The SCAA Story

Our People

Meet our paramedics, pilots, charity team and board members who work hard both on the frontline and behind the scenes to save lives and keep our helicopter flying!


Filter

  • Find out more about David Craig
    Our People Image

    Chief Executive

    David Craig

    Our People Image

    Chief Executive

    David Craig

    Appointed as Chief Executive of SCAA in September 2015, David has over 20 years’ experience within the charity sector in senior leadership roles with nearly 10 years as CEO. He spent eight years in public and investor relations for a large hospitality and leisure plc before making a transition to the not-for-profit sector where he worked with several charities throughout the UK. He is a former trustee and chair of the fundraising committee of Bliss, the UK charity for premature and sick babies and during his five years in office helped to establish Bliss Scotland.

  • Find out more about John Pritchard
    Our People Image

    Helimed 76 Lead Paramedic

    John Pritchard

    Our People Image

    Helimed 76 Lead Paramedic

    John Pritchard

    John is the SCAA Paramedic Team Leader.

    John, who was has been awarded an MBE, was previously a Royal Air Force medic for seven years and has been with the Scottish Ambulance Service for over 20 years. He is also a pre-hospital care instructor and responder with BASICS Scotland.

    "I'm hugely proud and honoured to be part of the SCAA team. This charity greatly enhances the frontline emergency medical response provision, benefiting patients, doctors, nurses, community responders and hospitals."

    "SCAA is a major step forward in terms of patient care – especially in the more remote and rural areas, an air ambulance based at Perth Airport is a vital asset for the people of Scotland."

  • Our People Image

    Helimed 79 Joint Lead Paramedic

    Claire Allan

  • Our People Image

    Helimed 79 Joint Lead Paramedic

    Suzi York

  • Find out more about Doug Cross
    Our People Image

    Director of Finance & Deputy CEO

    Doug Cross

    Our People Image

    Director of Finance & Deputy CEO

    Doug Cross

    Doug is an experienced finance professional with over 20 years’ executive experience in the public sector as Director of Corporate Services with Tayside Police. Prior to this, Doug enjoyed a successful career in the private sector holding a number of executive positions with companies across various sectors including oil fabrication, food, building supplies and transport. Doug also served as a non-executive in the health sector, combining this with working and volunteering in the charitable sector.

    While with Tayside Police, Doug was involved in several local and national strategic projects and was chair of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) Finance Management Business Area. He was awarded an OBE for services to policing in Scotland in 2006. Doug is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

    When not working, Doug likes to spend time with family and friends, or listening to music, and is a keen follower of football.

  • Our People Image

    Director of Development and Engagement

    Criona Knight

  • Our People Image

    Community Fundraising Officer

    Fiona Dennis

  • Our People Image

    Office Supervisor

    Katherine Farmer

  • Our People Image

    Donor Relations Officer

    Karen Purvis

  • Our People Image

    PR and Media Manager

    Maureen Young

  • Our People Image

    Marketing and Comms Officer

    Ben Wooldridge

  • Our People Image

    Community Fundraising Manager

    Kate Loades

  • Find out more about Mike Beale
    Our People Image

    Interim Chair

    Mike Beale

    Our People Image

    Interim Chair

    Mike Beale

    Mike spent 28 years as the Headmaster of Craigclowan School in Perth. Following his retirement in 2007, he became President of the Perthshire Chamber of Commerce. He was Chairman of Peak Leaders UK, a training company based in Strathmiglo for 10 years  and is currently Chairman of the Management Board of Algo, a building company based in Perth. He runs his own consultancy, specialising in mentoring, appraisal and business development. Currently, his clients include schools in England and a Chinese group with educational interests in the UK and China. He also works with a Ski school based in Courchevel in France.

    During his career, Mike has had unique professional development opportunities which have resulted in the award of the highly prestigious Churchill Fellowship in 1991 and an English Speaking Union Walter Hinds Page Scholarship in 2001.

    He was elected Chairman of the International Association of Preparatory Schools in 1994/5 and uniquely, for the Head of a Scottish school, Mike was re-elected in 2005/6. He served for 17 years on the Managing Board of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools and also sat on the Board of the Independent Schools Council in London. He has served as a Governor of several schools, as a trustee of St. John’s Kirk and Horsecross Arts and currently sits on the managing committee of Blairgowrie Golf Club and the Perth City Development Board.

  • Our People Image

    Board Member

    Paul Bassett

  • Find out more about Alan Bell
    Our People Image

    Board Member

    Alan Bell

    Our People Image

    Board Member

    Alan Bell

    Alan attended Perth Academy where he played rugby for the 1st XV. He then went on to study at Strathclyde University where he joined the University Air Squadron.

    Alan followed a career in sales and marketing heading up a large sales & marketing department before returning to his first love, flying.

    He moved to Australia and spent the next 2 years flying as a commercial helicopter pilot. Working beside an Air Ambulance base on the Sunshine Coast gave Alan the impetus to introduce the Australian HEMS working model to Scotland.

    On his return to Scotland Alan worked as a helicopter flight instructor and set-up a flight training organisation where he was a Director . Alan is one of the founding Trustees of Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance and Director of a successful building and manufacturing business. He sits as Non-Executive Director on several other Boards.

  • Find out more about Joyce Leslie
    Our People Image

    Board Member

    Joyce Leslie

    Our People Image

    Board Member

    Joyce Leslie

    Joyce has 40 years experience in business management across various industries from new venture start up to growing national companies. With extensive knowledge and expertise in property management in both the commercial and residential sector, Joyce was instrumental in welcoming SCAA to their base at Perth Airport.

