Beamish Museum, Board of Trustees

Meet Beamish’s Board of Trustees. The Board is made up of volunteers who give their expertise, experience and their valuable time to the museum.

Chris Loughran, Chair

Chris is Co-Founder and Director of Symbio Impact Ltd, a sustainable financing and strategy consultancy working with impact-driven leaders to fund solutions to global challenges. He is also a Co-Founder of the Mine Action Finance Initiative (MAFI).

Chris grew up in County Durham. His professional background is in senior leadership, operations and devising and delivering strategies to influence high-level political policy and donor decision-making. He specialises in international development and foreign policy and is an accomplished spokesperson, representing multiple organisations at the United Nations.

He has led policy and influence for leading British NGOs, directed multi-million dollar conflict recovery programmes overseas and worked in the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall. Chris is a Trustee and former Vice-Chair of Platfform, Wales’s leading mental health charity, and a former Trustee Director of the Association of British Orchestras. He holds a First Class BA from Oxford and a MSc in Conflict and Development Studies from the University of London.

Chris splits his time between Newcastle and Manchester with his husband James, and their mini-Dachshund Bob. Outside of work he spends his time cooking, gardening and enjoying music and the outdoors.

Dr Dan Jackson, Vice Chair

Dr Dan Jackson is an experienced senior leader in the public and voluntary sector with extensive experience of leading governance, policy, strategic communications and partnership development. Having previously worked in local government, he is now the Director of Policy and Public Affairs at NHS North East & North Cumbria ICB. Dan was a founder member of the Northumbria World War One Commemoration Project which won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2018.

Dan is also the best-selling author of The Northumbrians: North East England and its People, A New History, which was a Sunday Times Book of the Year in 2019. He holds a PhD in British Political History from Northumbria University and has written for The New Statesman, Prospect and History Today and is a regular contributor to UnHerd. He has also appeared as an expert on The Rest is History podcast, BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? and Radio 4’s Start the Week.

Dan lives in Northumberland with his partner and their four children, two dogs and a horse, and can often be found in the Gallowgate End at St James’ Park.

Dr Elouise Leonard-Cross, Vice Chair

Dr Elouise Leonard-Cross is an Occupational Psychologist and Group Head of People for Northumbrian Water Limited. A ‘curious collaborator’, with a squiggly career and thirst for learning, Elouise thrives on asking and exploring the questions to help organisations be happy, healthy and productive places to work.

A Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, she is passionate about making organisations human and creating the conditions for innovation and growth.  An ambassador and advocate for the North East as a brilliant place to live, learn and work, she chaired the North East CIPD Branch for 10 years, is Chair of the North East Common Purpose Advisory Group, holds NED roles in education, is an Enterprise Advisor for the North East of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Mentor.

David Alexander

David moved to the North East when he joined Gateshead College as Chief Executive and Principal in June 2021. He was previously vice Principal at West College Scotland, one of the largest educational institutions in the country.

With 20 years’ experience at a senior level in further education, David’s career also spans roles across the public sector and Board positions for the Scottish Funding Council, Victim Support Scotland and the General Teaching Council for Scotland amongst others. He is also a qualified accountant. David is a passionate advocate of lifelong learning and providing opportunities for all in our communities.

Mauricio Armellini

Mauricio has been the Bank of England’s Agent for the North East since 2014. Previously, he was Chief Economist at the North East LEP and Principal Economist at the Department for Work and Pensions. He has been a member of the Government Economic Service since 2008.

Mauricio came to the North East in 2005 to undertake his PhD studies in economics at Durham University, following his MA in the USA. He also taught economics at undergraduate and postgraduate level at Durham University.

Before leaving his native Uruguay in 2004, he worked as a professional economist in the financial and non-for-profit sectors.

Mauricio’s other roles include being a Governor at Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, a member of the business advisory board at Newcastle Business School, and a Mentor at Durham University’s Van Mildert College.

