Senior Leadership Team

Alan Webb

Chief Executive Officer

Alan’s experience is in organisation development and leadership, primarily with global brands. In 2017, he became an advisor to start-ups and charities whilst spending more time with his young children. Alan has volunteered for over a decade, with Children’s Hearings, as a trustee/Chair of a medium-sized community charity and as a mentor to care experienced young people. He joined us from a UK-wide family support charity where he led on sustainability, governance, volunteering and practice development.

Isabel McKnight

Deputy Chief Executive Officer

Isabel is an experienced executive leader, having worked in both the private and public sector for over 40 years. She has strength in leadership and partnership building with experience in transformation and managing large complex projects. Isabel joined us from a local authority where her executive leadership was pivotal in creating the conditions for positive change. She volunteers on the board of a small housing association and enjoys spending time with her family. She is also a keen lawn bowler and an advocate for sports at all levels.

Alan Hall

Head of Communications and Impact

Alan provides the senior leadership for our communications, data, systems, insights and impact work with the third sector across Dumfries and Galloway and leads our wider influence in the south of Scotland and with national bodies and the Scottish Government. He joined Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway in 2018 after 25 years in media across the region, including senior editorial roles.

Jane Stanistreet

Head of Resources and Development

Jane provides leadership on key areas of organisation effectiveness, including financial management and income, people, strategy and business planning, governance, resources and administration. She also oversees the development of our fund / grant management practice and a number of development programmes.

Natalie Anderson

Executive Assistant to CEO

Natalie provides administrative and coordinating support to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to enable him to effectively conduct strategic business with colleagues, partners, communities, the Scottish Government and wider stakeholders. She is the first point of contact for the CEO. Her experience is in Professional Services management and Natalie is also a volunteer with third sector organisations and groups and was a director and voluntary consultant with a local community development trust.

Our Lead Officers

Joanna Jones

Lead for Communities and Sector Support

Joanna leads our work in communities and our team of development and support officers whose roles include building sector capacity, collaboration, leadership, good governance, sustainability, planning and volunteering. Before joining TSDG, Joanna spent eight years working for a regionwide third sector organisation, supporting members, fostering partnerships, engagement and community-led projects.

Ken Keenan

Lead for Employability, Skills and Learning

Ken leads our work across employability, skills and learning strategies in Dumfries and Galloway and develops relationships with the local authority and third sector organisations to support collaboration, develop capacity and highlight the role and impact of the sector. He has nearly three decades of experience within employability and skills within the UK and abroad managing local and national programmes and networks as well as working within commissioning bodies.

Niomi Nichol

Lead for Community Health and Wellbeing

Niomi leads our work in communities and across the third sector on health and wellbeing developing relationships with the local authority, Health and Social Care Partnership) and organisations across the sector to support collaboration, develop capacity and highlight the role and impact of the sector. She brings a vast amount of knowledge and experience in the subject, having joined us from a leadership role within the social care sector.

Rhian Davies

Lead for Community Transport

Rhian will build on work developing community transport in the region, including learning about existing projects in Dumfries and Galloway and discovering other models from across Scotland and the UK. The aim is to develop a region wide model for community transport in Dumfries and Galloway. Her previous roles, both voluntary and paid, involved working in sustainable and active travel, wildlife conservation and public health.

Our Development and Support Officers

Anna Fell

Fund Programme Coordinator

Anna is the Fund Programme Coordinator and responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Dumfries and Galloway Social Enterprise Grant Programme funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the delivery of funds which are administered by Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway.

Carol Brotherston

Training and Events Coordinator

Carol will be assisting social enterprises and the third sector to thrive by designing and coordinating a range of tailored training and events. In her previous roles working for charities, SMEs, and as a self-employed professional in the hospitality and music industries, she has lead innovation and creativity while organising and delivering numerous large and small events.

Daniel Allan

Information Systems Officer

Daniel plays an important role in the management, development and effectiveness of the organisation’s information systems and associated data. Working with colleagues across the organisation, he coordinates the application of data and information management and ensures best practice in data capture and management, reporting and information retention/storage. He also provides first-line technical support with company software/hardware and coordinating support to the wider department as needed.

Iona Callum

Senior Fund Coordinator

Iona supports the administration of funding/grants to the third sector administered by Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway. She supports the application, decision making, investment, monitoring and reporting processes and communicates directly with applicants, grant holders and the decision-making forum.

Jackie Wells

Locality Development Officer (Annandale and Eskdale)

Jackie works to build a strong third sector through collaboration and advice on a range of matters including leadership, good governance, sustainability, planning and volunteering. She hosts the Locality Hubs for Annandale and Eskdale as part of the Community Planning Partnership, working with partners in the local authority, NHS and others. She also has a wider involvement in sector development, including sharing insights and learning from localities to help with decision making.

Kateryna Stoian

Volunteering Development Coordinator

Kateryna supports the delivery of our Volunteering Strategy and our alignment with the national Volunteer Outcome Framework. Developing resources, providing advice to sector organisations and contributing to events, she is central to supporting good volunteering leadership, creating and promoting volunteering opportunities and advocating for more inclusive volunteering. She is also involved in sector events, forum and projects for the third sector working with colleagues across the organisation.