    This involved ensuring there was suitable office accommodation for the staff team and an appropriate hangar and landing area for the helicopter was available.

    Joyce is an active local fundraiser in the Tayside area for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres as well as SCAA.

  • Find out more about Andrew Richmond
    Our People Image

    Board Member

    Andrew Richmond

    Our People Image

    Board Member

    Andrew Richmond

    Andrew was formerly a number one rated stockbroking healthcare analyst in the City of London and a Director of Covenant Healthcare Ltd, a healthcare facilities provider.

    He is Non-Executive Chairman of the AIM listed Intellectual Property (IP) specialist, Frontier IP Group PLC and is a member of the Management Board of Caledonia Housing Association. He previously sat on the Board of NHS Tayside and Chaired the finance committee of the Court of the University of Dundee. He was formerly Deputy Chair of the Scottish Ambulance Service.

  • Our People Image

    Board Member

    Carol Sinclair

  • Our People Image

    Board Member

    Alastair Couper

  • Our People Image

    Board Member

    Jan Cutting

  • Our People Image

    Board Member

    Richard Holloway

  • Find out more about Rich Garside
    Our People Image

    Paramedic

    Rich Garside

    Our People Image

    Paramedic

    Rich Garside

    Rich joined the Scottish Ambulance Service in 2010, working initially in the control room before serving five years as road crew based at Dunfermline.

    He has a BSc Hons in Geography from the University of Wales and has recently completed his BSc in Professional Practice (Paramedical Science) from the University of Stirling.

    “I was ready for a new challenge in my career,” he explained, “and being part of a helicopter air ambulance crew is my dream job.

    “Part of my reason for becoming a paramedic was a real passion for the job and a desire to help those in need. This drive will be even greater at SCAA and I’m so proud to be joining this amazing charity team.”

    As a member of a mountain rescue team, Rich saw first hand the benefits an air ambulance can bring to any emergency.

    “I saw how quickly they could bring help to the scene and the speed with which casualties could be transferred to hospital,” he said. “Having lived in a remote community, I know the distances that can sometimes be involved and how vital a helicopter can be.

    “I’m delighted to be part of that kind of service for both people and communities,” he said, “and to help develop SCAA and enhance the skills we can bring to patients.”

    Married with a daughter, Rich is a keen hillwalker and also enjoys climbing and mountain biking and fell running, having competed in races such as Ben Nevis, the Isle of Jura and the LAMM. Another great passion is touring Scotland in his trusty campervan and walking his Collie dog Skye.

     

  • Find out more about Wendy Jubb
    Our People Image

    Paramedic

    Wendy Jubb

    Our People Image

    Paramedic

    Wendy Jubb

    A mother of three, Wendy worked out of Dunfermline ambulance station for six years following a career which embraced care assistant, technician and paramedic roles and an exciting five years as a researcher with the University of Iceland where she obtained an MSc in Physiology.

    Wendy also has a BSc Hons in Aquatic Bioscience from Glasgow University and has recently completed a BSc in Professional Practise (Paramedical Science).

    “It’s exciting to be able to merge all my experience as a paramedic with the dedicated and thrilling work of the airborne crew,” she said. “Working at SCAA presents an amazing opportunity and I’m really proud to be on board.”

    When not working at the sharp end, Wendy enjoys running, skiing, sailing, handcrafts and festivals – or looking after her three tortoises.

    “I’m proud to be selected for this exciting and challenging platform of pre-hospital care. It’s a privilege to be there when people are in most need and at their most vulnerable and the air ambulance means reaching those people faster with the better chance of improved outcomes.”

  • Our People Image

    Paramedic

    Ali Daw

  • Our People Image

    Paramedic

    Grace Aspden

  • Our People Image

    Paramedic

    Gillian Thomson

  • Our People Image

    Paramedic

    Keir Lynch

  • Our People Image

    Paramedic

    Michael Haines

  • Our People Image

    Paramedic

    Matthew Keenan

  • Our People Image

    Paramedic

    Greg Macleod

  • Find out more about Captain Russell Myles
    Our People Image

    Pilot

    Captain Russell Myles

    Our People Image

    Pilot

    Captain Russell Myles

    Senior Pilot Russell Myles has been flying with Babcock Mission Critical Services (Onshore) Ltd. (formerly Bond Air Services) since 2006.

    A pilot since 1981, he has flown aircraft ranging in size from a single seater WW2 fighter replica up to a 300+ seat Boeing 767 airliner and from the tiny R22 helicopter up to multi-engine heavy types. With over 10,000 flying hours, his helicopter experience includes police and ambulance flying, SAR and transport flying.

     

  • Our People Image

    Pilot

    Captain Kimball Chilcott

  • Find out more about Captain Pete Winn
    Our People Image

    Pilot

    Captain Pete Winn

    Our People Image

    Pilot

    Captain Pete Winn

    Pete joined the Aberdeen team in June 2020, coming across from Inverness where he was flying on Helimed 2. A pilot since 1999, he spent 12 years flying Chinook helicopters in the RAF, as a front line pilot and instructor. During this time he was awarded a Queen’s Commendation for Bravery in the Air for operations in Afghanistan. Before joining Babcock Mission Critical Services (Onshore) in 2018, he worked for Boeing as the lead Maintenance Test Pilot during the modernisation of the UK’s Chinook fleet.

  • Our People Image

    Pilot

    Captain John Stupart