Welcome to WISH Scotland.

Kirsty Wells, Director of Consultancy and Partnerships, Housemark

Kirsty has a career spanning over 25 years in the social housing sector and has a PG Diploma in Housing Studies. She is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and has a Certificate in Professional Coaching Practice.

She is passionate about tenant participation and customer experience having spent thirteen years of her career as a Development Manager with the Tenants Information Service, supporting landlords and tenants in Scotland. She is a skilled facilitator and negotiator, building the capacity of individuals and groups to secure influence and positive outcomes. She worked with numerous landlords and tenants’ organisations in Scotland to develop and implement tenant participation strategies.

Kirsty joined Housemark in 2012 and is currently the Director of Consultancy and Partnerships. She leads a team of staff and Associate Consultants to deliver data-based consultancy projects across the UK, from data analysis into customer service to cultural and digital transformation within social landlords.

Kirsty is a key influencer in Housemark’s partnerships with key sector bodies such as the CIH, the national housing association Federations, regulators and civil servants across the UK. Previously, as Head of Devolved Nations she had responsibility for strategy and operations within Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Kirsty began her career as a Housing Officer in two local authorities and was a CIH Scotland board member for eight years from 2010 to 2018.

When Kirsty’s not at work she can be found wild swimming in the local reservoirs or in the river Forth, near Edinburgh.

Katie has 10 years of experience working in the social housing sector and is currently the Senior Factoring Officer at Clyde Valley Group. She is also studying at the University of Glasgow on the Postgraduate Housing Studies programme which has expanded her knowledge of the sector and increased her passion for her role. Katie is a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and the Institute of Residential Property Management (IRPM) and has completed various qualifications relating to housing, property management, construction management and property maintenance. She was shortlisted for the CIH Young Achiever in Housing Award 2021.

Katie is particularly passionate about encouraging young women to consider a career in housing, having joined the sector at a young age and been fortunate to have been given fantastic opportunities to progress in her career. She believes that working in housing is an excellent career choice as it gives you the opportunity to make a difference to local communities while having an exciting and successful career.

Katie is delighted to be a member of the inaugural WISH Scotland Board and is looking forward to meeting and networking with women working in the housing sector, as well as those who are considering starting their housing career. She is grateful for the opportunity to be able to contribute to WISH’s goal of encouraging, supporting and empowering women to have successful housing careers.

I’ve been lucky enough to work in the social housing sector in Scotland for the last 25 years+ in both housing association and local authority environments.  Since 2014, I’ve led the housing management team at Prospect Community Housing, based in West Edinburgh.  As a community-based organisation, I particularly value that we work in partnership with others to develop sustainable tenancies and communities.   

Following my degree, I was inspired by a female housing professional friend of the family to consider a career in housing, so I completed the post graduate Housing Studies diploma and became a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.  I’d never heard of housing as a career prior to that discussion, so I’m delighted to be part of the WISH Board to promote the sector to women as a career which is varied, challenging and never dull.  I am passionate about equality of opportunity and aim to support others to maximise their potential.  I am also a recent addition to the Eildon Housing Association Board.

Outside of housing, I enjoy dog walks with friends, sporting events and spending time with my family.

Nicola is an Account Director at Hough Bellis Communications, delivering strategic communications and PR to the housing and charity sector.

She takes pride in working with clients to create high-impact communications for projects that help improve people’s lives.

Nicola has 15 years of experience in communications roles in housing, local government, and the third sector in Edinburgh, London, and Manchester.

Her areas of expertise include crisis communications, managing major media partnerships, and running impactful events.

Nicola is passionate about the work WISH Scotland does to promote gender equality and support women in the housing sector to achieve their career goals.

She holds an MSc in PR and is a member of CIH Scotland.

Outside of work, Nicola loves to spend time with her husband and children in the Pentland Hills or by the sea.

