Trustees
York Climate Commission is in the process of becoming incorporated as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). Our Trustees strategically oversee the management and administration of the Commission, ensuring we have a clear strategy and that our work and goals remain in line with our vision: to champion, collaborate and challenge action on climate change to benefit the natural environment of the city, as well as to create a healthier, more prosperous and future-proofed city for current and future generations. Our Trustees also support and challenge the leadership team to enable York Climate Commission to grow and thrive, and through this, achieve our mission.
Will is a sustainability and public policy expert, working across sectors. He specialises in helping companies, NGOs and policymakers drive better nature and climate outcomes. He spent 10 years at Aviva plc, as Group Director of Sustainability and Public Policy, and led the work (with his jobshare partner) on Aviva’s world-leading sustainability strategy. Prior to that, he spent a decade in Westminster, including as a Special Adviser in HM Treasury and DWP. He has degrees from Harvard and Leeds, and a Postgrad Diploma in Conservation Management (and six happy months as a Ranger in the Dales). He also works on fatherhood, men and equality, and is a trustee of the Friends of Nun Ings.
Eugenia is a PhD researcher in Environment and Politics at the University of York, specialising in the governance of emerging energy technologies with a focus on nuclear fusion and its role in climate mitigation. She has developed practical experience in global climate and energy governance through roles with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s Fusion Industry Programme, where she contributed to stakeholder engagement and future deployment scenarios for fusion technologies. Eugenia has also supported local and regional climate initiatives through the York Climate Commission.
Email: akrofieugenia@gmail.com
Dr Marco Sakai is an ecological economist and senior lecturer in the Department of Environment and Geography at the University of York, where he leads the undergraduate and integrated masters programmes in Economics, Ecology and Environment. His research focuses on the complex links between climate change, international trade, resource consumption, and economic development. By utilising macroeconomic modelling and multi-regional input-output analysis, he quantifies environmental footprints to evaluate the systemic effects of resource reduction policies. As a trustee of the York Climate Commission, his work translates rigorous academic insights into impactful local action to support the city in transitioning toward a sustainable, low-carbon future.
Contact: marco.sakai@york.ac.uk
Peter York has been involved in the climate movement in York for a number of years, helping to organise and run the People's Assembly in September 2023, and doing outreach and door knocking for various campaigns, including Stop Burning Trees Coalition and Extinction Rebellion. He currently works as a software developer in the active travel industry, creating tools to help with sketching and evaluating active travel infrastructure plans.
Vicky (Vic) is an experienced charity leader, currently working as the CEO of St Nicks, a York-based environmental charity which specialises in waste minimisation, nature recovery and nature-based wellbeing.
With a career in the voluntary sector spanning more than 20 years, working with organisations ranging from grassroots community groups to national organisations and federations, she is well versed in all things charity governance.
Vic firmly believes in the power of communities to make positive change and is excited to play a small part in the development of York Climate Commission.
Ollie is an environmental economist who studied his Masters of Science at the University of York. His ongoing academic research specializes in catastrophic risk, resilience and recovery. He is also deeply passionate about scaling renewable energy. Ollie works as a consultant for Allume, supporting the implementation of SolShare; the world's only technology designed to connect individual apartments to shared rooftop solar systems.
As a Trustee for York Climate Commission, he supports the city's strategic transition to a low-carbon economy, using his background in environmental economics and clean technology to help future-proof York's energy infrastructure and community resilience.
Contact: ollie.brown@allumeenergy.com
