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Staff Profiles

During the season Aigas employs up to 22 people who work closely together to ensure the place runs to the high standards we expect. Everyone helps everyone else and there is a strong team spirit here.

Overseeing it all, our two directors:

Sir John Lister-Kaye
Lady Lucy Lister-Kaye

Working tirelessly in the office:

Warwick Lister-Kaye - General Manager
Sheila Kerr - Field Centre Secretary
Frankie Mcleman - Programme Assistant.
(Frankie is the one most likely to answer the phone.)

The field staff team consists of:

Elspeth Ingleby - Programme Manager
Brenna Boyle - Field Officer
Alicia Leow-Dyke – Staff Naturalist
David Bavin - Seasonal Ranger
Scott O'Hara - Seasonal Ranger
Kate Thomson - Seasonal Ranger
Duncan McNeill - Seasonal Ranger
 

The education staff of our charitable arm - Naturedays - are:

Sarah Hutcheon - Senior Education Officer
Sue Hodgson - Part-time Education Officer
Amy Bartlett - Fundraising Officer

Guest lecturers:

Robin Noble - Guest Group Leader
Jonathan Willet - Guest Group Leader
Laurie Campbell - Guest Photography Group Leader
Dr David Dixon - Guest Group Leader
Philip Knott - Guest Group Leader
Donald Shields - Guest Group Leader

Estate maintenance

Providing all the firewood, mowing the lawns and keeping the whole ship afloat:

Hugh Bethune - Estate Maintenance Officer
Maciej - Hugh's Right Hand Guy
Monika - Lucy's Right Hand Girl

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Sir John Lister-Kaye

Sir John Lister-Kaye is one of Scotland’s best-known naturalists and writers on wildlife and nature conservation. He is a Times columnist and the author of eight books on his work with wildlife. His best-selling non-fiction ‘Song of the Rolling Earth’, was published in March 2003, and his latest, At the Water's Edge in February 2010.

In a 30 year nature conservation career he is an honorary Vice President of RSPB, was for seven years the Chairman of Scottish Natural Heritage for the Highlands & Islands, is a former President of the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Chairman of the government’s Environmental Training Organisation. In 1986 he won the World Wilderness Foundation’s gold award for environmental education; he has received honorary doctorates from St Andrew’s and Stirling Universities and in 2003 he was awarded the OBE for services to nature conservation.

He has lectured on conservation and environmental politics on three continents; has led exciting expeditions to wilderness areas like the Kalahari Desert, the Ecuadorian Amazon and the Atlas mountains. In March 2003 he took his wife, Lucy, and his daughters Hermione and  Amelia to Svalbard to follow the polar bear migration across the pack ice, only 350 miles from the North Pole. He has recently returned from a four month expedition up the Great Rift Valley.

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Lady Lister-Kaye

Lucy is a local girl. Her mother was a Mackintosh of Balvraid and a close cousin to the chiefs of Clan Mackintosh at Moy. The Mackintoshes played a prominent role in the Jacobite uprising which culminated in the defeat of Gaeldom at Culloden in 1746. A square of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s plaid has been handed down to Lucy and is on display at Aigas.

Lucy runs the household at Aigas, master-minding the cooking and preparing (and publishing!) the menus - all covered in the food page.  She somehow also finds time to bake cakes and supervise her domestic staff, as well as being matriarch to a large extended family!

In between times she is a JP for the Highlands and is very active in fundraising for the Highland Hospice. But her passion is the garden. She has created the Aigas gardens single-handed (with engineering support from John and the family) and continues to extend them year on year.

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Warwick Lister-Kaye - General Manager

Warwick was born in the Highlands and was brought up at Aigas.

Aged nineteen he mustered sheep and cattle in Western Australia and The Northern Territory for a year before returning to Britain and starting a career as an Officer in the British Army. He served for six years with The Highlanders during which time he negotiated sensitive disarmament agreements with bands of militia in the hills of Kosovo, patrolled Northern Ireland before the ceasefire and trained hundreds of recruits.

During his military career he found time to travel all over Europe, South & East Africa, East Asia and the United States. Retiring as a Captain, he set off to South America and travelled through Chile, Argentina, Antarctica, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru - during this time he fell in love with the continent, its diversity and peoples.

