Governance

Peter Tallantire was a senior civil servant in the Cabinet Office before his retirement from full time work in 2022, although he still does some part time work for the department.  In nearly 35 years in the Cabinet Office, he worked closely with ministers on a diverse range of issues including public service reform and national crisis management arrangements. Particular highlights included supporting the response to many events over that period, delivering major projects, guiding legislation through both the UK and European parliament, leading the UK team negotiating the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, and membership of the Met Office’s Public Weather Service Customer Group (PWSCG). Peter was born in Middlesex and has lived most of his life in Hertfordshire where he lives on a smallholding with his wife and family balancing the needs of local wildlife with his daughters’ passion for horses. A life long lover of nature, Peter has sat on the management committee for the Hertfordshire Natural History Society since 2012 and is a member of many other local and national organisations. He was awarded an OBE in 2004.

Appointed Trustee 19th September 2020

Appointed Chair 30th September 2023

Duncan Brown is a Chartered Accountant and a retired audit partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He spent much of his career based at their office in St Albans, working with a range of businesses and charities and, most recently, pension funds. He is an independent board member at London South Bank University, and for many years was treasurer of a local charity. He has lived in Hertfordshire for most of his life. Duncan has always had a passion for wildlife and the outdoors. Most weeks he can be found out on his bike, enjoying cycling through the countryside in Hertfordshire and beyond, and is looking forward to visiting more of HMWT’s reserves on his rides. He enjoys gardening, and is currently focused particularly on encouraging more birds, insects and wild flowers into his garden at home.

Appointed Trustee and Treasurer 30th September 2023

Lisa Clavering has spent most of her career in the charity sector, specialising in digital engagement and fundraising. Alongside her day jobs both in-house at charities and as a consultant, she has also written for charity sector magazines, and twice helped organise one of the key conferences in the charity sector annual calendar. Lisa also spends time supporting the PTAs of both of her small children’s schools, alongside building up her coaching business. She enjoys local walks with her husband, and engaging her children with our wild environments wherever possible - they are firm fans of the St Albans Cathedral peregrines.

Appointed Trustee 18th September 2021

Lisa Foster is a corporate sustainability professional currently supporting a global client with their sustainable packaging ambitions. Lisa moved into the corporate sustainability world after a long career in recycling and resource management in the public sector. Biodiversity has always been a passion for Lisa from a young age, which led to a degree in Ecology and lots of volunteering experiences with local conservation charities across Essex, including water vole surveys, wetland restoration, and for local badger protection groups. When Lisa isn’t sat at a desk, she likes to spend as much time as possible walking in nature with her partner and their three children.

Appointed Trustee 30th September 2023

Laura Horton has worked in the charity sector for over 10 years in human resources and operations roles.  She is currently Head of Health and Social Care at The Prince’s Trust where her team help support young people into roles with the NHS and care providers. Having lived in Hertfordshire and Barnet most of her life, she’s passionate about the local wildlife. A keen amateur wildlife photographer, Laura loves nothing more than travelling with her partner and young daughter to get that perfect shot of wildlife in its natural habitat.

Appointed Trustee 18th September 2021

Jackie Hunter was Chief Executive of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the major funder of Bioscience research in the UK. Most of her career was spent working in the pharmaceutical industry and she also started an open innovation consultancy which is now also focuses on best practice in the adoption of AI based technologies in the life sciences. She is a past governor of the University of Hertfordshire, past Chair of Trustees of the Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich which focusses on plant diseases research and a past director of BenevolentAI that uses artificial intelligence to accelerate the discovery of new medicines. She is currently chairs the boards of the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Brainomix, an AI imaging company, and Biocortex, an AI driven microbiome company. Jackie is passionate about wildlife both here and abroad and is a member of the RSPB and other wildlife related charities She spends most of her free time in the garden trying to create a rich habitat for wildlife which is made slightly less rich in places by her dogs! She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and beagle.

