Meet Our board of trustees

Shona has a background in tourism, working for tourist board, consulting for businesses in the sector and working for global travel platforms. Having spent time travelling and planning activities with a disabled family member who loved adventure, she led the business operations for Accomable (‘Airbnb for people with disabilities’) which was later acquired by Airbnb. She is currently CEO of a career development company for the charity sector and works with University entrepreneurship programmes and start-up incubators, supporting early-stage business founders to bring their ideas to life.
Skiing has also been a life-long passion, and Shona is a qualified Alpine and, more recently, Adaptive ski instructor, and is passionate about enabling people with disabilities to experience the joy of the mountains and reducing barriers to the outdoors.

Lauren has been involved with DSUK for over 10 years. Initially as a volunteer with local groups and ski schools in Central Belt and Castleford as a teenager before joining the team as an instructor in Scotland and on DSUK Holidays. Lauren holds BASI Adaptive and Alpine Qualifications and can be found regularly on out Central Belt slopes. Alongside her passion for skiing Lauren works as a Specialist Occupational Therapist in NHS with a background of working with both young people and adults. As part of this role Lauren regularly provides training and education to range of professionals. Lauren believes that the mountains should be accessible to all. She is passionate about the power of snowsports to increase independence and the positive impact it has on health and wellbeing, as well as increasing disability awareness and accessibility. Lauren has taken on the role of Safeguarding Champion on the Health and Safety Committee.

John is a commercially focused Chartered Management Accountant with experience gained across a number of sectors, in particular the financial services industry, where he held senior management positions in both Finance and Risk during 20 years at RBS. John has a broad skill set with a focus on Financial Planning & Analysis, Business Partnering, Stress Testing and Strategic Change Leadership. Currently working with Virgin Money UK developing the banks stress testing capability, he is an outdoor enthusiast with a passion for snow sports and adventure racing. John is also trustee and treasurer of Reusing IT, a charity transforming lives through redeployment of computer equipment to those without access both in the UK and Africa.

Robbie is qualified as a solicitor and notary public in Scotland, as asolicitor in England & Wales and is a Fellow of the Chartered GovernanceInstitute. Appointed to the Board in March 2021, he has over 20 years'international legal, compliance and company secretarial experience from acrossmultiple business sectors including financial services, food and agribusiness,engineering, oil and gas, power and industrial and mining. Currently ChiefLegal Officer for the Acolin Group, Robbie enjoys spending as much of his sparetime as possible outdoors practising various nordic and alpine snowsports,watersports and cycling. Robbie is an ardent supporter of empowering people to realise their full potential through sport.

Rachel is a qualified accountant with more than ten years 'of experience working in the charitable sector and holding voluntary trustee roles on boards. She brings considerable charity finance expertise to the organisation and will help DSUK to deliver its strategy over the coming years. She is a member of the audit and risk committee.

Rachel is a keen skier and has a personal connection to wanting to see those with disabilities given the same opportunities to take part in snowsport. Rachel is passionate about snowsport and even met her husband skiing!. Rachel is also a trustee of Edinburgh Leisure.

Anne joined the board in May 2020 and has jumped straight onto the Nominations, Renumeration and Governance Committee. She brings a background in technology consulting and people development to the board. Anne is a diversity, inclusion, and equity advocate, particularly women in technology but also now disability awareness and inclusion. Anne grew up skiing and is an active DSUK Volunteer and fundraiser. She can often be found at Hemel Hempstead snow centre with DSUK members and was a ski instructor in a former life in Canada and New Zealand. The mountains are Anne’s happy place.  Anne has been appointed Equalities Champion on the Board.

Peter has been a member of DSUK for over 10 years, accompanying a family member as they made the journey from nervous beginner to confident mountain skier. He has been involved in the local group in Glasgow, participated in overseas holidays, and supported a variety of other events. Professionally he has over 30 years’ information technology experience ranging from software development to programme management. He is a qualified information security professional with around 15 years’ experience in this area.

Peter is a keen skier and cyclist when time permits. He is also the vice chair, trustee and data protection officer for City of GlasgowSeals, a swimming club for those with a disability.

Debbie has worked in fundraising since the day she left University and loves it with a passion. She is passionate about people and enabling teams to achieve goals and targets. Debbie is deeply motivated by building strong, sustainable relationships, connecting supporters and volunteers to the cause and delivering the very best experience.

Debbie says  "My life passion is snowboarding and there is no greater feeling of escape than being at the top of a mountain and picking my way backdown. It is an feeling which should be equitable to all, hence my motivation to join the board of DSUK, to reduce barriers and ensure that no matter the disability our mountains are home to everyone."

John leads The Eric Liddell Community (a care and dementia specialist charity) and the development of The Eric Liddell 100 , which is an international initiative which aims to secure the legacy of Eric Liddell.

John has a detailed experience of community development, working with individuals, groups and communities, along with an in-depth knowledge of funding streams, service staff and project management.

John has previous experience as an Associate Inspector of Education with HMIe and is presently a member of the Chartered Management Institute, the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and the Advisory Council for the Scotland China Education Network. He is also a former professional musician, Ski Instructor, Football and Basketball Coach.

Baden brings over 20 years of worldwide snowboard coaching, instructing and staff training experience, and has run his own snowboard specific school based in Morzine Avoriaz since 2010.

Holding L4 ISTD snowboard and adaptive snowboard qualifications with BASI, IVSI coaching award, and further qualifications with CASI, AASI, and NZSIA. He sits on Snowsport England’s Coaching Technical Panel and co-wrote the UKSS snowboard instructor awards. He also has an MSc in Sport Psychology.

When not travelling sideways, Baden is part of ParalympicsGB’s communications and social impact team, working on the Every Body Moves grassroots participation programme and other social impact initiatives, advocating for greater accessibility and inclusion within sport and physical activity.

Baden’s journey into adaptive snowsports began when his mum became a wheelchair user following a brain tumour operation and still wanted to enjoy the mountains together. He’s also quite the tea lover.