Meet Louise Simpson of the ICF
By Louise Simpson
2020-02-17
What is your background?
I am a military spouse and have moved house 12 times over 20 years. This has given me the opportunity to live in many different places and try my hand at different careers. I started life as a publisher working for Terence Conran's publishing house and then worked as an NVQ Assessor/Verifier/Trainer for a number of years. I then moved in the military charity sector. My husband and I have finally bought our own house in Wiltshire and resolve to be settled for some years to come.
How did you come to be involved with the ICF? What did you do before?
Well, I certainly had nothing to do with trees! For the last 11 years I worked for a small military charity as their Policy & Research Director working to ensure that military families are not disadvantaged by their soldier's service. In 2017 I became a Core Social (a third sector leadership organisation) and it gave me the confidence to see how my skills could be of value outside the military sector. Having had a variety of different careers – or as it now called a portfolio career, I knew that I performed better in a job where I could make a difference. I was instantly attracted to the ICF job advert as I could see where my skills would add value but also how rewarding it would be to work for an organisation where its members are on the front line of the climate change emergency.
Explain what your current role involves.
As the Development Director my job is to develop things! Ranging from CPD events, apprenticeships, policy positions and building relationships with influencers, I turn my hand to where it is needed. We use our Membership survey results to really determine what we need to be focussing on.
What do you most enjoy about this role?
No one day is the same and I get to have meetings outside the office! What's not to like!
What are the projects you are currently involved with?
I am currently getting ready for the TPBE4 conference, which will be in April in Birmingham. It will be my first ICF National Conference and I am really excited about the great line up of speakers we have and being able to meet so many of our members. I am also organising an Arb roadshow for June/July that will look at Tree Valuation. It's not really a 'how to do valuation' event – more of a look at how organisations have used valuation to achieve some really interesting outcomes. I am working with our Scottish Arborists to put on a Trees in Construction event in September which if it works we may roll out to other parts of the UK. I am also working with the industry to develop degree level apprenticeships for forestry and arboriculture in England.
Can you describe a typical day?
I have been in the role for over 7 months but, as yet, I have not worked out what a typical day at the ICF is! I work on such a diverse set of projects that each day is different but always challenging and rewarding at the same time.
What are your plans for 2020?
I am working with our Vice-President Sharon Durdant-Hollamby to ensure that our Arb members feel well supported by the ICF and that their voice is heard. That involves scrutinising our Directory of Consultants, our Arb content in the Chartered Forester and organising good quality Arb events. Comments invited!
What do you enjoy doing away from the ICF?
This is one of those questions where I want to answer with a super cool response such as parkour but in reality nothing makes me happier than doing some embroidery and watching any episodes of Star Trek that I can get my hands on!
Louise Simpson
Development Director