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Meet The Team

ILS was founded by George and Rebecca in 2010. The aim was to deliver quality security consultancy services to International Organisations, using the wealth of knowledge and experience they’d gained from working with NGOs in post-conflict environments and other complex settings. Since then, the team has grown significantly and we are extremely proud to employ such a unique team of professionals.






George Shaw

Co-Founder & Managing Director

George has led the development of ILS from its inception in 2010. He maintains oversight of all ILS’ service delivery and business development, with a specific focus on our Global Learning Programme. George has worked in aid and development since 2003, in both strategic and operational roles, in the UK and in various complex and post conflict settings around the world.

Rebecca Maudling

Co-Founder & Director

Rebecca has led the strategic development of ILS since our inception. Today she oversees various functions of the business including strategic development and growth, financial management and sector engagement. She has a varied background including working in international development programmes in countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, India, Egypt and Pakistan.

Operational Management Team & Board Advisors

Leandro Nagore

Director of Learning & Development

Leandro oversees the development and delivery of ILS global training programme. He joins ILS following a period of time working in academia and as an L&D consultant within the Human Rights, Democracy and Election Observation space. Prior to that he spent 8 years as an Election Monitor in a range of complex environments. He is fluent in English, French and Spanish and has worked in 18 different countries over the past 10 years.

Helen Hill

Director of Finance & Operations

Helen is a chartered accountant, she has previously worked in practice, national companies, and charities. She is your contact for all things finance.

Stephen Gluning

Director of Risk Advisory Services

Stephen has an extensive background in security risk management, crisis management and humanitarian operations management from a 23-year operational and director-level career in the United Nations. Prior to joining ILS, Stephen held senior positions for the World Food Programme in the Philippines, Italy, and Pakistan from 2009 to 2019, after being a chief security officer for the United Nations for 13 years.

Alice Orme

Commercial Manager

Alice holds an LLM in International Law and Global Justice. Her studies in Humanitarian law saw her research the standing of state and non-state actors in conflict scenarios, women in peacekeeping, and the legality of the 2003 occupation of Iraq. Other areas of focus include Migration Policy and Refugee Law. Alice also has experience of legal research for criminal justice organisations, in both the UK and USA.

High Risk Media Advisory Team

Hannah Storm

Associate Advisor in Meia and News

Hannah is a consultant, trainer and keynote speaker. She has a strong journalism background, specialising in media safety and mental health. As former CEO of the International News Safety Institute, Hannah has global experience working at Reuters, The Times, ITV News,  Channel 4News,  and the BBC.

Chris Kemp

Board Advisor in High Risk Media training

Chris is the Group Director of Security for News UK. He has over 30 years of safety and security experience. Chris is a former Army Officer, and Senior Security Advisor for the UK Government’s Stabilisation Unit. Most recently Chris worked as the head of the BBC High Risk and News Safety team.

Risk Advisory & Training Team

Hannah Eastwood

Senior Risk Advisor

Hannah delivers risk advisory projects to our clients in the UK and the field. Hannah has extensive experience providing operational and strategic risk advice to clients, having previously worked as a Senior Threat Analyst for Crisis24 and for Palladium within the FCDO Office for Conflict, Stabilisation and Mediation. She has wide country experience, including in Moldova, Ukraine, Montenegro, UAE, Rwanda, Kenya, and Indonesia.

Monica Ribeiro

Senior Risk Advisor

Monica is an experienced humanitarian with a background in protection, and extensive operational risk management experience. Having worked for more than 20 years in fragile and high-risk environments, predominantly with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), she has held a broad range of management and advisory positions throughout her career, both operational and office-based. She has managed and coordinated field operations in countries such as Mozambique, Colombia, South Sudan, DRC, Mali, OpT, Rwanda, and Angola; and has worked directly with communities affected by armed conflict and violence, as well as liaised with a wide range of civilian and military state and non-state authorities and local and international organisations. Monica is equally comfortable working in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Zoe Knight

Risk Advisor

Zoe has a background in research and operations, with a focus on human rights and international security. Most recently, she held the position of Senior Security Specialist at International SOS where she delivered assistance to a range of clients operating in high and extreme-risk locations. Zoe has extensive travel experience, and has a keen interest in West Africa, having conducted security assessments in Gambia, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau. Building on previous positions in academic research and client-facing risk management, her work at ILS involves developing the risk advisory team’s analytical function.

Nicola Griffiths

Senior Training & Safeguarding Advisor

Nicola has 15 years experience in programme design, delivery and technical support, including learning and knowledge development  - seven of which were spent delivering and advising on humanitarian assistance for complex emergencies in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Her areas of expertise include child protection in emergencies, human security, gender based violence, mental health and psycho social support and reintegration. Her humanitarian career has seen her working in complex contexts including South Sudan, Iraq, the Sahel, Bangladesh and NE Nigeria to name a few.

Paul Davies

Training Officer

Paul is a training officer delivering courses for ILS in the UK. He brings a varied experience to ILS from the British Army, private security roles and the private sector. In his roles, Paul has worked and travelled extensively in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia/NZ. He is a qualified coach and instructor, having trained people of all backgrounds (including volunteer management) for the past 25 years in hostile environment awareness technical, commercial and recreational diving, and first aid. A proven problem solver, qualified electrician and rugby coach in addition to the above, Paul can address any issue, whilst delivering a professional service, remaining conscious of his audience and their individual needs.