Ryan Baldry

With a decade of experience in Westminster and a foreign policy think-tank, Ryan has been at the forefront of high-profile political campaigns, crisis communications, and public affairs.

Now working as a public affairs consultant, Ryan works closely with Parliament, regional Mayors and Government on behalf of a range of clients spanning transport, energy, housing and non-profit sectors.

Dr Nikita Chiu

Dr Nikita Chiu is Associate Professor in Space Innovation and Technology Governance at Durham University Business School. She is also Ad Astra Distinguished Fellow in Robotic and Outer Space Governance at the Space Engineering Research Center, based at USC.

A former Ernst Mach grant recipient, she previously served as Senior Lecturer in Innovation Policy at the University of Exeter, and as Research Fellow in Robotics and Outer Space Technologies at the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford. Dr Chiu is a graduate from Cambridge Judge Business School, and was a Research Affiliate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at the University of Cambridge.

Dr Chiu had conducted research in Hong Kong, Tallinn, Dublin, Heidelberg, Geneva, and Vienna. She read Technology Policy at the University of Cambridge, and gained her PhD from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva in 2014.

Dr Chiu was a mentor for Space4Women, a network organised by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). She was selected as one of “20 under 35” future leaders to watch by the Space & Satellite Professionals International in 2019 for her work on space sustainability.

 

Conan McKinley

Conan is the Director of Asset Management at Your Housing Group, a provider of 29,000 homes predominantly in the North West.

Having served a five-year Building Surveyor apprenticeship at Harrogate Borough Council, Conan spent the following 10 years with Home Group, a national social housing landlord before moving to Durham and joining NorthStar Housing in Teesside, his first Director role, in 2013. Conan then joined Gentoo Group based in Sunderland in 2017 as Director of Asset Strategy before taking on his current role with Your Housing Group where he has been for the last three years.

He has extensive knowledge and 25 years’ experience in construction and the social housing sector, 10 years at Director level, to become a well-recognised strategic leader in this field.

Outside of work, Conan lives with his wife and three young children in Durham where, in amongst trips out with his family, he enjoys watching rugby, having played in his younger years at Yarm, Knaresborough and Ripon.

Louise Melville

With over 20 years of experience in finance, Louise is a CIMA qualified accountant with a deep passion for empowering organisations and individuals through effective financial leadership. She has held numerous senior roles across both global and regional organisations, including companies such as Siemens and Newcastle Building Society and is currently Financial Controller at a subsidiary of Halma PLC.

Louise is steadfast in her belief that finance is not just about controlling and managing the numbers — it’s about enabling organisations to reach their full potential. She works to ensure that finance is seen as a collaborative business partner who supports decision-making, drives efficiency, and unlocks opportunities for organisations to fulfil their vision and purpose.

Born, raised and educated in the North East, Louise lives in Newcastle with her husband and two sons, five minutes from where she grew up and is immensely proud of her North East roots and heritage. She is a huge advocate for the region and is always happy to tell anyone who asks what an exceptional place it is to live and work.

Peter Morland

Peter is a Director at the National Audit Office (NAO), the UK’s independent public spending watchdog. Peter has over 20 years’ experience auditing a range of government departments and national charities and leads key elements of the NAO’s work to report directly to Parliament on whether government departments and other public sector bodies have spent taxpayers’ money in the way Parliament intended.

Peter is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and works extensively with executives and non-executives across Government supporting on financial accounting, controls and governance.

Peter has lived in the North East for most of his life and is passionate about sharing, celebrating and preserving the region’s rich heritage.

Councillor Elizabeth Scott

Elizabeth is a Cabinet Member and is the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Economy and Partnerships, which covers Economic Development, Area Action Partnerships (AAPs), Town Centres, Regeneration, Skills agenda, Spatial Planning/County Durham Plan, Strategic Transport/Local Transport Plan, Development Control & Planning, Tourism and Culture, Libraries, Archives.

She is an active member on the boards of Beamish Museum, The Bowes Museum, Locomotion, Visit County Durham, The Durham BID Company, CDC Enterprise Agency and Derwentside Enterprise Agency.

