and has been lucky enough to explore many of the Scottish hills and bothies over the years.
A career in the diplomatic service offered opportunities to climb further-afield with expeditions in the Karakorum, Hindu Kush and Himalaya in between postings.
Brendan was the Inverness Backcountry Snowsports Club (IBSC) Mountain Safety and Training officer from 2020-2023, before taking up the role of IBSC President in June 2023. He holds a Winter Mountain Leader qualification and has a strong interest in all aspects of mountain safety and training.
Now firmly settled back in the Scottish Highlands, Brendan is working toward compleating his Munros and enjoying as much ski-touring as the snow conditions permit!
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Elected 2022
Exploring the Scottish countryside enlivens me, be it kayaking, skiing, cycling or climbing and re-climbing our beautiful mountains.
Professionally, I graduated with a degree in Forestry and worked in forest management in Inverness before 'seeing the light' and retraining on a post graduate course in Outdoor Education in Edinburgh.
Sharing adventure activities with 'youth at risk' in the city followed, leading on to Fife and managing Lochore Meadows Country Park. Then from Country to National Park, joining the Cairngorms National Park Authority at designation, managing the Visitor Services Team until my retirement in 2022. Along the way I've been on the Board of Scottish Canoe Association and Sustrans Scotland Advisory Board.
I'm keen to try and encourage and support more of us to safely and responsibly enjoy our stunning mountains and, if we can, leave our wild uplands a little better place than we found them.
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Born in Scotland but spending much of my youth in South America I was introduced to Scotland’s mountains by my father and they have been a live long passion. I compleated the Munros in 2007 and am probably on my way to a second round now but am not admitting that to my family. My hill walking has introduced me to scrambling, winter climbs and a love of all forms of mountain sport including now cross country mountain biking which takes up a lot of my time mainly cycling the paths of the Scottish lowlands but I have cycled to a number of Munro summits.
My introduction to climbing started abruptly when my five year old son showed an adept ability at it climbing all parts our house. He was quickly taken to EICA to take this passion in a more structured format and has never looked back. Through his involvement we initially climbed inside and then joined the Quickdraw Club and so moved to climb outside and learn its various forms and pleasures. Climbing has taken us to Crags UK wide and in France and Spain. Whilst my son does competes indoors at the various competitions (and I accordingly volunteer as a judge) my main interest aligns to the outdoor and mountains. In that capacity I am currently the Chair of the Quickdraw Club, which seeks to provide a platform for young climbers in the East of Scotland to climb together outdoors.
Professionally, I am a property lawyer qualified in England and Scotland, mainly practicing in Edinburgh for last 28 years.
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I live in Glasgow and have two young children. I fell in love with the outdoors and mountains with a week-long walking trip across the Lakes at the age of 18. Throughout University I walked and climbed regularly, particularly up in Scotland.
Over the next ten years I was lucky enough to balance a job which allowed me to live, walk and climb in the Lake District whilst heading overseas for regular expeditions – primarily in the tropics but also taking me to countries such as Oman, Slovakia, Norway and Ladakh. In 2015 I was able to get a job which brought me to Scotland. I love running in the hills close to Glasgow, getting the kids out into Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and love the fact that whenever I get a spare day or weekend Glen Coe is so close by and even a race to Skye is doable!
In my working life I am Assistant Operations Director at TCV – The Conservation Volunteers.
I have a strong interest in conservation, landscape and access. I returned to Uni as a mature student around eight years ago and studied for an MSc in environmental management, covering a wide range of environmental topics which included biodiversity management as well as planning and environmental law. My current role at TCV works extensively on creating access to the outdoors for people from deprived urban communities and minority groups.
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My experience spans operational delivery, team management, strategic planning and commercial development and I hope to use this experience to help achieve sustainable growth across our clubs community.
Growing up in Highland Perthshire, and spending some time in the Western Isles, sparked my love for being in the outdoors throughout my childhood. I am a keen skier, climber and more recently have added hill walking to the list.
After studying at St Andrews University, my career took me to London for almost a decade and I am delighted to have returned to Scotland, to enjoy the fresh air and adventure on offer!
I believe my skill set and previous experience will be beneficial to the organisation, and I can combine this with my enthusiasm and passion for the outdoors. Working in events, with communities, and across both the charity and commercial sector, puts me in a strong position to share ideas and collaborate on the growth and development of affiliated clubs and their members.
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A keen hill walker, he has many years’ experience in journalism and public communications roles, and is looking forward to getting closely involved in the work of Mountaineering Scotland.
He has spent nearly three decades working in media and public communications roles, firstly as a journalist in local newspapers, then a national news agency and moving on to national titles.
After a decade as a journalist, he moved into public sector communications, taking up leadership roles in the police service, working with Central Scotland Police, the National Police Reform programme and Police Scotland. Since May 2017 he has been Head of Communication with Scottish Water, working on a range of corporate and service issues and campaigns.
Andrew took up hill walking in 2017, in the Arrochar Alps, and since then has climbed over 60 3000ft+
summits and enjoyed exploring some smaller hills too, particularly around the
Trossachs and Ochils.
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After a school field trip ascent of Cul Mor in 1976, Alistair has spent much of his subsequent leisure time walking, scrambling, climbing and skiing throughout Scotland’s mountain areas as well as in many other countries. Hill walking has taken him to the top of all but one Munro and many smaller summits, and he has completed the Cape Wrath Trail. His climbing continues to take him to the major as well as the less frequented Scottish cliffs where in addition to repeating hundreds of classic winter and summer lines he has also recorded a number of new routes throughout the Highlands.
Ski touring is his main passion and from an early experience of forest skiing around Loch Morlich he has now ski ascended almost 100 Munros, has skied the classic Nevis gullies, the Great Stone Chute in the Cuillins and has completed many long-distance day tours. Abroad he has toured extensively in the Alps, Norway and Iceland, with both hut-to-hut trips and steep technical couloir skiing featuring every winter. He currently chairs the Snowsport Touring Advisory Group (STAG) for Mountaineering Scotland and is also the President of the Inverness Backcountry Snowsports Club.
After a period in outdoor equipment retail management, Alistair has spent over 30 years in the energy sector where he has held a number of senior operational and commercial roles.
Advisory Groups may be established to inform Mountaineering Scotland strategy
development and contribute to operational plans in a specific area of activity.
Members will be drawn from the Mountaineering Scotland membership and others with appropriate
expertise.
Any member interested in volunteering to work with Mountaineering Scotland
is encouraged to check the Vacancies or Get Involved pages.
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Mountaineering Scotland is a registered trademark of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland Limited
