Our People

Melissa recently completed an MLitt in Film & Television Studies at the University of Glasgow, graduating with distinction, and brings a strong combination of creative, digital and customer-facing experience to Cumbernauld Theatre. She has worked in social media content creation and audience engagement, alongside experience within the screen and events industries, including work on the television production Outlander: Blood of My Blood and with Glasgow Film Festival.

With a strong connection to Cumbernauld and a passion for the arts and community engagement, Melissa is particularly interested in storytelling, digital content and helping connect audiences with creative activity across the organisation.

Isabelle joined the Lanternhouse team in 2022 as a Venue Assistant and has since progressed through roles as Admin Assistant, Duty Supervisor, and now serves as Management Assistant in a newly created position.

In her current role, Isabelle provides essential support to the management team across Programming, Finance, HR, Marketing, Front of House, and Community Engagement. Before working in the arts, she gained experience across various sectors, including retail, hospitality and hotels.

Outside of work, Isabelle is an enthusiastic hillwalker with a strong interest in fitness. She also enjoys attending Lanternhouse Cinema to experience live theatre and ballet from around the world.

Karen works part-time as Finance Officer alongside Joanna and Jeanette. Her main role includes assisting with processing purchase and sales invoices, reconciling all theatre income, bank reconciliations and helping with other quarterly and annual accounting procedures.

Karen has a BA in Accounting from University of The West of Scotland and has over thirty years experience in various finance roles, mainly in the Financial Services sector. She also spent seven years at a Chartered Accountants until April 2022, when, post-covid, she decided to take the plunge and set up her own business as a self-employed bookkeeper. Karen became a fully qualified member of ICB (Institute of Certified Bookkeepers) in January 2022. In addition to working at Cumbernauld Theatre, she currently takes on bookkeeping work from a wide range of industries – including IT, Haulage, Estate Agents and many local charity organisations.

Karen enjoys live music and loves coming to the Theatre to see a variety of shows.

Laura has a BA Honours Degree in Festival, Events and Hospitality management and brings a wealth of first-class customer service experience gained from twelve years’ experience working at The Gleneagles Hotel and Hilton Hotels in Front of House and Guest Experience Management roles.

Laura is also an Associate member with the Scottish Dance Teachers Alliance. Dancing has always been a passion of hers from the age of three years old. Laura trained in Highland, Tap, Ballet and Jazz. She has had many amazing opportunities through dancing. She was a performer in the opening ceremony of the Glasgow Commonwealth games in 2014 and has travelled all over including the St Gallen Tattoo in Switzerland.

Being from Cumbernauld Laura is looking forward to her role in leading the Front of House Team here at Lanternhouse.

Mark joined Cumbernauld Theatre Trust with over 22 years of diverse community engagement experience in the arts and cultural sector. Mark has worked as freelance Community Artist, Youth Participation Worker, Drama Artist, Out of Schools Arts Coordinator, Arts Development Officer, Performing Arts Development Officer, Family Support Worker, Senior Arts Officer and Development Manager. He has developed his community engagement practise working with organisations including Glasgow City Council, Citizens Theatre, East Ayrshire Youth Theatre, East Renfrewshire Council, Gorbals Youth and Community Theatre, Renfrewshire Arts, South Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture and West Lothian Council. Mark has BA Hons Degree in Community Arts from University of Strathclyde and undertook an MA in Arts, Festivals and Cultural Management at Queen Margaret University.

Mark aspires to embed the communities of Cumbernauld into the heart of Cumbernauld Theatre and Cumbernauld Theatre into the heart of the communities of Cumbernauld, contributing to the process to develop Cumbernauld Theatre as an exciting and relevant arts and cultural hub for Cumbernauld and North Lanarkshire.

Jeanette started at our previous home in the Cottage Theatre in 1997, initially working in the box office where she enjoyed the fast pace of the busy show schedule and getting to know customers. Thereafter, Jeanette moved into finance and administration and has enjoyed learning some new skills. Over the years Jeanette has made a lot of happy memories and good friends working at Cumbernauld Theatre.