Apart from helping his father's tourism business on and off for years, Warwick has also worked for tour operators in Egypt, Jordan and Israel. He is also a professional photographer.

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Sheila Kerr - The Indispensable Field Centre Secretary

Sheila has worked at Aigas since February 2003, as Book-Keeper/Secretary.

Sheila's career path demonstrates her multi-talents. Originally she trained in catering, but decided to make a career change, working her way up to PA with the National Trust for Scotland in Edinburgh. Later she developed her expertise in book keeping by running her own businesses; first a filling station, then a hotel in the Inverness area.

While Sheila's daughter (Mhairi) was at school she worked part time painting pewter miniatures and doing secretarial work from home.

Sheila has a particular interest in traditional Scottish music – she plays the accordion in a local Ceilidh Band (cnocciuil). Sheila also enjoys walking and gardening.

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Frankie Mcleman - Programme Assistant

Frances handles bookings, enquiries, marketing and programme logistics.

Born in Edinburgh, she was raised in Sheildaig on the west coast of Scotland and grew up with the sea as her front garden. Frankie re-joined us in August 2008 as Programme Assistant after a twelve year absence. She spent time in Canada and the Channel Islands but decided that the Highlands was where her heart really belongs.

She enjoys boats with or without an outboard, travelling, crosswords, photography, reading, history, politics and is learning how to fly fish.

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Elspeth Ingleby - Programme Manager

Hailing from rural Cheshire, Elspeth has always been fascinated in wildlife, but hadn’t really considered a career in conservation until she studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge University.

After spending a summer in the cloud forest of Honduras and specialising her degree in Zoology, she had found her vocation.

Since graduating in 2007, Elspeth gained experience of practical habitat management by volunteering full time on Flat Holm Island before moving up to Glencoe to become a volunteer ranger for the National Trust for Scotland.

Working in the Highlands was a dream come true and she became fascinated with the special ecology and wildlife of this spectacular area. After a stint of rhododendron bashing on the Isle of Arran and a promotion, Elspeth is overjoyed to return to northern Scotland for another season. In her spare time, Elspeth enjoys orienteering and hill walking, so hopes to exploit the wonderful local areas. More relaxing hobbies include baking, singing and attempting to learn how to use her camera.

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Alicia Leow-Dyke - Staff Naturalist

Alicia is originally from Stratford-upon-Avon and has been interested in natural history from a young age. She graduated from Cardiff University with a BSc (Hons) in Zoology, followed by an MSc in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation at Imperial College London, where she was based at the Silwood Park campus and was constantly surrounded by wildlife.

Her studies have allowed Alicia to combine her interests in ecology and conservation with travelling, where she investigated the habitat requirements of endemic and threatened bird species in the jungles of Indonesia. This not only involved conducting bird censuses, but also eating ants for breakfast! The subject of her next thesis was on the biodiversity of fig wasps in Australia.

Since university Alicia has volunteered with the Wildlife Trust and worked for an ecological consultancy surveying and rescuing great crested newts and reptiles. In her spare time Alicia enjoys walking, reading, photography and she is currently learning to play the guitar.

Alicia has been promoted again from Head Ranger to Staff Naturalist!

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Brenna Boyle - Field Officer

Brenna is originally from Derbyshire and grew up exploring the Peak District. She developed a passion for natural history from a young age; one of her first memories is hunting through the compost heap looking for worms.

She graduated from Durham University with a B.Sc (Hons) in Zoology and later gained an M.Sc qualification in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation from Imperial College. Her thesis was on human wildlife conflict, looking specifically at crocodiles and river side communities in Namibia.

After spending over a year working in conservation and behavioural research in Southern Africa, Brenna wished to return to work with UK wildlife. She then spent eight months surveying for reptiles and great crested newts in Essex.

Brenna has previously worked as a freelance environmental teacher and as volunteer coordinator for Groundwork London. She is passionate about working with people and sharing her enthusiasm for nature.

In her spare time Brenna enjoys walking, reading, listening to music, attempting to learn guitar and figuring out how to use all the buttons on her new camera!

Brenna has been promoted to Field Officer at the end of the 2011 season and at the same time won the Swarovski award for best member of staff. Well done Brenna!