Katia Mackley

Volunteer for Employment Development Officer

Katia leads the development of work-based skills and personal development through volunteering and to help create an active, capacity-building approach to volunteer for employment and employability. Working in partnership with colleagues in the local authority, health board and enterprise agencies, she represents sector challenges and opportunities whilst making connections with the sector to maxmise the impact of employability activities through the Local Employability Partnership.

Kayanat Sheikh

Business Support Officer

Kayanat is the first point of contact for the organisation and ensures timely responses to enquiries and supports daily operations. She assists with event coordination and maintaining internal systems and provides support for finance and HR functions. Kayanat also offers administrative support to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer. With her background in administration and project coordination, she is committed to enhancing operational efficiency and supporting the organisation's community initiatives.

Lauren McDaid

Locality Development Officer (West)

Lauren works to build a strong third sector through collaboration and advice on a range of matters including leadership, good governance, sustainability, planning and volunteering. She hosts the Locality Hubs for the Stewartry and Wigtownshire areas as part of the Community Planning Partnership, working with partners in the local authority, NHS and others. She also has a wider involvement in sector development, including sharing insights and learning from localities to help with decision making.

Lesley Bass

Community Health and Wellbeing Coordinator

Lesley supports third sector organisations to contribute to building community health and wellbeing across Dumfries and Galloway. Her role includes supporting capacity building opportunities, providing advice to third sector organisations, developing resources and supporting sector events and projects. Lesley also coordinates delivery of the Third Sector Community Health and Wellbeing Forum. She has worked in a variety of support roles across the NHS, public sector and third sector.

Rachel Muir

Development Officer, Income and Fair Funding

Rachel plays a key role in attracting and securing investment for the third sector across Dumfries and Galloway and also provides funding advice and support for organisations, signposting to funding/income/investment opportunities, and develops resources to help organisations build high quality applications in line with the Fair Funding Charter. She is also responsible for the development and submission of funding applications for Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway.

Richard Rennie

Locality Development Officer (Nithsdale)

Richard works to build a strong third sector through collaboration and advice on a range of matters including leadership, good governance, sustainability, planning and volunteering. He hosts the Locality Hub for his area as part of the Community Planning Partnership, working with partners in the local authority, NHS and others. He also has a wider involvement in sector development, including sharing insights and learning from localities to help with decision making.

Yuliia Dymkovska

Fund Engagement Officer

Yuliia works directly with third sector organisations to encourage preparation for and participation in funding opportunities managed by Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway, particularly the Community Led Local Development Fund. She also assists groups in developing project ideas for funding and support learning, evaluation and impact through direct connection, collaborative spaces and progress review opportunities.

Board

John Dougan

Chair

John is a native of Stranraer but now lives in Dumfries with his family. He has worked both in the third and public sector and previously managed a drug rehab centre near Kirkcudbright. He has also worked for Alex Fergusson MSP, and as a councillor with Dumfries and Galloway Council. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Relationships Scotland Dumfries and Galloway, a charity offering family support, counselling, mediation, and child contact services, along with counselling for carers.

Jo Shearer

Vice-Chair

Jo has lived and worked in Dumfries and Galloway for over 30 years. Although Dumfries is now her base, her heart remains in the west of the region. Recently retired from her role as a strategic planning manager for children’s services with the Council, she is keen to use her knowledge and experience on the Board to further support better partnership working for the Third Sector. On a personal basis, she is a keen advocate of disability rights and ensuring families get the right support.

Phil Stewart

Treasurer

Phil Stewart lives in Dumfries with his wife, Tracey. He is the Chief Executive Officer for Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Service having previously been a Police Officer for 30 years and Work Experience Co-ordinator at Dumfries and Galloway Council. He is keen to develop partnership working to ensure that all those in need throughout the region get the help support and assistance they need to live without fear of poverty. He enjoys watching rugby, playing golf, and walking his dog.

Wendi Cuffe

Wendi lives in Ardwell and has worked with the Stranraer community for the past 25 years. She is a former employee of Dumfries and Galloway Council with Economic Development Services, managing community and capital projects to support the regeneration of Stranraer and Loch Ryan. Previously, Wendi was a community development practitioner with NHS and voluntary sector organisations. Since retiring in 2016, she has worked as an independent consultant with third sector organisations.

Jason Railton

Jason was born and raised in Dumfries and Galloway, and worked as a Project Manager with Langholm Initiative for five years with a key focus on employability, rural poverty and digital inclusion. He has significant experience in fundraising, stakeholder engagement, partnership management and community development. He is currently Chair of OutPost Arts in Langholm, as well as a Trustee of Dumfries and Galloway Befriending Project. He now works as a Digital Inclusion Development Officer with SCVO.

Carolyn Kennedy

Carolyn has lived in Dumfries and Galloway for 30 years and has experience in business and project management in private and third sector. She has worked with Better Lives Partnership since 2017 and been involved strategically with the development of the Bridge to Employment Programme and new strands offering more choice to young autistic people. Carolyn is keen to ensure people have a voice and is passionate about developing partnerships to ensure people can access appropriate support when and where needed.