Meet The Team

Co-founder and Managing Director. Having graduated in biochemistry, Dave began his career with what is now Deloitte, and then spent twelve years working in IT, becoming a director of one of the North West’s top IT companies. He then founded a small management consultancy and spent ten years working as a management trainer and coach in the commercial sector. However increasingly concerned by the obvious and growing challenge of climate change, he became active with his local Friends of the Earth group, evolved his business into sustainability work, and in parallel spent seven years as a trustee and director on the board of Friends of the Earth in the UK.

He is an experienced public speaker and advocate and has appeared widely on BBC TV and Radio, ITV, C4 and Sky and in the regional and national press. When not developing and leading The Carbon Literacy Project, he is involved in other general advocacy, advisory and chairing work, cycles and swims, reads and studies art and architecture, and “bothers butterflies” with a camera.

Cooler co-founder. Phil is a long-standing social entrepreneur, broadcaster and community activist based in Manchester. He wants to leave his children ‘a future, not an apology’.

Phil has been a long-time activist for sustainable development, moving from local work with Friends of the Earth in the 1980s to riding a tandem back from Sydney raising awareness of rainforest conservation in 1990. Having studied law at Manchester Polytechnic, Phil enjoyed a successful career in radio working as a presenter and producer of features and documentaries for BBC Network Radio and working for programmes as diverse as You and Yours and Mark Radcliffe. One of his proudest moments remains giving the first-ever radio airplay to The Inspiral Carpets. Between making programmes Phil delivered media training to a wide range of national and local clients, from the RSPB to Manchester Museum of Science and Industry.

In 1999 he was the moving force behind setting up the leading community media charity Radio Regen (www.radioregen.org) working in community engagement and creating community solutions from the ground up. This work led to a place on the Board of the Manchester Local Strategic Partnership where he sits as an independent member, ensuring a high profile for sustainable development in the City’s overarching strategies. Phil was also a lead lobbyist in the successful campaign establishing legislation for community radio – working with ministers and civil servants to that end. He is still Director of Radio Regen, working part-time there as Cooler grows.

In 2007 Phil was one of the founders of the high-level climate change advocacy network The 100 Months Club, which in turn led to involvement in the drafting of the city’s climate change action plan: Manchester: A Certain Future, (www.manchesterclimate.com) as part of which he led the ‘Buildings’ writing group. He still contributes to the MACF Steering Group and is also a member of the Board of Manchester’s Local Strategic Partnership.

Natalia is our Director of Advocacy and Deputy Managing Director. She oversees the Sector Toolkits Team and the General Advocacy Team, driving forward the number of sectors and organisations that are delivering Carbon Literacy training.

Natalia began volunteering with The Project in June 2018 and joined the team to develop and deliver a new innovative approach to rolling out CL training through the creation of Sector Toolkits. Funded by BEIS (Government Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy) Natalia and colleagues created a suite of Public Sector Toolkits for the NHS, Universities and Colleges, Local Authorities and the Civil Service. Since then, this approach has been replicated in a range of other sectors including Social Housing, Automotive, Museums and Sport.

Natalia’s work involves supporting the Sectoral Coordinators with the continued outreach and support for their sectors, and working with our partner organisations to pioneer Carbon Literacy Toolkits in new sectors.

Helen is our Director of Operations; she oversees the recruitment of our team, HR system, and management of our volunteers, as well as supporting and delegating responsibilities to our wider team. She also coordinates our external communications, maintains our customer relationship management system and supports advocacy.

Helen began volunteering with The Carbon Literacy Project in March 2018, before joining the team as Project Administrator, later in the year, after graduating from a BA Human Geography. Prior to this Helen had undertaken Carbon Literacy training, and then become certified as a Carbon Literacy Trainer in 2017, at Manchester Metropolitan University. Helen has delivered multiple days of training to students at Manchester Met, as well as the world’s first Carbon Literacy for Labs session at The University of Manchester.

Helen is passionate about communicating to, and enlightening individuals about their potential to mitigate climate change within the various aspects of their lives, whether that be in a personal, social, professional or political capacity. Helen has also engaged the public in carbon reduction at Blue Dot Festival, and undertook a year of study at California State University San Marcos.

