We’re thrilled to welcome speakers from around the world to Icon 26 - a vibrant gathering of conservation professionals sharing ideas, research, and inspiration
From emerging voices to leading experts, our speakers represent the breadth and depth of the conservation community, exploring the future of cultural heritage together.
Eve Andreski
Eve graduated in 2021, completing a masters in Collections Care through the Cardiff Masters Excellence Scholarship scheme, with a focus on writing and speaking on conservation disaster planning. Prior to joining Spencer & Fry in 2023, Eve worked in documentation, with organisations including Bristol Museums, the Portable Antiquities Scheme and the British Empire and Commonwealth Collection where she focused on using cataloguing and digitisation to make collections available to diverse stakeholders. Eve has a particular interest in ethics and sustainability within the heritage sector, and planning ahead for a changing world.
Janet Berry ACR
Janet Berry MPhil ACR FIIC ChMgr FHEA has worked as a professional conservator for nearly 35 years. Starting out as a practical conservator, Janet moved into preventive conservation and education, lecturing in Collections Care at Leicester University, and as the Course Director for the MSc Sustainable Heritage at University College London. In her current role as Head of Conservation & Collections Policy, Janet provides strategic direction on conservation policy across the Church of England.
Kelly Bradley
Kelly is the Senior Social Value Manager for the Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority for the Houses of Parliament. With over 25 years’ experience across major infrastructure and heritage projects, she is dedicated to revitalising the heritage sector by strengthening skills pathways, championing traditional crafts, and creating inclusive routes into specialist roles. Kelly works collaboratively with industry, training providers, and heritage organisations to address skills shortages and open opportunities for future generations. Her work focuses on reducing barriers, supporting high‑quality apprenticeships, and ensuring community wellbeing is central to long‑term stewardship. She is passionate about reinvigorating heritage skills to protect and sustain the UK’s cultural legacy.
Emma Callaghan
Emma is currently Senior Preventive Conservation at the National Science and Media Museum (Science Museum Group), having completed the Cultural Heritage Conservator Apprenticeship in 2025. She is presenting a project undertaken whilst Conservator at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, where her work was focused on the conservation of HMS Trincomalee, and preventive objects conservation at Hartlepool.
Emma holds the Emerging Professionals seat on Icon’s Board of Trustees, and is passionate about diversifying routes into the profession. She hopes to represent and support current and future emerging professionals to ensure the continued intake of talented people into conservation.
Laura Caradonna-Snow
Laura Caradonna-Snow graduated in Conservation of Cultural Heritage from the Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Italy.
She began her career in 2001 at the Vatican Library, contributing to an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) project.
In 2005, she qualified as a book and paper conservator through the European Course of Specialized Training for Conservator-Restorers of Book Heritage in Spoleto and subsequently worked with institutions including Durham University Library and Trinity College Dublin.
Her expertise includes the treatment of iron gall inks, with a published paper for the Depositions 1641 project.
Laura joined the John Rylands Library (University of Manchester) in 2012 as a Book Conservator and advanced to Collection Care Team Leader in 2017.
Under the management of Elisabeth Carr, she oversees preservation and conservation strategies, manages incoming collections, and directs daily operations. Her current focus includes the Sikh Heritage Project and the preservation of Punjabi manuscripts.
Tobit Curteis ACR
Tobit Curteis trained at the Courtauld Institute of Art, in conjunction with the Getty Conservation Institute and since 1992 has run a practice specialising in the diagnosis and control of environmental deterioration for historic buildings and collections. Tobit is accredited by the Institute of Conservation (ACR), is a fellow of the International Institute of Conservation (FIIC) a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (FSA) and a corresponding member of the Cathedral Architects Association (CAA). He is a member of the Historic England Historic Estates Conservation Committee (HECC) and the Stained Glass Conservation Committee for the Church Buildings Council. He regularly lectures and publishes, both in the UK and internationally, on historic building environmental performance and architectural conservation and has co-authored the volume on Building Environment as part of the Historic England Practical Building Conservation series. Current research projects include the development of the new guidelines on historic building environmental performance for Historic England, the design of Environmental Protective Glazing for historic stained glass for Historic England and the new guidelines for the design and evaluation of archaeological shelters for the Getty Conservation Institute.
