Staff and Trustees
Chief Executive
Joanna Lewis
Jo joined the Trust in August 2023. She was Policy and Strategy Director at the Soil Association for eight years, leading their work to influence policy and develop solutions in support of regenerative and organic farming. She is passionate about the Trust’s work connecting communities with nature, having spent a decade leading Food for Life, a national programme giving children the chance to grow and cook food and visit farms. Jo founded the ‘Food for Life Served Here’ scheme which certifies 2 million healthy and sustainable meals every day in schools and hospitals. She is a former Chair of the Food Ethics Council, Head of Policy at Green Alliance, Trustee of Sustain and member of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission’s ‘Farming Leadership Group’.
Jo loves to combine walking and wildlife-watching with a stop for a top-notch coffee with a view. Our two stunning cafes at Lower Moor and Langford Lakes are perfect for persuading her husband and two teenage children to join her!
Executive Team
Director of Finance and Operations
Louise Hale
As well as being the Director of Finance and Operations, Louise is also the Trust’s Company Secretary. Her role involves overseeing all Finance, HR, IT, Property and governance activities at the Trust. Louise studied at Bath Spa university completing a Batchelor of Science in Business before going on to complete her accountancy qualifications.
Director of Conservation and Land Management
Samantha Stork
Born and raised in Wiltshire, following university Samantha returned to her roots in 2010 to work for the Trust in the chalk landscape of the Hampshire Avon catchment. In 2020 Samantha moved from the river restoration team to oversee the conservation and land management department. Samantha oversees the Trust’s portfolio of nature reserves, including ecological monitoring, estate management and the farming operation. She is responsible for ensuring the Trust’s own estate contributes towards nature's recovery, including strategic land acquisition and working with our neighbours to achieve a sustainable and unified approach to land management for nature. Her team also delivers the Trust’s flagship conservation projects such as the Swindon Forest Meadows Project and the Great Wood restoration project.
Director of Engagement and Fundraising
Becki McKinlay
Becki joined the Trust in May 2024 with almost 20 years of experience in fundraising and engagement. Becki joins us from the education sector, having worked at both the University of Reading and the University of Oxford. As a consultant, she worked with over 100 charities, schools, and universities to increase fundraising income and elevate engagement.
Her role at WWT brings together our broad group of supporters and stakeholders to raise the profile of the Trust, support our strategic goal of 1 in 4 people actively engaged, and raise essential funds for our work.
Becki has a degree in Geography and a passion for nature. She is also a trustee for the Corn Exchange in Newbury.
Director of Education and Wellbeing
Damian Haasjes
Damian has worked at the Trust since 2015 and manages many of the people-focused teams within the Trust including the education teams, care farms and adult wellbeing work.
Damian has a wide ranging background of working with young people and adults which includes teaching in mainstream and special needs education, managing a young carers project, youth work, voluntary sector development and residential social work. He has over 25 years of management experience and has worked in local government, the voluntary sector and the commercial sector.
He moved to Wiltshire with his family 20 years ago and loves the history and beauty of the county. He is aiming to visit every reserve in a year and loves Lower Moor Farm but despite many attempts he is yet to see a single otter up there.
Trustees
Phil Heads
Phil Heads is the Chair of our Board of Trustees. Phil was a Strategic Advisor and Fellow at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, a not-for-profit science research institute. With a PhD in ecology and an MBA he managed an ecology research centre before spending 20 years in director level roles with the Natural Environment Research Council (now part of the science funding body UK Research and Innovation). Having sat on governing bodies and advisory committees spanning government agencies, environmental research institutes, schools and sports, he brings board level experience in organisational strategy, policy, leadership and governance.
Phil has been a member of his local Wildlife Trusts for more than 40 years and, now retired from full-time work, has more time to commit to improving the health of Wiltshire’s environment for nature and people, and for a more sustainable economy. He lives near Swindon and has been a member of the Trust’s Conservation Policy Committee since 2021.
Charles Fattorini
Charles Fattorini retired from the British Army in April 2018 where he had an operationally focused career across the globe. He has extensive exposure in high-threat environments with considerable experience at international, diplomatic, ministerial and head of state engagement. His last appointment was on secondment to the Sultanate of Oman as a security and defence advisor and head of the UK military mission. He has held numerous leadership roles and has broad managerial experience within both MOD and FCO. He has a Masters in Military Studies and is a Fellow of the Chartered Managers Institute.
Charles’s interest in Wiltshire Wildlife Trust started when he commanded one of the operational training units on Salisbury Plain which had to have a close relationship with Natural England, Defence Estates and a host of wildlife volunteers.
In semi-retirement he runs his own consultancy and a small-holding in Somerset and is a Trustee for The National Muslim War Memorial Trust. He is a member of the British Deer Society and Somerset Wildlife Trust. He is married to Cecilia, an artist, and they have two children.
Julian Barlow
Julian Barlow is Managing Director of BFC Marcomms Ltd, a Public Relations consultancy providing PR services across Europe for Pharma and Medical devices clients and organisations operating in the Built Environment.
He has a BA (Hons) in History and Politics, as well as an MA in Newspaper Journalism.
Julian lives in Wiltshire and serves on the Parish Council in Compton Bassett. He and his wife have taken up beekeeping and are members of the Kennet Bee Club. Julian is also the Chairperson for Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy.
Piers Maynard
With a background in international financial services Piers has attended the Trust's Finance Committee meetings since 2018.
In partnership with his wife Sally, he farms in a small way in North Wiltshire, benefiting since the '80s from advice and encouragement from the Trust to include the reversion of arable land to (wildflower-seeded) pasture and the creation of wetland (a catalyst for joining the John Muir Trust and to further efforts in this direction (if elsewhere)). Individually, Piers enjoys the unusual distinction of having coming last in the Trust's Sarsen Trail.