Fiona started volunteering with The Carbon Literacy Project in November 2017 and joined the team as our Certification and IT Coordinator in May 2019. Now our Head of IT & Systems, Fiona works to develop and maintain our IT and email systems.

Formerly Chair of The Carbon Literacy Trust’s Board of Trustees from 2014 to 2024, Ali now volunteers as SMT & Board Liaison, providing finance, governance and IT support to the Board and the Project team.

After a change in career direction and much time spent undertaking online courses related to environmental matters, Ruth began volunteering with The Carbon Literacy Project in January 2021 and joined the team as Project Officer in June of the same year. Ruth’s work focuses on helping to develop a new toolkit for the automotive industry alongside organisational partner Auto Trader.

Ruth’s academic background is in chemistry, in which she holds a Masters.

Jack began volunteering for The Carbon Literacy Project in August 2020, joining the Sector Toolkits team a year later. Since joining, Jack’s work has included overseeing the development of new Carbon Literacy Toolkits for the museum and sports sectors.

As Cultural Sector Coordinator, Jack is now focused on the development of Carbon Literacy programmes in the wider arts, culture & heritage spheres, and is supporting upcoming initiatives for theatres, heritage organisations, libraries, archives, arts and more.

Jack started his career in third sector/arts marketing but decided to return to university to explore his interest in the environment. He retains a keen interest in the intersection between culture, social justice, and the environment, and thinks that culture can play a vital role in a just response to the climate crisis.

Sarah has worked in education, training, and development for almost 20 years, with experience across the UK and in a range of international contexts including Vietnam, Myanmar, Borneo, and the UAE. She has held diverse roles in teaching, teacher training, and mentoring, and has worked as an academic lead and training and development consultant.

After completing an MSc in Education for Sustainability, Sarah now works as Public Sector Advocacy Lead at The Carbon Literacy Project. In this role, she leads a dynamic team supporting public sector organisations to embed Carbon Literacy and accelerate their transition to a low-carbon future.

Alongside her professional work, Sarah is an active public speaker. She is President of a thriving Toastmasters club and is an incoming Area Director. She also works as a speaker coach and mentor, supporting individuals—including TEDx speakers—to develop and deliver impactful talks.

Helen joined the team in October 2023 as Healthcare and Bluelight Coordinator. She has experience within the healthcare sector, working as a critical care nurse, predominantly in the field of neurology and neurosurgery. Helen holds a BSC in Environment Design and Management and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). She has been working in sustainability for the last five years, predominantly delivering Carbon Literacy training to businesses and supporting SMEs with embedding sustainability and carbon management.

Helen is looking forward to combining her skills to build the number of Carbon Literate healthcare professionals and support the healthcare sector to decarbonise.

Her preferred habitat is within the Peak District hills, or on her Narrowboat.

Sojan started his Carbon Literacy journey as a student, taking the training as an extracurricular during his Master’s at Sheffield Hallam University. With a background in Built Environment and a recent MSc in Construction Project Management, Sojan previously worked as a Site Engineer in Muscat.

Joining as a placement student at the Project and completing his placement in the Sector Toolkits team as the Healthcare Officer, Sojan works as the Healthcare and Social Housing Officer supporting those in both the public and private sectors in delivering Carbon Literacy within their organisations.

Lucia began volunteering with The Carbon Literacy Project in April 2021 while studying MSc Environmental Governance, taking responsibility for managing our social media channels to grow awareness of and engagement with Carbon Literacy. Hooked by the power of communication to foster climate action, Lucia left education to join our staff team full-time in August 2021 as a Communications Officer.

In January 2023, she took up the position of Communications Coordinator, before going on to become the Marketing & Communications Lead in August 2024, where she now oversees a growing and increasingly specialised team and its work across our various digital and creative communication channels.

In her spare time, you can find her out in nature, either cycling, running, or hiking!

Erika joined the team in January 2024 as a Finance Officer. Her introduction to the Project came in the form of a Carbon Literacy training hosted by the University of York in 2023, where she earned her degree in MSc Corporate Sustainability and Environmental Management.

