Speakers

Previously based at True’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum, Lindsey now spearheads the Full Steam Ahead Project at Cambridge Museum of Technology. Passionate about the heritage sector and its development, Lindsey has achieved Associateship of the Museums Association and Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts.

As Volunteer Manager at Young V&A, Rachel is dedicated to fostering a positive and meaningful volunteer experience, taking the time to understand each volunteer’s motivations and interests. Rachel has also worked in youth engagement and volunteer management at a London based community learning centre.

With over 10 years’ experience in visitor facing roles, Will is currently Deputy Visitor Experience Manager at the Design Museum. He has a keen interest in how the Visitor Experience is front and centre in a museum’s offering and how human connection is more important than ever.

As Head of Business at The Box, Plymouth’s £47m new museum, gallery and archive, Kate works closely with the CEO to drive commercial and
fundraised income and audiences. Kate was previously Executive Director of Torbay Culture, leading the implementation of Torbay’s Cultural Strategy and Great Place Scheme.

Lloyd has 20 years experience in the heritage and cultural sector in South Wales, with roles at Cardiff Castle and BBC Cymru Wales, and as a freelance writer and lecturer. Now CEO of Insole Court Trust, Lloyd is taking the charity to the next stage of its development as a much loved community hub and vital part of Cardiff’s heritage landscape.

Specialising in events and public programming with a strong commercial focus, Georgina has held roles at English Heritage and the Natural History Museum as well as Old Royal Naval College. She is experienced in large scale events, activations for key corporate partners, and exploring new ideas for commercial income.

Kelly focuses on creative and commercial results for clients by combining the constraints of the real world with the opportunities of imaginary ones. She leads on guest experience strategy and narrative
concepts. Kelly weaves her magic on Ferrari, York Archaeology, LEGO and Warner Bros Discovery among others.

As part of the core partnership team at Oxford Brookes Business School, Paul has worked with Blenheim Palace for five years, supporting its vision for digital innovation. He teaches Digital Transformation and Leadership on the Brookes MBA and has also worked as a management consultant, trainer and start-up entrepreneur.

Robbie provides data-driven audience and market trends as well as operational insights to inspire Katapult’s design team to create immersive, commercially successful experiences. He has over 10 years’ experience in the leisure industry working with iconic brands, museums and visitor attractions worldwide.

Naomi Korn Associates is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of copyright and data protection expertise to the cultural and creative industries with consultancy services and an Online Training Academy. Naomi is a lecturer and author and is also undertaking a PhD analysing the impact of Brexit on the management of orphan works.

Melanie brings extensive leadership experience in heritage, arts, culture, and visitor engagement. Previously CEO at Shakespeare North Playhouse, she was instrumental in launching this pioneering cultural venue as a catalyst for community regeneration through arts and heritage, and has also spent a decade as an Executive Director at National Museums Liverpool.

Caroline heads up Achates, a cultural consultancy which takes a purpose-led, audience-informed approach, ensuring resilience with integrity. She is Chair of the Cultural Philanthropy Foundation and founded the Achates Philanthropy Prize. She is a Trustee of the National Centre for Writing, co-founded The London Ticket Bank and was on The Stage’s 2023 list of the 100 most influential people in theatre.

Julie has over 30 years’ experience in commercial transformation within cultural organisations. Previously Managing Director of National Gallery Global, she has also held roles at The Royal Academy, Royal Collection and C&A UK, and trustee positions with Cultural Enterprises, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith and Watts Gallery.

With responsibility for the operational and strategic leadership of Cultural Enterprises, Gordon is passionate about helping cultural venues to develop and thrive. He has a wealth of experience in culture, tourism and hospitality, having previously held roles at ASVA, VisitScotland and Museums & Galleries Edinburgh.

As Commercial Manager at The Box, Plymouth’s £47m museum, gallery and archive, Charlotte works on delivering commercial income across catering, venue hire, events, retail and licensing. Charlotte has previously worked for The Institution of Civil Engineers and in regional television.

As National Venue Hire Manager Christina is responsible for all areas of English Heritage’s hire business from photoshoots and weddings to large scale events and feature film hires. She is also the Founder and Chair of the Heritage Filming Alliance.

With over 20 years’ experience working within culture, tourism and events, Susan has held senior roles with Criton, Underbelly Ltd, and Festivals Edinburgh before joining Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. She holds an Executive MBA (Merit) from Edinburgh University and is also Founder and Chair of Women In Tourism.

Harriet has extensive experience leading visitor experience in cultural organisations with a focus on hospitality. At Arc she has led the development of the café and retail offer as a social enterprise, raising vital funds and increasing sustainability. She is passionate about creating the best possible visitor experience at the Hat Works in Stockport.