Staff

Details for all Jurassic Coast Staff can be seen below. Our team works in a hybrid model, splitting our time between working from our office at The Foundry in Poole, LSi Bridport and home-working.

If you would like to get in touch, please feel free to email us or call our main number on 01308 807000. You can also see our full Contact information.

Lucy Culkin

Lucy is Chief Executive Officer, providing dynamic leadership, direction and innovation to the Jurassic Coast Trust to enable it to deliver its vision, values, objectives and to ensure future sustainability.

Lucy is responsible for the effective coordination of the World Heritage Site Partnership Plan, facilitating, motivating and encouraging partner involvement and delivering the JCT’s responsibilities within it.

She has overall responsibility for World Heritage Site Management and programme delivery; advocacy and external relationships, governance, risk, legal and financial management and management of the Jurassic Coast Trust staff team.

Lucy’s background is firmly grounded in non-profit organisations with responsibility for leadership, development and governance. She is currently studying for her MBA at Birmingham University; she gained her Masters degree from Bournemouth University in 2007 and graduated from Southampton Solent University in 1999.

Lucy’s Jurassic Coast hot-spot

"It’s a hard choice between Old Harry Rocks which I can see each day when I go walking my dog along the beaches in Poole and Kimmeridge Bay, which is best visited (in my opinion) on a windy, wet and wild day. In fact, just go to both!"

Sam Scriven

Sam is the Principal Officer for World Heritage at the Jurassic Coast Trust. He provides strategic leadership, expertise and content creation relating to the management of the World Heritage Site. Working with stakeholders, partners and Trustees, Sam deputises for the CEO and is a member of the Leadership Team.

Since joining the Jurassic Coast Team in 2009 as Earth Science Adviser, Sam has had input into a great many aspects of work along the World Heritage Site with a focus on the conservation and developing interpretation.

Sam grew up only a few miles away from the Jurassic Coast and he feels privileged to be able to work along the coastline that he loves and that inspired him to study geology in the first place.

Sam’s Jurassic Coast hotspot

"In between Bowleaze and Ringstead, especially the coast path. It’s where I went fossil hunting as a child in the winter and spent many lazy days rookpooling in the summer. It has all kinds of funny nooks and crannies and, of course, a nice pub."

Dr. Chris Reedman

Chris is the Head of Palaeontolgy at the Jurassic Coast Trust and is responsible for delivering the Jurassic Coast Collection programme. Chris recently completed his PhD on taphonomy in the Jurassic mudrocks of Dorset, and has a lifelong passion for fossils.

Chris' Jurassic Coast hot-spot

“I’ve been interested in fossils for as long as I can remember! My mother was always interested in fossils when I was young and so my parents would take us fossil collecting most weekends. I have many fond memories of cold winter days on the coast, collecting fossils and getting very muddy!”

Dr. Lauren Sewell

Lauren is the Jurassic Coast Trust’s Digital Content Lead. Lauren works primarily on creating scientific web and social media content. Lauren’s background is in palaeoecology and museum collections. Lauren gained an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Archaeology from University of Durham and a Masters degree in Zooarchaeology (animal archaeology).

She then worked on museum projects across the country and moved to Dorset to start her PhD in palaeoecology at Bournemouth University in 2015. As well as being fascinated by the science, she enjoys running and exploring the coastal paths of the Jurassic Coast.

Lauren's Jurassic hot-spot

"I love running up the paths from Studland Bay and across the grassy fields at the top where you get fantastic panoramic views of Old Harry Rocks…as well as trying but so far failing to see dolphins from Durlston Castle."

Saskia Elliott

Saskia is the Protected Site Strategy Officer for the Jurassic Coast Trust. Her responsibility is to coordinate the Protected Site Strategy project, which aims to explore future risks to the Jurassic Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site, and therefore understand how we might better preserve it.

Saskia’s background is in geology, with an undergraduate degree in geology and a masters degree in engineering geology, where she focused on studying landslides on the West Dorset coast. She also spent a couple of years working in geological site investigations for commercial properties.

Away from work, she also posts short-form videos on social media channels about earth science/geology as a whole and loves getting outdoors whether for golf, dog walks or geocaching.

Saskia’s Jurassic hot-spot

“My all-time favourite spot is Stair Hole next to Lulworth Cove – I love the super dramatic rocks and how the water crashes through the cove entrance… and the fact there’s good food and drink nearby is a very happy bonus!”

Stuart Godman

Since 2007 I have been employed on a seasonal basis as a fossil warden for the beaches of Lyme Regis and Charmouth, in order to give advice to keen amateur fossil hunters on the safest way to collect fossils.

This is achieved by patrolling the beaches and giving people who are actively digging, hammering or climbing in or on the cliffs some advice, and to point out the dangers of this site. I often give 5-10 minute mini fossil walks along the beach showing people some of the better places to find fossils.

I have found that this non-confrontational approach is very much appreciated and often results in happy children and parents who go away with a few prized specimens rather than a bucket of rocks.

As well as the dangers of the cliffs, people are often unaware of the dangers of the sea and tides. On a rising tide I make an effort to advise people, so that they are on a safe part of the beach and not liable to be cut off by the rising tide.

I have always felt that it is important to talk to people, not only about the dangers but generally about any issues they may have and to that end I am only too happy to answer any questions or more commonly try and identify fossils they have found.

Stuart’s Jurassic Coast hot-spot
"My favourite part of the Jurassic Coast would have to be the Fleet Lagoon with its feast of wildlife throughout the year, from wintering geese and other waders to skylarks and myriads of butterflies during the summer, every season has something different to offer, it’s a truly wonderful place to either sit in contemplation or just walk with the dog."

Tamsin Jago

Tamsin is the Admin Assistant for Jurassic Coast Trust. Tamsin's role involves assisting with the organising of events, getting events onto the website, administration of orders and anything else the team needs help with, along with minuting the Board Meetings.

Tamsin lives in Plymouth, but has visited Durdle Door and ended up sat in a car whilst it was howling with wind on the top of a cliff watching the crashing waves

 
Sally King

In 2000, I got a job with the Dorset Coast Forum, as part of the team seeking to secure World Heritage Site status for the Dorset and East Devon Coast. A year later, with World Heritage Site status under our belt, the Jurassic Coast Team came to be.

I was instrumental in setting up and developing the Jurassic Coast as a brand and as a destination. I feel incredibly proud now when I see how well embedded the brand is in the local community, and how well recognised the Jurassic Coast is as a global destination.

My role changed in 2017 when I was successful in applying for a new joint post with the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Jurassic Coast Trust. I am based in County Hall, Dorchester but still work across the whole Jurassic Coast and am in regular contact with my colleagues in the Jurassic Coast Trust.

My remit is wide and varied, and includes everything from interpretation and landscaping improvements along the coast, to helping harder to reach audiences access the coast and countryside – and of course finding the funding to make things happen in the first place.

My background is Human Geography, so I am no geological expert although after all these years, I have a pretty robust knowledge of the basics. In my spare time, my current slightly obsessive hobby is sea rowing which I do competitively for Bridport Gig Rowing Club.
 
Sally’s Jurassic Coast hot-spot
"Ringstead Bay and White Nothe just clinch it, although the view between West Bay and Burton Bradstock from the gig comes a very close second."