Staff

Mick Downs - Executive Director

Mick is a town planner and architectural historian with 30 years experience working in local government.  A member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, Mick was head of urban design and conservation for Stoke-on-Trent City Council for 18 years, prior to becoming manager of Urban Vision in February 2005.

Hannah Barter - Project Development Manager

Hannah is a qualified town planner and was awarded an RTPI Certificate for Excellence in examinations in 2003.  She also received the Chesterton Zoe Dawson Award in 2002-03 for her work on urban green spaces with Birmingham City Council.  Hannah worked in development control for Rutland County Council until taking up her position with Urban Vision in November 2004. Hannah is currently the chair of the RTPI West Midlands Urban Design Forum.

Caron Colbert - Office Manager, Finance & Administration

Caron has an honors degree in Art History, History and German. Caron has experience in Human Resources, Finance, marketing and sales. She managed her own business in South Africa prior to moving to Switzerland where she worked in education for 4 years before moving to the UK where she joined Urban Vision in February 2007. Caron manages administration, funding and monitoring at Urban Vision.

Janette McSkimming - Participation and Community Liaison

 

Janette is a qualified 3 dimensional designer with 22 years experience in the initiation, development and management of socially engaged projects in the arenas of the visual, performing, media and published arts.

Initially working in gallery education at Arnolfini Bristol, Janette has experience of all phases of the education system; coauthoring and delivering undergraduate and postgraduate modules for Fine Art in Context Programme at the University of the West of England. Working with local people she has established numerous community initiatives, action groups and trusts. Janette joined Urban Vision in February 2007 and is responsible for the Visioning Longton Project

 

Darren Price - Architecture and Urban Design Advisor

Darren is a part two qualified architect and has a PhD from the Department of Town and Regional Planning at the University of Sheffield in the field of social housing design. During his time in Sheffield Darren also taught undergraduate and postgraduate students and gained a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education in the process. Before joining Urban Vision in early 2007 Darren worked for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in housing regeneration.

Fiona Waddle - Education Projects Officer

Fiona has an honours degree in Fine Art and 15 years experience working as a participatory artist, events and project co-ordinator in education, health and community settings. Fiona joined Urban Vision in November 2007 and delivers a variety of community engagement and educational projects.