Rachel leads on all core marketing, sales and audience development strategies relating to the full range of live events, cinema and community activities.

She previously worked for NYCOS, Scotland’s youth singing organisation, where she led marketing campaigns for choir recruitment, concerts and education conferences, and played a key role in delivering digital projects throughout the pandemic. Her earlier roles include positions with Out of the Darkness Theatre Company, Aberdeen Box Office (His Majesty’s Theatre, Music Hall, and the Lemon Tree), Northern Ireland Opera and the Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast. She holds an MA in Arts Management from Queen’s University Belfast.

Rachel is also a pianist and Music graduate from the University of Aberdeen. She plays clarinet and saxophone in Glasgow-based bands including Glasgow Community Concert Band and the boisterous SambaYaBamba.

Matt’s career began 25 years ago in live music. He studied Sound Engineering at North Glasgow College and went on to work in recording studios, radio and audio post-production. He returned to live sound and theatre in 2013 as Technician at the Regal Community Theatre in Bathgate. In 2017 he joined the team at Platform as Technical Production Lead, before moving to Cumbernauld Theatre in the summer of 2019 as Technical and Production Manager in the final season in the Cottage Theatre. Matt oversaw the loose technical fit out at Lanternhouse across all four spaces, picked thousands of pieces of equipment and claims to know exactly where they all are.

During her tenure, Amanda has spearheaded the establishment of operational infrastructure, overseeing everything from setting up the office and implementing robust IT systems to leading recruitment, procuring essential assets, and establishing a licensed bar and kiosk. These achievements culminated in her taking on the additional role of Depute CEO.

Following studies in Edinburgh, where she earned a BA in Book Publishing and Literature, Amanda, appointed March 2020, spent three years with the NHS supporting clinical audit delivery. She then worked for two years with SCRAN, administering grant funding to promote digital access to Scotland’s cultural heritage.

Amanda subsequently spent 22 years as Venue Manager at Howden Park Centre, delivering thousands of performances and supporting festivals, including Party at the Palace. Her responsibilities also included managing Linlithgow Burgh Halls, Bathgate Regal Community Theatre, and Craigsfarm Campus, and she played a key role in a £9m, three-arts-venue capital programme to enhance arts facilities in West Lothian.

Her interests include chairing Newyearfield Farm Community Centre for 25 years, developing local youth initiatives, serving as a District Officer for Livingston Rotary, and First Responder for West Lothian Council.

Eleanor has extensive experience in box office operations, audience engagement and live event delivery, having worked across a number of leading arts venues in Manchester, including The Stoller Hall, Factory International/Aviva Studios and the Royal Northern College of Music.

Her background includes leading multi-venue box office operations, managing Spektrix ticketing systems, supporting audience development initiatives, supervising Front of House teams, and delivering high-quality customer experiences within busy live event environments. Alongside this, Eleanor also has technical venue experience in sound, lighting and live event operations, giving her a strong understanding of the wider operational needs of arts venues. She holds a First Class BA in Music and Drama from the University of Manchester.

Patricia Stead is a highly accomplished and values-driven cultural leader with a strong track record of delivering impact across the arts, charitable, and public sectors. With over 20 years’ experience in strategic leadership, she is known for her collaborative, inclusive approach and commitment to the belief that the arts can drive meaningful social and cultural change.

Most recently, Patricia served as Executive Director of Tron Theatre in Glasgow (2023–2025), where she led the organisation through a period of strategic growth and change. Her work focused on strengthening financial resilience, building sector partnerships, developing commercial activity, and embedding organisational sustainability.

