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The Board//

	Sam Bestwick Sam Bestwick is Chief Executive at MLA East Midlands and leads the engagement with key museum, library and archive stakeholder groups and directs all aspects of the organisation’s work to meet objectives and policies set by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). Sam sustains close working relationships with other regional bodies, developing areas of mutual interest and acting as an advocate for the sector at local, regional and national levels.

	Sukhy Johal Sukhy Johal is the Chief Executive of Culture East Midlands, and is an active volunteer with a number of organisations including the New Art Exchange, of which is also a Board Member, the Black Environment Network, and Apna Arts.

	Anne Rippon Anne is Interim Regional Director at Sport England East Midlands, the Government’s lead organisation for increasing and sustaining participation in community sport. Anne provides strategic management of the East Midlands office, provides the strategic link between developing national policy and the region and leads on advocacy. Anne has spent many years working in sport and previously was seconded to Government Office for the East Midlands as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport representative in the region before further developing a lead role in communications across the range of departments within GOEM.

	Laura Dyer Laura is the Executive Director of Arts Council England, East Midlands, a role which she started in 2000. Previously, Laura has worked as Head of Arts for the London Borough of Croydon, a post she held since 1997. She started her career in the arts as a production assistant to Jill Freud and Company, a small scale theatre company. After completing an MA in Drama at Essex University, she worked in a co-operative theatre company developing new writing and community arts projects. In 1991, she moved to the Garden Festival Wales as Drama Events Officer. Her first local government job was as Arts Development Officer at the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk. This period also involved a secondment to Eastern Arts, where she introduced the Lottery funded Arts for Everyone programme.

	Mick Gallagher Mick is Chief Executive of Boston Borough Council and has many years experience of working in the public sector. He has initiated the development of culture-led regeneration schemes, including the Cultural Quarter in Leicester and Vikingar! in Largs, Scotland. He is also a Board Member of the Blackfriars Arts Centre.

	Sue Grace Sue is Head of Leisure and Learning at Northamptonshire County Council. Prior to her career within the public sector, she spent a decade touring with a small-scale theatre company as a performer, administrator and latterly general manager.

	Heather Parker Heather is the Strategic Programme Planning and Support Manager for the East Midlands Regional Improvement & Efficiency Partnership Support Team.

	Keith Stevens Interim Director of Cultural Services, Nottinghamshire County Council.

	Heather broughton Head of Environment & Heritage Services, Leicestershire County Council.