Separately, he will continue to serve as a director of the Marlborough Downs Space for Nature.
Sylvia Wyatt
Sylvia is a semi-retired healthcare strategist who has worked with different organisations on complex ‘wicked’ problems in health, social care, housing and the voluntary sector. She co-developed national policies for healthcare innovation, care outside hospital and the use of the NHS estate.
Sylvia’s fascination with the natural world began when she was a child when exploring mountains and wild places of Europe, Africa and America with her family. Her Human Sciences degree at Oxford included ecology, geology, zoology and animal behaviour.
Sylvia is passionate about decarbonisation and lives in an all-electric home with an electric car. She has supported wildlife trusts in Scotland, Surrey, Warwickshire, Yorkshire and now Wiltshire where she serves on the Sustainability, Education and Wellbeing Committee. She lives in Great Bedwyn, where she is a School Governor (Sustainability lead), chairs Bedwyn’s LINK scheme and serves on the Parish Council. She is a keen walker, avid gardener and naturalist and is married to a jeweller.
Fiona Goff
Fiona Goff is Head of Impact and Outcomes at the Natural Environment Research Council, which is part of UK Research and Innovation. She spends her time developing evidence to show how environmental science makes a difference to the UK economy, our lives and the environment. Amongst other things this helps UKRI to make the case for funding for environmental science, and to engage the public. Prior to her 16 years at NERC Fiona worked as an ecological consultant and for conservation charities World Wide Fund for Nature and Fauna and Flora International.
Fiona’s love of nature began with a childhood spent climbing trees and exploring the wonders of nature. She has a degree in Biology and a Masters in Environmental Management. She is a long-term member and admirer of the Trust, a member of the Personnel Committee and a regular visitor to the reserves around Swindon where she lives. She is married with two young daughters.
Tim Gilson
Dr Tim Gilson is Chief Executive Officer of The Athelstan Trust, a Trust of five secondary schools and two primary schools in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire, he was Headteacher of Malmesbury School for 12 years and previously taught in London and Kenya. He is a geography teacher with a love of the natural world and is a keen walker. Tim is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the Chartered College of Teaching, he has an MA from the University of London and a doctorate from the University of Reading. Tim moved to Wiltshire in 2001 and lives in Chippenham.
Tim has been a member of the Care Farm Advisory Group for several years having seen the vital work they do supporting vulnerable students from Malmesbury School and many others. Tim also serves on the Sustainability, Education and Wellbeing Committee.
Dagmar Junghanns
Dagmar has recently retired after a long career at Natural England and has extensive experience of the Trust’s reserves.
Dagmar moved to Wiltshire nearly 30 years ago, and joined the Trust straight away. She has a lifelong passion for the natural world and has recently retired from a long career with Natural England, during which time she worked on the Salisbury Avon and the River Kennet, Salisbury Plain and many other Wiltshire Sites of Special Scientific Interest, often in partnership with the Trust.
More recently, her work focussed on National Nature Reserves (Wiltshire’s NNRs include Pewsey Downs, North Meadow and Langley Wood). Dagmar led the development and implementation of the national NNR Strategy, including establishing the partnership Steering Group for NNRs across England and declaring the first “super” NNRs at Purbeck Heaths and the Somerset Wetlands. She brings many years' experience of Wiltshire’s wildlife and of conservation management and a heartfelt commitment to nature’s recovery for wildlife and people.
Her other interests include cycling, cross country skiing, wildlife gardening and botanical art.
Richard Gantlett
Richard is an experienced Managing Partner with a demonstrated history of working in the farming industry. Richard is skilled in negotiation, budgeting, business planning, entrepreneurship, and international business.
Richard is a member of the Trust’s Conservation Management Committee and supports the Committee with his skills in business development and knowledge from his Doctorate in Agriculture from University of Reading.
Julian Crawford
Julian is currently a member of the Finance Committee. Julian lives in Tisbury and has a science and business background. Having originally studied zoology at Oxford University, he then worked internationally as a Chartered Accountant, first with PwC and more recently as a Director with EY in their Climate Change and Sustainability Services group. He now works as a non-executive director, fractional CFO and sustainability strategist. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW/CAANZ), a member of the B Corp Regional Standards Advisory Group and has trained with The Natural Step and Global Reporting Initiative.
Julian founded and ran a sustainability strategy consultancy, EcoSTEPS, working for many years across all sectors of business, government and society. He focusses now on board roles and recent directorships have included: the International Society of Sustainability Professionals, the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute. Julian is particularly interested in the areas of green finance, ESG and sustainability strategies and reporting and the circular economy. His various roles give him useful perspectives and experience in the rapidly evolving global sustainability landscape.
Melanie Henry
Mel is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel & Development, as well as having a degree in Law (LLB, Hons). She has been serving on the Personnel Committee since September 2022.
Mel has over 30 years HR experience, with her final position being at a senior strategic level with a global firm of commercial insurance brokers. Her particular areas of strength were in employment law, talent management and succession planning, and change management (including mergers, acquisitions and disposals). She was part of the Senior Leadership teams of different areas of the business as well as leading a small team of HR professionals.
Having taken early retirement in order to pursue a more relaxed pace of life, Mel currently holds 2 other Trustee roles. One is for a multi- academy trust and the other for a small Gloucestershire performing arts centre. Both of these give her the opportunity to share and apply her considerable HR experience and to “give back” to the community.
Mel also has a strong interest in natural history and wildlife. With more available time, she spends as much time as possible outdoors in the local countryside learning and developing her knowledge of these important areas.