Gael Dundas
Gael Dundas is Director of Collections Management at the Imperial War Museums (IWM), where she leads strategic initiatives to safeguard and develop the museum’s diverse collections, including its nationally significant large object holdings.
Gael has played a pivotal role in shaping IWM’s ambition to become the National Centre for Excellence in Large Object Conservation, leading efforts to address sector-wide skills shortages through apprenticeships and targeted training. Her work reflects a commitment to inclusive practice, workforce sustainability, and sector collaboration, developed in partnership with Icon to ensure alignment with national conservation standards.
Kirsten Dunne ACR
Kirsten Dunne ACR is Senior Projects Conservator at the National Galleries of Scotland, where she has worked since 2005. She trained in Paper Conservation but since 2019 her role has focused on Time Based Media, Microfading and the application of technology to conservation practice, including conservation created data and documentation. Kirsten sits on the committee of the American Institute of Conservation International Microfading Discussion group, acting as Information Repository Officer. She holds an MA in Conservation of Fine Art, Works of Art on Paper from Northumbria University and an MA in History of Art from Edinburgh University
Rebecca Ellison ACR
Rebecca Ellison ACR is strategic lead for all aspects of Collections Care, including Emergency Salvage at National Trust. Since beginning in role in 2024 she has designed and implemented a highly successful hybrid Collections Care training programmes to staff at Historic Houses across the organisation, upskilling over 200 colleagues. Rebecca now manages a team responsible for delivering this training.
After receiving an MA Distinction in Conservation of Fine Art (Easel Paintings) from Northumbria University in 1999, Rebecca worked in both private practice and museums, including Bristol Museum and National Museum Wales. Since joining National Trust in 2014 as a Regional Conservator, she has focussed on preventive conservation, refining her consultancy and project management skills across a diverse property portfolio.
Rebecca is an Accredited member of Icon and has been part of Icon’s Conferences Committee, since its inception (2022), which has broadened her awareness of international conservation trends and developed her skills in chairing. Previously, Rebecca has been Specialist Reader for Paintings on Icon’s Accreditation Committee and a Paintings Group Committee member. She is an active Icon Mentor, supporting professional development, and holds Individual IIC membership since 2020.
Rebecca champions sustainability and after leading various research initiatives, has recently become co-chair of the UK Museums and Heritage Sustainable Packing Group, where Rebecca expanded her research and publishing experience in peer-reviewed journals.
Gretel Evans ACR
Gretel Evans MA ACR is an Associate Director of AOC Archaeology and manages their Conservation Department. After studying Archaeology at UCL she trained as a Conservator at Durham University and has since worked in Scotland for nearly 30 years at AOC, National Museums Scotland, and Glasgow Museums as well as undertaking a winter and a summer season in Antarctica on the Ross Sea Heritage Restoration Project. Gretel has been an Accreditation Assessor and is now a Specialist Advisor, as well as a Mentor for the Icon Accreditation scheme.
Anupama Gaur
Anupama Gaur is a painting conservator and heritage consultant with over twenty years of experience in the conservation and preventive care of artworks. She is the Founder and Director of ARC Resources & Services, a private conservation studio in New Delhi, which provides conservation expertise to leading museums, galleries, and private collections. Trained in India and the UK, her practice focuses on Indian modern and contemporary art. Through ARC, Anupama has collaborated on numerous conservation projects spanning across India for institutions such as the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Delhi Art Gallery, Gujral Foundation in Delhi, and Theosophical Society in Chennai.
Harriet Gillespie
Harriet is the paper conservator for National Museums NI. Her remit includes working across art, modern history, folk & transport collections. She is a graduate of Conservation of Fine Art MA from Northumbria University, specialising in the conservation of works of art on paper. Previous roles have included The National Archives UK, Trinity College Library and The National Archives of Ireland. Working across archival collections North and South of the border, alongside London have provided her with an insight into how different institutions preserve conflicting narratives of modern conflict.
