Andrew is a Bangor University Forestry graduate from a farming background with a career spanning over 25 years of public…
Staff and Associates
Sylva Team
Cathrin Poppensieker, Woodworking and Gender Project Coordinator
Cathrin (Cat) leads the National Lottery-funded Woodworking and Gender Project, aimed at addressing the significant gender imbalance in the heritage…
Christine Howard, Operations Administrator
Christine joined the Sylva team in 2023 as part-time Operations Administrator. She is a Chartered Landscape Architect and green infrastructure specialist,…
Emma Bruun, Product Manager: Environment Programme
Emma joined Sylva Foundation in 2024 as Product Manager for Sylva’s Environment Programme working across innovation projects and in collaboration…
Gabriel Hemery, Chief Executive
Dr Gabriel Hemery co-founded Sylva Foundation with the late Sir Martin Wood in 2009, and has since led the charity as its…
Gwyneth Bradbury, Web Developer
Gwyneth joined the Sylva team in 2022, with a background in research support software development and engineering….
Joseph Bray, Head of Wood School
Joe leads the Sylva Foundation’s Wood School and describes himself as a designer, maker and teacher. He is passionate about…
Lucie Henwood, Finance Manager
With a background in agriculture and the wooden boat industry, Lucie joined the Sylva team in 2023 as part-time Finance…
Oliver Price, Web Developer
Ollie joined the Sylva Foundation in 2021, after graduating from Sussex University with a BSc in Computer Sciences with Games…
Paul Orsi, Director of Operations
Paul is a Chartered Forester and a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.He joined Sylva Foundation in 2013…
Phil Gullam, Senior Tutor
Phil joined Sylva Foundation in 2022 to support teaching at the Sylva Wood School. He previously taught at Rycotewood for…
Richard Pigott, Head of Web Development
Richard has led the development of the Sylva Foundation’s suite of websites, marrying a keen eye for design with full…
Shems Hadj-Nassar, Communications Advisor
Shems first joined Sylva Foundation in April 2021 as a volunteer and since March 2022 has worked as a part-time…
Sylva Associates
Alistair Yeomans, Resilience Associate and Sylva Representative in Scotland
Alistair is a Chartered Forester and Chartered Horticulturist. He works with universities, NGOs, government and business to develop systems that…
Philip Koomen, Furniture and Wood Special Advisor
At the age of 22, Philip set up his first professional workshop at his parents’ home in Henley-on-Thames in 1975,…
Dr Gillian Petrokofsky, Research Associate
Gill works with the Sylva Foundation on matters relating to the science and evidence base that supports forestry….
George Dennison, Forester
George joined Sylva Foundation in 2020, after graduating from Bangor University with a Masters in Forestry with International Experience, including…