Executive Committee
The Executive (exec for short) deals with the day to day running of the Association, formulating policy for ratification by the members, fielding enquiries from members and managements, representing members on other bodies and committees, publishing the Association’s magazine and other publications, setting up members’ meetings, entertainment, classes and organising the membership and finances of the Association.
Further detailed work and projects is often carried out by specific Working Groups
Members of the Executive:
Rick Fisher | Vice President
Rick is Vice President of the ALPD.
As a previous Chair of the Association, Rick now fulfils a more ceremonial role as Vice President promoting the work and benefits of the ALD and handing out the occasional award.
Johanna Town | Chair
Johanna is an elected director and board member until the 2026 AGM.
Having been a professional rep for a number of years, Johanna took over as ALD Chair in January 2018.
Mark Jonathan | Deputy Chair
Mark is an elected director and board member until the 2026 AGM.
A busy international lighting designer, Mark also acts as Deputy Chair.
David Ayton | Professional Representative
David is an elected director and board member. He works as a programmer for theatre and opera, and a console trainer for ETC.
As the professional representative for those not working as designers - he is the point of contact for production electricians, programmers, technicians, touring crew, venue staff etc.
Lucy Carter | Member
Lucy is an elected director and board member.
She is a Multi- Award winning lighting designer and light artist, working across many creative mediums, includingTheatre, Ballet, Dance, Musical Theatre and Opera. She is a member of the ALPD Professionals Working Group.
Arnim Friess | Editor of Focus Magazine
Arnim has been Editor of Focus Magazine since August 2023.
Arnim is a busy lighting designer based in the Midlands. Before moving to the UK to study Theatre Design at Bretton Hall College, he had a previous life as an editor and photographer for a German newspaper.
David Howe | Professional Representative
David is a working lighting designer and has been a member since 1992. Delighted to be the Professional Members Rep for the ALPD.
David is the point of contact for any professional or affiliate members that are working as designers.
He is also co-Chair of the Professional Working Practice working group which is responsible for developing documents to guide members and their clients in what to expect from each other.
He’s looking forward to working with and meeting more members.
Nick Moran | Treasurer
Nick is Treasurer.
He also acts as the Executive representative and head of the working group concerned with the education of future practitioners in both Higher and Further Education. He also sits on the board of Skillscene which aims to influence, promote and support the provision and uptake of high quality, industry relevant, continuing professional development for theatre workers.
Stuart Porter | Companies' Representative
Stuart is an elected director and board member until the 2021 AGM.
With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Stuart is company members' representative and acts as a contact point for all the Corporate, Commercial and Non-profit members of the ALD helping to connect them with our individual members to offer meetings, training and other benefits.
Iain Quinn | Meetings Team
Iain is an elected director and board member until the 2025 AGM.
He is currently part of the Meeting & Events team, helping to organise networking, training and social events for members.
Mark White | Member
Mark is an elected director and board member until the 2025 AGM.
He was Treasurer from 2014 until 2022 and brought with him a wealth of experience of from his time as treasurer of the Showlight Quadrennial symposium of light and Chair of the Association of British Theatre Technicians.
Steve Huttly | Member
Steve is co-Chair of the Awards Working Group.
Having worked in Technical Theatre Higher Education for over 20 years, he serves on the Awards working group.
Joe Price | Member
Joe is an elected director and board member until the 2026 AGM.
Joe oversees Member Bulletins, and assists with the website and some aspects of Focus. He is part of the Meeting & Events team, helping to organise networking, training and social events for members.
Zoe Spurr | Equity Representative
Zoe acts as the ALD contact with the Equity Directors and Designers committee and as part of this represents lighting designers' interests within their union. Her current term runs through until mid-2021. If you have specific Equity enquiries - equity@ald.org.uk
Sofia Alexiadou | Working Group Chair
Sofia is an elected Director and leads the ALPD Education working group that organises the various awards the Association is involved in. This includes both our well regarded Michael Northen Bursary and the Lightmongers' Award for Entertainment Lighting Design.
Charlotte Burton | Working Group Chair
Charlotte a co-opted director and is Chair of the Lumiere Scheme Working Group, for which she was the first recipient of funding through the scheme in 2015.
She is now leading the team looking to establish it as a long term project that can attract funding for future opportunities for developing artists.
Briony Berning | Working Group Chair
Briony is an elected director of the Association and a Board Member. She is Chair of the Meetings group and co-Chair of the Wellbeing Group.
Mig Burgess | Working Group Chair
Mig is the Co-chair of the Well-being committee. She has a research interest in mental health and well-being in our industry and has worked on 2 large industry studies and authors well-being guidance notes with the ABTT of which she is the Co-chair. Mig is a Mental Health First Aid Instructor, and a proud mental health patient: diagnosed with BiPolar disorder she has years of lived experience. Mig is also chair of the AAPTLE well-being working group and a trustee of Backup.
Simisola Majekodunmi | Working Group Chair
Simi is chair of the Diversity committee. She is working towards creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all within this section of the arts.
Jason Addison | Working Group Member
Jason is a Co-opted member of the Executive Committee and part of the team on the Lumiere Working Group and Professional Members Working Group. Most recently he was part of the Interview Panel for the Design Lumiere Scheme 2024 having been a previous Lumiere in 2018-2019.
He was a member of the Equity Directors & Designers Committee for the 2021-2023 Term and is now a member of the East Yorkshire & Humber Branch.
Jason is a Lighting Designer, Assistant and Relighter based in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
Emma Chapman | Working Group Chair
Emma is co-chair of the ALPD's Awards working group alongside Steve Huttly. She believes it is important to recognise and celebrate the brilliant work which is being carried out across the lighting industry. This in turn raises the profile of lighting practitioners, encouraging people to join the industry.
john leventhall | Association Development
With career experience of the corporate retail world, arts and charities organisations, and in his youth, theatre lighting, John is the person who investigates and develops the future arc of the ALD's structure, organisation and offer to members and non-members alike. He also acts as Company Secretary.
