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Our People

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Meet the people that make YTAS possible.

You can email any of the team using firstname@ytas.org.uk.

Staff

Catherine Makin Aug 2021 Youth Theatre Arts Scotland © photographer Andy Catlin www.andycatlin.com 9977

Catherine Makin (she/her)

Projects Producer
Joined YTAS in: 2017
Catherine has worked in a variety of theatre administration, project co-ordination and producing roles. She is particularly interested in festivals, new work and talent development. Prior to working with YTAS she was Artistic Administrator at the Traverse Theatre and has previously worked with companies including Underbelly and Old Vic New Voices.
Headshot Hollie

Hollie Wegner-Jaszkin (she/her)

Communications and Marketing Manager
Joined YTAS in: 2019
After graduating in Modern European Languages and Festival Management, Hollie decided she’d much prefer working in the arts. She’s held a variety of marketing roles in the arts and cultural sectors, including Marketing Manager at Museums Galleries Scotland and Marketing and Campaigns Manager at Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre. She likes nothing better than a nice piece of print or a lovely banner, and if you see a YTAS social media post with a musical theatre reference, she is almost certainly the guilty party. In her spare time she does a fair bit of prancing about on stage and acting in films, all whilst trying to maintain her Duolingo streak and organise two kids’ extracurricular activities.
Emma Barr YTAS Mon 14 March 2022 © photographer Andy Catlin www.andycatlin.com 2402 scaled e1668433771432

Emma Barr (she/her)

Sector Development Manager
Joined YTAS in: 2022
Emma has over 10 years’ experience working in the UK and Canada as a director and educator, specialising in making theatre for and with young people. With a background in applied theatre, she is particularly interested in how youth theatre can contribute to a young person’s sense of identity and creates a cultural community. Prior to working at YTAS she was the Associate Director at Prime Theatre in Swindon and has worked as a freelance artist for companies such as Pitlochry Festival Theatre, London Bubble, and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Andy Catlin YTAS Tue 14 September 2021 1708 © photographer Andy Catlin www.andycatlin.com scaled e1668433919578

Andy Catlin (he/him)

Marketing Coordinator
Joined YTAS in: 2016
Andy is also a freelance photographer and communications/marketing consultant whose recent clients include Sustrans, Cycling UK, National Museum of Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University and University of Edinburgh. He previously worked as Marketing Manager at Edinburgh’s The Queen’s Hall and Traverse Theatre and Aberdeen’s The Lemon Tree and was a Board member of Puppet Animation Scotland, Strange Town and Puppet State Theatre Company.
Drew Taylor-Wilson

Drew Taylor-Wilson (they/them)

Next Generation Coordinator
Joined YTAS in: 2024
With nearly 20 years’ experience, Drew Taylor-Wilson is a multi-hyphenate theatre-maker and screenwriter. As a director and writer their productions have been seen at every major playhouse in Scotland. They are the founding Artistic Director of Performance Collective Stranraer, a founding co-director of Sanctuary Queer Arts and they currently work freelance as a director, writer and producer of live performance projects. In applied arts settings Drew has worked with companies like Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, British Youth Music Theatre, Shakespeare Schools Foundation, Lyth Arts Centre and The Junction Cambridge. Drew specialises in working with teenagers – specifically LGBTQIA+ young people – and regularly consults with organisations like Scottish Ballet and National Museums Scotland on queer-themed output. Life outside work is crafting, tropical fish keeping, socialising with chosen family, and trying not to eat too many jelly sweets.
Carla Marina Almeida

Carla Marina Almeida (she/her)

Membership Support Coordinator
Joined YTAS in: 2025
Carla has worked as a theatre producer, festival and events programmer and coordinator for over 10 years, working across the UK and internationally. She has previously worked with Dundee Rep Theatre, Sofar Sounds Glasgow, Paisley Arts Centre and the National Theatre. Prior to working at YTAS she was Programme Manager for Remembering Together at Greenspace Scotland, Scotland’s COVID Community Memorial Programme, working across all of Scotland with over 150 artists and numerous partners and community members. She is particularly interested in new work, talent development, and community co-creation.
Christabel Anderson

Christabel Anderson (she/her)

Company Manager
Joined YTAS in: 2025
Christabel’s love of theatre started young, working backstage in drama groups at school and university before training at LAMDA. She was a stage manager for 10 years on all kinds of plays, from new writing to pantomime, working throughout the UK and touring around the world. Christabel then settled in Edinburgh and has previously worked at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Festivals Edinburgh, Culture Counts, and Luminate, combining arts management and advocacy. She is also a freelance theatre captioner, and is passionate about increasing access to the arts.

Board members

Youth Theatre Arts Scotland is a Company Limited by Guarantee, registered with HMRC and a registered Scottish charity with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). The Board therefore serve as Company Directors and Charity Trustees. YTAS’s governing document is its YTAS Articles of Association.

The board meets four times a year as well as an additional strategy away day. The Board provides entrepreneurial and strategic leadership in pursuit of the organisation’s objectives as well as prudent and effective control, including assessment and management of risk.