Hailing from Manila, Erika worked for over 5 years in the financial services sector before deciding to leave the industry and pursue postgraduate study in the UK. She is passionate about equality, empowerment and the environment, and strives to embody these in her lifestyle choices and profession.

Ashley joined the team as Project Officer in early 2022. Originally from the USA, she has a background in communications and holds an MA in Library and Information Management from Manchester Metropolitan University. Her main duties include managing general enquiries for the CLP and answering the office phone. She also works with the Advocacy Team to help coordinate enquiries about Carbon Literacy from interested organisations. In her spare time, Ashley enjoys sewing and is keen on sustainable crafts.

Georgina is our Training Network Coordinator dealing with training-related enquiries and Accredited Carbon Literacy Trainer applications.

Georgina has held senior leadership and management roles in local authorities and the social housing sector. Her experience covers a range of disciplines, including Sustainability, Carbon Reduction, and Housing Standards; developing and implementing collaborative strategies and projects with multi-agency partners and residents to address decarbonisation, energy security and energy affordability. She is also a Non-Executive Director and Trustee for a Housing Association in Staffordshire.

Georgina is an accredited Carbon Literacy Trainer and has extensive experience in delivering training to social housing associations and local authorities, working across all tiers within the organisation. She is passionate and enthusiastic about enabling and delivering innovative carbon reduction solutions and achieving positive results.

Dan started work with the Project as a Certification Officer and stepped up to become Certification Coordinator in March 2023. His role includes overseeing the certification process, dealing with clients’ evidence-related queries, managing our CLP Certificate Database, as well as helping out with Salesforce admin.

With a BSc in Wildlife Biology from the Manchester Metropolitan University, Dan is passionate about protecting the planet’s future for the good of human, plant, and animal life. He loves working with the CLP and knows that as we expand further, the impact and influence we have to curb the climate crisis can only become greater.

Nicole began her Carbon Literacy journey as a placement student in 2021, working in many areas of The Project. Continuing to work through her final year at Manchester Met, Nicole graduated with a 1st BSc in Geography and soon after, joined The Project full time in 2023.

Her roles have naturally built on the varied nature of her placement year, and has since worked in most areas of operations, with her enthusiasm to learn leading to her involvement in many projects outside of this.

Nicole currently is using the knowledge, skills & responsibilities she has developed laterally across the CL team, to deliver within two main roles.

One half of her time is spent co-managing the Course Accreditation team, putting her attention to detail and passion for other team members’ development into practice. The other half is spent working with people and place, to coordinate Carbon Literate Localities initiatives – combining 5 years of Carbon Literacy experience with her geography degree.

Josh joined the Carbon Literacy Project in June 2023 as the HR Officer after actively following the group’s progress since 2019 whilst researching further education and volunteer opportunities. His position involves supporting colleagues and volunteers at the Carbon Literacy Project, managing the HR systems and taking a key role in the onboarding and development of the team.  

He has an academic background in Environmental Science through a BSc in Climate Change and a more recent MSc in Environmental Change and International Development. These were broken up by an extensive period working in multiple financial roles which included advisory positions, system design projects and in training/recruitment.  

Josh is passionate about nature and enjoys engaging with local environmental and re-wilding projects, creative writing and playing sports in his free time.  

Tega joined The Carbon Literacy Project in September 2022 as a Placement Project Officer. In this initial role, he supported the certification and the criteria-checking team with certifying new learners and accrediting new courses. He was also involved in various administrative tasks, including promoting placement/internship vacancies on career websites and using Salesforce to manage contacts.

He is now a member of the Certification team where his role involves reviewing evidence forms. He is also a recent BSc Environmental Management and Sustainability graduate, dedicated to the decarbonisation movement and passionate about driving sustainability into the built environment.

Lucas’ involvement in the Carbon Literacy family began in July 2022. He started as a Project Intern during his placement year, and continued to work with the organisation whilst he completed a Politics and International Relations BSc at the University of Bath.

As a curious and eager character, Lucas has enjoyed waring many hats during his time with the Project. He has spanned across Operations, Advocacy, and the Communications Team as a contributing blog writer.

