Jo Allatt

Jo has worked and volunteered in sustainability for over 20 years, previously working in Local Government in environmental, energy, fuel poverty and community development roles. Jo is currently UKRI Head of Sustainability (engagement and policy), and a Chartered Environmentalist. Jo has played an instrumental role over the last few years in bringing stakeholders together across the research and innovation sector, leading the collaborative development of the sector-wide concordat on the environmental sustainability of research practice. Jo also works on environmental sustainability policies, engagement and culture change, climate-related risks and responsible procurement in UKRI. Jo has spoken on sustainable research practice at many conferences and for the last 2 years co-hosted the annual Green Gown awards.

Sasha Beswick

Sasha Beswick is the Head of Sustainability at Barnsley College, leading the college’s strategy to advance environmental responsibility, climate resilience, and green skills development. She works across teams and partners to embed sustainable practices, shape long‑term policy approaches, and drive measurable impact. Sasha represents the college at regional and national forums, contributing insights on the role of education in tackling climate change and supporting the transition to a net‑zero future.

Trained in environmental science, Sasha has spent the last eight years working on climate and sustainability initiatives across the UK and internationally. Since 2017, Sasha has worked in complex organisations, bringing together climate science, behaviour change, and organisational culture. Sasha is passionate about building climate literacy and resilience in ways that are practical, people centred, and stick.

Sasha is a certified Carbon Literacy Trainer, certified 2030 SDGs Game Facilitator, Facilitator of LEGO © Serious Play © and has recently achieved Specialist Status in Education for Sustainable Development (SSESD).

Rob Chamberlain

Rob Chamberlain is Director of Curriculum for Young People at Barnsley College. He has worked in Further Education since 2003 in a range of teaching, management and leadership roles and is a passionate advocate for inclusive approaches to education and training which prepare young people for sustainable employment.

Rob has a special interest in curriculum design and has worked at both a regional and national level to help shape the future of vocational and technical education in England.

At Barnsley College, Rob has worked with Sasha Beswick to develop a unique and innovative approach to vocational training which prepares every young person to engage with sustainability themes when they enter the world of employment.

Karis Gill

Karis Gill is a multi-award-winning founder and speaker who specialises in storytelling for impact, helping founders, leaders, and mission-driven organisations communicate with clarity, confidence, and influence. 

She has delivered over 150 high-impact workshops and keynotes, supporting entrepreneurs, leadership teams, and social enterprises to move away from jargon, complexity, and over-explaining, and instead communicate in ways that are human, memorable, and meaningful. Her sessions are high-energy, practical, and highly engaging. Audiences leave laughing, taking notes, and thinking, “Why has no one taught me this before?”

Karis’ work is grounded in both neuroscience and lived experience. She has used storytelling to raise over £100,000 in investment for her social enterprise, Social Stories Club, generate multiple six figures in revenue year after year, build award-winning teams, and introduce over 1 million people to social enterprise. 

She teaches how the brain processes information, why emotion shapes decisions before logic, and how strategic storytelling creates clarity, connection, and momentum in organisations and movements. 

Rebecca Hall

Rebecca Hall is a Senior Manager at Audit Scotland, working in the Performance Audit and Best Value Team.

With over 20 years of experience in public audit, she specialises in assessing how well national and local government policies are delivered in Scotland and evaluating the effectiveness of public services.

Until recently, Rebecca led Audit Scotland’s programme of performance audit work on climate change, the environment and energy. She has overseen audits examining how national and local governments are implementing climate change policies - both to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to climate impacts.

Colin Hardacre

Colin Hardacre is a Lecturer at SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College) Aberdeen campus on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Planet positive land management is a central theme of his modules, whether that’s forestry, nature conservation or future farming.

As a conservation contractor he’s been at the cold, damp and dirty end of making changes to restore and protect planetary resources. More recently, as an educator, he is a passionate advocate for the power of partnership working. Active learning is a common feature of his professional practice and Colin delights in seeing students from different backgrounds and interests working together drawing on collective experiences and knowledge to create solutions. “Witnessing that moment when someone gets what sustainability and sustainable development are about, then seeing them come up with ideas of how to deliver it is an absolute thrill”.