Anisha Gupta
Anisha Gupta is a cultural heritage conservator, educator, and doctoral candidate at the University of Delaware. Her research is centered on community conservation, where she studies the conservation practices and priorities of everyday people. Anisha is a leader in advocating for equity and accessibility in the field. She served as the co-chair of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC)’s Equity & Inclusion Committee where she spearheaded initiatives focused on systemic and cultural change. In 2022, she was awarded the Gettens Award for Outstanding Service to AIC.
Diane Gwilt
Diane Gwilt BSc(Hons), FIIC, is Head of Capital Projects - Collections at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales (ACMW). After initially working for the British Museum and the National Trust, she joined ACMW in 1991 as senior conservator in the Department of Archaeology. Since then, she has taken on roles across a wide range of functional areas of the museum, with a focus on collection care, project and risk management. Publishing on a range of topics, she has been an external examiner for Durham University and an Associate Lecturer at Cardiff University. Previously Chair of both UKIC and ICON and a member of the Arts Council England’s Accreditation Committee and Designation Panel.
Professor Alison Harley
Alison Harley is a Founding Trustee & Chair of the Bernat Klein Foundation (BKF). Over the lifetime of the foundation, she has developed her role as the Creative Director & Producer for BKF. Previously Alison held senior leadership roles in Art & Design Higher Education as Head of the School of Design, The Glasgow School of Art; Dean of the Faculty of Design, Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore; and Professor and Head of the School of Textiles & Design, Heriot-Watt University.
In 2012 Alison interviewed Bernat Klein at his home High Sunderland designed by Peter Womersley in 1957, where he discussed his work both as a designer and producer; and artist and colourist. Since 2016 Alison has worked as an independent practitioner developing her particular interest in Bernat Klein, which has been shared through a programme of public engagement as well as a book ‘Bernat Klein’ (Schoeser / Harley) published in 2022 marking Klein’s centenary.
More recently working with the National Trust Scotland and Scottish Historic Buildings Trust to form a coalition, Alison was part of the successful acquisition in July 2025 of the Klein Studio also designed by Womersley in 1972. The restoration of the building to its original intention as a design studio, will be completed by 2030.
Established early in her career through the gallery system, Alison’s studio practice continues to inform and underpin her ideas about the Klein archive collections, and in her collaborations with contemporary practitioners. Alison studied studio-based Printed Textile Design at The Glasgow School of Art and also holds an MLITT Dress & Textile Histories from The University of Glasgow.
Cathryn Harvey
Following an Archaeology BSc and Conservation MA at the University of Durham, Cathryn has worked for the National Trust, the Royal Collection Trust, the Imperial War Museum, and the Parliamentary Archives. She recently completed her PhD with Cranfield University and the National Museum of the Royal Navy, investigating Deathwatch Beetle activity on HMS Victory and developing methods of communicating conservation research to the public. She now works for English Heritage as the GoGreen Fellow, helping to develop damage functions and analytical regimes to reduce carbon footprints of preventive conservation activities
Professor Jane Henderson ACR FIIC
Professor of Conservation and Secretary General of the International Institute for Conservation until Jan 2026 Jane Henderson is chair of the BSI standard group B/560 concerned with the conservation of Tangible Cultural heritage and a European expert for European standards body CEN TC 346. Jane serves on the editorial panel of the Journal of the Institute for Conservation and the Science Museum Journal and on the board of the Welsh Federation of Museum and Art Galleries. Jane was delighted and honoured to win the Plowden medal in 2021. Currently (2025) employed at Cardiff University.
Helena Jaeschke ACR
Helena Jaeschke ACR, FIIC, trained in conservation at Cardiff University and has worked as an objects and archaeological conservator for sites and museums in Egypt, Oman and the UK.
