Outer Hebrides Local Advisory Committee

Joanna Peteranna is Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s Area Manager for the Outer Hebrides and has worked in economic development for over 10 years. Prior to this she held a range of posts in community development, private business and banking.  Joanna is a Chartered Manager and in 2014 completed the Entrepreneurship Development Programme at MIT.  Through her employment and voluntary roles Joanna has an excellent network throughout the area and is committed to supporting the new college to play its part in the success of the Outer Hebrides. 

From Point in the Isle of Lewis. As well as being Programme Leader for BAH Gaelic Scotland, Anne teaches on the Gaelic-medium degree programme and on the BAH Literature programme.  She is also involved in the delivery of FE classes, such as Ùlpan and Speak Gaelic.

Anne previously worked in the media in various roles, on television programmes such as Machair (dialogue supervisor/ scriptwriter/ script editor), Eòrpa (subtitler) and as a researcher on radio programmes.  She served as a Board Member of Fèisean nan Gàidheal and is a committee member of Comunn Eachdraidh an Rubha.

Às an Rubha ann an Leòdhas. Cho math ri bhith na Stiùiriche Cùrsa air BAH Gaelic Scotland, tha Anna a’ teagasg air a’ cheum Gàidhlig (BAH Gaelic) agus air BAH Literature.  Tha i cuideachd a’ lìbhrigeadh clasaichean Foghlam Leantainneach, leithid Ùlpan agus Speak Gaelic.

Bha Anna ag obair roimhe anns na meadhanan ann an diofar dhreuchdan air prògraman telebhisean leithid Machair (còmhradh/ sgriobt/ deasachadh sgriobt), Eòrpa (fo-thiotalan) agus mar neach rannsachaidh air prògraman rèidio. Bha i na ball de Bhòrd Stiùiridh Fèisean nan Gàidheal agus tha i air comataidh Chomunn Eachdraidh an Rubha.

Donald is a retired HR director who has returned home. Having worked at senior management level in financial, further and higher education, and not-for profit sectors, he brings a broad array of skills and knowledge not limited to organisational change and strategic learning and development.  

The challenge is to provide the skills to meet future employment needs, or the islands will decline. The college and university is integral and must work and listen to local business and communities, so we can effect a positive and sustainable future, helping keeping more young people from leaving and attract those who have left to return.  

Susan MacRae is the Area Manager for Skills Development Scotland for Argyll & Bute and Eilean Siar.  

Susan has over 25 years’ experience of working in Scotland's Careers Service’s landscape.  She has worked as a Careers Adviser across the central belt coaching individuals on how to best navigate their own career journey’s.  In her current position as Area Manager, she has a strategic leadership role working closely with key stakeholders to support and advise on the skills development agenda.

Originally from the Isle of Lewis, Susan is passionate about supporting individuals in rural communities’ access opportunities that empower them and their community.

Orjana is a primary teacher on the Isle of Lewis, where she lives with her two young children. She completed her Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)  in 2021. She is in the second year of a Master of Education: Critical Enquiry with UHI, which she studies part-time. She said: "I have experience of being both a student and a teacher in a very rural context and wanted to contribute positively towards the local advisory committee."

Derek Lewis’ career has included roles as chair, chief executive, director or trustee of organisations in fields such as education, training, television, prisons, healthcare, technology and social care. He has served as Pro-Chancellor and Treasurer of the University of Essex, a school governor, advisory board member of the London Business School and chair of companies providing apprenticeships, employment services and teaching staff.

He is currently chair of Community Alcohol Partnerships, an alcohol harm reduction charity, and retired last year as chair of Royal Mencap Society.  He runs his own farming, forestry and tourism business in Morvern, which is also home to the new Nc’nean Distillery, of which he is a founder director. His earlier career included CEO roles at Granada Group and HM Prison Service in Engand and Wales.

Before taking up the role of Chair of the Board, Derek was Chair of UHI West Highland Board of Management. He is also a member of the UHI Court.

