SVRG Team | Smart Villages

Catherine Gwynne-Evans – Assistant Project Manager

Catherine is dedicated to community engagement and business development and has been working in this field for more than five years. She previously worked in green economy development in South Africa, with a particular focus on green finance and energy service delivery. Catherine has a background in economics and most recently she completed an MPhil in planning and sustainable development at the University of Cambridge.

Frances James – Development Engineer

Frances brings to team an interest in engineering development with communities as an active partner and strong basis in structural engineering, having previously worked for both Arup and Atkins. She is driven by ideas of equality and sustainability and has an interest in WASH projects, having previously worked in this capacity in Zambia, Panama, and in refugee camps in Greece. She holds an MEng in Engineering Design from the University of Bristol.

Kirstin Rachman – Assistant Project Manager

Laurie Kent – Development Engineer

Laurie Kent has a background in UK agriculture and passion for sustainable and holistic farming practices. He graduated from Harper Adams Universities ‘Automotive Engineering Off-Highway’ BEng and has experience in the design of heavy duty machinery. He’s worked building bespoke expedition vehicles for Mercedes Unimog, agricultural equipment and off-grid systems. When he’s not working he’ll be out riding his bike!

Orianne Breakspear – Assistant Project Manager

Orianne is passionate about creating equality of opportunity through sustainable development. With a Natural Sciences degree from the University of Cambridge, specialising in Psychology and Neuroscience, and a background in software development, she has strong interests in effective community engagement and leveraging technology to drive meaningful impact.

Osian Rees – Development Engineer

Osian has more than 5 years’ experience working in renewable energy development, including solar, wind and wave energy. He is passionate about developing technological solutions to tackle the climate crisis. He is a graduate of the MEng Engineering Design programme at the University of Bristol.

Zoë Slattery – Engineering Project Manager

Zoë brings to the Smart Villages team an enthusiasm both for innovative technology and sustainable development. As a graduate of Cambridge University’s ‘Engineering for Sustainable Development’ MPhil, she has a passion for understanding how engineering can be applied in challenging contexts to create sustainable solutions, and for accurately measuring the impact of such projects.

Natasha Wilson – Engineering Project Manager

Natasha is dedicated to crafting impactful solutions grounded in a deep understanding of social contexts and community needs. Armed with a MEng from the University of Cambridge and complementary studies in anthropology and business strategy at Harvard, she channels experience from fast-paced technical consulting and a multinational development NGO.

Leigh Ingram – Finance Manager

Dr Anna Clements – Chief Engineer

Anna has more than 5 years’ experience of energy access and efficiency technologies, community engagement and development in East Africa. She is a champion of environmental sustainability, diversity and community empowerment. She is a graduate of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

Dr Laura Allerston – Head of Business Development

Laura has more than 10 years’ experience in the clean energy industry, with the last 5 focusing on energy access opportunities and international development. She has a particular interest in sustainability and circular solutions. Her degrees were obtained from the Universities of Birmingham and Hull.

Dr Bernie Jones – Managing Director

Bernie has more than 15 years’ experience of working at the interface of technology and international development. He is passionate about creating equality of opportunity, and sustainable impact. He previously worked at the Royal Society, Shaw Trust, UNESCO and British Airways. He is a graduate of the Universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh.

Dr Terry van Gevelt – Adviser

Terry is Associate Professor of Urban Sustainability and Lee Kong Chian Fellow at the College of Integrative Studies, Singapore Management University. Terry is an interdisciplinary social scientist focused on bridging the sustainability science-policy divide. His current research programme focuses on communicating the impacts of complex and uncertain climate impacts to diverse stakeholders; and examining how technical solutions to sustainability challenges operate within the wider social, economic, and institutional context. Terry holds degrees from the University of Warwick and the University of Cambridge.

Prof Sir Brian Heap – Senior Adviser

Based at Cambridge and past President of the European Academies Science Advisory Council, and former Master of St Edmund’s College, Cambridge, Sir Brian was one of the originators of the Smart Villages concept and initiative. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and its former Foreign Secretary and Vice-President, an honourary Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society, and past Director of Research at the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. Now an Associate of the Development for Develoment Studies at the University of Cambridge, Sir Brian’s interests include international engagement in science, sustainable development and science advice for policy makers.

Dr John Holmes – Senior Adviser

John was co-leader of the original Smart Villages research initiative, from 2014 – 2017. A graduate of Brunel University, Imperial College London and the Univeristy of Cambridge, his expertise includes research management, science and development policy, environment and energy. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford.