Meet the Team

David is the founder and Chief Executive of The Retrofit Academy CIC.

He has spent more than a decade addressing the skills gap in the retrofit sector, working closely with government, industry, and education to scale up retrofit training. He is driven by The Retrofit Academy’s mission to develop over 200,000 competent retrofitters by 2030.

David is a regular speaker and facilitator at conferences and events, including for the Local Government Association, the UK Green Building Council, and the World Green Building Council. He serves on several key industry committees, working groups and think tanks, and has appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live, ITV News and Channel 5 News. He is also co-owner of Osmosis ACD, a company specialising in delivering outstanding retrofit assessment, coordination and design.

Outside of work, you’ll find him cooking a curry, walking his miniature schnauzer (Monty), watching his beloved Stoke City or going for a run!

Jenny joined The Retrofit Academy in 2020 as Chief Operating Officer and leads on all things people, operations and programmes.

She started her career working for PricewaterhouseCoopers and Tribal Local Government Consulting, and before joining The Retrofit Academy spent over nine years in local government. She is a chartered manager, an associate chartered management accountant, a PRINCE2 practitioner, a change management practitioner, certified programme manager and has recently completed an MBA and Level 7 Senior Leader Apprenticeship.

Jenny led the Community Renewal Fund Project that won the 2023 Unlock Net Zero Collaboration of the Year: Knowledge Building and Research Award.

Outside of work, you’ll find her in the gym or pool, singing choral music, walking her miniature schnauzer (Monty) or enjoying a crisp sauvignon blanc.

Charlotte joined The Retrofit Academy in 2020 and, after roles in marketing and customer support, is now the Operations Manager.

She graduated from Keele University with a 2:1 in Finance and Marketing and prior to joining The Retrofit Academy worked in both international and national organisations such as MIQ Shanghai. She has an analytical mind and a creative spark and is a Six Sigma Green Belt leading on operational excellence, systems and processes within The Retrofit Academy.

She regularly takes part in international online events, conferences and seminars related to automations and integration in her quest for operational excellence.

While her passion is improving customer experience and creating slick operational processes, her true loves are wine gums and loose-leaf tea!

Grant joined The Retrofit Academy in 2021 as a Customer Support Assistant and, after much effort, dedication and hard work, is now the Finance Manager.

He graduated from the University of Wolverhampton with a 2:1 in Business Management (Finance) and prior to joining The Retrofit Academy worked in finance admin and contract management. He completed the AAT Advanced Diploma in Accounting in 2022, achieving some impressive results.

Outside of work, Grant enjoys spending time with his friends, family and his pug Pablo, listening to music and watching his beloved West Bromwich Albion. He likes to keep fit through various sports, usually football or a few rounds of golf. He continues to amaze his colleagues with how far he makes his annual leave stretch!

Sooraj Rajaramadas joined The Retrofit Academy in 2024 as our Systems Coordinator, bringing a wealth of experience in digital marketing and project management to the team.

In his current role at Retrofit Academy, Sooraj collaborates closely with colleagues to implement efficient systems and optimize business processes. He is passionate about enhancing operational efficiency through innovative technology integration, drawing from his extensive experience in streamlining operations for organizations such as Money Matters Community Bank and Plant Lipids Private Limited.

Beyond his professional endeavours, Sooraj is an avid enthusiast of emerging technologies, constantly seeking opportunities to elevate operational efficiency. In his leisure time, he enjoys playing cricket and basketball, indulging in trekking adventures, and exploring the great outdoors.

Jackie joined The Retrofit Academy in 2024 as our HR and Operations Assistant, supporting the wider Corporate Support team.

With over 20 years of experience in the banking industry, Jackie has managed multiple large branches and spent two years in the technology centre, contributing to various roles within the digital team, from PMO to supply and demand. She is now completing her Level 5 CIPD HR qualification and has achieved a Level 2 qualification in Mental Health Awareness.

A fun fact about Jackie—she’s a twin! In her spare time, she enjoys socialising, travelling, and skiing whenever she can.

Emma joined The Retrofit Academy in 2023 as Operations Assistant.

She has completed a customer service NVQ and has worked in sales and business administration for six years for companies including Arnold Clark. She now works closely with Charlotte and Grant on aspects of financial and operational management and is involved in the social committee, helping to organise our social and charitable events and away days.

