SIF is run by a voluntary board of directors, elected from and representing its membership. We have three members of staff with two seconded to work with the Scottish Government Islands Team:
Camille Dressler: Chair, represents the Small Isles Community Council (the islands of Eigg, Rum, Muck and Canna). Camille was also elected as Chair of the European Small Islands Federation in September 2016, stepped down in 2019 to be one of 2 ESIN vice-chairs. Her interests are community empowerment and community energy, as well as heritage and the arts. A Gaelic learner, she has established a crofting museum and bilingual crofting trail on the isle of Eigg and is a founder member of Comunn Eachdraidh Eige.
Frank Corcoran: Treasurer, represents the Isle of Cumbrae Initiative Community Company, which is currently looking at acquiring woodland on the island and has established a successful community garden with Big Lottery funding.
Ann MacDonald: Ann is currently seconded to work with the Scottish Government Islands Team to help deliver the National Island Plan and its strategic objectives. Ann is also a director of the Tiree Community Development Trust and Tiree Renewable Energy, its renewable energy subsidiary and Tiree Maritime Community Assets, its community harbours company. She is also a Chartered Accountant.
Alastair Fleming: Alastair is co-opted to the Board, is from the island of Luing and was very much involved in the building of the Atlantic Islands Centre. He has a great interest in geology and natural history.
Terry Hegarty: represents the Mull and Iona Community Trust. Terry who worked on our SMILEGOV project has acquired a good deal of experience in energy audits and is currently involved in sustainable transport on the Ross of Mull.
David Herriot: David is a former chartered surveyor with a strong background in community ownership and public sector valuation. Currently chairing Beachwatch Bute (a marine litter charity) and on boards of Fyne Homes, (Housing Association) Fyne Futures and Fyne Initiatives, Bute Shinty Club and the CalMac Community Board.
Elizabeth Taggart: development officer for the Raasay Development Trust, represents Skye and Raasay on the SIF board, and is taking on the SIF treasurer role from Frank. As the development officer for Raasay Elizabeth has been involved in taking forward a housing project as well as developing renewable energy and tourism infrastructure. Before working in community development Elizabeth’s background was in clinical laboratories and then in Marine Development.
Ina Glover: CEO of Islay Development Initiative which has developed and grown into a real force for change and community benefit, employing 20 people and delivering a wide range of projects and services including, a post office, driving school, zero waste and marine litter work, community hubs, halls, housing, lots of events, forestry and woodland croft creation. Ina also sits on the Argyll Small Woods board and the Carbon Neutral Islands Islay steering group and is currently finishing a masters in sustainable rural development.
Jane Nelson: I retired to Orkney in 2017, the place I visited often as a child as my granny lived here. We have family here and also built a house in 2005. I grew up in Edinburgh and spent 30 years living in the South East of England working as a Chartered Accountant and latterly as a Business Consultant and Project Manager. I spent 4 years in the USA working for a hospital group implementing new IT systems and in Africa for 3 years working as a Senior Manager with Ernst and Young in Ghana. I am now active with Greener Orkney having been involved of the set-up of the three community fridges on mainland Orkney which now have over 70 volunteers. I am also active in the SIF Marine Litter Working Group and in local beach cleans.
Kirsty MacColl: Kirsty is our SIF Project Officer and has a background in community co-operatives, community-owned shops and sustainable development.
Nicola Crook: Nicola is the lead for the Delivery of the National Islands Plan within the Islands Team of Scottish Government, a role she is currently seconded to from the Scottish Islands Federation. Prior to this position, Nicola provided technical support to Scottish Government in the implementation of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 and worked with the Islands Team, SIF and Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law & Governance (SCELG) to deliver the community consultation of the National Islands Plan.