Cathrin Poppensieker

Cathrin (Cat) leads the National Lottery-funded Woodworking and Gender Project, aimed at addressing the significant gender imbalance in the heritage woodworking sector.

Emma Bruun, Product Manager

Emma joined Sylva Foundation in 2024 as Product Manager for Sylva’s Environment Programme working across innovation projects and in collaboration with strategic partners in the forestry industry, such as the Forestry Commission, and in other related sectors.

Christine Howard, Sylva Foundation

Christine joined the Sylva team in 2023 as part-time Operations Administrator. She is a Chartered
Landscape Architect and green infrastructure specialist, with a background in consultancy and public
sector working.

Andrew is a Bangor University Forestry graduate from a farming background with a career spanning over 25 years of public and private sector forestry throughout the UK, ranging from the uplands to the lowlands and everything in between. His experience of grants, regulations and forestry management mean he is well placed to help myForest users make the most of its capabilities, as well as helping with the development of the many other projects in the Sylva pipeline.

With a background in agriculture and the wooden boat industry, Lucie joined the Sylva team in 2023 as part-time Finance Manager.

Shems first joined Sylva Foundation in April 2021 as a volunteer and since March 2022 has worked as a part-time Communications Advisor.

Gwyneth joined the Sylva team in 2022, with a background in research support software development and engineering.

Phil joined Sylva Foundation in 2022 to support teaching at the Sylva Wood School. He previously taught at Rycotewood for a number of years, teaching various furniture-making courses.

Ollie joined the Sylva Foundation in 2021, after graduating from Sussex University with a BSc in Computer Sciences with Games and Multimedia Environments.

Joe leads the Sylva Foundation’s Wood School and describes himself as a designer, maker and teacher. He is passionate about inspiring and supporting people to become skilled craftspeople and furniture makers. He has been directly involved in the furniture industry for the past 25 years.