Outside work, Emma has both competed in and coached gymnastics for more than 14 years, supporting people from the age of two years old. She loves travelling and binge-watching her favourite TV programmes (Benidorm and Gavin & Stacey) while snuggling up to the newest member of the Dodd family – Teddy, her cocker spaniel!

Callum joined The Retrofit Academy in 2021 as the Training Operations Manager and is now the Head of Training Development and Delivery.

He has 10 years’ experience in the construction industry, starting out as a plasterer and tiler and then working for a new-build company as Assistant Site Manager. He also has more than 10 years’ experience in the construction training sector working in various roles in prisons, further education, adult training and charities.

Callum leads all aspects of our training including new-product development, training delivery, funded training programmes and our growing training network. Under his leadership, The Retrofit Academy won the 2023 Unlock Net Zero Skills and Training Award.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, visiting new places, going on holiday, watching sport (mainly rugby – go Wasps!) and going to the gym.

Gary joined The Retrofit Academy in 2022 and is the Quality and Training Manager.

He has eight years’ experience developing and delivering qualifications in various construction craft skills. He has worked in a young offenders’ facility and a charity in managerial roles with a focus on getting learners in full-time education or employment. His involvement in training has involved him keeping a keen eye on quality assurance and he took the lead on this for the training arm of a large national charity.

When he’s not working, Gary enjoys spending time with family and friends, fishing, watching rugby (Wasps), football (Coventry City) and live music.

Emma joined The Retrofit Academy in October 2023 as the Training Partnerships Manager.  She deals with all aspects of the Training Partnerships from expression of Interest through to delivery and is the main point of contact for all queries.

She has 15 years’ experience in the education sector, starting out as a tutor and IQA and working up to the Operations Manager of the financial services apprenticeships department. 

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, especially her Granddaughter, and watching a good drama.

Bec joined the Retrofit Academy in November 2023 as Compliance Manager.

She has worked in the FE sector for around 15 years in various roles, such as, Compliance, Operations, Delivery and Team Management. She has extensive knowledge around ESF, AEB and Apprenticeship funding.

Outside of work, Bec is quite creative and likes to be kept busy, she is a qualified Dog Groomer and Nail Technician. She likes to spend her spare time with her children, partner and three dogs, whether that be on long walks, cosy at home watching movies, or you can often find her at theme parks across the UK.

Ellie joined The Retrofit Academy in 2021 as a Learner Support Assistant and is now the Training Coordinator leading our customer support team.

She graduated from the University of the West of England with a BA in Creative Writing and Theatre Studies.

Outside of work, she enjoys reading, writing and playing board games with friends. In her free time, she is also studying German and has found a new love for gardening.

Liz joined The Retrofit Academy in August 2024 as a Learner Support Assistant., dealing with any queries from Retrofit Academy learners and supporting them throughout their learning journey.

Liz has 30 years’ experience and knowledge in customer service having worked for The Money Advice Trust as a debt advisor and a private dental practice as a marketing lead. Although Liz is new to Retrofit she does have experience In the construction Industry. Outside of work, Liz enjoys spending time with her family and friends and is currently busy renovating her new home.

Bethany joined The Retrofit Academy in 2022 as a Learner Support Assistant.

She graduated from the University of Huddersfield with a BA (Hons) in Journalism.

Outside of work, Bethany enjoys spending time with her family, binge-watching her favourite TV series with lots of snacks and having a cuddle with her cat, Phoebe.

Clive joined The Retrofit Academy in 2021, although he has been delivering excellent retrofit training for us for a while longer than that! He plans and delivers training sessions that cover the full portfolio of courses we run. He works to ensure we deliver consistently high-quality training across the board.

Clive moved into domestic energy efficiency from a career in IT in 2007, initially as an energy assessor for both new-build and existing dwellings. Since then, he has worked with residential social landlords and local government housing departments on stock analysis, air pressure testing, thermal bridge analysis, infrared thermography and house condition surveys. He is a qualified retrofit coordinator, retrofit assessor and air pressure tester as well as a domestic energy assessor for new and existing dwellings.

Outside of work, Clive has been studying tai chi for 30 years and been teaching for 20. He regularly sings in a church choir and performs in an a cappella choir several times a year.

Susan has been the Internal Quality Assurance Assessor on the Level 5 Diploma in Retrofit Coordination and Risk Management since February 2020 and officially joined The Retrofit Academy in 2021. She is now responsible for IQA across TRA’s full portfolio of courses.

