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Phone: 01483 683182

Clive Parkinson has been a Director of Health and Safety for nearly 12 years, 2 years at Surrey and 10 at Sussex University. Prior to that Clive was at The Institute of Psychiatry for 7 years as a Health and Safety Officer. His career before that was spent in the Pharmaceutical Industry working on vaccines and other medical products. His lasts years in industry were spent as a biosafety specialist.

He has previously served on the USHA Executive Board from 2001-2008. Clive was also the UCEA Health and Safety Advisor from 2003-2008 as well. During this time Clive was involved in several working groups including the Leadership guide and the Management of Stress at Work.

Clive became Chair of USHA in 2011.

His portfolio for USHA is varied and he currently represents the Association at UCEA and with the HSE on the revision of HSG 65, He is also involved in the Auditing Sub Group and in particular the development of Hasmap.

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Phone: 01273 643144

Alan Cowen is the Head of Health and Safety at the University of Brighton. Alan has over 20 years experience as a health and safety professional within higher education and as a regulator, having worked at both Dundee University and Newcastle University. Alan graduated from Leeds University in Chemical Sciences and Leeds Metropolitan University in Environmental Health. Alan is a Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner and a Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner.

Alan has been Treasurer from 2005 to 2007, Chair Elect from 2007 to 2008 and Chair from 2008 to 2011

Steering group and committee membership include:

• USHA Executive Committee
• USHA 40th Anniversary Conference Planning Group
• Emergency planning in Higher Education Project (Closed)
• Revised Student work placement guidance document (Closed)
• Wellbeing Project (Current)
• Leading in Health and Safety
• Higher Education Safety Health Forum (HESH)
• Higher Education Estates Advisory Forum (HEEAF)
• Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) Safety Committee

Projects

• Developing a new framework for the Association
• Web site Architect
• E-News letter
• Sponsorship development
• Introduction of a USHA Development Manager
• Bridging the knowledge gap- Guidance and Policies resource bank (GaP)
• Online Safety Services Directory ‘TRADE’
• USHA Development Grants Scheme
• USHA Sector Awards Scheme
• Web Safety Tool Chest
• Developing partnerships through MOU with IOSH and IIRSM

Overseas Development Activities

• CSHEMA
• AUSA
• International Forum Safety and Health in Higher Education
• International Safety Practitioner Exchange Programme
• International Student Safety and Risk Management Summer Camp
• International Safety and Wellbeing Lecture

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Phone: 0117 928 8781

Peter Adams first joined the Executive Board of USHA in 1999 serving for 3 years leading the communications strategy and was a member of the steering group that produced the first sector guidance on Managing Stress in Higher Education.  This included the role of Editor of the USHA Digest which required a dedication to meeting deadlines, persuading members to write articles, reporting on USHA events and ensuring the regular publication of the magazine.

After a few years away to focus on family and the attainment of a masters degree he returned to the board in 2008, and at the 2009 AGM became the Treasurer, overseeing the financial strategy and planning for USHA's professional development.

Pete worked for 10 years as the Head of Safety, Health & Environment at the University of Bath before moving to Bristol as the Director of Health & Safety in 2006, and is especially honored to be able to host USHA's 40th birthday celebrations planned for the 2012 Spring Conference in Bristol.

In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, is an avid motorcyclist, a keen football player and compulsive old-vehicle restorer.

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Phone: 01334 462 751

Angus Clark , originally an Environmental Health Officer, dabbled in various disciplines – food & meat safety, environmental radiation, landfill, commercial waste control etc. before moving to North-East Scotland to lead on health & safety enforcement. He chaired the local enforcement liaison group in the mid-90s.

A move to industry saw 7 years heading the HS&E function for a world-wide group of companies specialising in offshore mooring & buoyancy systems, pipeline coating and plastic processing.

Angus moved to higher education with Robert Gordon University in 2003, and relocated four years later to St Andrews where he is currently Director of Environmental Health & Safety Services.

Angus has been a member of the USHA Executive Board since 2009.He has served as the Scottish Representative on the USHA Planning Group; participated in the Fieldwork Special Interest Group; and is now supporting the USHA Nano Sub Group.

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Phone: 0207 927 2485

Michael Smith has spent 14 years working as a biologist in a research laboratory and as he puts it ,” I moved over to the dark side” as a Safety Officer.

He then spent 6 years managing all aspects of health and safety while also managing the building services and estates side of the organisation .However for the past 5 years has returned to the area of health and safety management in a post-graduate medical school.

Within the USHA Exec Michaels portfolio role is fire safety.

He has recently been a member of the Special Interest Group updating the “Safety in Fieldwork” guidance.

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Phone: 01484 472860

Gary Wood is Assistant Health and Safety Adviser at the University of Huddersfield. He took up this post in November 1997 and started to experience USHA (or USA as it was then) very early on through attending Yorkshire group meetings and HASNET.  His first conference was Exeter in 1999 and he was Yorkshire’s Planning Group representative from 2007 to 2009.

Gary became an Executive Board Member at the Cardiff Conference in 2009. He led the development of web-based health and safety awareness packages for DSE, fire and manual handling at Huddersfield that were subsequently purchased by USHA in 2007.

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Phone: 01482 465 658

Rachel Stephenson qualified as an Environmental Health Officer and spent a number of years enforcing health and safety legislation before becoming a Safety Manager at Hull.

She has previously worked in local government before joining the University Sector in 2004.

Rachel joined the Executive Board in 2010 and is currently part of the USHA sub-group looking at the sector guidance on fieldwork.  She also plays a key role representing USHA on consultation papers working closely with other major projects and Associations.

Rachel is particularly interested in the subject of senior management motivation in terms of organisational safety performance and behavioural models for stress management.

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Phone: 01273 641 882

Lynda Couch-Smith, USHA Executive Officer & Development Manager, has experience in the Tourism, Conference, Recruitment, Events and Media sectors with proven success in change management, business development, marketing and creating real competitive edge solutions.

She has worked with businesses and local authorities on PR initiatives, publicity campaigns, event management, conference planning, hotel & leisure development and media training.

As a Hotel proprietor she took on a failing business and turned it round in 18 months. The Hotel was named Small Business of the Year.

Lynda has also served as Vice Chair of the Eastbourne Hospitality Association and local Conference Consortium; acted as an advisor to tourism and marketing events and as a Board member of Momentum has been working towards the regeneration of East Sussex.

Previously Lynda spent 23 years in the media working in journalism, radio production & presentation, marketing, PR and senior Company Management. During that time she turned round ailing commercial radio companies throughout the UK, launched digital stations and was part of the team who successfully bid for the licence to run Classic FM .Her time in UK radio has seen her working alongside Royalty, VIPs, Business Leaders and Pop Stars.

She has received recognition from HRH Prince Charles and the then Prime Minister Tony Blair for community programmes launched in the Midlands and for raising £4m for children’s charities.

Lynda took up her post with USHA in 2009 and is responsible for the Associations administration, accounts, event management, and income generation, liaison with the regional & sub groups, external partnerships and the website.

In her spare time Lynda loves the theatre, painting watercolours, walking, fine dining and reading.