Liam Farrow YTAS Board Member

Liam Farrow (he/him)

Chair | Head of Regional Economic Policy, Scottish Government
Joined YTAS in: 2024
Liam is a public policy professional with a wide range of experience in the UK and Scottish Governments across trade policy, international higher education and EU negotiations. He is passionate about supporting young people’s development and reducing disadvantage, and has volunteered with various youth charities working to address this. Liam was previously a trustee of a multi-academy trust in London where he chaired the board’s staffing and safeguarding committee.
Fiona Ferrier head shot

Fiona Ferrier (she/her)

Vice Chair | Performer and Facilitator
Joined YTAS in: 2024
Fiona is a performer and youth theatre facilitator specialising in clown and is passionate about the role of the arts in shaping the lives and wellbeing of children and young people. She has been performing as a therapeutic clown, ‘Dr Spritely’ and ‘Toots Elderflower’, for Hearts & Minds for 20 years, visiting hospitals, hospices, schools for complex needs, and dementia units in Scotland and Australia. More recently she was Co-Artistic Lead for Heart & Minds and is now Programme Engagement Manager. Fiona is also co-Artistic Director of Dirliebane Theatre Company. Established in 2016, Dirliebane create clown performances and activities for children and young people, touring productions to schools and venues. Fiona has also been a youth theatre facilitator for nearly 30 years, working across Scotland, America and Australia. She currently runs her own group, Skedaddle Youth Theatre, which focuses on clown and comedy. She is excited to be on the board of YTAS.
Fergus McMillan

Fergus McMillan (he/him)

Director | Head of Equality and Diversity, Skills Development Scotland
Joined YTAS in: 2021
Fergus is an experienced senior leader, and equality and diversity practitioner. He is currently employed at Skills Development Scotland, leading on equality and diversity strategy across service provision. Previously, Fergus was Chief Executive of LGBT Youth Scotland, where he witnessed first-hand the transformational impact that committed and skilled staff and volunteers can have working alongside people who might otherwise be disengaged or excluded as a result of structural inequality or prejudice. A career highlight came in 2019, when Fergus won the Inspirational Leader Award at the national Youth Work Awards, after being nominated by his team at LGBT Youth Scotland. Fergus continues to participate in sectors (youth, community, theatre) close to his heart, by volunteering as board member for YTAS.
Gillian Lithgow

Gillian Lithgow (she/her)

Director | Depute CEO and National Programmes Director, YouthLink Scotland
Joined YTAS in: 2021
Gillian has been a community learning and development practitioner and manager for 30 years. She graduated from the YMCA George Williams College with a BA (Hons) Informal & Community Education in 1997 and has been employed by YouthLink Scotland since then. Gillian strongly believes that it is vital that youth work staff and volunteers are well trained, supported, and informed so that they in turn provide a quality service for the young people they work with.
Libby Taylor YTAS Board Member

Libby Taylor (she/her)

Director | Creativity and Inclusivity Practitioner
Joined YTAS in: 2024
Libby has witnessed and experienced firsthand the life-changing potential of youth theatre, and is passionate about and committed to achieving universal access to this sector. Her confidence grew through youth theatre in Scotland, not only through the practice of performing, directing, and acting as a young leader, but also through the trust and respect given to her in these environments and the importance placed on having young voices heard. As Programmes Coordinator at Blueprint for All (a charity creating equal opportunities for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, or background), she developed an understanding of and motivation for inclusivity, which she achieves through her own lived experience and being a meaningful ally. She has always found YTAS to be a welcoming and supportive environment and is excited to work with the board to empower as many people as possible.
Marley Hunter head shot

Marley Hunter (she/her)

Director | Youth Theatre Practitioner
Joined YTAS in: 2024
Marley set up Spotlights Community Youth Theatre in Forfar in 2018 when all four of her children decided they wanted to do drama, and she struggled to find an affordable option. Since then she has run the charity with the help of a dedicated team of volunteers. More recently, Marley has been studying at Dundee and Angus College and is currently studying for a BA (Hons) in Performance at Queen Margaret University.
Sanjay Lago YTAS Board Member

Sanjay Lago (he/him)

Director | Actor, Writer and Facilitator
Joined YTAS in: 2024
Sanjay is an Indian-Scottish neurodiverse actor, writer, facilitator and comedian. A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he has worked with Traverse Theatre, Imaginate, Mischief La-Bas, Tamasha, Tara Arts and the Scottish BPOC Writers Network. As part of the Soho Theatre Writers’ Lab, his play ‘Jalebi’ was longlisted for the Tony Craze Award, and in 2022 he became the John Mather Trust’s Rising Star of Scotland recipient, supporting him to develop a play around male mental health with the National Theatre of Scotland. Sanjay has previously served on the board for City of Glasgow College as Student President and represented both and young people on the Independent Commission for Race Equality. He is passionate about the arts and has a particular interest in new writing, championing diversity, and supporting minority groups.