ALL WELCOME
WHO WE ARE: OUR TRUSTEES
PAT ABEL
Pat Abel was the Chair of Transition Edinburgh South from 2009 until early 2026 when she stepped up to the role of Ambassador. In this role she continues to build partnerships that amplify TES’s local impact while contributing to the broader transition toward healthier communities and a net-zero future.
Pat is also on the board of Nourish Scotland, Scottish Communities Climate Action Network, Edible Edinburgh and she chairs the Community Growing Forum Scotland. She has more than 25 years’ experience in strategic planning issues, including published work.
LYNN JAMIESON
Professor Lynn Jamieson is Vice Chair of Transition Edinburgh South, and a member of the TES management group. Her expertise focuses on research, outcomes, and reporting to funders.
Lynn is an academic with expertise in all aspects of social science research. She is also currently Chair of the Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
TRICIA KAMINSKI
Tricia Kaminski has recently joined TES as a trustee. She was a social worker for over 30 years in the criminal justice system. She is aware of the role trauma can play in peoples’ lives and believes that we need to build systems that allow people to grow in resilience with improved mental, physical and spiritual health. She lives locally, volunteers regularly in the community garden, and is a member of the Friends of the Mansion Group. She is part of SEECAT (South East Edinburgh’s Churches Acting Together) and through that feels increased commitment to the need to protect creation, the community garden being an important part of that. She also volunteers as an ESOL tutor, visiting people to teach English and befriend.
Gill Walker
Gill Walker was appointed Treasurer of Transition Edinburgh South in November 2023 and is a member of the TES Management Team. Gill retired in 2023 ending a 42 year career as a Financial Services professional and brings extensive sales, governance, customer service and management experience. During the first Lockdown Gill started to research and learn about the affect our food, and the processing of it, really has on the human body and is keen that this knowledge reaches more people in Scotland through organisations like TES.
Gill enjoys spending time with her husband Colin and their two Romanian rescue dogs Mason and Roxy.
Dr Christopher Ibeh
Dr Christopher Ibeh joined TES as a Trustee and member of the TES Management Group in May 2025. He brings a multidisciplinary background spanning industry, academia, and the public sector, with expertise in environmental sustainability, geoenvironmental engineering, and energy systems analysis. He is working to restore sustainable stability to the earth’s environment for all.
Chris currently serves as an industry professional at the National Energy System Operator (NESO), where he contributes to advancing sustainable environmental and energy solutions at a national scale.
Hannah Raymond
Hannah Raymond joined Transition Edinburgh South as a Trustee in May 2025. As a communications consultant experienced in developing impactful content for projects focused on social justice, climate action and wellbeing, Hannah hopes to lend her expertise by providing guidance on communication strategy and stakeholder engagement as a trustee at TES. Drawing on her academic background in politics and social justice, and her training in permaculture, Hannah is passionate about advancing climate justice, building community, and advocating for accessibility to nature-based learning and regenerative practices.
Sylvie Sowanou
Sylvie Sowanou recently joined Transition Edinburgh South as a Trustee. She is a trained biologist with a background in biomedical analysis but has dedicated much of her career to social impact, community development, and humanitarian work. Originally from Benin Republic (West Africa), she has led initiatives supporting women, orphans, and people with disabilities, and was the founder and president of Act for Life, an NGO focused on extracurricular education and leadership development for women and children. She has also volunteered in research laboratories in Kenya and Burkina Faso, integrating scientific research with local development efforts. Now settled in Scotland with her family, she brings a rich international perspective and a deep passion for social cohesion, and she is eager to both contribute to and learn from innovative approaches to community resilience and sustainability.
Fiona S J Brown
Fi Brown joined Transition Edinburgh South as Shadow Chair in June 2025 and was elected as Chair in February 2026. She holds a PhD in Geography, specialising in environmental archaeology and environmental science, and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture. Her career is driven by a fascination with how humans interact with their environment—from historical landscapes to modern community spaces.
Fi brings extensive international governance experience to the Board, having served as a Director of Trustees in the USA and an advisor in Kenya. Locally, she has held key board roles with the Friends of Seaview and the Forget Me Not Memory Garden, supporting the development of therapeutic and dementia-friendly horticultural spaces.
As a Community, Social and Therapeutic Horticulturist, Fi is a passionate advocate for the role of nature in supporting mental health and wellbeing. A Churchill Fellow, her specialised research in Scandinavia informs her work at the Eric Liddell Community, where she manages services for carers and community gardening. As Chair, Fi is committed to fostering collaboration and care, believing that accessible, welcoming greenspaces are vital to building resilient and sustainable communities.
Colin Ledlie
Colin Ledlie was appointed a Trustee in June 2025. Most of his career was spent with a large financial services organisation in Edinburgh working in a variety of roles with a particular focus on finance and risk. He is currently a non executive director at Liverpool Victoria Financial Services and at Reclaim Fund Limited. Outside of work Colin enjoys running, orienteering, cycling, gardening and cooking. He is interested in the role TES can play in enhancing well-being through physical activity, engagement with green spaces and healthy food systems.