Elizabeth is passionate about County Durham and wants to see the county become a better place to live and work and is keen to see the local economy thrive. She is also keen to support local organisations who are making a difference in the lives of Durham’s residents and especially those who support the most vulnerable in society.

She has lived in Durham for most of her life and lives and works on a small farm on the outskirts of Durham City with her husband and four children. She is currently a Governor at the Durham Johnston school and of St Margaret’s C of E primary school. Her professional background is in economic development and regeneration and she ran her own business for 13 years.

Elizabeth has represented the Neville’s Cross Ward on the County Council since 2017 and was elected as a Parish Councillor in May 2018.

Fletcher Sowerby

Fletcher is a Certified IT Architect with over 40 years’ experience in the IT industry.

Fletcher retired from IBM Consulting in August last year, and specialised in IT systems migrations for both Financial Services and UK Government organisations.

He taught a variety of subjects including Operational Resilience and Performance.

Born in North Shields, Fletcher still lives there, though spent c.20 years away from the area, mostly in London.

Fletcher has been married for 23 years, with three adult children, two dogs and a cat.

He played cricket to a good club standard as a left arm spinner for 20 years, now watching from the sidelines, as a Durham member. He describes himself as “a long-suffering” Newcastle United fan, attending games when he can.

He also enjoys hill walking, occasional sailing, local history and reading. With his original degree in geology, he maintains a keen interest in the subject, recently joining the North Eastern Geological Society.

Bridget Stratford

Bridget is 26 and from Ponteland, and says she is delighted to be appointed as a Trustee at Beamish Museum.

Growing up in the North East, she often visited the museum with school and with her family and has very fond memories. She says she is “excited to be able to contribute to the brilliant work that is already taking place and work with the new board members to continue to support the museum”.

Bridget is the founder and Co-ordinator of a special project called North East Solidarity and Teaching (N.E.S.T) which supports refugees and asylum seekers of all ages with education and integration through a wide range of provision including youth groups, adult English classes and trips and residentials. She says “it’s a privilege to support the forced migration community and I absolutely love my work”.

Bridget is also a qualified Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, having trained in South Tyneside Hospital Trust, practicing as a therapist in Blaydon and Wrekenton. Before this, she studied a BSc Hons and MSc in Psychology and in Clinical Psychology.

Bridget is passionate about working with local people to increase accessibility and equity of opportunities.

Ian Thomas

Ian is Chief Operating Officer at NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI), where he leads the destination team, having been with NGI for over 10 years. Ian is responsible for the strategic direction of visitor economy work across Newcastle and Gateshead.

Ian has worked in Destination Management for almost 20 years, studying Tourism Operations and Management at university before beginning his tourism career at Northumbria Tourist Board. Ian sits on the VisitEngland Research Advisory Group, represents NGI on the North East Tourism Alliance and is a Trustee for Beamish Museum.

Ian’s expertise lies in the research which supports the development and innovation of the North East visitor economy. Ian helped lead the North East’s bid to become the pilot Destination Development Partnership scheme, which has given a platform for the regions ambitions to double the size of the visitor economy in the North East.

Ian was awarded an MBE for services to Tourism in March 2025

Beamish Museum Trading Limited, Board of Directors

Jamiejohn Anderson, Chair

Jamiejohn, the newly appointed chair of Beamish Trading Board, brings over two decades of experience in cultural heritage, hospitality, and innovative leadership to the role. Born and raised in Liverpool, his career journey has taken him from the kitchens of top UK hotels, running his own business for a time to senior leadership positions across the UK and beyond.

His culinary background laid a strong foundation in operational excellence and people management. Jamie’s career flourished during his time in Scotland, where he held key roles with leading hospitality and facilities management companies, including projects at Heritage Portfolio/Centerplate, SEC Glasgow, and the Home of Golf.

