Trustees
Sophie Marple
Sophie is a funder, impact investor and campaigner. She is the co-founder of Gower St and in 2020 she also helped set up Impatience Earth, a philanthropy consultancy offering pro-bono advice to people looking to give in the climate sector and the grassroots organisation Mothers CAN (Climate Action Network). In 2022 Sophie became the Chair of The Climate Coalition and she continues to bring the benefit of her broad range of experience across the sector to the work of Gower Street.
Nick Marple
Nick is the co-founder of Gower St and has been funding education projects and climate change work in the UK and Ghana for 15 years. He has been visiting Ghana regularly for 20 years and has a strong connection to the people and the country. Nick is a long-standing Impact Investor looking to invest in start-ups that can reduce our global carbon footprint and have a positive social impact.
Florence Miller
Florence has worked on environmental issues throughout her career. She was the Director of the Environmental Funders Network in the UK for 12 years and previously led grantmaking and education programmes at environmental charities in the US, including National Audubon Society and Center for Whole Communities. Florence joined Gower St to help support its climate giving and because she values its focus on how best to support grantees, its commitment to learning, and its decision to spend all its resources in a decade when the need for climate philanthropy is so acute.
Harriet Williams
Harriet has over 15 years experience of designing and delivering ambitious grantmaking programmes on climate, nature and human rights issues. She is co-founder of The Hour Is Late, a philanthropic sector consultancy, and an active (albeit very part-time) grass roots campaigner in her home city of Bristol. The thing Harriet loves most about being a Gower Street trustee is the opportunity to support awesome activists and campaigners, and continue learning what it takes to 'shift the dial' on some of the biggest issues we face as humankind.
Lawrence Kwabena Brobbey (PhD)
Lawrence is a Lecturer at the Department of Silviculture and Forest Management of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. His research spans from natural resources tenure and access, commodity chain analysis, rural livelihoods, adaptation to climate change and public policy. He has previously worked with government agencies and local and international non-governmental organisations. He has extensive field work experiences in plantations, ecotourism, project management and community mobilisation.
Staff
Sally Vivyan and Tessa Durham joined Gower Street in Autumn 2021 and work in a job share capacity as the Co-Directors at Gower Street.
Tessa Durham
Tessa has worked in NGOs, the private sector and philanthropy over the past 20 years. She is passionate about people, our planet and nature and loves working across a variety of projects. Tessa holds a Master’s in Sustainable Development from Sussex University. She lives in the East Midlands with her ever growing family of children, dogs, cats, chickens & bees!​
Sally Vivyan
Sally’s background is in smaller NGOs, having held roles spanning 20 years in fundraising, grant making and governance and she holds a PhD in the leadership of small charities. Sally has a long affiliation with Ghana and she loves working with all kinds of groups and individuals channelling their passion into social change. She lives in the North East with her young family.
Ghana Advisors
Jonathan Gokah
Jonathan Gokah is currently the Coordinator for Kasa Initiative Ghana which is one of the largest Civil Society Organisations’ Coalition on Natural Resources, Climate Change and Environment Governance in Ghana with over 500 members. Joined Kasa in 2018 and before then served in different managerial positions in other Organisations with focus on community and project development, implementation and monitoring for over 20 years. Had formal education in the area of Biological Sciences (BSc) and MSc. in Organisational Management and Development.
Linda Marfoh
Linda Marfoh is the Director of Operations at AfriKids Ghana. She has extensive experience in project delivery spanning across education, child protection, and health sectors in Ghana. With a commitment to making a positive impact, Linda navigates the complexities of operational leadership, ensuring the successful implementation of projects that bring about meaningful change in the lives of the communities in Ghana. Serving as an Advisor for Gower Street is a fulfilling learning experience, offering me opportunities to develop new skills and gain insights into topical issues such as climate change.
Dickson Adom (PhD)
Dickson is a Senior Member at the Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana.
His research spans from using traditional knowledge systems and community engagement strategies in nature conservation projects against climate change in rural communities in Ghana, and developing innovative Indigenous Knowledge Inspired Pedagogical Models for teaching elementary school students native tree species in Ghana. These models explore the use of ethnobotanical knowledge, folk songs, myths, cosmological beliefs, proverbs, etc. for environmental sustainability education. Also, he is exploring the use of ecomuseums as an extended ecotourism activity to boost local community cultural and natural heritage preservation and education. He is the lead campaigner for the Rights of Nature Ghana Movement aimed at pushing for the integration of the rights of nature into Ghana’s environmental governance.