JANE OLLIS
Chair
Jane brings 25 years of diverse business experience from interning at NASA to sitting on and advising boards of global companies, charities and government bodies. She is an environmental scientist and biochemist by training interested in how science and technology can shape tomorrow’s world. She is also an alumni of Sydney’s prestigious social leadership programme and a business fellow of Oxford University and today focuses on building and serving business that have a clear purpose and social impact.
COLIN NOLDEN
Non Exec Director
Colin has a background spanning energy policy, climate policy and sustainable development. He currently works as a Senior Research Fellow at the Energy Institute of the University of Sheffield and an Expert-Peer Reviewer for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. He has previously worked in research for the universities of Oxford, Bristol, Sussex, and Exeter; and as a consultant for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department on Energy and Climate Change, and Climate-KIC; and in steel working and mussel farming.
Colin likes good food, football, loud music and everything to do with the environment.
ZOE NICHOLSON
Non Exec Director
Zoe Nicholson is a Councillor and Leader of Lewes District Council. She is experienced in partnership working to achieve the best for our communities. She has experience of delivering on carbon net zero ambitions and the development of a plural well-being economy. She has a special interest in using the council’s procurement role, its assets to create the conditions for a greener, fairer and more sustainable economy across the region. She has a background in healthcare and social enterprise start up.
She lives in Lewes District with her partner, and teenage son, dog and horse.
JAMIE GORDON
Non Exec Director
Jamie has over 25 years of diverse experience across the communications sector from running an ad agency in Poland in the late ‘90s to developing a campaign to support one of the UK’s largest offshore wind farms. He currently works across the energy sector advising private and public interests on how they should liaise with local communities regarding Net Zero initiatives and projects.
In his spare time Jamie loves long walks with his family, writing comedy sketches and is a member of a community choir.
OLLIE PENDERED
Chief Executive
Ollie is Chief Executive of Community Energy South and leads on our Partnerships and capacity building support Community Energy Groups. He is the regional representative for Community Energy England and Chair of the Greater Brighton City Region Energy Working Group.
Ollie is a hockey player, coaches his local village junior cricket team and is a keen gardener and nature expert.
ESMÉ DONGHI
Executive Director – COO
Esmé has 20 years’ experience in energy and environment project management, primarily in team and businesses leadership roles. She worked in a variety of sectors including Higher Education, Local Authorities, SME’s, Facilities Management, Construction and Waste Management Companies and the Community Energy Sector. Esmé brings a wide range of skills to her role as COO at CES, including managing complex project portfolios, business management and development, leading marketing and communications operations, delivering training programmes and supporting staff professional growth and development.
In her spare time Esmé is kept busy with her active toddler and also enjoys long walks countryside, dancing and pub lunches.
NICK BOHANE
Development Director
Nick leads on new business models, business development, partnerships, marketing and brand. He was formerly a Managing Partner for public affairs firm Instinctive Partners, working in the electricity sector for many years.
ROLAND BALDOCK
Technical Director
Roland joins CES after working freelance in the sector as a project developer and project manager. Prior to working in renewable energy, Roland worked on complex marine infrastructure projects in Europe, Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East.
Roland brings experience from his many roles including Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management, Operations Management, Cost Estimation, Risk Management and Project Management.
Roland enjoys travelling, bouldering at his local climbing centre, sea swimming, and reading.
JESSIE-MAE COLEMAN
Corporate Services Manager
Jessie looks after the daily operations for CES, the finance and administration, runs the office and membership services, and supports the executive directors. She is one of the Climate Literacy trainers and she is also chair of our CIO, CES Warming Communities.
Jessie has a background in retail management but retrained as an accounting technician and bookkeeper to find a better work/life balance. The demands of two children takes up most of her time but she enjoys Yoga, boxing, reading sci-fi, cooking new things, and creating outrageous cakes!
LAURA WILSON
Head of Programme for Community Energy Pathways
Laura is a specialist in the community energy sector and skilled in project management and delivery in community energy projects. Her experience includes commercial development and relationship management within the community energy sector. She is an experienced fundraiser and has extensive experience of stakeholder engagement including community partners and wider community engagement, central and local government, other public bodies and the wider public.
Laura is a volunteer director for Wey Valley Solar. In her spare time she enjoys being outside, taking long walks and swimming in cold water.
DANNY OLSSON
Head of Programme for CommuniPower
Danny brings a variety of experience to his role as Head of Programme for CommuniPower. After a decade overseas in Japan and Europe he retrained in the energy sector with a Masters Degree in Global Energy Transition and Governance where he learned the value of putting people at the heart of the energy transition. With three years in the public sector as a climate change programme delivery manager he now leads the CommuniPower Team in driving community-led energy transformation.
In his spare time Danny likes to tread the boards as a member of his local amateur dramatics group.
NICOLA DAVIDSON
Project Manager
Nicola has worked in the public and community development sector for twenty years. As project manager at CES, her specialisms include community energy project development, fundraising and mentoring new groups to pioneer their own projects. She has a Diploma with the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and a degree in Rural Resource Management. Nicola has worked as a Peer Mentor for the Power To Change programme supporting community business development.
During the early part of her career she worked in a number of technical roles within the Environment Agency and the London Borough of Ealing. Nicola is co-director of MaidEnergy supporting the group with project development and community engagement
KELLY DIBBERT
Project Manager
Kelly has over 20 years experience as a project manager. More recently she has chosen roles that cut carbon emissions working for Brighton Energy Coop, The Big Lemon and FareShare Sussex.
With experience in fundraising, community engagement, development and a passion for bringing people together to do good things!
She loves year-round sea swimming, scuba diving, dancing, long country walks, her bikes and sharing good food.
