Team

Christopher Hammond, Network Membership Director

Christopher Hammond

Chief Executive
Christopher is the Chief Executive of UK100. Formerly the director of UK100’s award-nominated Membership & Insights team, Christopher has doubled the size of the network and launched the Climate Leadership Academy and Local Power in Action programme since joining in June 2021. Previously, Christopher served as the elected Leader of Southampton City Council. In 2020, he was shortlisted for ‘Leader of the Year’ in the LGIU Councillor Awards. Christopher holds a degree from Bournemouth University, which named him its 2019 Alumni of the Year.
Jason Torrance, UK100 Interim Chief Executive

Jason Torrance

Assistant Chief Executive
Jason has 25 years’ experience of leading teams, directing evidence-based public policy initiatives, creating influential programmes and delivering strategic impact, specialising in transport and the environment. Jason’s key skills lie in collaboration, communication and strategy development and implementation to marry up politics, policy, media, culture and commercial opportunities in order to achieve impact. Before starting at UK100 in 2018, Jason previously worked at Sustrans, Campaign for Better Transport, Greenpeace and the Department for Transport.
Katie Gargett UK100

Katie Gargett

Chief Operating Officer
Katie is an experienced project management and operations professional with a demonstrated history of managing high performing teams within the digital advertising industry. Her expertise include strategic management and planning, financial and commercial acumen, contract development and negotiations, process improvement and cost and margin control. Katie comes from an extended career at Oath (Advertising.com, AOL and Global Solutions) and is now applying her skills to make a positive impact on environmental causes.
Kate Vaughan, Campaigns and Communications Director at UK100

Kate Vaughan

Campaigns and Communications Director
Kate is an experienced campaigns and communications professional with a background in political campaigning, project management, and volunteer engagement. She joined UK100 in March 2023 after a varied career working in politics, public affairs, communications and operations. Prior to moving to the UK, Kate worked as a campaign and political adviser in Australia. She has also worked in Eastern Europe and Africa, delivering training workshops on campaigning, communications, volunteer development and community engagement. In her spare time she enjoys writing, reading and photography.
Neil Young

Neil Young

Project and Programme Manager
Neil is a project management and production professional, with experience working in financial services (EY), across the third sector, and with private sector clients for Bora-Co. Following an early career working on sustainability projects he has focused on business improvement and “work for good” initiatives, with clients including Sky PLC (Sky Ocean Rescue), Delphis Eco, and Kantar TNS. At UK100 Neil has managed the production of the 2020 report into financing the transition to Net Zero, a series of local energy workshops, the development of a Knowledge Hub, and coordinated the inauguration of the APPG on Sustainable Finance - inter alia.
Cecily Spelling, Membership Programme Manager at UK100

Cecily Spelling

Membership Programme Manager
Cecily joined UK100 in April 2023 as Membership Programme Manager. She is responsible for the delivery of our membership programmes which engage and empower our growing network of local leaders. Cecily has previously worked at Possible, Wildlife and Countryside Link, and Sustain where she has specialised in network building, shared learning, and events. When not fighting climate change, she uses every pot and pan she can find to cook up a storm in her kitchen, walk her rescue dog, or swim on the North Essex coast.
Tunisha Kapoor, Research and Insights Manager

Tunisha Kapoor

Research and Insights Manager
Tunisha joined UK100 in March 2023 as Research and Insights Manager. She is responsible for interpreting our member's experiences and turning these into a robust evidence base to support our advocacy to national government. She has worked with non-profits in India across various sectors including health and financial inclusion, supporting their research functions. She has also led projects to pilot-test new and innovative solutions for service delivery for the social sector. You will likely find her watching plays, wandering around galleries, volunteering or hiking in her free time.
Liam Ward UK100

Liam Ward

Communications Manager
Liam is a committed climate advocate with a journalism, politics, and humanitarianism background. After a lost decade as a DJ and promoter, he worked with the BBC, Green Party, and Mines Advisory Group (MAG). Liam joined UK100 as a Communications Manager in 2022. He is a part-time gig-goer, lacklustre runner, and full-time film bore in his spare time. Liam is a passionate Sam Neill fan and advises everyone to watch Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
Patrick Hargreaves, Parliamentary Officer