Now he has found stability whilst preserving breadth in his work. As a Course Accreditation Coordinator he co manages a team of 10, finding great fulfilment in nurturing team members tasked with accrediting high quality climate education courses. As the Sports Coordinator, he merges a lifelong sporting passion with an unwavering commitment to sustainability and a just future.

Chloé works on the global expansion of Carbon Literacy, supporting individuals and organisations to access training around the world. Her work focuses on two key areas – enabling organisations to engage with and embed Carbon Literacy internationally, and developing a growing network of training partners to support delivery in different regions.

This includes improving systems and processes to make Carbon Literacy more accessible to international organisations, as well as researching priority markets and supporting the development of partnerships that can deliver training locally.

Working closely with colleagues, trainers, and partner organisations, Chloé helps to understand regional needs and supports organisations to embed Carbon Literacy in ways that are meaningful and effective.

She began her journey with The Carbon Literacy Project as a volunteer, supporting early work to introduce Carbon Literacy within the fashion sector.

With a background in fashion, marketing, and events, and experience working in a corporate environment, she developed a strong awareness of environmental impacts and a commitment to using her skills to support more sustainable, low-carbon practices. She is passionate about helping people understand their impact and feel empowered to take action.

She joined the team as CLAD Coordinator and Project Advocate. As CLAD Coordinator, she led the delivery of Carbon Literacy Action Day (CLAD), a global campaign aligned with the United Nations COP summit. Alongside this, as Project Advocate, she supported organisations throughout their Carbon Literacy journey.

She now builds on this experience in her role as Internationalisation Strategist, supporting the global growth of Carbon Literacy.

Christiane is part of the Advocacy Team at The Carbon Literacy Project. Having previously worked as a Carbon Literacy Trainer, she has helped numerous SMEs, local authorities and residents on their journey to reducing their carbon emissions.

Christiane has a background in business, having studied French and Business at Hull University and is qualified in Business Sustainability Management as certified by the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership. Throughout her career, she has gained extensive knowledge from managerial and training roles both in the Food and the Fashion Retail Sectors.

On her latest project before joining The Carbon Literacy Project, Christiane has worked with De Montfort University and the Universities Partnership Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to deliver courses and support to local SMEs on how to decarbonise their businesses and become more sustainable.

Ted began volunteering with The Carbon Literacy Project in November 2022 after 7 years of working in market research & insights that specialised in the hospitality sector. Ted joined the staff team as a joint Project Advocate & Salesforce Coordinator in May 2023. In his Advocacy role, Ted supported numerous organisations, from across multiple sectors, to progress through their Carbon Literacy journey. Since 2025, Ted has progressed to a new Accreditation Lead role, helping to oversee our certification, course creation and Carbon Literate Organisation accreditation teams.

After completing her Master’s degree in Advertising and Marketing from the University of Leeds, Sara embarked on her journey as a Communications Intern. Committed to continuous learning, her newfound passion revolves around knowledge, innovation, and driving positive change towards sustainability.

Lizzie started at the Carbon Literacy Project in September of 2023 as a placement student. She enjoyed the role so much she decided to stay working at the Project and is now working alongside her university studies. Her role at the Project involves spending time supporting all sectors of the project with any general IT issues or queries. She enjoys this very much and is happy she is able to help the project to run smoothly. She also studies Geography at university, one of her favourite modules being ‘Introduction to Quaternary Micropalaeontology’ as she enjoys looking at all the beautiful fossils and using them to understand past environments.

Abby joined The Carbon Literacy Project as Local Authorities Coordinator in January 2024 after a decade in education, spent as a primary teacher and curriculum developer. She is a charity trustee (Wicked Weather Watch), has a background in arts and environmental public engagement events and holds an MSc in Education for Sustainability. Her research project saw her create and pilot a course of climate change education for teachers, with a focus on empowering teachers to approach climate anxiety with their students proactively, and for those students to find their own empowerment through taking action locally.

