BRASS Advisory Board

BRASS has an Advisory Board to assist in its program towards success in achieving its aims and objectives. The Board acts as a link between key UK and international Research centres and stakeholders, which serves as a quality assurance for BRASS research.

Peter Davies

Peter is based in Pembrokeshire, S Wales and operates as a project consultant working with private, public and voluntary sectors. He is Vice Chair (Wales) of the UK Sustainable Development Commission and in that role is responsible to Welsh Assembly Government for providing advice, advocacy and scrutiny on the Assembly Government’s responsibility for the delivery of sustainable development in Wales

Other responsibilities in Wales include coordinating the Prince of Wales’ charities and being chair of the West Wales branch of the Institute of Welsh Affairs

Peter’s background is in the field of corporate social responsibility working for the Confederation of British Industry, Department of Trade and Industry and Business in the Community. Peter was Managing Director at Business in the Community UK from 1995 to 2005

Sue Essex

Sue is a qualified town planner who has worked in local government and at Cardiff University in the Department of City and Regional Planning. She was the Leader of Cardiff City Council, a former member of the Countryside Council for Wales and until recently was a Mimister in the Welsh Assembly Government, firstly as Environment Planning and Transport and then as Minister for Finance, Local Government and Public Services

Owen Evans

Recently appointed as Director in Wales of 'Business in the Community'. Previously Owen was Head of Government Relations for BT Global Services with responsibility for devolved administrations and local government. Member of the Welsh Language Board, Board of Governors for the University of Wales, Newport and of the Communities@One Advisory Panel.

Helen Nelson

Helen Nelson is the Executive Director of Cynnal Cymru - Sustain Wales. Cynnal Cymru – Sustain Wales is the sustainable development forum for Wales. It aims to catalyse change for sustainable development by working with stakeholders to enable sustainable lifestyles; promote debate; influence government policy; and support practical action.

Helen has been at Cynnal Cymru for five years. Originally from Aberdare, she completed a Geography BSc and MSc at Aberystwyth University. From there Helen worked in rural community development in Powys, and then as Co-ordinator of Ymlaen Ceredigion. Whilst at Ymlaen, Helen developed practical projects such as the Ceredigion Solar Club and also wrote the county's first Sustainable Development Strategy.

Cynnal Cymru promotes sustainable development in Wales via resources such as www.sustainwales.com; the newsletter 'GloballySusDCymru'; and a film made with WAG in response to The Inconvenient Truth to encourage people in Wales to take action on climate change. Cynnal Cymru also works with its networks to influence strategic Government policy, and in 2008, will continute to bring together people to debate, celebrate best practice, and promote networking to catalyse change towards SD.

Helen lives in Mumbles and she enjoys reading, walking and anything to do ith the Gower.

Morgan Parry

Morgan is the head of WWF Cyrmu. Backed by the policy and communications resources of the Welsh staff and UK organisations, he seeks to influence decision-makers on issues such as marine legislation, sustainable development and climate change. Morgan is a Board Member of the Sustainable Development Forum for Wales

Matthew Quinn

Matthew Quinn is Director of the Department for Environment, Sustainability and Housing at the Welsh Assembly and has a strong career background in environment and sustainability. The first 10 years of his civil service career were spent in Whitehall where he helped produce the first UK Environment White Paper, This Common Inheritance. As Head of Development Planning in the then Department of the Environment, he also introduced changes to land use planning to support in-town housing and retailing.

Before coming to Cardiff in 1998 to establish the first Assembly Government Policy Unit, Matthew was Director, Environment and Transport in the Government Office for the South West where he established Sustainability South West and had responsibility for housing, planning and regeneration.

Matthew was born in Leicester but now divides his time between Cardiff and Montgomery and has learnt Welsh. He has contributed a number of academic articles and chapters for edited books on planning and environment issues.

Steve Wearne

Steve Wearne is the Food Standards Agency Director for Wales. Following a period of postgraduate research, Steve joined the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food in 1990 as a Higher Scientific Officer. He was soon promoted to Senior Scientific Officer and to Head of Branch in 1997. He transferred to the Food Standards Agency and initially headed up the Private Office and became the first Private Secretary to the first Chair of the FSA (Sir John Krebs, now Lord Krebs).

Steve was promoted to the Senior Civil Service in September 2001 as Head of Chemical Contaminants and Animal Feed Division. He served as Interim Director for Wales in Cardiff from July 2003 for some 15 months before returning to London as Head of Regulation, International and Openness Division, where he has remained until the now.