Anna Kowalewska
Anna Kowalewska, MA, is a book and paper conservator working at her independent conservation studio and also a Principal Registrar at The Asia and Pacific Museum in Warsaw, Poland. She has over 20 years of experience in art conservation and work with the museum collections. In 2023 she started a PhD project at Academia Copernicana, Torun, Poland developing the use of micro CT in the pre-conservation analysis of historical bookbindings. She recently presented lectures at AIC 2025 Annual Meeting in Minneapolis and at IADA 2025 Leuven symposium.
Amalina Kohli Davé
Amalina Kohli Davé is a paper conservator from Delhi, India. She is an independent consultant, and works with museums, libraries, archives, and public and private collections. Her particular focus is building capacity in low-resource areas and working with high-risk collections. She is currently working with Recanati e Restauro on “Preserving the past, safeguarding the future: protecting cultural heritage at risk in Gaza through restoration and community engagement” in collaboration with CISS - Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud and University College of Applied Sciences (UCAS) Gaza funded by the British Council, is guest faculty for conservation training programs, and an advisory board member on the Mariwala Health Initiative.
Rebecca Laverty
Rebecca is a Curator of Modern History, working with the Ulster Museum collection and covering the period 1500-present day. She has co-curated several exhibitions including Faces and Places showcasing images by French photographer Bernard Lesaing, the A Collector’s Story: Tom Hartley exhibition and most recently Drawing Support: Murals, Memory and Identity which featured photographs by Bill Rolston. Rebecca is responsible for documenting the NI Prison Service collection and other large collections associated with the Troubles and Beyond initiative.
Maria Ledinskaya
Maria Ledinskaya is an objects and preventive conservator with over 10 years of experience working with museum collections in the UK and internationally. She trained at the University of Lincoln and has held conservation roles at M+ in Hong Kong, the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich, Wiltshire Council’s Conservation and Museums Advisory Service (CMAS), and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Her work spans preventive care, object conservation, and conservation training, with a focus on practical solutions tailored to different buildings, teams, and collections. Maria is especially interested in how preventive conservation intersects with environmental sustainability, risk management, and agile ways of working.
Helen Lindsay ACR
Following an MA in Paper Conservation, Helen Lindsay worked for eight formative years at the Bodleian Library. Since then, she’s held senior roles at the London Archives, Imperial War Museums and worked freelance in Collections Care since 2005. She has also worked as an Icon Intern Advisor, been IPC Chair, an Accreditation Assessor and carried out contracts for the National Trust, Wellcome Trust and V&A. She’s written on a range of conservation topics including the influential Benchmarks in Collections Care and a best practice guide to Volunteering. Helen currently works with The Restoration Trust to increase access to heritage conservation.
Chiara Mazzocchi
Associate professor at the Faculty of Physics of the University of Warsaw. Main research interests are nuclear physics and its application to cultural heritage studies, with focus on those methodologies that are non-invasive. In the field of cultural heritage, works in particular with computed tomography, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and gamma spectroscopy of natural radioactivity contained in artifacts.
Ann-Marie Miller ACR
With over two decades of hands-on experience, Ann-Marie Miller is not just an accredited book and archives conservator - she's a passionate advocate for preserving history and empowering the next generation of conservators. Based in London, Ann-Marie Miller leads Codex Conservation Ltd., a dynamic workshop that serves national museums, academic institutions, corporate archives, and private collectors. Her journey began at the Courtauld Institute of Art, where her passion for material culture took root, followed by advanced studies at Camberwell College of Arts. She worked as a freelance bookbinder and conservator, earning accredited status during her seven-year tenure at the British Library.
Beyond her technical expertise, she’s a mentor, educator, and leader—providing teaching, collection care advice, and paid internships to nurture emerging talent. She is a Collections Assessor for the Association of Independent Museums and as a mentor for the Icon Accreditation Scheme. As a Freeman of the City of London and Liveryman of the Stationers and Newspaper Makers Company, maintains deep connection with London’s heritage and book production community.
In 2020, Ann-Marie Miller co-founded Impact Heritage CIC with Ruth Stevens ACR and Ian Watson ACR, later joined by Holly Smith ACR. Together they support projects which break down barriers to conservation funding and create paid opportunities for emerging conservators. Impact Heritage empowers community archives to access resources, develop skills, and build sustainable futures. Already, five talented conservators have launched their careers through this initiative, gaining practical experience and working alongside volunteers to champion conservation practice.