Prior to this, she was Director of Creative Arts at Cheltenham Ladies’ College, where she delivered inclusive and innovative arts programming, developed sectoral partnerships, and championed access to the arts across the college and its wider community. Her earlier leadership roles include Executive Producer at Dance City, National Director of Planning and Performance at Arts Council England, and Head of Culture at Hammersmith & Fulham Council. Across these roles, Patricia has overseen major national strategies, multi-million-pound investment portfolios, and complex stakeholder relationships across government, education, and the wider cultural sector.

Patricia is a Clore Experienced Social Leadership Fellow and holds an MA in Sociology and English, as well as professional qualifications in coaching, business administration, and project management. She is deeply committed to social justice, inclusive practice, and sector development.

With wide-ranging experience in organisational development, strategic planning, creative leadership, and governance, Patricia brings a thoughtful, forward-thinking approach to her work—placing people, impact, and purpose at the heart of everything she does.

For over 20 years, Teresa has brought her passion and expertise to Scotland’s dynamic arts scene, contributing to a diverse range of creative projects and cultural initiatives. As Head of Marketing and Communications at Eden Court – Scotland’s largest multi-arts venue – Teresa plays a key role in shaping the venue’s impact in both the Highlands and Scotland’s wider cultural scene. Teresa is passionate about making the arts accessible to all, working to remove barriers and ensuring that everyone can experience the life-enhancing power of creative culture. 

Alan Caldwell grew up in Cumbernauld and worked in financial services for 13 years before joining the Civil Service in 2008. Over the past 15 years Alan has performed key high profile organisational roles within government, working with senior colleagues, Ministers and stakeholders, and gaining an understanding of complex and fast-paced issues and corporate responsibilities. Alan was previously a director of a professional football club, with overall responsibility for the budgeting and future direction of the company.

Gregor Duthie is a passionate advocate for the arts, drawing on personal experiences as a member of choral and theatre groups during his formative years. With a professional background as a practicing solicitor specializing in advising Scottish SMEs in the real estate sector, Gregor sees being a Board member of Cumbernauld Theatre as an opportunity to give back to the arts community. Having previously run an amateur dramatic society in Glasgow, he has been actively involved in the local arts scene since moving to Cumbernauld and Kilsyth in 2017. Impressed by the new Lanternhouse facilities and his own experience performing on its main stage, he was eager to contribute his expertise in shaping the future roadmap for this flagship building.

His commitment to fostering community engagement and celebrating the diversity of programming, coupled with his extensive professional legal and business experience, makes him an invaluable asset to the trust. Currently a Legal Director at Gilson Gray LLP, he has practiced as a solicitor for over 17 years and brings a wealth of expertise, dedication, and a strong sense of responsibility to his role.

Edward’s working life has been a patchwork of the musical and non-musical. Before joining Dunedin Consort full time, Edward spent almost a decade working for a research and strategy boutique, advising senior figures in the world’s largest consulting firms on topics from acquisition strategy to sustainability.

Previously one of Dunedin Consort’s learning & participation managers, he was an Open Academy Fellow and is a co-founder of Hold the Drama, an Arts Council England supported group that creates immersive shows that use high-quality live music to tell stories that explore issues around mental health.

He holds degrees in Classics from Magdalen College, Oxford, and the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied as a countertenor with Michael Chance, Larry Zazzo, and James Baillieu.

Appointed 2016 Iain is a retired Senior Social Worker having worked over four decades with Strathclyde Region and North Lanarkshire and Falkirk councils, variously in Children & Families, Community Care and Criminal Justice teams. He is currently vice chair of Kildrum Community Council and an active member of Scotland’s Climate Assembly. A keen performance musician, photographer and writer, Iain has a particular interest in community participation in creativity and performance.

Adam is a Health and Safety professional (TechIOSH) and Group Health and Safety Lead for the Public and Commercial Services Union, and works within a Banking operational unit of a UK Government department. He holds several roles across organisations in the Third Sector, including Chair of Kildrum Community Council. A freelance writer and author, Adam holds an Open Studies Certificate in Theatre Arts from the University of Strathclyde and has been acting and performing in numerous roles for film and television since 2005.