Members' biographies
Linda Bamford (MACS Convener)
Linda is the Convener of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS). Her career background is mainly in NHS Scotland, initially as a psychiatric and general nurse before moving into Para medicine with the Scottish Ambulance Service.
After 13 years as a frontline paramedic in Glasgow Linda moved into management holding various senior management positions within the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS). Her NHS career spanned over 30 years. She was heavily involved in Accident and Emergency ambulance service provision in various areas in Scotland (urban, rural and Islands) and led on the previous Patient Transport Service Redesign Strategy.
She is the recipient of two queens’ medals. One for “Long Service and Good Conduct – Emergency Services”, and the second for “Dedication to the NHS”. Linda had to take early medical retirement after surgery for a spinal cord injury. Linda also sits on the Board of Disability Equality Scotland (DES), a national Disabled Person’s Organisation (DPO) and acts as a Commissioner for the Poverty and Inequality Commission.
Simon Watkins (Vice Convener)
Simon began working with Cumbernauld Corporation before moving to the then Strathclyde Regional Council as a planner.
He was seconded for ten years to an EU Programme, assisting Local Authorities in Central and Eastern Europe, the last two years as Director.
Prior to retirement he worked for twenty years for the Scottish Parliament as a Clerk in charge of a number of its Committees.
Naghat Ahmed
Naghat is a Law and Accountancy graduate and a committee member for the Law Society of Scotland Client Protection Sub-committee.
She is also a member of the Roads, Infrastructure and Active Travel and Ferries and Aviation work-streams.
Catherine Barile
Catherine graduated from the University of Dundee with an honours Law degree and Diploma in Legal Practice.
After qualifying as a Solicitor, she worked in private practice for 10 years, specialising in mental health law, before becoming a Children’s Reporter for the Scottish Children’s Reporter’s Administration where she is an active member of the disability group.
Miss Barile grew up in a family with physical disabilities and she is passionate about protecting and promoting the rights of disabled people.
Elliot Cooper
Elliot is a writer and content creator who brings his lived experience as a full-time wheelchair user as well as interdisciplinary academic knowledge to the role. this complements a lifelong commitment to Human Rights and accessibility.
Joanne Devitt
Joanne is a member of Enable Scotland, an organisation for people with learning disabilities and family carers.
Joanne is involved with ACE and ENABLE Scotland. ACE is an Active Community of Empowered people with learning disabilities, who challenge barriers to an equal society for every person with learning disability in every community across Scotland. She was elected by her local Elgin ACE members to represent their group at the National ACE meetings.
Through her lived-in experience and her work with ACE, she has an understanding of local and national issues for disabled people. Joanne is based in Moray and is someone who has a learning disability she has first-hand knowledge of the barriers faced when using transport.
Susan Fulton
Susan worked in a Local Authority setting for many years and has experience in a number of different roles diversifying into the field of accessibility and inclusive design in 2004.
Susan brings her experience both as a Chartered Surveyor and Access Consultant to the Committee in her role as Workstream Lead for Roads, Infrastructure and Active Travel.
She is currently a member of Network Rail’s Built Environment Accessibility Panel and a member of the National Register of Access Consultants Advisory Group.
Lesley Macinnes
Lesley has spent most of her career in public service, including a long period in Geneva as the Deputy Support Director of an international NGO responsible for humanitarian demining (landmines and cluster munitions) and for administering the international Secretariat for the Ottawa Treaty.
More recently, she has served as an elected councillor in Edinburgh, leading political efforts on transport and the environment and has led on the City Mobility Plan, the City Centre Transformation strategy, the Low Emission Zone and the Trams to Newhaven project.
After the May 2022 elections, Ms Macinnes became her party’s spokesperson on finance.
Lynsey Shovlin
Lynsey is a Project Manager for Scottish Enterprise who helps to grow the Scottish economy for the benefit of all.
She graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a BA degree in Festival and Events Management and has worked at several major events coordinating transport services, including London 2012 and the 2014 Ryder Cup in Glasgow.
She was one of Scotland's first Customer Service Apprentices for ScotRail and is a regular traveller on public transport, especially rail services.
Michael Tornow
Michael works as a Senior Health Improvement Officer at NHS Health Scotland and is currently leading portfolios of work on housing and dementia.
Before that, he worked for NHS Health Scotland as Health Improvement Officer, supporting the NHS and others to promote physical activity.
He is a member of the Transport to Health subgroup gathering intelligence on the quantity and quality information about transport to health available on territorial health boards’ websites. Michael is deaf-blind.
Lynn Pilkington
Lynn is a consultant trainer and blogger combining expertise of equalities and engagement, to create content to support employers, facilitators, educators, and HR professionals to build impactful and inclusive workplaces and learning experiences.
Lynn is also a childcare support worker/play practitioner.
Lynn was previously the Social Movement Support Officer for See Me and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer for City of Glasgow College.
Zara Todd
Zara is a freelance trainer, facilitator and researcher who has been supporting organisations to be more inclusive and accessible to disabled people for nearly 20 years.
She previously advised the UK Government and Transport for London on disability and accessibility.
Zara is a wheelchair user, neurodivergent and an active transport user. Zara is also a trustee of Volunteering Matters, Disability Equality Scotland, and a board member of Disabled People's International.
Anne Macleod
Anne is a native Gaelic speaker from the Isle of Lewis, graduated from Sabhal Mòr with an Honours degree in Gaelic and Communication.
As the Manager of Comunn Eachdraidh Nis, an award-winning heritage centre in the north of Lewis she led on a recently launched project to provide an accessible transport solution for those unable to use public transport.
Anne has a passion for community development and a personal understanding of the challenges facing disabled people travelling to and from islands; she travels regularly with a family member with complex disabilities.