Our team

Photograph of Barbara Mills, Deputy Programme Director

Barbara Mills
Deputy Programme Director

Barbara has led the delivery of Olympic venues, run her own business, and consulted on innovation for organisations including the French Atomic Energy Commission. She’s passionate about the wider impacts CivTech can make, including those centred on young people and the rural economy.

Photograph of Lesley Ercolano, Challenge Manager Support 

Lesley Ercolano
Challenge Manager Support 

Lesley supports the CivTech team and in particular the Challenge Sponsor Managers deliver all aspects of the Challenges. Prior to joining CivTech, Lesley worked at the National Records of Scotland (NRS); preserving and digitising precious and vital records. Her true passion is photography, capturing extraordinary moments in nature and everyday human life.

Photograph of Jiveen MacGillivray, Challenge Manager

Jiveen MacGillivray
Challenge Manager

Over the last twenty-years Jiveen has led projects and managed programmes to meet the needs of customers and citizens in UK, North America, parts of Asia and the South Pacific. He believes that leadership is everyone’s business. Experienced gained in multinationals, his own business and government, he is accustomed to working with leaders and change makers. What excites and inspires him the most is helping Challenge Sponsors to get the most from CivTech and create value for people across Scotland.

Photograph of Graeme Jarvie, Challenge Manager

Graeme Jarvie
Challenge Manager

Since graduating with a degree in English Lit and Philosophy, Graeme has worked in a range of industries and roles. He spent seven years teaching English as a foreign language and freelance writing in Japan, before returning to the UK and working for a software company. Graeme has also worked in IT recruitment and joined CivTech from CodeClan, Scotland’s digital skills academy. He is interested in working with Challenge Sponsors to find new solutions to key problems, as well as seeing companies grow and develop as a result of the CivTech programme.

Photograph of Lisa Cunningham, Studio Manager

Lisa Cunningham
Studio Manager

On discovering that being an itinerant field archaeologist didn’t suit her, Lisa found other outlets for her talents with organisation and people in events management and project support. With experience throughout the public and private sectors, she is delighted to put her energy and enthusiasm into her role as CivTech Studio Manager. Her mission is to connect CivTech with the wider Tech Community.

Photograph of Joe Tree, Accelerator Lead

Joe Tree
Lead, Accelerator and Business Growth

As a BAFTA Award-winning designer with two startups under his belt, Joe has a rare mix of creative, tech and commercial experience. He is obsessive about marrying brilliant ideas with exciting technologies to build beautiful things that change people’s lives. He joined CivTech as Head of Product at launch in 2016 and now heads up our Accelerator and the wider Business Growth system. As well as overseeing the design and delivery of the extensive Workshop Programme, he works closely with the Challenge Managers on selecting, supporting and mentoring the participating companies.

Photograph of Mark Elliott, Programme Director

Mark Elliott
Programme Director

Mark has a long, successful track record working in both the creative and the business sides of the digital and creative industries. While CEO of the highly successful DigitalCity in NE England he helped hundreds of companies grow as fast and effectively as possible, and was a key player in The Difference Engine - Europe’s first tech accelerator. Moving north in 2013 he ran the UP Accelerator, Edinburgh and then joined the fun at CivTech, first as its Head of Accelerator until taking over as Programme Director in summer, 2019.