Since then, Abby has worked with the Natural History Consortium as an event and volunteer manager, researcher and consultant with organisations such as Natural England, the West of England Combined Authority, Forest of Avon Trust and more on topics ranging from accessibility of our green spaces, to Local Nature Recovery Strategies, to Green Social Prescribing and more. She was also delighted to be the Nature lead for the Sparks Bristol project, a sustainable department store using the UN Sustainable Development Goals to platform local projects whilst envisioning what the high streets of the future could look like. Working closely with communities and placing climate change education meaningfully in local contexts is a passion.

She is passionate about climate justice, action research approaches to problem-solving and believes in amplifying community voices alongside cutting-edge research to foster regenerative outcomes.

With an MSc in Food Security from the University of Glasgow, Tony’s previous work has focused on the food and drink sector, where he developed sustainability reports and life cycle assessments that help identify the areas where carbon reductions can be made across a product or service’s entire value chain. As a passionate cyclist, Tony has previously delivered courses as a Carbon Literacy Facilitator and developed courses for outdoor and sporting communities, allowing him to be an advocate for change amongst his peers. He enjoys being able help people understand the latest climate science by relating it directly their own lives and communities.

Amber began her role as an Operations Intern at The CLP as part of her placement year. She has since continued to work with the Project as a Project Officer and Management Aide. Within this role, she works alongside the Fundraising team and Operations team whilst supporting admin within the management team. Amber is strongly interested in promoting green spaces in urban areas and homes and enjoys reading in natural settings.

Having recently graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a BSc in Human Geography, Otto became Carbon Literate in December 2020, before going on to facilitate teaching over his 3 years in Manchester. Following the completion of his degree, he joined the project full-time as a Certification Officer in July 2024. His true passion lies in Urban Planning, aiming to work with developers to create truly sustainable communities within the global south.

Hannah joined the Carbon Literacy Project in July 2024, as part of a placement year, before her final year of study in Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester. Within and outside of academia, Hannah has always been passionate about climate action, having been involved with various environmental campaigns. As Marketing Communications Officer, Hannah is excited to support the Project’s marketing team and help broaden the reach of Carbon Literacy.

Sarah joined the Carbon Literacy Project as the Trainer Network Engagement Coordinator in 2024. She became aware of the project whilst working with the Society of British Theatre Designers’ Sustainability group. Alongside a group of her peers, she helped to develop a course tailored for Theatre Designers and Theatre Makers, which she has been delivering since 2023.  She is passionate about the creative reuse of materials and sharing networks. Prior to and alongside her work at the project, Sarah works as a freelance Set and Costume Designer for Theatre, Opera and Live events. She enjoys cold water swimming, her local spot currently being in the river Medway.

Dheepika embarked on her journey with The Carbon Literacy Project in May 2023, initially volunteering her time while concurrently honing her Data Analytics skills at CareerFoundry.

After identifying key opportunities for automating data workflows and process improvements, she transitioned to a staff role as a Data Analyst in August 2023. Drawing from a robust background—including an International Master in Business from SDA Bocconi and experience as a Senior Account Manager at WP Engine (UK) and BrowserStack (India) – she now serves as our Data & Business Insights Lead.

Dheepika is the driving force behind our CRM strategy and integrated data management, applying a Revenue Operations (RevOps) lens to align our technical systems with our mission-driven goals. She leads our Salesforce optimisation efforts with a focus on cross-functional alignment, ensuring that data flows seamlessly across advocacy, operations, finance, and marketing. By streamlining these internal workflows, she creates a unified ‘full-circle’ experience for our team and external clients alike. Her work in leveraging SQL, Python, Tableau, and PowerBI provides the strategic visibility needed to monitor organizational health and drive data-backed growth through informed, real-time decision-making.

Beyond the world of data, she finds joy in organising and cooking. Inspired by the impactful work of The Carbon Literacy Project, she has developed a deep affinity for sustainable and eco-living practices, which is reflected in her commitment to opting for eco-friendly products in her day-to-day life.

As Strategic Accounts Advocate, Nicola works across the Advocacy team to help businesses of all sizes access Carbon Literacy training and accreditation. Her role combines relationship-building, strategic development and advocacy, supporting organisations to build climate confidence across their workforce and strengthen their sustainability journey in practical, meaningful ways.

