The board is the senior body of Scottish Hockey. Here is an overview of the individuals sitting on the Scottish Hockey Board. Download the Scottish Hockey Board Terms of Reference for more detail on the board’s activity.

Chair: Martin Shepherdson

Martin has been a long-term member of Grange Hockey Club. In his over 35 year association with Grange he has held many roles from player, Club Captain, Club Secretary and hockey representative to the Club Board.

Currently Martin is the Honorary President of the club’s men’s hockey section (a position he has held for 15 years), is Head of the Junior section, and is the 1st XI Manager (which includes 6 different EHL or EuroHockey tournaments). He is also Vice-

Chairman of the Grange Club (which encompasses hockey, cricket, squash and tennis). Martin is currently on the Management Committee and Premiership Management Group of Scottish Hockey.

In his career Martin worked in the oil industry for over 30 years, initially with Shell and latterly with Wood Mackenzie – an Edinburgh based research and consulting group. In his time as a management consultant he was involved with organisations of all sizes helping them with business decisions, from board rooms to operational teams. Martin was Operations Manager in the consulting group, which meant running a team of consultants and providing the link with an external legal team.

Now retired, much of Martin’s energy is devoted to hockey – and an occasional round of golf.

Vice Chair: Justine Westwood

Justine is Head of the Performance and Programme Management Office in the Scottish Government’s Performance and Delivery Unit, supporting the implementation and ongoing management of the Scottish Government’s key priority activities.  Having been working for the Scottish Government since 2017, previous leadership roles include support for the co-ordinated policy development and implementation of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic; preparation for exiting the EU, and delivering and implementing the Health and Social Care Delivery Plan.

Before working in the Scottish Government, she spent 12 years working for NHS 24 in senior roles for strategy, corporate planning and performance, and project management. She previously worked in financial services in IT and e-Business (the “old” name for Digital!). A former manager of the Scotland U16 team, her three adult children are all active hockey players. A non-playing member of GHK Ladies, but with split loyalties with both Hillhead Men and Ladies, Justine is also a regular umpire.

Justine also chairs the newly formed People Committee.

Barry Cawte

Barry Cawte – Chief Executive Officer , Director of Scottish Hockey , Director GB Hockey

Barry joined Scottish Hockey in October 2021 from the Welsh Rugby Players Association (WRPA).

At the WRPA Barry transformed its influence and reputation across the Welsh rugby landscape. His work there has included negotiating long-term collective bargaining schemes; making the organisation more influential; building a better reputation; and establishing commercial deals for the organisation. During this time Barry also sat on the Executive Committees of the International Rugby Players Association and the Professional Players Federation. He is also a current trustee of rugby charity Second Half, helping players during times of hardship.

Barry is the first independent chair of the Tennis Wales board and since 2018 he has led a rebuild of what was a very traditional sport; reconstructed the image and governance of Tennis Wales; and re-established relationships with funders and partners.

Previously Barry worked for Greenwich Leisure Limited, which operates more than 350 public sport and leisure centres, including the London Aquatics Centre and Copper Box Arena opened for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

He also led a charitable social enterprise that saved Swansea Tennis Centre from permanent closure and instead transformed it into one of the best facilities of its kind in Wales. Cawte then worked as a consultant to the Tennis Foundation and Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to turn the fortunes of several other tennis facilities around across the UK.

Barry also held a range of other commercial roles over a 20-year career in sport and leisure, and brings considerable commercial expertise to Scottish Hockey.

 

Karin McKenny

Karin is the Senior People Manager at Cyrenians, where she heads up HR, L&D and Volunteering.  Prior to this she was at Children in Scotland, leading the service that delivered local, national and international learning and events.  She also spent 12 years in Learning and Development at NHS Scotland, setting up learning centres and expanding access to learning opportunities.  Through this work she has a keen interest in inclusion and sustainability.

As the child of a ‘hockey marriage’, it is no surprise that Karin has been involved in hockey for 30+ years, as a player, captain, coach, umpire and fundraiser. She is currently the happy coach of FLHC’s U8 ‘Meteors’, where she is kept very active – and very grounded!

 

Gareth Tenner

Born in Northern Ireland, Gareth began his journey in Scottish Hockey at Edinburgh University learning in his first year that the umpires over here are a bit stricter than their Northern Irish counterparts.

From Edinburgh, he played with Inverleith for two years before a double hamstring tear led to six months on the side lines during which he took up a coaching role at ESM which eventually became a player coach role.

He remained at ESM for 12 years where as well as coaching and umpiring he held roles as secretary, men’s captain and Club President.

In 2018 he joined Watsonians (joining up with a number of former team mates and friendly adversaries) and has played with their 2XI in Central 1 since.

Between 2013 and 2015 he was Vice President of East District and President between 2015 and 2017 – this role also included sitting on the disciplinary panel. Gareth is currently a main board director and sits on the Audit Committee of Scottish Hockey.

Gareth is a qualified solicitor, with 15 years commercial and legal experience. He trained with and works for Dentons UK & Middle East LLP in Edinburgh who are the largest law firm in the world.

He works in commercial contracts primarily in the infrastructure and energy sectors (both conventional and renewable) which has provided a wide and varied experience across many areas of law.

When not playing/umpiring/coaching or working, he has two daughters and a new born son who keep him and his wife out of mischief.

 

Jamie Carnegie

Jamie Carnegie is the Director of Hockey at St Andrews’s University and is the Scottish Representative on the British Universities and Colleges Hockey Steering Group. Jamie has previous experience working for Scottish Golf in their performance department. He has helped St Andrews increase their youth coaching programme and their performance programme. Jamie has coached within our pathway in the Regional Performance Academy and was Scottish Hockey Coach of the year in 2015.  He is currently the Midland District President and is an active player at St Andrews University and previously represented Grove Menzieshill domestically and at both the EHL and indoor European Competitions.