Our Board

Iain MacInnes has spent many years as a Community Councillor, a Justice of the Peace and a Health & Safety Officer. Iain has over 30 years experience as a Community Councillor and has much experience and knows his way around the Council corridors of power. Iain has lived in the Lochgoilhead area for the past 60 years and is a passionate voice and supporter of our communities in the park. He has Chaired the Community Partnership for the past 5 years and is also Chair for the Argyll Forest Park Landscape Partnership.

John joined the Community Partnership in 2008. Before moving to Scotland in 2004 he spent many years working in the automative industry, first as an engineer then subsequently as a training consultant lecturer in Birmingham. Since 2004 he has been involved in a number of community groups, is a founder member of the Cowal Red Squirrel Group, an elected Director on Sandbank Community Development Trust as well as a Director for the Community Partnership.

Kate has a background in environmental and conservation science, education and community based learning. She lives in Thornhill where she runs an organic farm on the edge of Flanders Moss for conservation of wildlife. Kate has been a Director with the Community Partnership since 2003 and is a ministerial appointed Director to the National Park Authority Board and Chairman at Forth Environment Link.

Anne’s professional background covers 30 years in adult education (teaching, research and administration), and in broadcasting (research and communication with programme makers and their listeners/viewers). Thereafter, 15 years as Director of a UK research organisation working across several disciplines, particularly the veterinary profession. Anne has lived in Callander for 14 years, where she is company secretary of Callander Community Development Trust and editor of the Ben Ledi View.

Ron hails from Tyneside and is a chemical engineer who studied in Manchester and Durham. Ron is a member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers and maintains an ongoing interest in the profession. Ron has always loved Scotland and has lived here since 1983. He has been with the Community Partnership since 2004 and is currently responsible for its Apprenticeship Project which has enabled at least 18 young people to be employed as apprentices and learn building trade skills within local businesses within the Loch Lomond National Park.

Owen retired from running the village shop in Lochearnhead and has maintained his community interests through being Chair of Rural Stirling Housing Association and Local Member of the National Park Authority. He also brings to the Partnership his experience as a former Bank Manager specialising in taxation.

Celia has had a career in education as a teacher and adult educator, in community development and the voluntary sector as a practitioner and manager.  She worked in England for most of her career but immediately prior to her retirement in 2008 she worked with the Scottish Government to take forward the legislation that replaced School Boards with Parent Councils and recognised the important role that parents play in their children's education. This work was recognised with the awarding of an MBE in 2008. Celia represents the Kilmaronock Community Trust on the Partnership Board and is closely involved in taking forward the Community Futures Goes Green Project.

John lives in Drymen and has been a Director of the Community Partnership for over 2 years. He is also a Director on Drymen Community Council. John was a Strategic Analyst and believes it is of paramount importance that the National Parks focus is put on the economic sustainability of our rural communities. With a strong background in management consultancy John has a great deal of experience to bring to the table.

Gordon studied forestry at Aberdeen University and on qualification managed to secure a job with the Forestry Commission in Scotland. Over the past 32 years he has worked in a variety of locations throughout Scotland. Starting life in Field Surveys at Achnacarry and then working as a Forester on the Isle of Mull then at Invergarry and subsequently Bettyhill before taking up the role of District Forester at Fort Augustus. In 2002 Gordon was lucky enough to become Forest District Manager at Lochaber based in Fort William and then moved to take up a similar role in 2005 at Cowal and Trossachs Forest District based in Aberfoyle. Gordon lives with his wife Anne in Callander.

Grant is Director of Conservation and Visitor Experience for the National Park Authority. Grant manages the Park’s Ranger Service, sites and facilities, as well as, its Natural Heritage, Landscape, Water Management and Visitor Management functions. In recent times Grant has been central in taking forward the visitor management plans for East Loch Lomond in conjunction with the local community.  Grant previously worked for the Scottish Government on Common Agricultural Policy Reform. In his spare time Grant is a keen mountaineer, traveller, golfer and below average footballer.

As Socio-Economic development officer and then Community Support Manager with the National Park from 2001, Lesley was the driving force behind the very successful Community Futures Programme – supporting all communities in the Park to prepare Community Action Plans, set up their Development Trusts and implement their priority projects.  Throughout this time Lesley also supported the Community Partnership – first of all as a management group for the Community Futures programme, and from 2003 as a full community trust body.  Since leaving the Park Authority in 2009 to become self employed, Lesley has provided interim Executive Support to the Partnership to ensure a smooth transition to the “new look” partnership with greater independence and ability. 

Jim Proctor, a retired Architect who directed a National Division of the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service, accepted an offer from the Community Partnership, in the Autumn of last year, to become an energy information officer. Jim has experience of Community affairs having been Secretary and Treasurer of his local Community Development Trust in Arrochar and Tarbet.

Jim aims to make advice available to help communities, individuals, and businesses, to benefit from improved efficiency in energy usage.  Jim does this on a part time, self employed basis and is available to give advice on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons, at the LLTNP Headquarters,  Carrochan, and at other times by arrangement.

Anne graduated from Jordanhill College in 1992 with Diploma in Youth Community Work. Anne worked in a generic post in Renfrewshire Council combining youth work and work in the community. She was then seconded to Scottish Prison Service for 18 months to work on an innovative youth work project based within Polmont Young Offenders Institution.

Anne moved on from general community work in 2003. Re-located from Paisley to Carrick Castle, Argyll and set up as a consultant working on an ad-hoc basis with various community groups, initially with Arrochar and Tarbet Community Development Trust.

Anne now provides administrative support to the Apprenticeship Project on a part-time basis.