Skills Development Scotland

Willy Roe - Chair

Willy's been our Chair since April 2008 and brings with him a vast amount of skills, public service, business and consultancy experience. He's advised many government departments and public agencies in Scotland and England and financial services and technology companies, both in the UK and North America.

Scotland and UK
Willy is currently the Scotland Commissioner on the UK Commission for Employment and Skills and Chair of Highlands and Islands Enterprise. He is also a member of the Innovation Programmes Committee of NESTA, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts.

International
Willy has frequently advised Eastern European governments on labour market reforms and social development. His is a former director of the first EU programme to combat long-term unemployment. Other appointments have included advising on local enterprise development in Atlantic Canada and advising/facilitating the Futures Ireland programme. He has also been a member of the Board of the Maine Training and Development Corporation in the US.

Damien Yeates - Chief Executive

Damien has over 16 years' experience in economic and social initiatives in Glasgow. He was previously Chief Executive of the Scottish University for Industry and the Govan Initiative. In the last decade alone, and working alongside key partners, Damien has initiated a number of very successful programmes to promote skills and lifelong learning, including the establishment of the Digital Media Academy, the Community Technology Academy Network and the Blended Learning of Construction Skills (BLOCS) programme.

He previously held directorships of the Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum and Realizations International Ltd.

Evelyn McCann

Before joining Skills Development Scotland in 2008 Evelyn was Chief Executive at Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire, developing new economic opportunities in partnership with the private and public sector. She worked in the UK training and education field for nearly 20 years and has sat on the boards of major organisations, including Learning and Teaching Scotland, Investors in People (Scotland), Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire and the Strathclyde European Partnership.

William Stevely

William comes to us with a wealth of experience in the higher education sector. He's held the posts of Principal and Vice-Chancellor of The Robert Gordon University. A former member of the Scottish University for Industry Board, he also served on the Board of Glasgow College of Technology and was convenor of Universities Scotland for two years. He also served on the Board of James Watt College, has been a member of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

Anne Douglas

Anne became National Officer of the Engineers and Managers Association in 1994. In 1999 she was part of the pilot group of the Norfolk Charitable Trust Programme. Anne has been a National Secretary with Prospect since 2002 and an elected member of the Scottish Trades Union Congress General Council since 1994. She served as President from 2004 to 2005. Anne has been with us since May 2008 and was appointed as Chair of the Scottish Union Learning Board in the same month.

Janet Lowe

Janet enjoyed a successful 30 year career in further and higher education before joining us. She was Principal of Lauder College, Dunfermline from 1995 to 2005 and has filled senior posts at the University of Hull, Napier University and Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art.

Janet has sat on the Garrick Committee, on the Boards of the Scottish Further Education Unit and Scottish Enterprise, and the Court of Heriot Watt University. She was also a member of the Independent Review of Local Government Finance (the Burt Committee). Janet is a member of the Court of the University of Dundee, the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council and is Chair of the Councils Skills Committee.

Alan McGregor

For many years Alan has been an active researcher, consultant and policy adviser in economic development. He's currently Director of the Training and Employment Research Unit (TERU) and Professor of Economic Development at Glasgow University. Alan has advised the House of Commons Committee on Scottish Affairs in a number of its enquiries, and was adviser to the Scottish Executive's Cabinet Delivery Group on Closing the Opportunity Gap. He is a member of the National Workforce Plus Partnership Board and chairs its National Delivery Group.

Cay Stratton

Cay is a Special Advisor to the Chair on the UK Commission for Employment and Skills and has also been Director of the National Employment Panel and Managing Director of Business in the Community. In 1993 to 1994 she worked in the US, serving as Special Advisor to the Clinton Administration, working on the comprehensive legislative reform of US employment and training policy.

Between 1988 and 1993 Cay was Special Advisor to the UK Department of Employment and from 1983 to 1988 was Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs and headed the Massachusetts Department of Employment and Training.  She served as Executive Director of the Boston Private Industry Council and has also held posts with Boston's anti-poverty agency, New York City's Human Resource Development Agency and the National Alliance for Business.