Who's who
David Foster - Chief Executive
David Foster joined The Parks Trust as Chief Executive in 2003. He started his career in the landscape and planning team at Warrington and Runcorn Development Corporation (1979 - 1987). He then had a 10-year spell with the national regeneration charity Groundwork (1987 - 1997), setting up and running a Trust in West Yorkshire and then becoming Operations Director at the head office in Birmingham. From 1997-2003 David was Chief Executive of Thrive, a national charity whose mission is to research, educate and promote the use and advantages of gardening for people with a disability.
David has an HND in Natural Resources and Rural Economics from Seale Hayne College and an MBA from Aston University. He is married with two children.
Liz Gifford- Chairman of the Board
Chair of Executive Committee
Liz works as a consultant in economic development, specialising in adult skills.
Liz is founding Director of The Training Grid, a Community Interest Company which develops and promotes the training offer of the voluntary sector.
She works alongside public, voluntary and private sector organisations and individuals and has first hand experience of a variety of ways of working and modes of governance.
Liz has an MA from the University of Aberdeen, an M Phil from the Open University, a teaching qualification and a management diploma. Prior to her current role she worked in schools for thirty years including two headships.
Liz is a member of the Chartered Management Institute and Chair of MK Women in Management. She has been involved in aspects of Milton Keynes’ development since arriving in 1986 including joining the Parks Trust Board in 1995 and being involved in Stony Open Gardens since its inception in 2003.
Richard Forman - Deputy Chair
Richard is currently Chief Executive of Fevore Group, based in Milton Keynes. The group is principally focussed on investment, development and consultancy in the property and automotive sectors, although it also owns speciality box maker Ryder Box, one of Milton Keynes’ oldest manufacturers. Group automotive company activities include: contract hire, consultancy services for manufacturers, IT and telephony applications, and accessory fitting and import.
Prior to the sale in 2011 to the UK subsidiary of Jardine Matheson, Richard was also chief executive of Wayside Group for 6 years which grew to be a top 30 UK motor retailer. Richard is a Chartered Surveyor and was previously a group board director of Lambert Smith Hampton and its predecessor companies, and actively involved in the Milton Keynes commercial property market over a 30 year period.
Alexander Boswell
Alexander was nominated to the Board by the Royal Agricultural Society of England in September 2009 and is an arable farmer in North Crawley. He is a Director of Stewkley based Wiltshire Farm Foods, a frozen meals home delivery service for the elderly and infirm and President of the Milton Keynes Community Foundation.
Ric Brackenbury
Ric was nominated to the Board by Milton Keynes Council and is the ward councillor for Linford South. He is a database developer at The Stroke Association and is also a Trustee of MK Dons Sport Education Trust.
John Eaton
John has held a wide range of senior leadership positions in UK and international retail financial services. He spent most of his career with Barclays Bank Plc where his roles included Deputy Chief Executive of Barclaycard, Managing Director of Barclays Merchant Services and Chief Operating Officer for Private Clients and International Banking. John has also held non-executive positions with a number of organisations including Milton Keynes NHS Primary Care Trust, Ogier Fiduciary Services and The Debt People.
Peter Geary
Peter was nominated to the Board by Milton Keynes Council. He is a farmer at Hanslope and Trustee of the Cowper and Newton Museum at Olney.
Andrew Lawes
Chair of Audit Committee
Andrew is a Chartered Accountant with Baker Tilly based in Milton Keynes.
Mike LeRoy
Chair of Operations Committee
Mike was Environment Policy Manager at Westminster City Council. His initial career was in social development at Telford and the planning of social aspects of the new town. He was then involved in economic development in the West Midlands. He is a keen naturalist with qualifications in ecology and conservation.
John Lewis
John is Chief Executive of the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation. He was formerly Chief Executive of Milton Keynes Partnership and a Director of English Partnerships and is a qualified chartered surveyor.
Kitty Martin
Kitty is Chief Executive of Arkex Ltd an oil services company and serves on the board of Polarcus Ltd, a Dubai based geophysical company. She was nominated by the Royal Forestry Society in December 2009.
Norman Miles
Norman was nominated to the Board by Milton Keynes Council. He is a Milton Keynes Councillor and Deputy Leader of the Labour group.
Jean Nicholas
Jean was nominated to the Board by the Association of Urban Parish Councils. She is Vice Chair of Shenley Brook End & Tattenhoe Parish Council.
Chris Shaw
Chris is a Chartered Surveyor and Managing Director of Countrywide Surveyors Ltd based in Stony Stratford.
Helaine Whiteside
Helaine is a contentious property lawyer and acts as a Consultant in Milton Keynes since retiring from a city law firm where she acted for a number of major institutions and large charitable foundations. Helaine is also the independent co- chair of Milton Keynes Residents Forum and Milton Keynes Council’s Tenants Group. She is on the Board of ICMK Ltd, an independent cinema group within the city which shows films under the auspices of Vagabond and is the chair of WEA Milton Keynes Branch, which arranges lecture series in Bletchley, Stony Stratford and Woburn Sands. She has lived in the city since 1982 and brought up a family here.