The Team
Professor Nicola SpenceNicola Spence is the Chief Executive at Science City York. Nicola has overall responsibility to the SCY Board for leading the Science City York team and the delivery of its programmes and outputs. Nicola also represents York at the National Science Cities network.
Prior to joining the company in 2010, Nicola was Chief Scientist at the Food and Environment Research Agency at Sand Hutton, near York where she was responsible for science strategy and quality.
Fay Treloar
Fay Treloar is the Head of Operations at Science City York. Her role includes overall responsibility for managing the company's finance, HR, marketing and research functions and is an executive member of Science City York's Audit and Finance committee.
Prior to joining the company in 2006, Fay was Senior Projects Manager for Business Link Humber with responsibility for the delivery of a portfolio of European-funded projects.
Andy Gurnell
Andy Gurnell is Delivery Services Manager, responsible for directing the business facing activities of Science City York. He also manages the sector networks and leads on a number of major projects.
Andy’s background is primarily in the semiconductor process control industry where he had a variety of senior positions from business unit management through technology marketing to engineering management. He also has experience of the commercialisation of university research output, having worked in the Enterprise and Innovation Office of the University of York.
Andrew Smith
Andrew Smith is the Finance Manager for Science City York. This is a varied role encompassing managing all the company's financial functions and contributing to business planning and strategic development.
Andrew has a long-held career history in finance spanning manufacturing, engineering, retail, financial services and IT, beginning with British Steel and most recently as management accountant for a printer parts distribution company.
Helen Malton
Helen is one of three SCY Business Mentors recruited under Science City York's three year ERDF funded 'Specialist Services for Business Growth and Innovation’ project. Helen has a background in a wide range commercial roles within the life sciences, biopharma and biotechnology industries including working as a European Sales Director and Sales Manager for GE Healthcare, and Amersham Biosciences. She specialised in the field of biological molecule purification, working at all scales from research to full industrial manufacture of biopharmaceuticals.
She brings to her role over 12 years experience of developing sales strategies and expertise in new market development, key account relationship management, new product/technology introduction, strategic sales, competitive negotiations, and revenue growth. Most recently working as a personal development professional, Helen has focussed on conducting effective training sessions, and taking companies to new levels of success through building teams.
Norman Slater
Business Mentor Norman’s career spans several director-level and senior management roles across a broad spectrum of key industry sectors to include advanced engineering & manufacturing, telecommunications, construction, speciality chemicals, food & drink, aerospace and environmental technologies.
In addition to significant consultancy experience working with several blue chip multinationals, Norman has worked closely with several key public sector partners such as the White Rose University Consortium and the former Department for Trade and Industry (DTI).
Most recently he has successfully focussed on providing consultancy services to small – medium enterprises. Extensive project management experience includes managing two major DTI biotechnology initiatives providing consultancy to over 400 SMEs in many sectors throughout the UK.
Nick Dunlop-Jones
Nick completes SCY's team of Business Mentors. Nick’s career to date has included international, senior management roles in R&D, marketing and strategic management, with additional experience in business consulting, forming strategic alliances, and mentoring technology-driven SMEs.
He has worked in international blue chip companies, covering sectors such as speciality chemicals, paper, packaging and print, and industrial biotechnology.
A previous long-standing career with Clariant International’s paper chemicals business spanned various technical and business roles, including Head of Research and Technical Support and Global Product Line Manager, responsibility for an international business and culminating in his appointment as the Global Marketing Manager based in Switzerland.
In 2007 Nick left Clariant and formed Canda International, a global consulting company with a proven track record of success in supporting SMEs.
Imogen Foster
Imogen Foster is the Communications Manager and first point of contact for all marketing and communications enquiries for Science City York, including virtual business / e-communications, branding and PR. Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) qualified, Imogen has several years direct experience of marketing science and technology following a long-standing career with York-based Central Science Laboratory.
Prior to her marketing career, she was a Scientific Researcher, specialising in agri-environment invertebrate R&D. Most recently she was Communications and PR Manager for a careers advisory organisation based in Leeds.
Debra Crossley
Debra is Science City York's Events & Marketing Coordinator - planning, organising and managing Science City York’s specialist events programme encompassing a broad spectrum of events tailored for businesses across each of Science City York’s sector networks.
Debra also leads in coordinating public events such as Café Scientifique and the annual York Festival of Science and Technology to engage the wider community in real-world science.
An additional key aspect of Debra’s role includes supporting the marketing and communications function at Science City York.
Debra previously worked as an Executive Administrator with the British American Business Council Yorkshire & the Humber and with the Leeds Chamber of Commerce as an International Trade Officer. Debra also brings to her role over 20 years experience working in the financial services industry specialising in international trade and foreign exchange.
Jayne Gledhill
As Administrator, Jayne is responsible for the management of SCY support systems, Jayne is the first point of contact for administrative and finance functions for the company and also provides personal administrative support to the Executive Chair. Jayne has several years accountancy experience, and operating and implementing a full range of administration systems, providing administrative support at a senior Level, working both in the public and commercial sectors.
Heather Niven
Heather Niven is the Creative York and IT & Digital York Sector Specialist for Science City York, providing development guidance and support to creative and digital companies and individuals in North Yorkshire.
Heather is degree educated in psychology and has 12 years experience as a self representing artist and 4 years previous experience in the private sector as Art Gallery Manager for a large commercial gallery in N. Scotland.
With experience of owning two businesses, (a previous business in Glasgow working in alternative stained glass, which won the Innovation Award in Glasgow in 1997, and her current business as a self representing artist), Heather understands the difficulties facing creative sector companies and individuals and the challenges involved in business start-up within this sector.
Heather also has experience working with the public sector, academia and process industries, through a position she held for four years with the Chemical Industry Education Centre (CIEC), based at the University of York.
Kat Hetherington
Kat Hetherington is the Deputy Sector Specialist for Creative York and IT & Digital York. Her role is to regularly liaise with individuals and organisations in the Creative York and IT & Digital York networks; assisting Sector Specialist Heather Niven in coordinating visits to businesses to identify their business development needs. Kat will also be helping to maintain the website, write the creative-digital sector monthly e-newsletter and coordinate the sectors' events programme.
Having graduated from York St John University with a degree in Art and Design, Kat went on to work within the University in the C4C Centre as Events Assistant, and also for York Hospital as an Art and Design Volunteer.