David Mitchell
Dr David Mitchell is Director of Cultural Assets at Historic Environment Scotland. A scientist by training he spent ten years working in the field of industrial heritage before joining Historic Scotland. He is currently responsible for Properties, Collections and Archives, technical research, skills and materials alongside digital innovation. He has a long interest in the history and conservation of architectural metalwork and is currently advising The Palace Museum (Forbidden City) on the conservation of a large glass house - water feature built for the last Emperor of the Qing Dynasty.
Heather Murphy
After graduating in Fine Art from Wimbledon College of Art in 2010, Heather began her conservation career advising Clients on framing and care of artworks including use of materials, preparation of works for display and environmental conditions. She went on to complete a Masters degree in the Conservation of Artworks on Paper, working for institutions including BFI National Archive and The Royal Collection. Prior to joining Spencer & Fry in 2022, Heather was a Conservation Team Leader at the British Library. She takes the lead on paper and plastics at Spencer & Fry.
Giovanni Pagani
Giovanni Pagani is a book and paper conservator. After graduating in Greek Palaeography from the Università degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza”, Italy, he got an M.A. in Book Conservation from the European School for Conservators-Restorers of Book Materials in Spoleto, Italy. He manages a private conservation studio, Relic, in Rome, working for national and international institutions in Italy and abroad, such as the Vatican Library, Italian Dioceses and Monasteries, and international libraries and archives within Cultural Institutes. Giovanni has worked as conservation teacher in Rome and Salerno Universities, and for private institutions specialising in the conservation of historical archival and stationary bindings.
Phil Parkes ACR
Professor of Conservation, Phil Parkes started his career with a yearlong Museums & Galleries Commission internship, learning lots about working with small independent and local authority museums throughout Wales. Many years of conserving archaeological finds for Cadw, the Welsh national heritage agency, and running a commercial conservation service within Cardiff University honed his practical and analytical conservation skills. It was these skills that Phil supported students to develop on the conservation programmes at Cardiff University, bringing real life practice into the academic community. Phil has published on conservation decision-making and the teaching of practical skills as well as producing Government Social Research reports on the Welsh Museum sector. More recently Phil developed an interest in maille-making and since leaving Cardiff University in 2024 works as a freelance conservator and maille-maker. Phil won Heritage Crafts ‘Wales Maker of the Year’ in 2024 for his contribution to the craft, making bespoke maille armour based on archaeological finds.
Ellie Rowley-Conwy ACR
Ellie is the Conservation Manager for the Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority for the Houses of Parliament. She is an accredited member of the Institute of Conservation and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. Her current work focuses on a variety of projects looking at large-scale environmental, particulate and construction-borne vibration monitoring. She is also developing a collections audit plan to help facilitate decant and storage, including creating handling, packing and transport strategies. In the past she has worked at the Royal Armouries and the National Trust; and has undertaken internships at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the Wallace Collection. She also works as the Conservation Consultant for the Ardnamurchan Transitions Project and the New History of Bronze at the University of Leicester.
Daisy Rubinstein
Daisy Rubinstein is a UKCP accredited Psychotherapist based in West Sussex, with a background in creative and arts based mental health interventions. She is Psychological Therapist at the Fire Fighters Charity as well as a private practice Counsellor and Psychotherapist. Daisy has been an Evaluation Researcher on the Conservation for Wellbeing project since it’s pilot in 2020, following which she authored Conservation Object Relations Theory – ‘Care Taking of the Heritage Collection and the Internal Object’ (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2022).
Lesley Scott ACR
Lesley Scott ACR is the Regional Conservator for Edinburgh & East at The National Trust for Scotland, providing conservation leadership and support for the preventive and remedial care of property interiors and collections. An Accredited Conservator in object conservation and gilding, Lesley has worked across the heritage sector employed, freelance and as a Trustee establishing a volunteer run museum.