Operations & Commercial Team

Rachel Felton

Operations Co-Ordinator

Rachel is responsible for the administration, logistics and coordination of our global training programme. She has enjoyed a career in administration and holds a degree in Zoology and Ecology.

Naomi Demaine-Stone

Office Administrator

Naomi provides admin support across the operations and training teams. She trained as a Children’s Social Worker and practised in the UK for a number of years. After starting a family, she has worked in administrative roles in Sussex. An active member of her community, she established a WI for local women, started the first girls football team in their area, has been a guest speaker on personal growth and development, and has been involved in voluntary projects both at home and abroad.

Nicky Wright

Finance Assistant

Nicky is a Finance Assistant, she has enjoyed a career in legal administration and finance.

Jacob Stewart

Business Development Advisor

Jacob leads on proposal writing and business development at ILS. He has a background in international development and experience working with government agencies, INGOs, private consulting firms, and research institutes. Prior to joining ILS, Jacob has been a research and community partnership consultant delivering work for the French Development Agency, Mountain Sentinels (National Science Foundation), McMaster University, SOAS University of London, and Colorado State University. Prior to moving to the UK, Jacob lived in Gifu and Kagawa Japan for four years and is comfortable working in both English and Japanese. Jacob holds an MSc in Environment, Policy and Development and a BA in International and East Asian Studies.

Ruairí O'Connor

Digital Operations Advisor

Ruairí leads on marketing, design, branding, content creation, data protection, and information management. Prior to joining ILS he worked for the Fonthill Foundation as warehouse and donations manager.

Consultants

Beth Chapman

Senior Consultant

With over 15 years' experience in the operational delivery and management of overseas travel safety and security, Beth has worked in partnership with many humanitarian and environmental NGOs, notably in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia to deliver safe and effective programme visits in complex environments. Beth is an outstanding trainer, and brings a strong understanding of Duty of Care to our team.

Imogen Wall

Consultant Trainer

Imogen delivers our Field Resilience & Stress Management Training; a mental health trainer and qualified therapist specialising in staff welfare and crisis management, she also has extensive experience as a frontline humanitarian responder. Prior to ILS, she carried out frontline humanitarian work in Indonesia, Sudan, Haiti and the Philippines for the UN, and worked for the BBC world Service as a producer and editor. A survivor of burnout and associated conditions herself, she continues to work as a humanitarian consultant and responder alongside her teaching and mental health work.

Terry Jewell MBE

Consultant Trainer

Terry leads on First Aid Training for ILS. He has served in the Fire Service for over 25 years, and is a team leader within the UK’s International Search and Rescue Team.

Natalie Au

Consultant (Safeguarding)

Natalie's expertise in safeguarding and gender equality and social inclusion and safeguarding spans a 15-year career working in the international development and humanitarian sectors globally with a particular focus across Africa and Asia. She has worked with a vast range of clients ranging from international NGOs, Foundations, private sector companies, government agencies and bilateral development banks. Natalie has direct experience conducting organisational assessments and providing technical support to address key gaps and risks; developing and setting up safeguarding policies and procedures; delivering safeguarding training; conducting investigations; and developing technical products to support clients to strengthen their ability to implement effective safeguarding measures. She has particular expertise in child safeguarding and safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

Nick Fenton

Consultant Trainer

Nick has delivered training for ILS in the UK, and recently in Ukraine. He is an adaptable and outgoing security professional with proven experience of leading civilian and military teams through the demanding environments of the UN and Defence at international level. He has experience in policy formulation, stabilisation, programme management, humanitarian affairs, and negotiation. Nick is fluent in French and is an articulate and dynamic communicator, skilled in complex decision-making processes.

Jane Pickett

Consultant Trainer

Jane delivers security training and supports crisis management training for ILS in the UK. A fluent Russian speaker, she has extensive work experience in law enforcement, police and peacekeeping training, and hostile environment training.

Daniel St. Pierre

Associate Risk Advisor

Daniel is a security industry professional with more than 20 years of experience working in support of civilian missions and NGOs in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas in a variety of complex and hostile contexts. Specialising in risk analysis and security training, Daniel regularly contributes to ILS trainings overseas in French and English.

Yuliya Chykolba

Consultant Trainer

Yuliya has developed and led safety awareness programs on explosive hazards in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and recently Ukraine. Since 2016, she has held various roles within the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and international NGOs, working in countries with the highest levels of mine and explosive contamination in the world. She is an alumna of the Department of War Studies, King’s College London.

Carla Oannis

Consultant Trainer

Carla is a licensed clinical psychologist with over seven years of professional experience and has seamlessly integrated her expertise into diverse international and local organizations spanning multiple sectors, including medico-social, livelihood, community health, and child protection. Coming from Lebanon, she possesses fluent proficiency in English, French, and Arabic, facilitating effective cross-cultural communication. Her focus and research on the interplay between the mind and body have positioned her as a specialist in addressing issues related to stress, depression, trauma, grief, and anxiety.