Moira has been Principal of Carlisle College for almost six years and is also currently Chair of Cumbria Work Based Learning Forum. This is a partnership of Colleges and Training Providers in Cumbria. She has extensive experience in education and skills across a wide spectrum of institutions and ages, including Higher Education. In her time as Principal Moira has consistently championed the value of vocational education and training and played an active role in many local and regional partnerships. Currently Moira is a member of a National Association of Colleges and Skills Smart Steering Group which is leading the development of professional retail skills across the country.

Bill was born in Abbeytown and educated at Abbeytown, Wigton and Wadham College Oxford. He has been awarded medals from a number of European Universities including the Czech Scientific University Gold Medal and the Charles University Prague Silver Medal. Prior to joining the Lake District National Park Authority, his career was mainly overseas in Europe and the Middle East, where he directed British Council operations in many countries for almost thirty years. He was Director of The Department for Technical Cooperation with Overseas Countries at the London HQ from 1979 to 1982 and latterly Counsellor at the British Embassy in Algiers, Lisbon and Prague. Bill was awarded an OBE in 1986. He has been a Silloth Parish Councillor and an Allerdale Borough Councillor since 1999, including several years as portfolio holder for rural regeneration. Bill has been Chairman of the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty since 2002. He joined the Lake District National Park Authority in 2007 and was elected Chairman of the Authority in 2008.

On leaving school Mike worked in the family milk retail business before setting up his own newsagents business in Brampton, which he has run for more than 30 years. He is also the Sub-Postmaster for Brampton. Mike has been a Board member of the National Federation of Retail Newsagents since 1990 and was National President in 1994/95. He is Non-Executive Chairman of Newtrade Publishing, a small publishing company based in London. First elected as a Conservative Councillor for Carlisle City Council in 1995, he became Leader of the Council in May 1999 and is also Chairman of the Executive Committee and Portfolio Holder for Promoting Carlisle. Mike acts as the Council’s representative on various outside committees including various Local Government Association committees and Carlisle Partnership. He is Vice-Chairman of Cumbria Leaders’ Board.

Elaine was elected onto Copeland Borough Council in 1995. Since then she has held many positions of responsibility and she is currently the Leader of the Council, a position she has held since 2003. She is also a Director of Britain’s Energy Coast and a Trustee on the Cumbria Community Foundation. Elaine was born and bred in West Cumbria and has always been passionate about achieving the best for the local community. In her time at Copeland she has seen West Cumbria go through many changes, facing many challenges but even more opportunities. The Council has, in partnership, helped secure some of these opportunities including a £25 million Copeland community fund, the delivery of over £100 million of regeneration projects and the launch of the Energy Coast Masterplan all with the aim of raising people’s aspirations and making West Cumbria a better and prosperous place now and in the future. She looks forward to working on the Cumbria LEP and continuing to help shape the economy of both West Cumbria and Cumbria as a whole.

Elected as a Councillor for SLDC in 1999, Brendan became Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group in 2002. He was Vice Chair of Licensing and Planning 2003-4 and Chair of Licensing 2004-6. Brendan was appointed as Leader of the Council in 2006 and still holds this position. He was elected onto Cumbria County Council in 2009 and is a Member of Kendal Town Council. Brendan has been a self-employed contract cleaner for over 27 years and previously worked at K Shoes after leaving Kendal Grammar School. A keen recycler, Brendan is extremely enthusiastic about improving recycling in the area. Brendan is very passionate about the area he has lived in all his life. As a local man he understands the need to find more affordable homes for local people and is helping to ensure that Cumbria’s voice is louder and better heard in London. To benefit Cumbria he is also keen to improve working relationships with other local authorities and surrounding regions in the North West. Over the past four years, Brendan has been Chairman of the Cumbria 2012 Steering Group, which was formed to maximise the opportunities for the people of Cumbria from the 2012 Olympic Games coming to the UK.

Unfortunately Brendan passed away on 19th March.  As one of the signatories to the LEP bid, Brendan was instrumental in bringing about Cumbria’s LEP and following this, as one of the original Board members, he has played a key role in the successful establishment of the LEP. His contribution will be sadly missed by all.

Eddie Martin was commissioned in the Royal Navy and spent several years with the Royal Marines during which time he gained a DMS (Dist) and MSc in Management from Bath University. He was appointed as a serving brother of the OStJ in 1975. On early retirement from the RN he was employed by a large independent school, ending his formal career there as resident Housemaster. He was elected to Rutland District Council and led the crusade to ensure Rutland became a unitary authority, which it finally achieved in 1997. He was elected the Authority’s first Leader. Appointed to Cumbria County Council in 2001 as a Leadership Support Officer, he retired and was elected to the Authority in 2009. He was elected Leader of the Council in April 2010. Eddie is Chair of Cumbria Leaders’ Board.

Stephen has spent most of his working life in the tourism industry both within and outside the county. Over the last 20 years he has developed businesses in Cumbria, including the Lindeth Howe Country House Hotel and Mountain Goat, working over that time to improve the economic sustainability of the local community through improved job opportunities and recognition of the quality of the service provided, and promoting the county internationally. Stephen is closely involved with Cumbria Tourism, a Founding Committee Member of the Japan Forum Marketing Group, a Committee Member of the US Forum Marketing Group, Director/Trustee of the Lake District Summer Music Festival and a Director/Trustee of the Lake District Tourism & Conservation Partnership.

Michael started farming in 1967, taking over the family farm in Thursby. In partnership with his wife, he developed this from a 200 acre farm to an area of over 3,500 acres across Cumbria and Southwest Scotland. Downsizing, when none of his children wished to follow him into the business, has allowed him to explore new avenues such as leisure storage and property. Michael is a Director of H&H Ltd and past Director of West Cumberland Farmers. He is a Maryport Harbour Commissioner, Community Governor of Nelson Thomlinson School and Chair of the Blamire Memorial Trust. Michael is committed to helping Cumbria rise to the business and employment challenges facing the county, taking advantage of our strengths and unique advantages, and to ensuring that through education and training we really make a different to the future prospects of our young people.

Maria was part of a family team transforming the Queens Head Hotel in Hawkshead from a small village pub to a well know eatery with a great reputation that led the way in local food initiatives in the country. In a positive outcome from Foot & Mouth Disease Maria set up Hawkshead Relish with her husband in 2001, growing the business from making 12 jars of relish a day to around 2,000, with sales throughout the UK and exports to many countries around the world including Egypt, Singapore, the Middle East, Sweden, Switzerland, Holland, Czech Republic, Austria, the USA and many more. Alongside many awards for Hawkshead Relish products, Maria was Cumbrian Entrepreneur of the Year and this year was awarded the IoD NW Yorkshire Bank Ackroyd Award for outstanding contribution to corporate social responsibility. She is passionate about the wealth of expertise and skills within Cumbria and has been active in helping promote the Cumbrian aspect of businesses for many years, especially food.

With a strong track record in corporate finance, bringing significant financial expertise to the Board, Jackie is responsible for financial governance and for strategy at BAE Systems Submarine Solutions. Jackie is a Board Member of Barrow Regeneration and an ex Board member of Furness College and Lakeland Power Ltd. As a native Cumbrian who has been fortunate to spend most of her career working locally, Jackie has a passionate belief in the area and a desire to ensure the future growth of the Cumbrian business economy, opening up new opportunities.