Patrick Hargreaves

Parliamentary Officer
Patrick joined UK100 in January 2023 as a Parliamentary Officer. He has five years of experience working in Australian politics with a varied policy background, from crisis management to reproductive health. Patrick has previously worked on campaigns for industrial hemp and helped sporting clubs implement sustainable environmental practices. He has a Bachelor of Arts and a Graduate Diploma of Journalism from RMIT University in Melbourne. When he's not reading Hansard, Patrick enjoys playing cricket, walking around art galleries and frowning at crosswords.
Harriet Wadsworth UK100

Harriet Wadsworth

Network Programme Officer
Harriet works in the Membership arm of the organisation as Network Programme Officer and is a proud member of the ‘Team of the Year’ (Finalists, edie Awards 2023). Harriet supports the development of programmes and projects that directly assists our Network of members in accelerating their pathway to Net Zero. In particular, she leads the coordination and delivery of the Climate Leadership Academy and Countryside Climate Network. She previously worked in marketing, where she developed her interest in the importance of effective climate communication. She is a food enthusiast and enjoys learning Spanish.
Zoe Roberts UK100

Zoe Roberts

Policy and Research Officer
Zoe joined UK100 in May 2021 as a Parliamentary and Advocacy Intern and since September 2021 she has been working as a Campaigns and Communications Assistant. She has previously worked in a local sustainable food cooperative and as a research assistant on a project which assisted people to engage with their local councillors about climate action at Hope for the Future. She has been involved in climate campaigning, including helping to run a campaign which successfully persuaded the University of Sheffield to switch to using an 100% low-carbon energy provider. She studied a BA in English Literature and an MA in Global Political Economy at the University of Sheffield. In her free time she enjoys climbing, cycling and reading.
Alyssa Obrand, UK100's Operations Officer

Alyssa Obrand

Operations Officer
Alyssa joined UK100 in 2022. She is a detail-orientated Operations Officer with a passion for climate policy reform. Alyssa’s previous experience is in the youth climate space, advocating for greater funding for youth movements, supporting grassroots organisations in their project development, and promoting climate education at all levels. She also has experience in environmental consulting and events management. Alyssa has a Bachelor of Commerce from Canada’s McGill University in Managing for Sustainability and an MSc from the University College London in Environment, Politics and Society. When not plugging away at her spreadsheets, Alyssa is most likely enjoying time outside on her bicycle, training for a marathon, or swimming.
Toby Bolton, Membership Project Officer

Toby Bolton

Membership Project Officer
Toby joined UK100 in February 2023 as a Membership Project Officer. He is responsible for the delivery of Local Power in Action, Membership Operations, Events and the Knowledge Hub. Toby has a BSc in Biomedicine from the University of East Anglia and has previously been working as a Teacher and Head of Biology. Alongside this, he has been an active member of local community climate groups, facilitating expert-led talks and engagements. In his free time, you are likely to find him reading, running, allotmenteering or failing to correctly identify birds on long walks.
Ruby Hornsby, UK100's Events Assistant

Ruby Hornsby

Events Assistant
Ruby joined UK100 in 2022 as an Events Intern. She has a MA in Digital Media and Society, and a BA in Sociology from the University of Sheffield. She has previous experience working in events and communications at NGOs such as Consumers International and Hope For The Future. Outside of work, Ruby likes attending gigs and festivals and is a fan of early 2000s pop music.
Rachel Eden UK100

Rachel Eden

Senior Finance Officer
Rachel qualified as an accountant in 2007 and has a wide range of experience in helping companies, charities and social enterprises in achieving their financial goals. She is passionate about the Net Zero agenda and has pushed forward a number of initiatives related to this in her home town of Reading, including as a director of local cooperative Reading Community Energy Society. Rachel believes that compliance, clarity and a sense of control are vital in helping organisations succeed. She is also a skilled communicator and aims to make sure the numbers tell the story - and are even enjoyable. Outside of having fun with spreadsheets she enjoys gardening with her children and is an avid podcast and audio-book listener. Rachel joined UK100 in Autumn 2020 and combines this with her other work as an accountant and trainer. Rachel is also a Councillor on Reading Borough Council.
Marilyn Melville UK100

Marilyn Melville

Finance Officer
Marilyn joined UK100 in January 2020 as Finance Officer. Her experience spans global organisations, architectural practices and creative businesses where focus has been on care in the community projects and sustainable design. She has developed a forensic approach to business finances and is passionate about contributing to the success of any organisation she works for. She is also a long-standing member of Greenpeace and WWF. After work, Marilyn is re-learning the guitar and is an ardent knitter in the Nordic style.