CHAIR
I have 30 years’ experience as a rural development specialist, with international connections and leadership roles in the public and third sectors including as convenor and ministerial appointee to the Cairngorms National Park Authority until 2015.
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An Edinburgh and Birmingham University graduate, I’m a Chartered Biologist and completed the University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainable Business Leadership. I’ve a particular interest in strategic policy and planning in rural and mountain areas and believe in a sustainable economic approach which integrates community needs and aspirations with a high-quality environment. My studies and reports have helped over 20 communities win several millions in funding support and take 100,000 hectares of land, forest and coastline into community ownership. I’m a mountaineer (completed the Munros 1989) and cyclist.
JANET HUNTER
I run a consultancy specialising in Rural Tourism, focussing on the regenerative elements for communities and integration with climate change adaptation and the circular economy.
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I sit on the Board of the Cairngorms National Park Authority and the Council of the EUROPARC federation of Protected areas in Europe.
KEITH BRYERS
I was brought up in the Highlands. I have a BSc in Land Economics from Paisley College and am a Fellow of the RICS. Until retiring in 2018, I spent most of my career with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, based in Inverness.
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I was engaged in numerous significant property projects, including extensive involvement in long-term upland footpath and visitor management. I am a keen skier and mountaineer and have been a member of Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team since 2011. My other interests include cycling, travel and research into Scottish military and aviation history.
PETER ORD
I was a founding member of The Upper Deeside Access Trust and continued to serve on the board during its transformation into COAT in 2008. I was appointed chairman in 2009 and retired from the position in 2016.
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A chartered surveyor with an agricultural degree, I retired in 2009 after nearly 14 years as resident factor of Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire, having been Factor of Strathmore Estates in Angus and County Durham for over 22 years. I was a partner of Youngs Chartered Surveyors and am now a consultant with Bell Ingram. I have holidayed and worked in the Cairngorms for over 60 years. My principal interest is in land management and I ski, fish, sail, curl, sing in a choir, and used to golf (poorly).
CHRISTINE HOGBEN
With over 30 years’ experience in business, primarily focused on developing people, my current role is managing organisational change in a major banking group.
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I am a keen hill-walker who’s almost completed the Munros; a scrambler; an on and off-road cyclist; and an enthusiastic canoeist and sea-kayaker, involved in helping under-represented groups take part in the sport. Wild camping forms part of these activities, which I also support with my campervan in Scotland and in Europe.
My passion for the outdoors has brought me physical, social and mental benefits, and I want to ensure others have the same opportunities. While our ground-breaking access laws have been a huge step forward, increased pressure on the outdoors from a range of interests has highlighted for me the need to balance those interests and ensure all activities remain sustainable. I want to increase the diversity of those enjoying the outdoors in Scotland and I’m keen to see that OATS plays a major part in providing continued sustainable access.
PETE CRANE
I graduated with a degree in Forestry and worked in forest management in Inverness before retraining on a post graduate course in Outdoor Education in Edinburgh. This lead to Fife and managing Lochore Meadows Country Park. Then from Country to National Park, joining the Cairngorms National Park Authority at designation, managing the Visitor Services Team until my retirement in 2022.
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Along the way I’ve been on the Board of Scottish Canoe Association and Sustrans Scotland Advisory Board. Appointed to Board of Mountaineering Scotland in 2022, I’m keen to try and encourage and support more of us to safely and responsibly enjoy our stunning mountains and, if we can, leave our wild uplands a little better place than we found them.