Board of Governors Profiles

The Board of Governors of UHI Argyll currently has 14 members. It includes Principal Joe Wright, a teaching and non-teaching staff member, and a student member. A member of the Board of Governors (other than the Principal and the student member) will hold office for a period of 4 years with the option of reappointment for a further two terms, serving for a maximum of 12 years. The Principal of the college is a member of the Board for as long as they hold that position.

About the board

All Governors must comply with the Code of Good Governance, as detailed in the UHI Argyll Constitution and Standing Orders of the Board of Governors, whose key principles are: Public Service, Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability and Stewardship, Openness, Honesty, Leadership and Respect. Membership of the Board is voluntary and unremunerated except in the case of reasonable expenses. Our Board Member Recruitment Policy details the recruitment process and requirements for membership of the Board.

One of the many roles of the Board of Governors is to provide strategic leadership and direction to the college, through oversight of, and contribution to, key strategy documents - such as the Regional Outcome Agreement - and by setting strategic priorities for areas including financial objectives and staffing strategies for example.

Maggie Tierney - Chair

Maggie is a retired CEO of a chain of outdoor nursery providers in rural towns across Scotland including Oban in Argyll. She has over 15 years experience of senior public policy leadership from her roles in the Scottish Government including on child protection, additional support for learning, development of the early years sector and school-age education strategy and performance. Maggie has previously worked as a social researcher in various academic roles in universities in Dublin, Norway (Alta) and Edinburgh. She lives in Edinburgh with her family and is a frequent visitor to Argyll.

Heather Stevenson - Vice Chair

Heather has over 30 years experience in the field of Human Resources, specialising in Employee and Industrial Relations, Equalities and Diversity, and Reward and Remuneration. Her experience was gained in a variety of different public sector organisations, including the NHS, Local Government and the Care Commission/Inspectorate. She joined the college sector in 2013 and since 2016 she has played a key role in the National Bargaining arena. Latterly she held the position of Director of Employment Services with Colleges Scotland, from which she has recently retired.

Joe Wright - Principal & Chief Executive

Joe worked for 25 years in various roles within the Department for Work and Pensions across Glasgow and the Highlands. These roles involved the management of jobcentres, social security offices or teams and, latterly, the implementation of a new Human Resources service across the Highlands and Islands. 

Joe moved to the far North in 2009 to work for North Highland College as HR Manager and moved to UHI Argyll in 2021 as Head of HR & OD. Joe has recently taken up the role of Principal, with a remit to help steer the college through the UHI Transformation project. 

Beppo Buchanan-Smith 

After 25 years building a family business from a small seasonal hotel to an all year round Hospitality operation with international acclaim and success employing 60 members of staff Beppo was approached to sell his business and moved on to establish a hospitality consultancy operation. Having gained much from the industry over the years it was created with the aim of setting out to help others in the industry meet their full potential. It has accessed his knowledge of hands on operations, sales and marketing and financial controls and has developed a niche in assisting assess feasibly and transform new openings.

Throughout his career the development and evolution of the teams have centred round their growth and education and this has led to interactions with a wide variety of organisations in a wide range of roles and remits from establishing a business as a Centre for Vocational Qualifications to lecturing to Students on operational hospitality and assisting in the assessment of students. Beppo served for many years as a Trustee of the Cross Trust an educational Trust established to assist deserving young Scots access opportunities to fulfil their aspiration and potential. 

Beppo is a Master Innholder, Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality and holds the Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holder. Having lived much of his life north of Oban in Argyll, Beppo is acutely aware of the challenges not only retaining communities in rural Scotland but also attracting young people to live there and insuring that their access to educational opportunities are not handicapped by geographical location.

Bettina Sizeland

Bettina is head of tourism and major events in Scottish Government with responsibility for strategic development of tourism and delivery of major events to showcase Scotland and support economic growth, working closely with industry leaders and SMEs. She has worked on a number of exciting major events for Scotland including the European Championships and Year of Young People in 2018 and Solheim Cup in 2019. Pipeline events include the UEFA championships postponed to 2021 and the 2023 UCI cycling world championships. She is also Visit Scotland’s Scottish Government sponsor. Previously Bettina has worked across Scotland and internationally leading delivery of major digital and infrastructure development programmes for a range of private and public sector organisations including Scottish Enterprise, City of Edinburgh Council, Department for International Development and WS Atkins. She is a keen advocate for tourism and major events in Scotland and uses her spare time to attempt munro bagging with family and dog.

