The Team

So much of what Cool Earth does is only possible because companies, small and large, recognise we’re onto something special. Lauren makes sure our business backers are up to date with everything we do, creating partnerships like no other. A true people person, Lauren makes friends for life and when not waxing lyrical about the merits of Cool Earth, is apparently a musician of some repute. LAUREN FAULKNER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Ben is evangelical about Cool Earth and spends his time helping spread the word. As well as putting together some of our most exciting business partnerships, he has attended more networking events than any life can bear. To cope with this, Ben is a skilled boxer (really?) and recently won a light middleweight bout (again, really?). BEN GRAY BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP MANAGER

Jess is the ray of sunshine that looks after every brave Adventurist whether they like it or not. Her relentless empathy and inexhaustible kindness have created an army of fundraisers, some would say conscripted. Contact JESSICA LOWNDES FUNDRAISING OFFICER

Matthew has been with Cool Earth from day one and still spends most of his time making sure we’re keeping all our promises. He is based in Cornwall but spends half his time out of the office raising money for our partner communities and generally telling any one who will listen about Cool Earth. When he’s not in work, Matthew picks up his three daughters from discos. MATTHEW OWEN DIRECTOR

Even in a rainforest charity, Hannah knows more about animals, birds and parasites than is really necessary. So whilst it’s nice to have one of the world’s leading experts on parakeets, her killer talent is monitoring our projects with a no nonsense precision usually only seen at NASA. DR HANNAH PECK HEAD OF PROGRAMME

Chloe has well developed plans to rule the world. So long as we can convince her that Cool Earth is a rung on the ladder, we’ll all be fine. Having been instrumental in turning a Cornish theatre company into a global phenomenon, Chloe is doing the same with Cool Earth as our communicator in chief. Contact CHLOE RICKARD COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Despite her unconventional first name (it might be an acronym), N.O.G. is the epitome of professionalism and discipline. After a stellar career in broadcasting, she turned her attentions to fundraising and is the best in the business. Having secured the future of cathedrals and the monarchy, Nog is now making sure Cool Earth can keep pace with our community partners' passion for rainforest. NOG SAWDON TRUSTS MANAGER

Megan was so good at interview that we forgot there wasn’t even a vacancy for an anthropologist folk musician. Since then we have realised we can’t live without one. When not heading off “to mow a meadow” she is on top of all things “rainforest” with an academic rigour not seen before in Cool Earth. MEGAN TARRANT PROGRAMME OFFICER

Liz has worked in so many difficult places that we suspect her childhood could have been happier. She is a black belt in community organisation, all things climate change and plate spinning, which is pretty much what Cool Earth is all about. If we hadn’t already existed, Liz would have invented it. Liz Daniels PROGRAMME MANAGER

Natalie is a prolific photographer and accomplished psychologist who has given it all up to make Cool Earth bullet proof. When not corralling trustees and cancelling people’s holiday, Natalie searches Cornwall for someone to practice her Swedish on. Natalie Solveland EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Laura's commitment to conservation is only exceeded by her commitment to percussion. Before she arrived to put some order into all things financial we knew very little about tuning a tipani. Now we talk of little else. LAURA HAMILTON FINANCE OFFICER

John Gummer, Baron Deben is a former MP for Suffolk Coastal and a member of the House of Lords. He’s the chairman of the UK’s Independent Committee on Climate Change. He also chairs the sustainability consultancy Sancroft International. He was instrumental in the passing of the Climate Change Act in 2008. LORD DEBEN TRUSTEE

Johan is a rare thing. As well as one of Europe’s most successful businessmen, he was committed to actively protecting the environment well before it became fashionable. With Frank Field he came up with the idea of saving trees from the ground-up, he also thought of the name “Cool Earth.” JOHAN ELIASCH CO-FOUNDER AND TRUSTEE

Mark pretty much invented independent travel when he launched the Rough Guides in 1982. As well as helping us all “make the most of your time on earth”, he has published the most interesting books on saving the planet and the best ones on world music. MARK ELLINGHAM TRUSTEE

Frank is Britain’s clearest thinking politician. With fifty years of campaign experience, he has probably done more to improve the lives of children in poverty and low paid workers than any of his parliamentary colleagues. In 2007 he turned his attention to climate change and launched Cool Earth. FRANK FIELD MP CO-FOUNDER AND TRUSTEE

Baroness Jenkin of Kennington is a PR consultant and Conservative member of the House of Lords. She’s campaigned to increase the number of female MPs and was made a life peer in 2011. She co-chairs the Conservative Friends of International Development and is passionate about reducing waste. ANNE JENKIN TRUSTEE

After being frustrated by the limited options available for U.S. donors (himself included) interested in doing something to combat deforestation, Jed led the effort to organise and form the US entity of Cool Earth and has been a trustee ever since. Jed is a developer of long-term public-private partnerships for infrastructure and focuses on energy efficiency, sustainability and resiliency. Based in New York City, he spends an inordinate amount of time turning off peoples’ office lights and computer monitors. Jed also serves on several boards and advisory committees of non-profits, including the Morgan Library & Museum. Jed Freedlander TRUSTEE, Cool Earth Action USA

Stephen once tagged along on a Cool Earth press trip to the Amazon, moonlighting as a journalist, and has been with us ever since. He calls New York City home (though one wonders why), where he works tirelessly developing Cool Earth’s education initiative. He founded the Cool Earth Teacher Fellowship, a program - and heart’s work - that supports the development of teachers through expeditionary learning experiences in the Amazon Rainforest. Stephen Brodbar TRUSTEE, Cool Earth Action USA