Our Board Members

Jim was involved in Commercial Finance over 40 years in the Banking sector – with the last 10 years focusing on clients who have been experiencing financial difficulties.

Jim has also dedicated over 20 years to being a Rotarian in Duns, raising almost £200,000 for many local and national causes and is actively involved with other local groups, including being a Trustee for A Heart for Duns.

Jim joined the Board in September 2016 and was elected Chair in September 2019.

Jordan has 19 years of experience working in Homelessness within the Scottish Borders, working on the front line both as a case officer and team leader. As a stock transfer authority, she has an established close working relationship with the local RSLs, to support homeless or potential homeless houses to keep their accommodation or secure a new home. She has extensive knowledge on homelessness legislation and policy, and has an in-depth knowledge of the drivers for homelessness with a particular interest in people who have faced multiple disadvantages. More recently, she played a key role in the development of the Scottish Borders Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan, which supports the Scottish Government’s Ending Homelessness Together agenda and aims to reduce the incidences and impact of homelessness.

Jordan has recently taken up a role as Impact Lead with the South of Scotland Enterprise, which focuses on performance measurement.

Vivienne is a Chartered Accountant who has specialised in infrastructure investment over the last 25 years. She has experience in supporting the financial and commercial aspects of public sector investment in a wide variety of sectors including energy efficiency (domestic and non-domestic), health, education and the utilities.

Vivienne is a Board Member for South of Scotland Enterprise, a Strategic Board member of Heat and Energy Efficient Scotland and holds a number of Public Interest Director roles in companies delivering Scottish hospital projects.

Vivienne joined the Board in September 2017 and was elected Vice Chair in September 2018.

Paul’s background is in civil engineering, street design and project management. He has gained a breadth of experience in the public, private and third sectors, covering the full project cycle from business case and design development to contracts, procurement, and construction.

Over the past 8 years, he has focused mainly on walking, cycling and place making. He is interested in creating better places through co-design with local people. Paul believes our streets and neighbourhoods provide great opportunity for positive social impact – and we need to challenge and re-imagine how our streets should function, to create a more inclusive and sustainable environment for all.

Paul joined the Board in May 2018

Karen is a Chartered Accountant who qualified with Deloitte in 2002. Since then she has worked for over 20 years in the social housing sector leading internal audit and assurance teams. She is currently working as the Director of Assurance for Places for People Group, another social housing provider. She is experienced in assuring areas such as risk management, regulation, governance, health and safety compliance; information security & privacy risk; as well as having developed an excellent understanding of social housing operational issues.

Karen is married with a daughter and stepdaughter and lives in County Durham. On a weekend she can be found attempting to ice skate at her local rink in support of her youngest daughter who is a keen figure skater.

Karen joined the Board in January 2023.

Brian has over 30 years’ experience in Local Government at Chief Officer level and several years’ experience in the Commercial Sector – including 15 years at Executive Director and board level. Working as a Director at both Stirling Council and Glasgow City Council.

Brian has led on high-profile major service and place-based transformation projects, created, and implemented several public/private joint venture partnerships, and devised and implemented new and innovative service models in both the public and private sectors.

Brian was the Senior Responsible Officer and Chair of the Transport Programme Board for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and served on UK and Scottish Government Groups . He has also been a Non-Executive Director on several public and private sector organisations.

More lately Brian has been advising organisations from start-up ventures to long established companies on business strategy, funding investment and new and innovative delivery models.

Brian holds an MBA, Diploma in Management Studies, a Post graduate certificate in Electronic Business and is a qualified coach and is happily married with two grown up daughters and enjoys walking, reading and current affairs.

Brian joined the Board in February 2023.

Hugh is a Chartered Accountant and after an early career in audit and financial management in the private sector and the NHS, he has worked in and around Scottish housing associations since 1995, as a financial manager and business consultant.

