Board and Trustees

Sarah Dawkins - Chair

Sarah’s childhood passion for nature led, via degrees in zoology and Natural Resource Management, to a career in conservation.

A respected senior leader and conservationist Sarah has extensive experience gained from international expeditions, research, ecological consultancy and various roles with Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, the RSPB and latterly Natural England where she has held leadership roles in both operational and strategy remits. Her career has been characterised by finding innovative solutions using the policy framework to drive change.

A qualified coach, she has a particular interest in supporting others to achieve their potential. Sarah is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the sector and a senior champion for LGBTQIA+ within Natural England. Lockdowns in 2020 rekindled Sarah’s childhood fascination with invertebrates.

Favourite invertebrate: Stag beetle

Nina Seale - Vice Chair

Nina is a conservation communicator with expertise in digital media and charity storytelling. She is currently Communications Manager at Synchronicity Earth, where she founded and co-led the organisation’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Working Group from 2021 to 2024.

Passionate about conservation storytelling, she has worked with Conservation Optimism, World Land Trust, UK Youth for Nature, and Big Canopy Campout, and delivered lectures and workshops on topics ranging from social media to queer nature for organisations including Natural England, the Royal Geographical Society, and Cardiff University.

Before her career in communications, Nina worked as a safari guide in South Africa. In her spare time, she enjoys flying on aerial silks, working on her first novel, performing in cabaret shows, and going on adventures with her dog.

Favourite invertebrate: Black-tailed skimmer dragonfly

Katharine Szamuely - Treasurer

Katharine is a seasoned Finance Business Partner with extensive experience at Thomson Reuters and Springer Nature. Now working as a freelance Strategic Financial Management Consultant, she specialises in providing expert financial guidance to organisations seeking to enhance their strategic decision-making.

Beyond finance, she is deeply committed to charitable work, serving as a trustee of St John’s Soup Kitchen and Food Bank where, in March 2025, she will step into the role of Interim Chair of the Board for six months. She is now looking to bring together her knowledge of finance and her interest in charity work in her role as Buglife’s Treasurer.

Outside of work, she calls herself ‘a lazy gardener’ and thus, her favourite invertebrate is the worm, which does much of the work for her.

Favourite invertebrate: Earthworm

Richard Forster

Richard is a seasoned Transformation Leader and Operations Executive with extensive experience in leading large-scale organisational change.

Following a 25-year career at Yorkshire Building Society Group, Richard transitioned to the public sector seven years ago and has held several Director roles leading Operational Excellence, Strategy and Change at HMRC.

Richard has successfully led a wide range of transformation programs, leveraging digital process automation, lean methodologies, and business architecture frameworks. He excels in problem solving and translating business strategies into tangible change that improves service delivery at both the strategic and operational level.

His expertise includes strategic finance, risk management, business architecture, operating model design and M&A integrations. Passionate about operational excellence, Richard is focused on delivering innovative, sustainable, and impactful change.

Favourite invertebrate: Octopus

Rebecca Grattage

Rebecca Grattage is a dedicated advocate for nature conservation and sustainability. She brings expertise in governance, impact investment, and equity, diversity, and inclusion. She previously held a strategic role with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, contributing to governance, stakeholder engagement, and youth perspectives in conservation strategy.

With a background in responsible investment, she has supported charities to secure funding and drive sustainable growth. In her current role at Snowball, Rebecca manages a diversified portfolio of impact investments across themes including energy transition and regenerative ecosystems. Passionate about biodiversity, Rebecca is committed to safeguarding invertebrates and promoting their essential role in ecosystems.

As a Sutton Trust alumna, she advocates for social mobility and accessibility in conservation.

Favourite invertebrate: Coral

Abigail Hart

Abigail, a long-term entomology enthusiast, is eager to bring her experiences in engagement, fundraising, and inclusivity to the board. She is currently an undergraduate student studying BA Politics, while also being an active conservation volunteer.

Abigail is particularly passionate about spiders, pollinators, and snails, though she loves all invertebrates.

Having worked with the RSPB and Wildlife Trusts (including as chair of the Lancashire, North Merseyside, and Greater Manchester Wildlife Trust Youth Council) as well as other charities, she hopes her experience, particularly her passion for invertebrates, EDI, and youth engagement, will contribute to Buglife’s growth and development.

Favourite invertebrate: Wasp spider

Dave Hedges

Dave has spent his career in conservation working for Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB. Much of his experience has been leading teams managing nature reserves including working with Buglife to set up the Canvey Wick Nature Reserve. Dave has also worked on landscape scale conservation projects and conservation campaigns.

Dave is currently the Head of Estate and Conservation Management at English Heritage where he and his team care for 420 properties across the country. As well as looking after some of the country’s most iconic places such as Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall his team are breaking new ground integrating natural and historical conservation management.

Favourite invertebrate: Violet oil beetle

Dr. Rachel Hooper

A highly experienced Director in the charity sector, Rachel began her career in the Royal Air Force as a C130 Navigator.

After her service and collecting a few degrees, she began working in education management across independent schools and universities, including Bristol, UCL and Cambridge. She is now the Chief Operating Officer at Hills Road Sixth Form College, in Cambridge.

Rachel grew up in a household where conservation and the environment were part of everyday life. Although her career took a different path, she always understood that the planet and our human lives depend on co-operating and working with the animals, plants and environment around us.

Favourite invertebrate: Pill woodlouse

Chris Spreadbury

Chris is a finance and administration professional with extensive experience in the conservation sector.

After earning a Zoology degree from Oxford University, he trained as a chartered accountant with Coopers & Lybrand before combining his business expertise with his passion for nature. He spent nearly 20 years at BirdLife International, where he gained in-depth knowledge of charity finance, governance, and international operations.

Now semi-retired, Chris occasionally takes on freelance projects supporting nonprofit organisations. In his spare time, he explores his creative side as an independent author, writing under a pseudonym in the realms of pop-psychology and irreverent humour.

Favourite invertebrate: Little cuttlefish

Emma Wood

Emma is a part-time lawyer and a full-time friend of invertebrates! She has loved bugs since her earliest days, when her favourite childhood toy was a jumping spider. She works as a freelance, free-range solicitor, and has a real passion for getting out into the natural world. Her legal background ranges from commercial to EU law, and includes studying environmental law in both the UK and internationally, but is it this love of nature that she truly wants to bring into her work as a trustee for Buglife.

She enjoys making music for fun, and she is really inspired to see how Buglife’ s members already use creativity to explore their love of invertebrates. She hopes to champion more of this in the coming years.

Favourite invertebrate: Mimic octopus