Who We Are
Meet the team at Moray Firth Coastal Partnership
Vicki Paxton
Partnership Manager
Vicki grew up in Cambridgeshire but spent most of her childhood holidays with her Scottish grandparents, building sandcastles on Blackpool beach and exploring rock pools up and down the west coast of Scotland. With a degree in Economics from Loughborough University, she has worked for various financial institutions throughout the UK, and relocated to the Highlands in 2006. Now based in Nairn, and having achieved her lifelong dream of living by the sea, she is looking forward to contributing to the sustainable future of the Moray Firth and all of its inhabitants.
Matt Barnes
Marine Conservation Co-ordinator
Matt grew up on the busy streets of London but found his love of the sea whilst in the British Army and undertaking a SCUBA diving course. He soon left to become a SCUBA instructor and travelled the world diving before moving into conservation 15 years ago. He studied environmental conservation and ecological survey techniques at Oxford University before completing a Masters in Anthrozoology at Exeter University specialising in human/wildlife conflict & disturbance. He has worked in a variety of animal welfare, environmental, education and volunteer management roles ranging from seal rehabilitation through to turtle hatchery management and coral restoration. He has spent 9 years working on tackling marine pollution both in Scotland and in North England and hopes to continue this passion working towards a more beautiful, safe and sustainable Moray Firth.
Alice Walters
MFCP Trustee
Alice started her working life as a primary school teacher but found herself using holidays to volunteer on marine and coastal research projects around the world. She formalised the decision to shift careers with a studentship at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) and a Masters of Research at Heriot Watt University. Originally from the United States, Alice moved to the Moray Firth in 2007 for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of Aberdeen and Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) to look at making research more accessible to the public. This role combined her love of teaching with her passion for all things marine and the citizen science Shorewatch Programme was born, supporting volunteers to do surveys for whales and dolphins from land-based sites around Scotland. In her current role with WDC, Alice manages the database for the Shorewatch Programme. She feels strongly about making data accessible and likes nothing more than a well-organised spreadsheet!
Joanne Allday
MFCP Trustee
Joanne is a Chartered Marketer and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Born in the Lake District, she moved north of the border in 2012 to live amongst the spectacular scenery, wildlife and people of the Highlands. She is an ambassador for the region and actively promotes sustainable development in the area through her current role as the Strategic Business Development Manager for the Port of Cromarty Firth. Her interests include balancing the needs of business, communities and wildlife to create growth that benefits all, and educating the future workforce in the complexities of modern business and social responsibility.
David Denoon
David lives in Inverness and has a keen interest in the environment and communities. He contributes towards protecting his local area and likes to be involved with the marine environment. He studied Marine Biology BSc Hons & MSc at Aberdeen University and has a keen interest in Shark species. He has experience with Marine Spatial Planning as part of the Shetland Marine Spatial Plan and is a member of the Clyde Marine Planning Partnership as part of his role with SEPA. He has worked with SEPA in a variety of roles for 13 years. The majority of this is working as a senior environmental data scientist and project manager, with Water Framework Directive and River Basin Management Plans for water quality (mainly freshwater). He also has experience with partnership working in various roles.
MFCP Trustee
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Kara Scott
MFCP Trustee
Originally from Elgin, Kara grew up with the Moray Firth Coast on her doorstep. Her childhood was spent by the beach, and later she travelled the globe, often found Scuba Diving the Great Barrier Reef, and even diving for Abalone off the Tasmanian shores. Whilst having adventured across the globe, Lossiemouth and Findhorn are still two of her favourite beaches in the world. In 2019 Kara received a First-Class Honours degree in Marine and Coastal Tourism. It was during this degree that she discovered a passion for coastal communities and sustainable development. Now living in Inverness, in 2022 Kara completed her Master’s degree in Sustainable Rural Development and now works for Soirbheas as Assistant Community Development Officer. She is excited to work with the MFCP team to help protect and sustain the beautiful Moray Firth Coast for many generations to come.
John Simpson
MFCP Trustee
John grew up on the Angus coastline but now lives in Forres, enjoying regular trips to the Moray Firth Coast beaches with his wife and dog. In 2014, John received a First-Class Honours degree in Geography from the University of Dundee, followed by a Masters degree in Water Hazards, Risk and Resilience. John specialised in coastal flooding and erosion. In his career he has always had a passion for helping people whilst maintaining an interest in protecting the environment. John has worked for the environmental charity Changeworks since 2021, providing support as a Senior Advisor in his day role on supervision, quality assurance, reporting and process improvements. He is excited to have joined the MFCP team to contribute to protecting the wonderful Moray Firth Coast for the benefit of all.