She has worked in property for more than 25 years after graduating from the University of Aberdeen with a degree in land economy. She joined Hillier Parker and worked as a chartered surveyor in the commercial property market in Edinburgh before moving to Shropshire. Since 2006, she has been involved in a wide range of energy efficiency assessments and training.

In her spare time, she is found running, on the tennis court and playing the bass clarinet in a local concert band.

Matt joined the Retrofit Academy in 2024 as Retrofit Skills Coach. He plans and delivers training sessions that cover the full portfolio of courses we run. He works to ensure we deliver consistently high-quality training across the board.

Matt moved into domestic energy efficiency from a background in electrical, plumbing and heating, as well as sustainable rural agriculture for local government bodies. Initially, he retrained as a Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) during the pandemic, then became a Retrofit Assessor and Coordinator (both through the TRA). Since 2022, he has surveyed hundreds of homes for charities and private clients, including PAS 2035 projects such as LAD, WAVE (SHDF) and HUG, along with assorted other consultancy projects. Through these assessments and coordination work, all the way through to lodgements on Trustmark, he has gained a wealth of knowledge.

Matt has been fortunate to mentor new Assessors and Coordinators along the way, helping the new generation of Retrofit professionals on their path to achieving our goals of carbon neutrality in the domestic sector.

Outside of work, Matt loves spending time with his two children, taking them to museums and walking their dog, Vinnie.

Dominic joined the Retrofit Academy in February 2024 as a Retrofit Skills Coach. Dominic has previously been working as a Retrofit Coordinator working on SHDF Wave 1 projects in the Southwest. 

He has worked as a natural builder working with cob as well in conventional construction and renovation. Further experience and study have focused on practical sustainability, arboriculture and horticulture. Dominic is currently also studying an MSc part time in Green Building and has keen interests in ultra-low energy buildings, natural materials and domestic energy.

In his spare time, he loves spending time with his family and in nature with hiking, gardening and vegetable growing. Dom also loves board games, live music and festivals.  

Angela joined The Retrofit Academy in 2024 as our Membership Community Manager.

Elle joined The Retrofit Academy in 2021 as a Customer Support Assistant, but we thought we’d lost this bright young thing when she decided to take a sabbatical to earn her master’s degree in Applied Security Strategy at Exeter University. She returned to the fold and progressed with the company, recently being promoted to Project Manager.

She works on projects and partnerships with government and housing associations, ensuring our work is well planned so that ambitious outcomes can be delivered.

In her free time, she enjoys playing netball and tennis, going to concerts and baking (although her mum is still convinced she’s just making a mess!).

Lucia joined The Retrofit Academy in 2023 as our Research Coordinator.

Graduating from the University of Derby with a 2:1 in Sociology, Lucia’s passion for social change and equality didn’t stop there. Most recently, she completed a Master of Research degree in Social Science and Humanities with a First (Distinction)!

Outside of the office, you can find Lucia reading academic and non-academic literature and writing blogs on social and mental health. Baking is another passion of Lucia’s, and she has a knack for creating the best cakes! Rock and Pop-Punk are her favourite music genres, so you may find her jamming in a concert!

Mark joined The Retrofit Academy in August 2023 as a content specialist. Although he is new to the retrofit industry, Mark has over 15 years of experience in learning and development and has worked in large corporations, start-ups and local government, creating online learning content and delivering face-to-face training sessions.

Mark spends his free time with his family (including their golden retriever, Loki) and gaming every Friday at his roleplaying (Dungeons & Dragons) club. He also attempts to squeeze in writing pieces of short fiction and playing the guitar (badly) along with Iron Maiden.

Melissa joined The Retrofit Academy in 2022 as a Customer Support Assistant and is now a Product Coordinator working on new training courses and ensuring TRA’s existing course portfolio is the best it can be.

She has more than nine years’ experience in business administration and coordination. Although new to retrofit, she has previous experience in the training sector as well as the building industry. She is a natural techie, picking up new systems with ease, and loves being out with a video camera capturing content for use in our courses.

When she’s not working, you’ll find her with her family and their French bulldog, Bruce. She loves visiting her family in Devon, which involves lots of ice creams on the beach as well as a good ol’ fish and chips!