After 12 years as Director of Finance at Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership, Scotland’s second largest RSL, he is now a consultant advising RSLs on finance and treasury matters. He has extensive experience of long-term business planning and funding for housing associations. He is also Chair of the Board at Dumfries and Galloway College and previously chaired the Board at a specialist housing and care provider in Edinburgh.

In his spare time, Hugh worries about the fortunes of Newcastle United and Yorkshire county cricket.

Hugh joined the Board in September 2020.

John has been an Advocate since 1981 and qualified as a Barrister in England and Wales in 1990. He is a member of the Faculty of Advocates and of Trinity Chambers, Newcastle. He lives in the Borders.

He has agricultural law, landlord and tenant experience and has worked widely in promoting ADR, Arbitration and Mediation around the world. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, an active practicing Arbitrator and a member of the Faculty of Advocates Dispute Resolution Service.

He took up Planning work in the mid-1990s and has developed that speciality to include Environmental Law. He is active on behalf of communities, NGOs and third parties and is consulted by, and also represents, developers and councils in a wide range of issues, including housing.

Outside law, John is Chairman of Scotland’s largest Building Preservation Trust and of the Ross Development Trust, a member of the Board of Planning Aid Scotland, and the Chairman of a Research Advisory Board within the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh.

John joined the Board in September 2020.

Carolyn has been Oasis Community Housing’s Director of Programmes since July 2022. As Director of Programmes, Carolyn oversees the homelessness charity’s resource centres, emergency accommodation, domestic abuse and employability projects that help over 1,000 people on their journey out of homelessness each year. Carolyn has 16 years’ experience in the housing sector, from frontline roles to senior executive level and has previously worked for Benwell Neighbourhood Management Initiative, Home Group and Auckland Home Solutions, a specialist supported housing provider.

In her spare time, Carolyn is an active member of the North East community, holding a number of committee and board roles including the local Parent Teacher Association (PTA), YMCA Newcastle and Newcastle’s 4th Scouting Division.

With almost 30 years’ experience working with the housing sector, John has worked across a number of organisations, from Westminster City Council, Home Group, Newcastle City Council, Your Homes Newcastle, to his current role, leading a number of housing services on behalf of South Tyneside Council.

John has ensured customers are at the heart of shaping services and with extensive knowledge of housing legislation and the delivery of new build and specialist accommodation, John is focused on driving change and increasing housing options, which support customers to live well, avoid housing crisis and find accommodation that can be sustained for as long as they choose, through meaningful and lasting partnerships.

John leads for health and wellbeing for his current organisation and is passionate about improving staff and customer wellbeing.

Anneka is currently Strategy and Development Director at K&T Heating Servicing, who provide heating solutions across in the social housing industry.

Anneka has 10 years’ experience in public sector tendering and business improvement across a range of industries including asset management, compliance, fire safety, recruitment and fleet management.

Anneka’s current role includes developing initiatives to successfully transform the business in line with strategic objectives, whilst supporting a diverse customer base. Recent projects include working with the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) to develop a toolkit to improve the sector’s response to domestic abuse.

Claire is an experienced social housing professional, currently based in Haddington as a Housing Manager at East Lothian Housing Association (ELHA).  Claire’s background is in housing management and out with housing in youth and community work, particularly with involvement in projects working with vulnerable young people.  During her career in housing, Claire has gained wide ranging experience, including working in front line housing services as a Housing Officer; coordinating tenancy support services; and in developing policies and procedures.

She now leads a large and varied team providing tenancy management and support services, and is responsible for managing and reporting on the team’s performance. Claire has significant experience in providing services to customers digitally, focussing on achieving a balance of digital and traditional services.

She has been involved in the development of projects including a Housing First approach to support women with particularly complex needs who’ve experienced domestic abuse.  Claire is responsible for ELHA’s tenant participation activities and has a strong focus on tenancy sustainment and tenant involvement, viewing these as key responsibilities of all those working in social housing.”