Our Management Committee

Our Management Committee is involved in delivering the Society’s strategy and business plan. Committee members consist of those who manage sub-committees, which deliver particular aspects of the organisation’s activity, and others who manage the Society. Most of our Management Committee members are unpaid volunteers.

Our Management Team

Gordon Jackson – Chairman

Having lived in Surrey for over 60 years, I have grown up with a passion for the Surrey Hills. I retired as a partner (specialising in Corporate Law) of an international City of London law firm in 2010. Shortly after that, I was elected as a Guildford Borough Councillor and I served on a wide variety of committees on the Council before retiring in March 2021. In addition to my love of the countryside, I have a particular interest in the arts and heritage and a fascination with the innovative research and businesses that are a crucial part of our local economy. I believe it is essential that we embrace forward thinking practices and technologies to sustainably manage the environment in which we live and the wildlife with which we share it.
I was Mayor of Guildford in 2016/17 and was delighted to nominate the Surrey Hills Trust as one of my chosen charities. During my mayoral year, my wife, Sue, and I particularly enjoyed meeting the many volunteers, who do so much in so many different ways to support our local communities and the surrounding countryside.
In our free time, Sue and I love to travel, and I am a keen photographer. We walk a lot both on holiday and at home and are frequent concert and theatregoers. I also play both golf and tennis extremely badly!

Christine Howard - President

I am a previous Chairman of the Surrey Hills Society, having served on the Committee since the charity’s inception. I have been a Parish Councillor for 27 years and am Chairman of the Surrey Association of Local Councils. I served as a Borough Councillor for Waverley Borough Council for four years where I was delegated to represent the Borough at the Surrey Hills Partnership Board. This is where I first learnt about this special protected landscape, met Neil Maltby, and became a lifelong supporter and protector of this area. The creation of the Surrey Hills Society was a new way for me and many other residents of the area to become more involved with the environment in which we all live. I was re-elected as a Borough Council in May 2019.
I am the Chairman of Visit Surrey CIC, the County’s official tourist board and a Trustee for Surrey Wildlife Trust. I also sit on Surrey Hills Arts and the Surrey Hills Trust Fund grant panel.
I had a commercial background in the computer industry, but after the birth of my two daughters became involved in local government. This was originally as a volunteer, then a councillor and finally as an officer working for Guildford and Waverley Borough Councils. In my free time I enjoy gardening, walking, environmental issues and performing in Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas.

Em Adler - CEO

I am proud to be the first ever CEO of the Surrey Hills Society. It is wonderful to get to work with such a brilliant team of staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly to make the Surrey Hills a better place to live in, visit and enjoy, and to work on a programme that makes such a difference to local conservation and communities.
I’m excited to build on the strong foundations and heritage of the Society and to help the charity to reach even more people, and make more of a difference to local nature in the years ahead.

I have joined the Society after over 20 years working in major charities and the public sector. I spent the last eight years working in senior management at Wildlife and Countryside Link,
England’s largest environmental coalition. I led work across communications, campaigning, and research which helped secure stronger environmental laws and policies that benefit nature, people and climate.

It is exciting to move from a national nature policy and influencing role, to an organisation with such a hands-on local delivery role. I am passionate about the local area, particularly as a keen hiker, and about access for everyone to the health and wellbeing benefits of getting out in nature.

Stella Cantor - Trustee and Membership Secretary

I was born in Dorking and have lived here in the Surrey Hills for most of my life, so I was keen to join the organisation set up to help protect and promote this beautiful area. I had recently ‘retired’ early and therefore had some spare time to offer.

I first joined the events committee and took on organising one or two events. I was then invited to attend the management committee and was present when the membership secretary announced his wish to stand down. The last job of my working life was as an IT teacher and hence I had some pertinent skills which meant that before I knew what had happened, I had taken over the membership administration of the Society.

My other voluntary job is with Girlguiding and I am active as a commissioner and leader. I consider myself fortunate to be able to offer time to two organisations in whose work I truly believe and to join with other committed volunteers in doing so.

Sall Baring – Events Committee Chair

I moved to Guildford in 1987 having previously lived in Burnley, Lancashire. When we had our second daughter we moved to Godalming and I have lived in the same house overlooking the River Wey for 24 years.

My introduction to the Society came in February 2014 when I was singing in the Godalming Operatic Production of Princess Ida with our then chairman, Chris Howard, at the Leatherhead Theatre. Chris needed a company to take over as sponsor of the Society’s newsletter and as I worked with my husband Stan at our firm of Solicitors, Stan Baring Solicitor, I was happy for us to take on that role. In the same year Chris co-opted me onto the events committee and then at the end of January 2020 I was “promoted” to the chairman of the committee taking over from Chris’s husband Jeff Holliday.

Away from the Society and work, I enjoy singing, entertaining, walking, dining out, theatre (especially musical theatre) and meeting up with friends. Our beautiful daughters are now in their twenties, one living in Guildford and one in Toronto, Canada. I very much enjoy organising and attending events which the Society arranges and continue to learn more about the beautiful area in which I live.

Peter Salisbury – Administrator

Having always lived in Reigate or Redhill I have a great interest in the Surrey Hills. My wife and I joined the Society soon after it was formed and are Founder Members.

Attending events and getting to know members were my first motivation. The great variety of events, walks, visits to houses and gardens (often opened especially for us) and of course ever popular food and drink gatherings makes it fascinating to be part of.

After a few years, I felt the urge to do more and in my present role as the Society’s Administrator, I enjoy helping manage the Society. I take the Minutes of the Trustees, Management and Events committees’ meetings and send round the monthly emails telling members about forthcoming events. I also help producing the confirmations for our events and have recently accepted to manage the Society’s shop. My role evolves according to my wishes and availability.

Away from the Society, I have several other interests to keep me busy, including being a National Trust volunteer and a Bluebell Railway volunteer. I have also been a member of the Scout Association for almost 50 years and have held a variety of leadership and administrative roles.

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