The Team
Paul Taylor
Paul Taylor is the Interim Project Director. He is an engineer by profession and has extensive business development and management experience in large and small private enterprises. From 1992 – 2004 he held a number of senior positions in economic development including OneNortheast, the Regional Development Agency.
He was responsible for sector development and inward investment, especially Asia Pacific where he developed the Chinese and Indian markets for investment. From 2004-2006 he was the CEO of Invest Northamptonshire, a countywide Investment Promotion Agency working with a public and private partners including universities on investment and marketing programmes. Paul's responsibilities at Science City York include coordinating with regional and national partners strategic programmes which promote innovation and where the organisation is playing a fundamental shaping role.
Fay Treloar
Fay Treloar is the Head of Operations. After graduating with a degree in politics from Liverpool John Moores University, Fay has a background of nearly 10 years in business development and contract management in both the private and public sector.
Her most recent post was with Business Link Humber, where she was the Senior Projects Manager with responsibility for the delivery of a portfolio of European-funded projects for the provision of business support to SMEs for assistance with ICT, high growth and rural enterprise projects across the Humber. Fay manages the cluster, skills, and communications activities of Science City York.
Andy Gurnell
Andy Gurnell is Delivery Services Manager, specialising in advising and assisting businesses in the IT & Digital York cluster. 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.
Deborah Girdlestone
Deborah Girdlestone is a Business Promoter, assisting start-up and early-stage ventures. After a PhD in biophysics, she moved to the pharmaceutical industry and was for many years a Senior Scientist with Aventis in Paris. She served as Editor in Chief of Trends in Pharmacological Sciences for five years and was responsible for developing several successful associated publications.
In 1998, she set up her own business handling scientific and corporate communications for major international clients. She has been involved in the development of a number of university bio-business training programmes, most recently the bioenterprise courses for the White Rose Universities.
Darrell Hooper
Darrell Hooper, IT & Digital York Sector Specialist, offers nearly 20 years of industry experience covering IT support. His work has involved IT and technical support, training and development for a world-wide print franchise and technical IT support for a Yorkshire-based print and multimedia company.Other skills and experience include working with local authorities, government bodies and the private sector, contract management and multimedia delivery including; print, design, digital video, website design and eCommerce systems.
Steph Morris
Steph Morris is the Bioscience York Sector Specialist. Steph has worked in a range of science policy roles in Government and public sector organisations. She has a BSc in Marine Biology and an MSc in Information Science. Her experience includes technology strategy assessment, horizon scanning and the development of knowledge transfer platforms within the DTI’s Innovation Group. She has also worked as a Science Policy Officer in the Royal Society, supporting the provision of science advice to policy makers.
Her latest role was as Knowledge Manager within an international development charity.
Heather Niven
Heather Niven is the Creative York Sector Specialist for Science City York, providing development guidance and support to creative companies and individuals in N Yorks.
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. During her time there she tripled the gallery’s visitor attendance and introduced an annual national art competition.
With experience of owning 2 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 4 years with the Chemical Industry Education Centre (CIEC), based at the University of York. The CIEC provide opportunities for children to experience classroom science in an industrial setting. Other skills include web site design, graphic design and events organisation.
Denis Ormston
Denis Ormston is Science City York's Skills Specialist. He is a qualified Lecturer in Business Studies and has worked on funded projects in the education and training field for over seven years.
His work has covered the facilitating of coach mentoring and personal & business skills development support and guidance to SME, micro and start up businesses in the creative, IT & digital, finance, transport, manufacturing and health & childcare sectors. This has involved working closely with learning and business partnerships, HE and FE colleges, local authorities, community and disadvantaged organisations as well as individual learners.
Denis has also spent 30 years working in the business to business manufacturing sector in Export and UK Sales & Marketing management.
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 CrossleyDebra 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.