Committee Membership - Finance and General Purposes, Human Resources, Remuneration, Nomination.

William Macdonald, from North Uist, is a former Director of Education, Skills and Children's Services for Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

He has almost 40 years of experience in education.

He studied MA (Hons) Celtic Studies at Edinburgh University before going on to do a Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in Gaelic/History. From there, he went on to teach Gaelic at Lochdar School, South Uist, and Sgoil Lionacleit, Benbecula, before moving to the Comhairle, where he held various roles, including Senior Education Officer and Head of Education and Community Learning.

He took up the role of Director of Education, Skills and Children's Services in November 2020, retiring in June 2023.

He is also involved in a number of other groups and organisations, including:

• Member of Higher Still Reference Group
• Development Officer Education Scotland/HMI Development Officer
• Associate Assessor Education Scotland -Secondary/Gaelic
• Chair of Storlann Nàiseanta Gàidhlig Board
• University of Aberdeen/Strathclyde University - teacher placement advisor
• SQA Principal Assessor/ visiting assessor
• SQA Chair of Gaelic Subject Panel
• SQA project consultant
• Member of Gaelic Books Council Board
• Development Officer HMI Gaelic Medium Education Courses
• Chair Secondary GME review group
• GTCS Advisor on Teacher Training
• Chair EIS Central Advisory Committee on Gaelic

Rupert grew up in south-east London and Kent, graduating in psychology from Brunel University before before gaining a PhD in animal behaviour at Royal Holloway, University of London. He has previously worked at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, Gothenburg University in Sweden, and Aberystwyth University in Wales.

Rupert was Education Secretary on the Council of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) and served as a member of the Royal Society of Biology’s Education and Science Policy Committee.
He now lives on the Isle of South Uist, where he runs a business, and has published a guidebook to the islands. A member of the South Uist Business Impact Group, he still gives talks to local interest groups around the UK on the science of birdsong.

Lydia Rohmer was appointed Principal of UHI North, West and Hebrides in November 2022.

Lydia, the former principal of UHI West Highland, is a talented executive leader with more than 25 years’ experience working in the Scottish education sector and a passionate advocate of our rural and island communities.

She has extensive experience of creating successful colleges through merger having joined UHI West Highland as Principal in February 2012, shortly after the merger of Lochaber College and Skye and Wester Ross College. Before that, she held the position of Curriculum Director at City of Glasgow College, a role she assumed following the merger of Glasgow’s city centre colleges.

Lydia has also held substantive roles within UHI, taking on the role of Vice-Principal (Tertiary) between 2017 and 2022, a position she undertook in addition to her duties as Principal of UHI West Highland. She currently leads on several sector-wide and tertiary education groups in Scotland including access, school-college partnerships, articulation and poverty, and is a current member of the Colleges Scotland Board.

Committee Membership - Finance and General Purposes, Learning, Teaching and Research, and Human Resources. Attends Remuneration and Audit and Risk Management by invitation.

Hannah Ritchie-Muir PgDip MSc is Vice Principal - Academic and Senior Responsible Officer for campus operations in the Outer Hebrides.

She has over 20 years’ experience in Further and Higher Education. 

After graduating with a BA(Hons) in Behavioural Science, an MSc in Equality and Discrimination from the University of Strathclyde and a TQ(FE) from the University of Dundee, Hannah has held several teaching and senior posts throughout her career.  

She has worked in city, town, and rural colleges across central and southern Scotland before relocating to the Isle of Lewis in 2020.  She has been an Associate Assessor with Education Scotland for the past 16 years and has reviewed and supported Further Education colleges throughout the length and breadth of Scotland. 

Hannah was joined UHI Outer Hebrides in October 2020 as Depute Principal, providing strategic leadership for curriculum, quality and students services. She took up the role of Interim Principal and Chief Executive at UHI Outer Hebrides at the end of 2022.  

Outside work, Hannah lives in Sandwick, Lewis, and enjoys walking with her three rescued Greyhounds.