Currently serving as the Executive Director of Operations at National Museums Liverpool, Jamie oversees visitor experiences, commercial operations, security, estates, health and safety, and hospitality across multiple sites. His expertise in creating memorable experiences and driving commercial success makes him an invaluable addition to Beamish as he chairs our trading board.

His strengths lie in strategy development, commercial acumen, operational management, and change leadership.

Outside of work, he enjoys exploring the culinary scene, reading, watching films, attending theatre and live music events, and taking walks with his dog.

And, of course, he loves a trip to Beamish.

Yaseen Ali

Yaseen is currently a member of the Co-op Group National Members’ Council where he is responsible for holding the Co-op Group board of directors and senior management to account acting while ensuring that the voice of over six million Co-op members are represented. In addition to this he serves on the Co-op Group Business Performance Committee which monitors and holds the board accountable for its functions related to corporate and strategic finance, revenue and capital investment as well as the overall financial performance of the Group.

Yaseen is also co-vice chair of governors at Benfield School where he leads on stakeholder engagement, governor recruitment and ultimately ensuring that the governing committee has the appropriate skills to provide effective challenge and strategic oversight in supporting the senior management of the school.

Yaseen was born and raised in the North East and went on to study law at Newcastle University. He has previously served as President of Newcastle University Students’ Union (NUSU) where he represented over 30,000 students, chaired the Student Union trustee board, and served on Newcastle University’s governing bodies, including its key finance committee.

He is currently preparing for his Solicitor Qualifying Examinations and will start his solicitor training contract in September.

Jonathan Hamill

Jonathan moved to Durham from the North of Ireland many years ago. He is passionate about the North East as his second home, where he has made a significant contribution to local communities. He lives in Durham with his wife (a language teacher and school Governor) and three teenage children.

Jonathan recalls fond memories of many visits to Beamish Museum, including the opportunity for his wife to tell their children about the Annfield Plain Co-op (her family is from that area and shopped there). He is also fascinated by the Beamish Motor & Cycle Works, as his former family business was coachbuilding.

Jonathan is an accomplished board-level executive leader with experience in senior commercial roles. He is the Managing Director of an industrial fire prevention and measuring technology company locally and a Governor and Trustee at New College Durham.

Jonathan is a Masters graduate (Executive Masters in Enterprise Management) of Durham University, a Chartered Manager, a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a Member of the Institute of Directors. He is a visionary leader who is adept at problem resolution. He has an extensive track record in formulating strategy, leading change programmes, driving year-on-year growth and establishing market leadership.

John Rainey

John is a seasoned product leader and advisor with over 20 years of experience in commercialising innovative digital products and scaling businesses across multiple sectors. He has launched and optimised products in the UK and US and led cross-functional teams in technology companies during significant periods of growth.

Having worked in a venture capital firm advising companies and in various startups as a senior leader, John brings a unique view of the strategic, commercial, and operational needs of early stage businesses and products. John has leveraged his MBA from London Business School and his electrical engineering degree from Georgia Tech to understand and align the varying strategic viewpoints across the C-suite. He has served as a strategic advisor to multiple early-stage startups.

John is passionate about helping charities and mission-driven organisations use technology to solve practical problems and deliver more impact to their communities and clients.

Kirsty Russell

Kirsty is a qualified accountant with over 20 years’ experience. Originally qualifying with PwC, she then moved into industry and has built up a range of experience in companies such as Sage, Proctor and Gamble and Johnson Matthey.

Kirsty is currently a Finance Director at Hubexo UK limited and is looking forward to sharing some of her past experience and knowledge with the Board of Directors at Beamish Museum Trading Limited.

As a local to the area, Beamish was a prominent part of Kirsty’s childhood and she says she personally loved visiting with her grandparents as they recalled how Beamish brought back memories from their own childhoods in the 1920s. Roll on 30 years and Kirsty is now taking her own children to the museum, building their own personal memories up. As a regular visitor to Beamish, Kirsty says she has loved seeing how it has evolved over the years and is excited to be part of what the future will look like.