Meet the 2026 Judging Panel
The Structural Timber Awards are judged by a panel of independent industry leaders from across the built environment. Each entry is carefully reviewed and scored against a set of clear criteria, with judging conducted anonymously to ensure fairness, impartiality, and integrity throughout the process.
Alberto Jena
Country Manager UK
hsbcad
Alberto Jena is Country Manager UK at hsbcad, the leading provider of flexible offsite construction software offering end-to-end solutions from design to manufacturing and assembly. With 20+ years of experience in software development, product innovation, and leadership, Alberto has a deep understanding of the industry’s technical needs. Alongside hsbcad, he plays a pivotal role in driving innovation within the offsite timber construction industry.
Andy Heyne
Founding Director
Heyne Tillett Steel
Andy has over 30 years’ experience in structural engineering in London, working on a wide range of projects with leading architects and clients. He values close collaboration across disciplines, believing successful buildings rely on strong communication and an integrated design approach. Known for his technical expertise, he enjoys expressing innovative structural ideas through architectural form. Andy is a strong advocate for mass timber structures and low-carbon design, contributing to projects including The Gramophone Works, Technique and Walworth Town Hall, and is currently on site with Xylo.
Chris Hall
Technical Innovation Manager
NHBC
Chris is the Innovation Manager at NHBC, the UK’s leading provider of warranty and insurance for new homes. He joined NHBC in 2015 and is responsible for the maintenance of NHBC’s policy to address Modern Methods of Construction, and to identify trends in risk management of non-conventional and low carbon construction. As a chartered surveyor with over 30 years’ experience in construction, he is a representative on both the RICS Professional Residential Panel and the Built Environment editorial advisory group.
Clara Koehler
Architecture & Design
Woodknowledge Wales
Clara is an architect and urban designer specialising in embodied carbon and regenerative design in her work with Woodknowledge Wales. Her broad background reflects her interest in the built environment as a setting for everyday life, which has led her on a quest to find ways to challenge standard solutions and traditional ways of working in order to make that ‘everyday’ sustainable for the planet in the long term.
Dan Shephard
Associate Structural Engineer
AtkinsRéalis
Elisa Sartori
Associate Director
Webb Yates Engineers
Elisa has over ten years of experience across the built environment, working in building services design, construction management, and energy and sustainability consultancy. Since joining Webb Yates Engineers in 2018, she has delivered energy-efficient solutions and ensured regulatory compliance across sectors including residential, office, leisure, education, and retail. A qualified LEED AP consultant, Elisa specialises in low- and zero-carbon building design using environmental modelling tools, focusing on reducing operational carbon while improving user wellbeing in both new-build and retrofit projects.
Finbar Charleson
Architect & Research Lead
dRMM
Finbar is an Architect and Research Lead at dRMM, Lecturer at UCL, and Media Studies Tutor at the Architectural Association. A graduate of Manchester School of Architecture and The Bartlett, he has received awards including the Manchester Society of Architects’ Future Architect of the Year and the Bartlett School of Architecture Medal. His research focuses on bio-based construction through writing, prototyping, and live builds, combining insights from indigenous technologies and digital theory. Before dRMM, he worked with Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, Olson Kundig, and DaeWha Kang Design.
Gary Ramsay
Editor
Structural Timber Magazine
Gary has edited, managed, and contributed to a wide range of B2B publications, both in print and online, since 1998. He has specialist knowledge of the timber and forest certification sectors, sustainable construction, and the offsite and modern methods of construction (MMC) industry. His experience spans editorial strategy, content development, and industry communications across multiple construction sectors. In addition to his work within the trade press, Gary was a regular contributor to Build It magazine for several years, interviewing individuals on their self-build journeys and providing insight into design, materials, and sustainable building practices.
Helen Hewitt
Chief Executive
British Woodworking Federation
An experienced Chief Executive with a strong track record across several manufacturing industries, particularly within the construction sector. She is skilled in negotiation, business planning, operations management, training delivery, and change management, with extensive experience leading regulated companies and improving processes, product ranges, turnover, and operational efficiency. She holds a BA in Apparel and Textile Manufacture from the University of Cumbria and was named in the Trade Association Forum’s Top 100 Influential Women in Trade Associations in 2023.