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David Bavin - Seasonal Ranger

David joins us in 2012. He has always loved natural history in general, and is especially passionate about mammals and the creatures of the ocean, which he learned to appreciate while scuba diving in the English channel. After sixth form he travelled abroad and then completed a degree in marine zoology at Bangor University, followed by a masters in wildlife biology & conservation in Edinburgh, during which he fell in love with Scotland

He has worked on research projects in the Flow Country and Abernethy forest on his favourite British mammal, the pine marten.  He is a keen explorer, runner and swimmer and plays the guitar!

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Scott O'Hara - Seasonal Ranger

Scott joins us in 2012. His interest in natural history and wildlife started at a young age while growing up on the Scottish east coast. He used this enthusiasm to help him complete his degree in Countryside Management at the Scottish Agricultural College near Aberdeen.

Since then he has both volunteered and worked in conservation for the Scottish and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trusts, Kelburn Estate and Dundee City Council.

Outside of work he has always been involved in Scouting, especially the bushcraft aspects, and has volunteered at International Scout Centres in Switzerland and Sweden for several seasons.
Although interested in all aspects of natural history, his true passion is birds so don't be shy to ask him your birding questions!

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Duncan McNeill - Seasonal Ranger

Duncan also joins us in 2012. He has had a strong interest in exploring and conserving the world around him from a very young age. He spent a large portion of his childhood exploring the Cairngorms, an area he still regularly visits to this day. This love for nature and discovering new things led him to complete a degree in Zoology at the University of Glasgow.

Through University Duncan was lucky enough to be involved in a number of international expeditions, culminating in him being chosen to lead two expeditions to Bolivia in 2010 and 2011. On these expeditions he developed his understanding of a variety of ecosystems and animals and was able to work with some of his favourite groups the herpeto-fauna and mammals.

In his spare time Duncan is a keen sportsman and is a regular at his local climbing spots, he also
enjoys hill walking, fishing and anything else that will get him out in the fresh air.

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Sara Hutcheon - Senior Education Officer

Sarah is our latest team member. Born and bred in Fife she is a country girl at heart and has always been fascinated with nature. One of her earliest childhood memories is investigating the ‘wiggly worms’ that were dug up whilst tattie picking on her great aunt's farm.

Sarah continued her environmental interests by completing a BSc Hons in Ecology at Edinburgh University. During this time she developed an interest for environmental education, volunteering for an ecological outreach program and delivering conservation lessons in primary schools.

Sarah is a keen rider and has competed in dressage, show-jumping and cross-country disciplines. She also enjoys running and has taken part in the Cancer Research Race for Life several times.

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Sue Hodgson - Part-time Education Officer

Sue joined the Aigas team five years ago. She moved up to the Highlands in 2007 from Cheshire, with her husband and two young boys, and now lives locally in Struy.

She has previously worked as a classroom assistant with infants, been a Cub Leader, loves landscape gardening and also sells children’s books.

The family hobbies are hill walking, local wildlife and looking after their dogs, cats and hens. She is also an extremely good cook!

 

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Amy Bartlett - Fundraising Officer

Amy moved to Strathglass in January 2005 from Yorkshire and lives locally in the village of Tomich. She has a background in the voluntary sector including development, funding and volunteer support.

As our Fundraising Officer, Amy is tasked with securing long and short term funding to ensure the sustainability of the environmental education work we deliver at Aigas. In her free time Amy will be found walking in the surrounding glens with her trusted sidekick Jake (dog).

 

 

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Robin Noble - Guest Group Leader

Robin’s Highland credentials are pretty good; his mother’s family came from Cawdor and Orkney, he has known the Highlands and Islands all his life, and has lived in Assynt, Orkney, Strathglass, Skye, and, once again, is resident in the inspirational Parish of Assynt.

His book, North and West, is a very readable introduction to these various aspects of the landscape about which he is so enthusiastic. His in-depth studies of ancient woodland in the Highlands have made him into an acknowledged expert in this field.
Artist, singer and hill-walker, Robin asks nothing better than to introduce other people to his beloved Highlands.

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Laurie Campbell - Guest Group Leader

Laurie is one of Scotland's most accomplished and well known nature photographers. We owe him an enormous debt of gratitude for the images he has furnished us with; not only for this website but in all of our marketing material and presentations.

