In her most recent role as Executive Director YHA, Anita led on the development of the organisation’s 10 Year Strategy which has inclusion and access at its core. She managed their £40 million income generation approaches across trading, membership and fundraising – successfully navigating the challenges of COVID.
Anita founded the DEFRA funded Generation Green programme, which connected over 100 000 young people to nature and the National Parks, creating and saving jobs, and building an aspirant workforce for a green recovery. She worked with Ramblers, BMC and OS to develop YHA Walks – leading two successful Festivals that reconnected YHA with its walking roots and routes.
Building on this Anita starts her new role as Director of South Downs National Park in January 2024. Balancing protection of the landscape with getting more people into the Park.
Recognised as a national expert in access Anita initiated Outdoor Citizens – a community of practice turning dial on access to outdoors. She is an award winning champion of access for all and is herself a role model for the outdoors being for fat and fifty plus – not just the fit and fleecy.
Anita’s consultancy supports a portfolio of outdoor organisations and is helping charities and brands extend their reach, diversity and impact while balancing with revenue and the challenges of costs.
She is a prospective policy wonk: able to take a long view on what next. Anita chooses to shape the policy and funding environment to suit the cause rather than drifting mission to fit the money.
She is a bit naughty. Sometimes feisty. And quite funny.
Often outside – literally and metaphorically – she’ll always bring a new view.