Shannon started working with The Retrofit Academy as a freelance designer in 2023 then joined as a fully-fledged member of the team in 2024 as a Learning Designer.

Her professional background is mostly creative and design-led with 10 years’ experience as a Graphic Designer. With previous roles, including skills such as product design, photography, illustration and graphic design and most recently, a professional diploma in UX Design, Shannon hopes to bring some of her technical knowledge and creative flair to our courses.

At the weekend, you can find her picking flowers and spotting bugs with her 2 year old or sometimes painting or crafting something when she can find the time!

Charlie joined The Retrofit Academy in December 2023 as a Videographer, working with the learn and marketing teams to enhance course content and marketing materials with the power of video.

He has several years’ experience creating videos within the comms sector. Working with various clients from local Councils to large healthcare providers like the NHS, Charlie produced engaging video content to promote services, communicate with staff and help to get across information concisely.

When Charlie is not at work you can find him spending time with his fiancée and family, playing games or at the gym.

Anthony joined The Retrofit Academy in 2024 as our KTP Associate from Staffordshire University.

Recently completing his Master’s Degree at Sheffield Hallam University in Immersive Arts, he specialised in MR (Mixed Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), and AR (Augmented Reality) applications, immersing himself in cutting-edge technology whilst gaining practical experience on a diverse range of projects. He’s bringing his expertise in immersive technology and media to contribute to innovative new ways of delivering education for the retrofit industry.

Outside of his professional endeavours, Anthony enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, as well as taking on challenges and staying active. Most recently he took on a four-month cycle from Athens to Manchester. His dream is to complete the Marathon Des Sables in the next couple of years.

Adrian joined The Retrofit Academy in 2022, and is the Senior Funding and Resource Integration Manager.

He worked in the recruitment sector for almost 10 years before moving into adult education five years ago. He has a background in business development and contract management and has delivered various funded projects across the country in energy efficiency and construction. Adrian has experience working on European social funds, adult education budget, apprenticeships and, most recently, skills bootcamps.

Outside of work, Adrian enjoys spending time with his family, hosting barbecues and following Manchester United, Lancashire Cricket Club and Sale Sharks.

Lucy joined The Retrofit Academy in 2022 as a Learner Support Assistant. She has a passion for supporting our learners in having an enjoyable experience studying with the Academy, and has learnt more about the industry in doing so.

She previously worked as an Executive Assistant, supporting Directors in Tax at Ernst and Young. She was also once training to be a midwife and has delivered three babies.

Lucy enjoys keeping up her fitness and is keen on weightlifting in the gym. She also loves baking brownies and cooking plenty of pasta dishes.

Josh joined The Retrofit Academy in 2024.

Emily joined The Retrofit Academy in 2021 as a Customer Support Assistant but quickly discovered a passion and aptitude for marketing and has progressed within the organisation to the position of Digital Marketing Manager.

She graduated from the University of Manchester with a BA (Hons) in English Literature and brings a unique blend of creative and analytical thinking, as well as a passion for delivering meaningful communications.

She loves hiking outdoors to catch some beautiful natural scenery (a serial sunset-snapper), practicing yoga, listening to great tunes in great company, and is a self-admitted caffeine junkie.

Jess joined The Retrofit Academy in 2024 as an Events Manager, bringing her extensive experience in event management, hospitality, operations, and sales.

She enjoys crafting memorable events and maximising revenue by expertly managing every phase of the event lifecycle – from virtual gatherings to nationwide and international experiences. Jess is dedicated to delivering high-impact events that showcase meticulous attention to detail, exceptional service, and complete client satisfaction.

In her (rare!) downtime, she loves spending time outdoors with her husband, toddler, and energetic Jack Russell Terrier. A pole fitness enthusiast and aspiring homesteader, Jess is always dreaming up ways to live a little closer to nature!

Katie joined The Retrofit Academy in 2024 as Digital Marketing Manager, bringing over 7 years’ experience in Digital Marketing, Customer Engagement, Content Creation, Branding and more.

She has a passion for creating engaging customer communications, works extremely efficiently and is very-much an ideas girl! Her positivity is contagious, bringing enthusiasm, warmth and purpose to every discussion.

In her free time, Katie loves being in the gym, is a frequent runner and enjoys walks in the countryside. She is a lover of all things self-care, shopping, home interior and ALWAYS has a coffee in her hand!