SARAH MACBETH
Engagement and Design Manager
Sarah is a socially responsible designer, researcher and community activist. She has over 25 years of experience in the non profit sector working for organisations such as Amnesty, British Council, UNESCO and Shelter and for design and technology cooperatives and collectives.
Sarah has a Master’s in Sustainable Design. Her participatory practice involves using design to engage people in co-creating regenerative futures. In 2015, Sarah co-founded Transition Town Hastings as a platform for the local community to collaborate around low carbon living.
Sarah is a keen forager and spends a lot of time at her allotment or cooking what she harvests.
SARAH PENDERED
Executive Assistant
Sarah joined the team in the role of Executive Assistant supporting the executive team and the Board. Sarah brings a wide range of experience from working in Moscow in the 90s to running an outdoor adventure company in Europe, Asia and South America. As well as being a qualified Montessori teacher, Sarah has held multiple positions as executive assistant/PA, and over the past decade has supported many community energy projects including managing events, setting up energy advice cafes, providing bill checking and energy advice services. Sarah also has experience in engagement having managed one of the teams involved in setting up the London Congestion Charge on behalf of TFL; she also supported and was actively involved in the engagement process for UKPN’s refurbishment of the substation beneath Leicester Square.
In her spare time Sarah loves to walk on the South Downs with her 2 dogs, she is a keen swimmer, has an active interest in nutrition and loves to cook!
BEN WHITE
Community Energy People Project
Co-ordinator
Ben has a background in plant sciences and education. He joins CES from the community team at Kew Gardens where he ran the learning and access programme for disabled people. He is passionate about accessibility and enjoys engaging underrepresented communities with nature, sustainability, and social change. As project coordinator for the National Lottery funded Community Energy People project, he is working to support community energy groups to develop their staff and volunteers and promote EDI in the community energy sector.
In his spare time Ben enjoys swimming, spending time in nature, reading, and playing Dungeons & Dragons.
TONY WHITTINGHAM
CommuniPower Project Co-ordinator
After university Tony worked in Marine conservation then as a Marine Biologist in Australia. On returning to UK he moved into the private sector and worked his way up to sales director with an organisation selling rail lubrication products into national rail companies worldwide. Tony has always worked in conservation to some capacity, then in 2014 he had the opportunity to fulfil an ambition to start a not for profit organisation called Ecofrenzy helping people to save money and reduce their Carbon footprint by making small lifestyle changes. In 2019, he was able to fulfil another ambition when he and his wife Kim took over some trout lakes in Suffolk to run as a nature reserve. The final part of the equation has been to join CES to upscale all his ambitions.
PHIL OSULLIVAN
CommuniPower Project Co-ordinator
Phil joins CES as a Project coordinator as part of the Communipower team, responsible for supporting community groups in delivering energy advice and building their organisational capacity. Phil brings a range of experience of delivering energy advice programmes, supporting clients in fuel poverty, training and working with community groups.
Phil enjoys playing instruments, seeing live music, reading and getting out in nature.
KIRSTY SHANAHAN
CommuniPower Project Co-ordinator
Kirsty Shanahan has joined the CES team as Project Co-ordinator on the LEAD-funded CommuniPower project.
She founded Buckinghamshire Community Energy, co-ordinates the Community Energy England Energy Efficiency Working Group, and has worked for retrofit supply chain galvanisers Low Carbon Homes, so domestic decarbonisation is a subject close to her heart.
TIM SHERMAN
Project Assistant
Tim joins the CES team as a Project Assistant, responsible for supporting both the coordination, technical and data management aspects of the CommuniPower Unit and the development of community energy generation projects.
Tim finished university in 2022 and took a year out where he worked a ski season as an instructor and was an outdoors instructor at Branching Out Adventures (a local high and low ropes course).
In the local community, he plays hockey for Lewes and enjoys football, tennis and pool as well.
EMER GILES
Communications and Project Assistant
Emer has recently graduated with a bachelor of science degree in Geography from the University of Sussex. Her passion for the climate led her to write her dissertation on the effects of eco-anxiety on gender, age and education. Her experience in geography has brought to the team a new perspective of younger generations dealing with and tackling climate change.
Following her 6-week internship at Ovesco as a Communications Coordinator she landed a permanent part-time role as well as joining our team as a Communications and Project Assistant.
Emer also enjoys making lemon drizzle cakes, doing yoga and spending time with her dog PJ.
SUSIE TAGUE
Communications and Project Assistant
Susie’s experience of travelling round South East Asia for three months in 2023, witnessing first hand, how other communities around the world approach daily life and tackle different challenges sparked her passion for innovation and tackling the climate crisis.
Susie brings extensive experience in customer facing roles, an ability to adapt quickly to changing situations and a keen interest in sustainability and problem solving to her role as a Communications and Project Assistant.
In her spare time she loves walking her dog, live music, design, and fashion.
ASMAA ELSOUDA
Communications and Project Assistant – CommuniPower
Asmaa has joined as a CommuniPower assistant to support communication between teams and with content production for trainings and policy updates. She studied Global Sustainable Development and Ecology at university, and since graduating in 2023 she has worked as a researcher in political ecology and as an engagement producer for an independent film festival.
Outside of work, Asmaa is a community organiser in London, and enjoys yoga, hiking, and making soup.
EMILY HILTON
Energy Advisor
Emily has always loved the outdoors, which is what lead to her Environmental Science degree, and ignited a desire to work for a more sustainable future. Her extensive experience in events organisation and management, combine with a passion to bring environmental improvements while genuinely making people’s lives better.
Previously competing in world class sport, Emily now moonlights as a horse trainer, providing second chances for our 4 legged friends.