Alongside working directly with organisations, she also contributes to wider projects across CLP, helping to shape strategy, develop new ideas, and strengthen the way we communicate the value and impact of Carbon Literacy.

She has a background in science communication and studied Physics at The University of Manchester, which helps her translate complex climate issues into clear, engaging and accessible action.

Alongside this, she is also on the board of Incredible Edible Prestwich and District. She also has a real passion for nature, wildlife-friendly growing, and sustainable food systems such as forest gardens.

Lydia holds a master’s degree in Sustainability and has worked in sustainability education for several years before joining the Carbon Literacy Project as an Education Officer.

She is passionate about educating people about climate change and sharing a positive message that focuses on solutions and actions. Lydia is proud to work with the Carbon Literacy Project and to promote their goal of offering every citizen Carbon Literacy Training.

Liuska is a Project Advocate within the Advocacy Team at The Carbon Literacy Project, where she works closely with organisations and learners to build low-carbon thinking and inspire meaningful climate action.

Her career has taken her across the Americas, Europe, and Africa, working in the energy (including renewables) and financial services sectors. Along the way, she has led diverse, cross-cultural teams and contributed to projects spanning digital transformation, organisational strategy, and process improvement.

Over time, her growing commitment to climate action led her to shift her focus toward sustainability and behaviour change. She first joined The Carbon Literacy Project as a volunteer in the education sector, supporting its work for nearly a year before stepping into her current role.

Alongside her work in advocacy, Liuska is also a professor at IE Business School in Madrid, where she teaches and mentors future leaders in sustainability, communication, and global leadership.

She brings a thoughtful and people-centred approach to everything she does, combining global experience with a strong sense of purpose to help organisations turn ambition into practical, lasting change.

Quentin is a French engineer specialising in fluid mechanics, driven by a strong interest in environmental issues, which led him to work in the nuclear sector. Passionate about video from an early stage, he joined The Carbon Literacy Project as a volunteer in April 2025 before stepping into the role of Video Assistant in November 2025. He works alongside the Communications team on a range of content, from social media pieces to event coverage, always mindful of staying true to CLP’s brand guidelines while bringing his own personal, social-media-savvy touch to each piece.

Beyond his work with CLP, Quentin is an active filmmaker within his student association’s audiovisual society, where his projects range from short films and documentaries to the recording and mixing of live symphonic orchestra concerts.

Holly started volunteering with Carbon Literacy in March 2023 and became a Certification Officer in January 2024, and is now our CLO Coordinator. Holly completed an MA in Music in Development at SOAS, University of London, in 2022. Her academic research focused on exploring solutions for sustainability and waste management within UK Music festivals, and featured elements of eco-musicology, environmental activism, and eco-psychology. Holly’s key interests lie in the potential for festivals as sites of innovation that provide opportunities to promote and explore radical and creative environmental solutions both within the festival context and in broader society. Holly is a qualified HGV driver and has experience in event logistics, and municipal and large-scale event waste management. Holly works annually as the Campsite Waste Manager within Glastonbury Festival, UK.

Melissa joined The Carbon Literacy Project as a Certification Officer in March 2024. After graduating from university, she worked on a charity project in local government and as a Teaching Assistant, during which time she became Carbon Literate. From 2022 to 2024, she undertook an MSc in Sustainable Food and Natural Resources at the Centre for Alternative Technology Graduate School.

Katie began working with The Carbon Literacy Project in 2023 as a CLAD volunteer and has since joined two teams, splitting her time between the Certification Team and the Learning & Innovation Team. Before joining The Carbon Literacy Project, Katie enjoyed a varied career working across several sectors, including media production (at a travel media startup) and scientific research (on international marine conservation projects).

Oriana joined The Carbon Literacy team in January 2022 as a Volunteer Project Officer. She completed a BA in Architecture and an MA in Interior Design. While she was studying for her master’s degree at De Montfort University, she got certified as Carbon Literate. Oriana has been interested in sustainability since she was studying architecture in her home country Venezuela. She is committed to making changes in her life that help make positive impacts to the environment and working for The Carbon Literacy Project is one of them. Oriana helps to certify learners as Carbon Literate among other things.