Appointed Trustee 14 September 2019

Kathryn Mackenzie was originally a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte & Touche, before moving into the investment banking industry, enjoying responsible roles in Finance, Technology and Compliance Depts. Her passion for ecology and conservation was awakened many years ago on a sea-kayaking and wild-camping trip to the Arctic.  She is active in a Hertfordshire group which aims to conserve and protect our precious chalk streams –appearing on the BBC on the subjects of sewage pollution and over-abstraction.  Additionally, recognising the importance of engaging with youth, she volunteers as a Duke of Edinburgh expedition leader at a local school; also designing and leading the conservation volunteering element of the programme, enabling students to learn about the natural world, biodiversity in Herts and participate in environmental projects. She is also “hands on” at a local wildlife rehabilitation centre. 

Appointed Trustee 19th September 2020

Alex Michaels obtained a first class degree in Environmental Management and Ecology and currently works for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He was elected as a local councillor from 2015-2022 where he sat on the Environment Committee, chairing it in 2019/2020. He's passionate about the environment and protecting it for future generations. Since moving to Hertfordshire in 2013 he's been a member of the Trust and an active volunteer in conservation locally, including managing a local woodland. He enjoys spending time with his young children, travelling, playing football and hill walking.

Appointed Trustee 28th September 2024

Patrick Schneiders is a Chartered Environmentalist with the Society for the Environment, and currently working for the Marine Management Organisation as the Head of Governance and Accountability. He is also a trustee for the Box Moor Trust, a charity based in Bovingdon and Hemel Hempstead focused around creating a space for wildlife and people in the local area. He has worked in the Environment and Sustainability sector for the last decade in roles around environmental protection, habitat improvement, sustainable development, and governance. He has built his own house which included installation of new bat roosts, bird nest boxes, hedgehog boxes, hazel coppices, wildflower meadows and several ponds,creating a haven in the little corner of Hertfordshire where he lives. Patrick enjoys supporting the Trust on nature recovery and helping protect and care for wildlife across the county.

Appointed Trustee 30th September 2023

Simon Turnbull is an experienced solicitor in the financial industry. Since 2020, his in-house role has expanded to become Chair of the EMEA Pro Bono Committee, concentrating on environmental projects both in the UK and abroad. In this role Simon has worked with a number of environmental charities such as the Environmental Investigation Agency on various wildlife trafficking research projects; The Chancery Lane Project on its creation of template climate change focused legal clauses; and the Environmental Legal Foundation on various UK research projects to better protect wildlife for local communities. Simon is a well regarded landscape and nature photographer and Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society. Simon grew up walking the fells of the Lake District and there developed a strong interest in the natural world. He is passionate about addressing climate change and bio-diversity loss and is looking forward to using his experience in his role at the HMWT. He lives on the edge of Ashridge Forest in Hertfordshire and enjoys appreciating nature in the countryside with his wife and two young boys.

Appointed Trustee 28th September 2024

Louise Turner is a television producer and journalist driving Channel 4 News’ environmental coverage, with a particular focus on highlighting the biodiversity crisis we face. Louise also runs the Film Fund, commissioning filmmakers from around the world to produce features that appear within the nightly news. Prior to this, Louise made documentaries for Channel 4 and the BBC, including the Natural History Unit. Raising awareness of the many threats to nature is what drives Louise both at work and in taking on the role of trustee. There is, after all, no better place to try to save the world than in your own backyard! Growing up in the Yorkshire Dales has given Louise a lifelong passion for British wildlife, and in particular birds. These days, Louise can often be found cycling or running around Hertfordshire with binocular braces, or picnicking with her partner and two young boys.

Appointed Trustee 18th September 2021

Stephanie Woods is a solicitor and General Counsel at the PRI, a UN-backed not-for-profit and the world’s leading proponent of responsible investment. Prior to becoming a solicitor, she worked for the Charity Commission for six years, advising charities on charity law and good practice. Stephanie is passionate about wildlife and sustainability and has completed a Business Sustainability Management course at the Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership. When not working Steph enjoys walks in the Hertfordshire countryside with her husband and two sons.

Appointed Trustee 30th September 2023