Key staff and trustees

The Port Sunlight Village Trust is run by a talented and dedicated group of staff and trustees.

Staff

Paul Harris, Chief Executive
Paul joined Port Sunlight Village Trust in March 2015. He is an experienced leader with a proven track record in developing and implementing strategic plans in the public, private and voluntary sectors. He has previously held senior positions at PSS – Health and Social Care Charity, Ashbury Homes, Hornby Homes and CDS Housing Association. Paul possesses excellent business skills and commercial acumen, and his approach is always people-focused. He lives in Liverpool, has two young children and is a devout Evertonian.

Rachel Tudor, Director of Corporate Services
Rachel first worked for PSVT in 2006 to provide maternity cover and re-joined the organisation permanently in 2009. She is a qualified accountant and has previously worked in the public and housing sectors. She is responsible for all areas of finance including budget setting and cash flow forecasting, pay roll, and internal reporting and statutory accounts, as well as office administration and customer service standards. Rachel lives in Rock Ferry and has two young children. She is a keen swimmer and is heavily involved with her local church.

Jean Milton, smiling for the camera.She is wearing a white jumper and has red curly hair.Jean Milton, Director of Heritage
Jean is responsible for marketing and PR, public programmes, visitor services, conservation policy, lifelong learning, resident engagement, fundraising, the historical collection and archive. She has a degree in The History of Art & Design from Manchester Metropolitan University, a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies from Manchester University and an MA in Participatory Arts in a Global Perspective from Staffordshire University (pt1). She previously worked for Stoke City Council Museums Service, the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester, The Whitworth Art Gallery and as a paid intern at Sotheby’s London. She is a Trustee for The Dudson Centre in Stoke.

Kath Lynch, Port Sunlight Village TrustKatherine Lynch, Director of Projects
Kath has worked for PSVT since 2008. Previously Director of Heritage, she is now Director of Projects following a period of parental leave. Kath has a degree in Ancient History from the University of Birmingham and a Postgraduate Diploma in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester. She previously worked for Tyne & Wear Museums and Archives, the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, and The Tank Museum in Dorset. Kath lives in Crosby where she regularly volunteers for beach cleans and parkrun stewarding. She is an adopter and has a young daughter. Kath is also currently training to be a Blue Badge Guide for the Liverpool City Region.

Lin Whalley, Director of Operations
Lin joined PSVT in January 2016 and commenced her role as Director of Operations in November 2019. She is responsible for housing management, maintenance, landscape management, together with security and sleaning. Lin is a member of the Institute of Housing and gained her degree in Housing Studies from Salford University. She has worked in a number of Local Authorities and Housing Associations in the North West. Lin lives in Bebington and has two sons. In her spare time, she is a keen middle-distance runner.

Trustees

Andrew Bowden, Chair of the Board of Trustees
Andrew was born and raised in Liverpool and maintains close connections to the area. He spent over twenty years working within Local Government and the Third Sector prior to becoming the first Chief Executive Officer of a newly formed Housing Association in North Wales. Andrew is a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors (FIoD) and has just joined Theatr Clwyd in Mold as a Trustee.

Steve Connolly
Steve has been a qualified Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors since 1991, and has more than 40 years’ experience in the construction industry. Steve is currently Managing Director of Poole Dick.  Steve is an avid Manchester United fan and his devotion stretches right back to when he bunked off school in 1968 to attend the European Cup Final.

 

Emily McArdle
Emily is a relatively new member of the PSVT Board having joined in late 2019. She is a longstanding resident of the village and a passionate advocate for the community. Emily has worked within the NHS for over 30 years as a Speech and Language Therapist working with children and their families in schools and clinics.  In addition to this, Emily is a consultant and trainer in person centred approaches, supporting organisations in health, education and social care to enable the people they support to have more choice and control in their lives. Emily is also a coach, supporting students on an international Leadership and Management workshop.

Carolyn Dalton
Carolyn is a new member of the PSVT Board having joined in September 2021. She currently manages Lancaster City’s museums having moved there in late 2018 from Doncaster where she was Heritage Services Manager. Carolyn has also worked for Norfolk, Poole and Lancashire Museum Services. She passionately believes in the value of museums and heritage to help build communities, create a sense of place and enhance wellbeing as well as contributing to the Visitor Economy and the external perception of a location. Carolyn is also a Leader in Residence at the University of Central Lancashire and is a Board member of the North West Regional Heritage Centre at Lancaster University and Treasurer of the Lancashire Place Name Survey – which has long been a personal interest.

Anna Thomas
Anna joined the PSVT Board in September 2021 but already had close ties to Port Sunlight – working with Unilever for twenty years, and living in the village since 2012. Before joining industry, Anna obtained a PhD in child health and development and worked on public policy and health interventions. As a Director of Unilever Research & Development, Anna is responsible for driving scientific and technical innovation on projects across the UK, Europe, USA, India and Asia, building strategic, multi-sector partnerships across a range of sectors.

Kelly Mullen
Kelly is an entertainment strategist for global brands with over 20 years of experience crafting stories that break through in culture. She has executive produced the Academy Award-nominated and WGA Award-winning film Trumbo starring Bryan Cranston and Helen Mirren and the documentary Dads starring Will Smith, Jimmy Fallon and Conan O’Brien on AppleTV+. Kelly currently leads Unilever Entertainment, the pop culture storytelling studio for Unilever’s 400+ brands. Her work has won numerous awards including Cannes Lions, Clios, the Shorty Social Good Award, the SABRE, and the Women’s Wear Daily Marketing Campaign of the Year.  Kelly joined the PSVT Board in September 2021.

Louise Parnell
Louise joined PSVT in October 2022, she is a Chartered Accountant with 15 years experience at Board level in the Charity Sector. Louise has also worked as a Trustee on two other Boards. Louise is currently the Finance Director at Autism Together, a care provider supporting adults with autism. Louise has lived on the Wirral for most of her life and has many links with Port Sunlight, including working at Unilever. She sees Port Sunlight as part of her heritage.

Andrew CroftAndrew Croft
Andrew is an experienced heritage professional and director of a specialist environmental, landscape and heritage practice. He has over 20 years’ experience advising clients across the UK and internationally on approaches to the management of historic places and to the delivery of change in and around those places. He has particular expertise in World Heritage site management and previously advised PSVT on its aspirations for World Heritage status. He has a keen interest in the adaption of historic places and buildings to address, and adapt to, climate change.