Board of Directors

Cath has worked for wildlife tour operator and Wild Scotland member Speyside Wildlife for over 10 years. Within her role she focuses on sales and marketing along with tailor made tours and event management. Before this, she worked for Rothiemurchus as a Visitor Operations Manager meaning she has had a relationship with Wild Scotland for over 15 years and knows many of the elements that make not only the wildlife and activities Scotland has to offer special, but also the uniqueness of Scotland as a destination in its own right. Cath has always had a passion for best practise, collaboration and quality assurance. In 2020 she also established her own business, Highland Quietlife. She is a qualified Nature and Forest Therapy guide operating within the Cairngorms. Within both of her working roles, she is keen to ensure the outdoors is as accessible as possible for those who wish to enjoy it.

Along with his colleague Oly Hemmings, Pete founded the Heart of Argyll Wildlife Organisation based at the Argyll Beaver Centre in Knapdale Forest, Mid Argyll in 2017. They are a charitable social enterprise with a remit for environmental education and conservation. The centre is wholly off-grid and operates as a visitor hub, environmental interpretation centre, field centre and community space.  They run a variety of public and bespoke events and activities, the most popular of which are their regular beaver and rainforest walks. They also engage in education to degree level, species reintroduction projects, non-native species control and environmental consultation. 2024 is the 15th anniversary of the return of the Eurasian Beaver to Scotland and they intend to celebrate in grand style with a summer wildlife festival.

Basking Shark Scotland is an innovative wildlife and water sports tour business, based in Oban on the west coast of Scotland. Shane’s background is in Marine Biology and he completed his honours degree in 2003. He attained scientific and commercial diving qualifications in 2001 but started diving as a wee laddie in 1996. His qualifications include BSAC First Class Diver and Advanced Instructor, along with technical and rebreather diving. He has worked in many different fields including fishery and environmental protection, aquariums, underwater and travel photography and shipwreck disaster response along with organising diving exhibitions. He also has a long list of boating qualifications including a commercial skippers licence. His experiences with basking sharks have driven him to enable others to share the breathtaking experience of seeing these gentle giants in the wild. He has travelled extensively around the world including much of the South Pacific.