Meet the committee members

Seona has served as Chair of the Scotland Advisory Committee since 2019 and until recently, as a Trustee of the British Council. She is currently Vice Chair of Wasps Artists Studios. Seona has served as Director of the Glasgow School of Art, and of the Scottish Arts Council, serving on a range of boards including as Chair of the National Theatre of Scotland, and Scotland's Commissioner on the US-UK Fulbright Commission. Seona was awarded a DBE in 2014 for services to the creative industries.

Katie is Senior Projects and Programmes Manager at Glasgow Life where her portfolio includes Glasgow's international festivals, citywide arts and music programming, and strategic cultural initiatives including Glasgow UNESCO City of Music. She is particularly interested in the role of creative placemaking locally, nationally and internationally. Katie recently graduated with a Masters in Musicology from the University of Glasgow in 2022 and plays violin in many of Scotland's amateur orchestras.

Natasha Gilmore is the founder and Artistic Director of Barrowland Ballet, one of Scotland’s most exciting and successful contemporary dance companies. An internationally respected choreographer for dance theatre and film, Natasha’s work has toured to six continents. Natasha is passionate about working inter-generationally and she has been recognised with international acclaim for her practice in contemporary dance work with and for neuro-diverse audiences and children with complex needs.

Russell is the head of the International Futures division in the Scottish Government’s Directorate for Culture and External Affairs. He has been a civil servant for over 26 years, having held roles in the Home Office and Foreign Office before joining the Scottish Government in 2005.  Russell grew up in Aberdeenshire and studied law at the University of Glasgow.

(Image to come soon)

Asif is the Director of the Scottish Poetry Library. He is an associate of Arts Council England’s Powerbrokers International Leadership Programme. Previous roles include senior national policy advisor for the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade cultural commemoration and lead officer for Bristol’s programme in support of European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. Asif hails from Dundee and studied film with marketing at the University of Stirling.

Gary is an Associate Professor in Festival & Event Management at Edinburgh Napier University and the Business School’s Academic Lead for Innovation & Enterprise. He is a Curator with Cheltenham Festivals, and Chair of the Board of Trustees at Sonic Bothy, providing opportunities for musicians with additional learning needs. He is a Non-Exec Director of Newmilns Sports Complex, and an Independent Prisons Monitor. Gary is a Member of the Young Academy of Scotland and the Global Young Academy.

Rakasree Basu, a film and TV producer, is recognised for her pioneering efforts in converging Nordic and Indian cinema. She is the founder of Frames Per Second Films (Mumbai) and Momentum Films (Glasgow). An alumnus of the University of Glasgow with a degree in Creative Industries and Cultural Policy, and a British Council India Creative Economy scholar, Rakasree leverages her leadership and creative diplomacy to bridge the UK and Indian film industries.

Alan Mackay is Deputy Vice-Principal International and Director, Edinburgh Global at the University of Edinburgh. He provides strategic leadership on internationalisation and works with senior leaders to advance the University’s international ambition and partnership.  Alan has over twenty years of experience in international higher education, he was appointed Deputy Vice-Principal, International in 2012, and prior to joining the University he worked for the University of St Andrews. 

Charlotte is the Director of Audiences at Capital Theatres. She began in the music industry working for labels in Paris, London, and Glasgow. After moving to Scotland in 2003, she was Head of Sales and Marketing at Scottish Ballet and Director of Audience and Media at National Theatre of Scotland. A founding member of Glasgow Short Film Festival, she currently serves on the board of Curious Seed. She is a passionate advocate of arts engagement.

Lesley is Executive Director of Education and Children’s Services for East Lothian Council. She has a primary teaching background and was a primary Head Teacher before becoming an HM Inspector with HMIE in 2004. She moved to East Lothian in 2017 and is responsible for all aspects of education and children’s social work. Lesley has served as a Trustee with the Scottish European Educational Trust and for the last two years, has been Chair of the Board of Trustees.