Mark Gray
Head of Product
Don & Low
With nearly 30 years’ experience within the off-site, MMC and Timber Engineering industries, Mark has held a number of senior positions within design, manufacture, development and installation, allowing him to view projects and offer solutions which satisfy specification requirements and regulations whilst fully utilising resources and capabilities. In his role at Don & Low Mark has been able to utilise this extensive knowledge and experience by working with their in-house development team to bring next generation, fully certified products to market, satisfying the industry’s requirements and ensuring they are future-proof.
Paul Newman
Technical Director
Structural Timber Association
Paul is the Technical Director of the Structural Timber Association (STA), a role focused on advancing sustainable construction through the increased use of structural timber across housing, public sector and commercial sectors. He supports the association’s strong reputation for technical expertise and industry leadership. Paul brings more than 30 years of experience in the timber and construction industries, having held a range of senior technical and leadership positions throughout his career, contributing extensive knowledge of timber systems, standards and best practice.
Rachel Pattison
Associate Structural Engineer
Price & Myers
Rachel’s interest in timber engineering started with her studies at the University of Bath and has developed throughout her career at Price and Myers. She has completed numerous engineered timber projects in the residential and education sectors – many of which are award-winning schemes. She is passionate about sustainable design and encourages the use of timber as a structural solution when it’s appropriate. Rachel sits on the Timber Development UK sustainability committee, aiming to share knowledge across the industry and input into the wider timber engineering community.
Roland Reinardy
Partner
Hawkins\Brown
Roland joined Hawkins\Brown initially with focus on Infrastructure and the delivery of Crossrail stations, and with a broader role to enhance the practice’s technical and project delivery capability. In this capacity he has contributed to projects across a range of sectors, notably Infrastructure, Higher Education, Civic and Residential. Roland has experience in the technical design and delivery of complex projects, including an understanding of engineering, facades and materials. He has previously worked on a range of international stadia and sports projects and multi-discipline teams.
Simon Smith
Associate Director
AKT II
Simon is an Associate Director at AKT II and leads the Manchester studio. With 18 years of structural engineering experience, he recently oversaw the structural delivery of the new extension to the University of Liverpool’s School of Architecture. The project features a 32-metre engineered-timber truss roof that achieves long spans with reduced self-weight and efficient load transfer into an exposed concrete frame. Simon coordinated the design within a complex historic estate, rationalising the hybrid timber–concrete structure to deliver clarity, performance and architectural quality.
Steve Bertasso
Associate Professor
New Model Institute for Technology & Engineering
Steve Bertasso joined NMITE from the United States, bringing 25 years of experience in the building industry. His career has focused on process improvement, strategy implementation, research, development, and training across roles including project management, purchasing, quantity surveying, and leadership. Since 2009 he has worked as an independent consultant, helping organisations develop sustainable building programmes and transformative business solutions. A sought-after conference speaker, Steve holds a BSc in Engineering and an MBA in Sustainability and now teaches construction and timber-focused courses at NMITE.
Tabitha Binding
Development Associate
Passivhaus Trust
Tabitha Binding is the Development Associate for the UK Passivhaus Trust. Tabitha came to the Passivhaus standard in 2015 having delivered an all Welsh-timber building to build regs, on time and on budget. She wanted to know how buildings could be delivered more efficiently and effectively. Her career has led her to work with forestry and supply-chains, manufacturers and suppliers, colleges, universities, academics, organisations and institutions. With the backing of an extensive network, she is never happier than discussing how we can use timber wisely and well.
Trevor Richards
Operations Director
Cogent Consulting
Trevor began his working life in the offsite manufacturing sector in 1993 and has worked in and around the sector ever since. Having worked for a large mature multi-site organisation and been in on the first day of a start-up, he has experienced the range of challenges facing manufacturers in delivering successful projects. Trevor has worked with the STA for a number of years now helping put into practice the STA’s Assure certification scheme and continues to do so.
Wendy Thomson
Associate Structural Engineer
Clancy Consulting
Wendy Thomson is a Chartered Engineer and Associate at Clancy Consulting with nearly two decades of structural engineering experience, specialising in timber frame design. She began her career at Woolgar Hunter in 2006 before joining DBM Consultants, where she progressed to Technical Director. Wendy holds an MSc in Timber Engineering from Edinburgh Napier University and is an NHBC Timber Frame Certifier. She leads timber kit design across residential, education, care, and hotel projects, working closely with manufacturers to deliver efficient, robust, and sustainable structural solutions.