He leads our two photography weeks and they are always the first weeks to fill - so book early to take advantage of Laurie's patient and generous teaching style and limitless knowledge on all things photography.

Details of Laurie's courses are available here.

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Dr David Dixon - Guest Group Leader

After an exciting research career studying the bizarre organisms that live around deep-sea hydrothermal vents (which took him to the bottom of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in a small submersible, and into the pages of National Geographic), David has now turned his attention to more accessible, but no less fascinating, creatures which inhabit the hills, glens, lochs and coastal waters of the Scottish Highlands and Islands.

An Aigas Guest Lecturer for the past 5 years, he has built up a reputation for covering a wide range of fascinating (and sometimes offbeat) topics, extending from ice ages to astronomy, via badgers, fossils and haggis, all presented in a friendly and unchallenging way.

David is a regular consultant (and presenter) for BBC television, most recently Autumnwatch, and is an occasional contributor to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus Council member of the Zoological Society of London.

For a hobby, David keeps bees (although he confesses to not being that fond of honey!) and builds dry stone walls – an excellent wildlife habitat.

 

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Jonathan Willet - Guest Group Leader

His first job, in 1995, was as a Ranger at Aigas Field Centre. It was there he says that he became the avid naturalist he is now, through a combination of his enthusiasm, the location and the expertise and support of all the staff there. He has never been the same since!

After Aigas he worked as a Countryside Ranger, Environmental Education Officer and for the last 7 years a Local Authority Biodiversity Officer. These jobs took him on a 10 year lap of Scotland, with two detours to Africa. He returned to the Highlands in 2005 to become the job-share Highland Biodiversity Officer. To occupy and fund the rest of his time he is a freelance wildlife guide.

Though he is interested in all of nature, dragonflies are his favourites.

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Philip Knott - Guest Group Leader

Phil will be a familiar face to previous Aigas guests as he was employed as the Staff Naturalist between 2006 and 2009. Still affected with a deep love of the Highlands and Islands, he is the guest leader on some of our islands programmes. He is currently employed as the Ranger of Handa Island over on the West Coast, where he keeps a close eye on the Puffins and Otters.

Phil is an enthusiastic and patient all round naturalist, with a passion for travel, wild places and exciting wildlife encounters. Despite wildlife adventures all over the world, Phil still rates his encounter with Killer Whales on the 2008 Shetland programme as his personal highlight.

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Donald Shields - Guest Group Leader

Donald returns this year as a guest leader, to lead our Spring birds and hebrides programmes.
Having grown up in the Highlands, Donald was always naturally drawn to the natural world, and counts himself very fortunate to be able to work in the conservation sector. His experience also includes helping out on a family croft on the Isle of Skye.

After his three years with us (2006-2009) Donald took off to New Zealand for 6 months, mixing travelling with conservation work. This has given him a real appreciation of conservation issues and how they are dealt with on an international level.

The wonders of New Zealand, (from species such as the kokako to the massive wandering albatross,) have not lessened his enthusiasm for Scottish wildlife, and he is still searching for an elusive glimpse of a Scottish wildcat.
 

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Hugh Bethune - Estate Maintenance

Hugh is a native Highlander living on the Black Isle. He is a proud parent and grand-parent married to Karen who is a kilt maker by profession.

Hugh has worked at Aigas for the past twelve years. Duties include maintenance of cabins and other property, upkeep of grounds round the house – grass cutting, fencing, tree felling and other jobs connected to estate work. Any spare time Hugh has he enjoys walking, cycling, reading, war films and especially westerns, and a good malt whisky.

 

 

 

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Maciej & Monika

Monika and Maciej (pronounced Magic) are from Eastern Poland and have worked with us on a seasonal basis for some years. From 2010 we are delighted to have them on board full time!

Monika assists Lucy in the kitchen and leads the other domestic staff in all their various vital tasks; a role that she performs with a ready smile and a steady unflapability.

Maciej is Hugh's right hand man around the grounds; maintaining properties and infrastructure, chopping and bringing in the firewood, mowing the lawns - he's a busy man. Hugh is teaching him a curious dialect of Highland English with some fascinating results!