I've worked in the housing sector for 16 years and at Altro for a decade, promoting adhesive-free flooring which transforms spaces into environments that can improve wellbeing while promoting sustainability. The housing sector plays such an important role in society and while helping to improve people’s quality of life, day in and out, it also creates neighbourhoods and supports people of all walks of life and ages. I’m passionate about supporting women to succeed in this growing sector and am looking forward to working with the rest of the board to support women of all ages working in housing to achieve their goals.

When I’m not working, I enjoy taking my dog on lovely beach walks which we are lucky to have on our doorstep while keeping fit. I also enjoy socialising with friends and family.

Gillian has worked in the housing sector for almost 20 years, holding positions in both public and private sector organisations. She is currently the Scotland Development Director for Sanctuary Group, one of the largest housing and care providers in the UK. Gillian is responsible for the successful delivery of the Group’s new build programme in Scotland, currently completing in the region of 500 new homes each year. Prior to joining Sanctuary in 2017 she was a Director at Wheatley Group responsible for managing the Group’s commercial activities. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing and has previously served on Housing Association Boards and a former Board member of Homes for Scotland.

Gillian has 6 years of experience working in the social housing sector and is currently the Membership & Funding Manager at the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA). Gillian is also studying for a degree in Business Management at the University of Strathclyde to support with her career development and aspirations.

Gillian's experience within the social housing sector began in 2018 when she worked in banking. It was then she gained a real understanding of the challenges faced by the sector and formed a real interest. Gillian then joined SFHA in March 2020 as membership lead which has allowed her to work closely with RSLs across Scotland and further advance knowledge of the landscape of the social housing sector.

Gillian is passionate about promoting housing as a career of choice; she believes the roles within social housing are so wide-ranging that there is something for everyone. She believes that housing should be promoted more widely to allow a greater number of people the opportunity to advance their careers within the social housing sector. She is also passionate about the work WISH does to promote gender equality for women across the housing sector.

Gillian said "I am delighted to have been accepted onto the WISH Scotland board. It is a privilege to be part of an inspiring network of individuals who empower women across Scotland to progress their careers in social housing and make meaningful strides towards equality".

I have worked in housing for over 30 years. I began my career in housing in Glasgow City Council as a Trainee and as well as gaining my HNC in Housing I carried out various temporary roles before getting a permanent position as a Housing Benefit Officer. I then joined a small Housing Co-operative in Glasgow as a Housing/Maintenance Assistant and was soon promoted to Housing Officer, where I was seconded to GHA to manage the clearance stock before transfer to the Housing Co-operative in 2010. When I turned 40, I studied part time at Stirling University to gain my Post Graduate Diploma in Housing Studies. I then joined TPAS Scotland in 2019 as a Development/Membership Officer where I was based in Stirling Council supporting tenants’ groups and staff. I was promoted to Lead Learning/Development Officer with TPAS and hosted our 2021 Housing Professionals Conference at Dundee Apex Hotel. I then joined Scotland’s Housing Network in April 2022 as Learning Development Officer where I manage the Housing Options Toolkit and work closely with Local Authority staff throughout Scotland in regards to Housing Options training.

‘I am delighted to be joining the WISH Scotland Board. I have followed WISH since they first started in Scotland and have enjoyed attending some of their events. I look forward to working with the rest of the Board and meeting some more inspiring women in Housing!’

I currently work in Corporate Services with Elderpark Housing in Govan. I have worked in the social housing sector for 6 years and have a real passion for the sector. I have experience working in housing management and homelessness services. In 2019 I gained a post graduate degree in Housing Studies from the University of Stirling, to enhance my knowledge of how housing associations operate  I became a board member with Glen Oaks Housing Association in 2019 and currently hold the office bearers position as Secretary, in addition to this I am a champion member for the Chartered Institute of Housing.

I am passionate about supporting and encouraging women within the sector and I am delighted to have joined the WISH Scotland Board, that encourages and champions women’s success in the sector.