The short biographies of our committee members illustrates the diversity of our team. We represents many of the disciplines associated with the conservation of Historic Interiors.
Allyson McDermott
Allyson trained in conservation of fine art and art history in Newcastle before working as lecturer in Conservation of Works of Art of Paper (1981-1986), Head of Conservation Studio at Sotherby's (1990-1995) then advisor on Paper and Wallpaper to the National Trust (1999-2004).
Ayaka Takaki
Ayaka is an Architect, accredited with Specialist Conservation Architect (SCA) and Architect Accredited in Building Conservation (AABC), and specialises in the repair and conservation of historic and listed buildings. She is currently working for Donald Insall Associates as an Associate.
Benedict Ryan
Benedict studied a BA. in Conservation and Restoration and then went on to do a Masters specialising in the conservation of historic interiors. Following a short stint working in the Middle East he started working for Hare & Humphreys as a conservator. After a few years of site work Benedict moved into conservation project management within the same company.
Charlotte Owen
Charlotte trained as an objects conservator at Lincoln University before joining the National Trust as a conservation assistant and project conservator (2009-2013), project conservator for English Heritage (2013-2014) and Cambridge University Museums (2014-2015).
Christine Sitwell ACR
Christine trained as a paintings conservator at Winterthur Museum, University of Delaware before embarking on an internship at the Tate Gallery, London.
Heather Tetley ACR
Heather worked at The Carpet Conservation Workshop, Salisbury (1988-1996) undertaking conservation of historic carpets for historic houses, Royal collection and private clients before opening The Tetley Workshop, Devon in 1996.
Helen Hughes ACR FIIC
Helen is one of the founder members of the Historic Interiors Group. Since 2009 she has worked as a freelance Architectural Paint Researcher. Before this she headed the Historic Interiors Research and Conservation Unit of English Heritage for 25 years.
Lisa Oestreicher
Lisa came over from her native Canada in the 1980's to finish her studies at the Bartlett School of Architecture and the Architectural Association. After several years working at Westminster City Council as a conservation officer Lisa went back to specialise in architectural paint research as part of the Royal College of Art/Victoria & Albert Museum conservation training programme.
May Berkouwer ACR
May trained as a textile conservator in Amsterdam (1980-1984) before working at the National Trust's Levy Textile Workroom and Ksynia Marko's Textile Conservation Studio in London. May has been independent since 1992 setting up her own studio in Suffolk in 1996.
Rosie Shaw
Rosie trained in Fine Art Printmaking before studying Historic Building Conservation. She worked as a freelance conservator before joining Hare & Humphreys as an architectural paint researcher and project manager.
Sandra Howe ACR
Sandra trained as an objects conservator at DeMontfort University and has been working for the National Trust since 2002 as a regional conservator, currently based in York. Advising on preventive conservation, commissioning remedial treatment of objects and promoting the balance of access and conservation in historic houses.