She has over thirty years’ experience training and mentoring volunteer groups, students and interns, heritage staff and conservators to improve sector practice and understanding of collection care and preventive processes. With a strong emphasis on providing accessible, practical and sustainable training opportunities that benefits the long-term care of collections and enhancement of teams and individual skills.
Lesley most recently contributed to the Skills Investment Plan for the Historic Environment and delivered training for Community Archives and Heritage Group (CAHG) Scotland and is a CPD reader and Specialist Advisor for Icon, committee member of Icon Scotland, Conservation Higher Education Institution and Historic Interior Groups, committee member Edinburgh Emergency Network Group, supervisor for Icon Bute Internship at NTS and a mentor and assessor for SVQ Modern Apprenticeship qualifications in Museum & Galleries Practice.
Gurtek Singh
Gurtek Singh is an Honorary Research Fellow at the John Rylands Research Institute, University of Manchester. Apart from teaching History and Religious Studies, he serves Sri Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara and the Council of Five Manchester Gurdwaras, which manages community relations and events.
He has worked on various decolonisation projects including Sikhs in the City for the AIU RACE Centre, and the Manchester Sikh Digital Exhibition for the John Rylands Library.
Bethany Skuce
Bethany is a multi-disciplinary object conservator at National Museums NI and a graduate of the University of Lincoln. She has a primary responsibility for the Art and History collections of the Ulster Museum and with previous roles at the Pitt Rivers Museum and British Museum she has had the privilege of caring for collections from around the world in all the diversity of materials they present. Bethany has previously presented her work on the care of world culture collections at the University of Gothenburg, as well as Icon and ICRI conferences.
Jo Valentine
Jo Valentine has worked with the local community for the past 20 years. She believes that museums are here to help make a more equitable society and part of that is to create a greater understanding of everyone's experiences connected to the Royal Navy's story. We can't go back 100 years and speak to sailors and communities not represented in our archive about their lives, but what we can do is ask them now so that future generations stories are included, made visible and celebrated in our museums.
Viviane Wei-An Chen
Viviane Wei-An Chen is a fashion and textile conservator with over a decade of experience across museums, theatre, and exhibition projects. She trained in costume interpretation at Wimbledon College of Arts and holds an MPhil in Textile Conservation from the University of Glasgow. Her international career spans seven countries, with work undertaken for institutions including the V&A, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, M+ Hong Kong, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her practice combines material sensitivity with cross-cultural insight, grounded in the belief that every textile merit close study and careful display within its cultural and historical context.
Jon White
Jon White is Head of Conservation at the Imperial War Museums (IWM), where he leads the UK’s largest team dedicated to large object conservation. With over 30 years of experience in the heritage sector, Jon brings deep technical expertise and a hands-on approach to the care of complex, historically significant artefacts. He has been instrumental in making IWM’s strategic ambitions a reality - driving forward apprenticeships, and mentoring staff. Jon’s leadership ensures that conservation delivery is robust, inclusive, and future-focused, helping to build sector capacity and safeguard industrial heritage for generations to come.
Laurence Wen-Yu Li
Laurence is an AHRC and Taiwan Ministry of Education funded PhD candidate based at the V&A / RCA History of Design Programme. Her thesis explores the production
and consumption of the silk ribbons used on late Qing (1860-1911) Chinese women’s clothing. Other research interests include the use of reconstruction as a methodological approach in the field of historic Chinese dress. She is particularly passionate about making research on historic Chinese dress more accessible to a
global English-speaking audience and has written and presented a series of publicly-available documentaries on YouTube titled Chinese Clothing Through the Ages.
Joelle Wickens
Joelle Wickens (she/her) is assistant professor of Preventive Conservation, in the Department of Art Conservation, University of Delaware. Her current work in preventive conservation is dedicated to evolving the practice of the specialty to place social, economic, and environmental sustainability at its core. This work intertwines with her work using the lenses of systems thinking, disability justice, universal design, and systemic racism to work with the field of art conservation to broaden its understanding of what cultural heritage is, diversify who conserves this heritage, and bring multiple and non-dominant ways of knowing and doing to the conservation process.