Over the last year Colin delivered the Sustainability strand for SRUC’s SEEDABLE Curriculum (Sustainability, Enterprise, Equality and Diversity through Active and Blended Learning). The course, which has won a Green Gown Award for Tomorrow’s Employees, provides Programme Teams with a structured approach to exploring how to embed the UNSDGs throughout their learning, teaching and assessment. Staff undertaking the review can also achieve CPD awards by completing modules under each area of the course.

Dr Caroline Harvey

Dr Caroline Harvey is a Chartered Psychologist and Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Derby. Her research interests are focussed on two key areas: compassion in education; and the beneficial impact of nature for wellbeing. Caroline led the development of the Compassionate Communication Skills pedagogic approach which has now been delivered to over 1000 students. This approach encourages students to adopt a more compassionate approach to communication and enhances opportunities for inclusivity and engagement. Caroline’s research exploring the benefits of nature connectedness is primarily focussed on children and young people, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Her work demonstrates the positive impact that being able to access nature and natural environments has for young people.

Caroline embeds sustainability in her teaching where she introduces students to the links between psychology, nature and wellbeing along with behaviour change principles associated with pro-environmental/pro-conservation behaviours. Raising awareness of the inequalities associated with access to nature and green space is important to Caroline and her teaching has previously featured in the Sustainable Development Goals Teach in.

Caroline undertakes a range of consultancy work and has extensive experience of partnership working with organisations such as the Wildlife Trusts, the Outward Bound Trust, the Youth Hostel Association and local authorities. Caroline part of the project team delivering the largest community rewilding project in the UK based at Allestree Park in Derby, and is leading on the evaluation of this project.

Valerie Jackman

I am an experienced educator, a skilled facilitator and a creative catalyst. My work is dedicated to creating a better future for all and is driven by a deep love for humanity and our planet. I am an active member of the ULab community and my current studies include the work of Margaret Wheatley, International Futures Forum, Nora Bateson and Service Design. I believe we are all leaders and my work is to support others to be the best leaders they can be.

I have 15 years’ experience as an Executive Coach and my qualifications include BA Business and Enterprise, TQFE (Teaching qualification in Further Education), Diploma in Management , Certificate in Strategic Management, Diploma in Management Coaching and Mentoring, SVQ in Learning and Development and Assessor and Verifier awards.

I am a Certified Lego © Serious Play © Facilitator and am qualified to use the Mental Toughness Psychometric MTQ 48.

I am a Fellow of CMI, an Academic Associate member of CIPD.

Lisa McGovern

Lisa McGovern is Programme Coordinator for Ba/Hons Design Practice and Curriculum Head of Craft & Design at City of Glasgow College, where she leads curriculum innovation across creative disciplines. A Green Gown Award Winner  (2023) and conscious-based maker, Lisa recently completed a Master’s in Learning and Teaching in the Arts at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, with research focused on ecopedagogical approaches in jewellery design education. Her work explores the integration of sustainability, outdoor and place-based learning, and Createch technologies within inclusive, practice-led teaching across further and higher education. She places a strong emphasis on embedding sustainability within the curriculum through raising awareness, practical approaches, encouraging positive behaviour change, and placing ethical decision-making at the core of creative practice. 

Hannah Neufeld

Hannah is a Senior Policy Advisor in the Scottish Government’s Net Zero Public Sector Team. The team focuses on work related to the statutory public bodies climate change duties, and the linked reporting duty. Hannah works closely with the Sustainable Scotland Network and other stakeholders to support climate change action across the Scottish public sector. Hannah has worked in sustainability for over 15 years with previous roles in housing, energy and active travel.

Dr Emilie Wadsworth

Emilie has worked in the environmental sector for over 20 years, primarily in the third sector, and has generated a wealth of experience in biodiversity and ecological issues, place-making, blue green infrastructure and climate adaptation and resilience, particularly around nature-based solutions to flooding and water management. 

Emilie currently works for Verture, the climate resilience charity, as the Leadership Programme Manager overseeing the delivery of the Adaptation Scotland programme, Flood Resilience and Coastal Change work and the Maximising Adaptation to Climate Change Hub.