Carina Walsh 

Carina is currently Operations Director at an M&A advisory firm, overseeing global operations while remaining firmly rooted in Scotland. With more than 15 years’ experience across strategy, business development and mid-market M&A, she has supported leadership teams throughout the UK and Europe to shape growth plans, evaluate market opportunities and strengthen organisational focus. Her work blends a broad strategic outlook with clear, practical delivery.

Alongside her corporate role, Carina has mentored a wide range of SMEs on strategy, leadership and investment readiness, giving her a strong understanding of the needs and ambitions of local businesses and communities. She is particularly adept at helping organisations break down complex issues and turn them into workable plans.

Carina is an equestrian enthusiast and an active member of her local high-school parent book group, reflecting her commitment to community life and lifelong learning.

Iain Jurgensen

Iain is the Managing Director of Portavadie Loch Fyne, a resort in Argyll committed to the delivery of outstanding hospitality experiences by a passionate, skilled and career focussed team. Iain is the current Chair of Argyll and the Isles Tourism Co-operative and Vice Chair of Developing the Young Workforce Argyll. Iain has over 30 years industry experience and believes success comes from developing individuals and teams. Portavadie successfully partnered with UHI Argyll in developing the innovative Accelerated Hospitality Leadership Program. Iain will provide industry insight to the board, highlighting opportunities within the tourism and hospitality sector to support its continued growth through continuous learning and development of its people.

John Dow

John is the Head of Finance at Blair Drummond Safari & Adventure Park, one of Scotland’s most popular visitor attractions. With a career in Finance of 30 years, working in a broad range of industries, John brings a breadth of financial knowledge and understanding of the key financial processes and controls required to allow organisations to excel.

John has extensive experience in long-term planning and strategy, audit, asset management, and team development. Having lived in Argyll for most of his life, John is acutely aware of the challenges faced by its population, and the importance of providing relevant education and training to allow an individual to achieve their potential.

Lucy Neilson 

Lucy is a Chartered Management Accountant with 20 years experience in the not for profit sector spanning across charities and social housing. Currently, Lucy is Director of Operations at includem, a Scottish charity supporting children, young people and families across Scotland.

Lucy brings key specialist experience in governance, financial budgeting, monitoring and long-term forecasting, risk management and strategy development. Lucy has previously served on the board of a housing association and acted as company secretary for two organisations.

Lucy is passionate about providing opportunities in a way that is supportive, inclusive and meets the student’s needs. With connections to the Isle of Bute she is familiar with the challenges rural and island communities face in accessing services.

Nathan Tyler

Nathan is Director of Communications, Engagement and Student Experience at West College Scotland (WCS). He also works closely with safeguarding teams across the college sector and with partners including the Scottish Government, the Home Office and other agencies, in his role as the Scottish Further Education strategic lead for Prevent and Counter-Extremism.

Having grown up in the Highlands and studied at the University of Glasgow, Nathan began his career in television and digital journalism in London, working with international news organisations including Reuters, BFBS and Sky News. He later returned to Scotland with his young family to join STV as Editor of News and Current Affairs.

In 2018, Nathan pivoted his career towards strategic communications and engagement, representing Scotland’s aquaculture sector before joining West College Scotland in 2021.

Passionate about collaborative growth and widening opportunity, Nathan has held several voluntary board roles and currently serves as a Director of Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce.

A keen runner and qualified Junior Athletic Development Coach, he has previously competed in marathons, including in Antarctica, and now enjoys slightly less extreme distances.

Paul Wylie - Non-Teaching Staff Director

Paul has worked at UHI Argyll for over eight years in roles including lecturing, student support, and ICT. His cross-departmental experience gives him a strong understanding of both academic and support staff needs. Prior to joining the college, Paul spent nearly two decades in the maritime industry, including 12 years as Master of a passenger ferry, developing leadership, strategic planning, and risk management skills.

Elected to the Board to represent staff interests, Paul brings a practical, day-to-day perspective from his ICT role, helping to connect governance with operational realities. He is passionate about using technology to improve efficiency and access to education, and is particularly interested in UHI’s Transformation project.

Having lived in Campbeltown for over 45 years, Paul understands the communities UHI Argyll serves and values its community-first approach to education. This deep connection to place and people is what motivates his ongoing commitment to the college’s mission.