International Advisory Board
Promise Consulting is delighted to present its International Advisory Board
John Ferguson (UK) is manager of strategic projects at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency with special interest in waste and global resource management. He is actively involved with Eco-Congregation and Stirling Baptist Church. He joined SEPA in 1996 to develop the National Waste Strategy for Scotland and, since then, he has undertaken extensive work on a wide range of resource and sustainability issues. He is a member of the European Network of Environment Agencies Special Interest group on the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources and sits on the Scottish Government’s Think Tank for Zero Waste in Scotland. John is currently on sabbatical from SEPA and is working on a eco business park in Tayside Scotland.
Jeff Gunther (Canada) is a gifted entrepreneurial leader and strategist. Jeff earned an MBA at the University of Ottawa and an MCS at Regent College in Vancouver. Jeff delights in disrupting the status-quo. As a business advisor he adds value by collaborating on the creation and implementation of great ideas,
Dianne Ganslein (USA)president of Promise Consulting Inc (USA) (not this one!) Dianne fine-tuned her skills with leading marketing research firms in the US and Internationally like Burke Marketing and Information Resources. Her successful strategies have helped both large and small companies in a variety of industries, including consumer package goods, financial services, communications and industrial products. During the past 20 years, Dianne has worked with many clients, including:Procter & Gamble,General Mills,Kellogg’s,Pillsbury,Smuckers,Johnson & Johnson,Kraft, Parkside Christian Church
Rachel Collinson (UK) is the founder of Rehcord, a creative media design company based in London. Rechord was noted by Creative Review magazine to be one of the top 10 new design agencies in the UK. Rechords clients include, National Consumer Council, Greenpeace, BBC and many others. Rechord also worked on Super Badger Tearfund’s revolutionary Facebook campaigning application. Over 80% of its 14,000 users had no previous contact with Tearfund. Rachel is also the designer of the Promise Logo
David Collins (CANADA) is naturally a global thinker.David has over 16 years experience in international relief and development. He has been involved in extensive travel performing needs assessments and project evaluations in many countries including Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Congo, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Peru.
Sara Kawassa (UGANADA) is based in Kampala Uganada, where she currently heads up A Rocha Uganda, she is an associate of Promise Consulting, she has excellent connections with international aid and development organisations, recently visiting Denmark and speaking to the Micah network, an international network of faith based groups engaged in social and humanitarian work and also undertaking training with UNEP. She has an MSc in Mountain Forestry from the University of Vienna and looks forward to developing further expertise in wastes. Sara has a deep understanding of the needs and love for African communities.
Ralph Bischoff (CANADA) is a Professional Engineer with over 25 years experience in both municipal infrastructure and integrated waste management projects in British Columbia. This includes work in both the public and private sectors. He is also the Executive Director of the BC Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America. Ralph is very well known and very much appreciated throughout the North American Waste Industry.
Jane Walker MBE (PHILIPINNES) is CEO of The Philippine Community Fund (PCF), the manufacturer of the Promise Chaser Products, Jane was recently awarded an MBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her work with the children and their families who live on the rubbish dumps and in squatter colonies in the Philippines. PCF provides education, nutrition, medical, livelihood and spiritual care programmes to its beneficiaries.
Dr John Henry Looney (UK) is the owner and founder of Sustainable Directions Ltd, based in the UK he has Business Management experience at Director Level, gained across large and small consultancies and contracting organisations, providing consulting expertise to multinational corporations and governments; as well as extensive and detailed technical and project management of environmental engineering projects and environmental management consultancy in over 24 countries. Delivered profitable organic growth year on year as well as success progressing client organisations to new levels. Dual US and UK National, UK Resident. Experience as MD, Operations Director, European Regional Manager and Technical Director and Equity Participant in large and small consultancies. Board experience as a Non-Executive Director for the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) as Chair of F&GP Committee, Remuneration Committee, and Vice-Chair of IEMA; and as a Non-Exec Director and now Chair of Redcliffe College, University of Gloucestershire. Key contributions are business management, finance and operational delivery systems.
Ruth Wolstenholme, MD of Scotland & Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research (SNIFFER) (UK) Ruth has been involved in SNIFFER’s growth from a small research coordination role in the early 1990s, to the knowledge broker that it is today. With previous experience in environmental consultancy and with SEPA, Ruth is enabling the company to develop its partnership role across government/agencies and an increasingly broader sector, with particular interests in climate change and sustainable places . Ruth also has management diplomas and is currently completing an MSc in African Studies with a focus on Development. Ruth is also a fellow of the RSA. She has been in many ways instrumental in the style and approach of Promise Consulting.
Andrew Witty (UK) Andrew has considerable experience in waste and environmental management. He worked for many years with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and currently works with Scottish Water in a senior capacity. He is an expert in policy and its development at the local, national and international level as it relates to environmental protection. He was the winner of the 2006 CIWM UK award for the best written paper at the annual conference held in the UK, this is the biggest waste conference held in Europe. Andrew is increasingly involved in local and regional politics and lives with his wife and two children near Stirling.