About Water Resources East

Daniel has a background in water, farming and environmental policy as a senior civil servant at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.  During his time there he helped take the Flood and Water Management Act through Parliament, reformed how flood and coastal defence projects are funded in England, and helped write the ‘Health and Harmony’ agriculture white paper.

He also spent four years at the Climate Change Committee where his team compiled the first statutory reports to Parliament on preparing the country for climate change, and compiled the 2017 UK Climate Change Risk Assessment. He is a Director of the Aldersgate Group, ex-chair of the National Flood Forum and a CIWEM Fellow.

Ben is the Technical Director at Water Resources East, overseeing and steering the technical work programme associated with the development of the regional water resources plan. Ben joined WRE in October 2021 and is committed to helping to develop a multi-sector, integrated water management approach with WRE’s members and partners across the East of England.

Prior to this, Ben was an Associate Director at Wood Plc where he worked on a variety of water management projects with clients across the water industry, local authorities, the Environment Agency and Defra, and led a research consortium to enhance the understanding of future multi-sector water demand as an important part of the evidence base behind the Water Resources National Framework. Earlier in his career, Ben worked at the Environment Agency for over 10 years in various roles in water resources regulation and assessment, hydrology, and integrated environment planning, building his interest in the creation and use of tools and approaches that can lead to cross-functional work towards shared environmental and water management goals.

Julia has worked in the flood and water sector since 2007, initially managing Water Cycle Studies, Strategic Flood Risk Assessments and other non-transport infrastructure projects related to water quality, green space, renewable energy and public realm.

With the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 coming into force, Julia took on the development and delivery of the new Lead Local Flood Authority role. Working for three councils, and also managing biodiversity and green spaces, Julia led on stakeholder engagement, strategy, policy and plan development, and was Project Director for a number of workstreams to reduce flood risk and improve the natural environment in new and existing communities.

Julia has been a member of the Anglian River Basin District Liaison Panel, Anglian Water’s Sustainability and Resilience Panel, the Water Leaders Group and chair of ADEPT’s national Flood and Water Management Group. Through the latter, she actively assisted the Environment Agency with development of the National Flood and Coastal Erosion and Risk Management Strategy.

Julia is a huge advocate for holistic water management and is excited about promoting joined-up investment in nature based solutions.

Kirsty started with WRE in November 2020. Her early career started in Hotel Management, spending 6 months at Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Her career took her into admin over 20 years ago, spending time working within the NHS in the Pathology Department as the office manager, and also with Anglian Water as a Personal Assistant.

Kirsty’s skills enable WRE to successfully run the day to day operations including administration, finance, HR and IT management. She also deals with arranging meetings, making sure WRE’s accounts are up to date and generally keeping the team and their diaries ship shape!

Kirsty is also a qualified Forrest Yoga instructor and when she’s not at work she loves spending time teaching and writing new classes, many of which are specifically designed for students with injuries.

Katerina joined WRE in October 2025 as our Data Analyst, to support the delivery of the technical programme and the data management platform.
Before joining WRE, she worked as a Geospatial Data Analyst with Norfolk County Council’s Environment Team, carrying out detailed spatial analysis and creating data visualisation tools to help deliver strategic initiatives such as the Local Nature Recovery Strategy and Norfolk’s One Million Trees project. Katerina previously served as a Data Officer at the Surrey Biodiversity Information Centre (SBIC), where she managed extensive species datasets, implemented data management workflows, and coordinated data sharing with local authorities, conservation organisations, and ecological consultancies.

With an MSc in Environmental Science and a background in conservation, Katerina enjoys combining analytical expertise with environmental insight to address data challenges. She is particularly interested in using spatial data and emerging technologies to transform complex data into clear, actionable insights that inform better decision-making.

Katharine joined WRE in May 2023 as our Principal Water Resources Specialist, to support delivery of the technical programme. Katharine previously worked as a Principal Water Resources Consultant at Ricardo Energy & Environment, before which she spent several years in Anglian Water’s Water Resources Management Team. Her technical experience includes regional and water company water resources planning, drought planning and drought response, UKWIR research projects, environmental assessments, and use of various hydrological modelling tools. These roles have provided her with a detailed understanding of current and future water resource management and environmental issues, particularly across East Anglia.

Katharine is passionate about creating a sustainable water future for both people and the environment, and committed to working collaboratively with stakeholders to achieve this. She is a Chartered Water & Environmental Manager (C.WEM), an active member of the CIWEM Water Resources Technical Panel and past Chair of the CIWEM East Anglian Branch Committee.

Alice is WRE’s lead Researcher and Science Communicator. She joined the team in January 2024, to assist with various projects and help deliver our technical programmes. Alice has worked with several international organisations and has successfully led initiatives focused on regenerating wild areas while providing ecosystem services for local communities. She is an expert in community outreach and believes that education through media is a crucial component in creating change for both nature and people.

Alice has a Master of Research and a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology. Her thesis focused on predicting tipping points and ecosystem collapse in native UK habitats, and exploring adaptive solutions to combat these challenges. She is particularly interested in our work promoting the investment in nature-based solutions.

Hannah started at WRE in January 2024 to lead the programme of work on Nature-based Solutions to water challenges. She has a background in water and environment, working for 12 years at the Broads Authority on partnership projects with a focus on water and biodiversity management. Most recently, she worked for WaterAid in partnership with Anglian Water as Programme Manager for The Beacon Project, delivering water, sanitation and hygiene in Nepal.
Hannah lives in east Norfolk, between the coast and the broads, and enjoys spending time in nature, volunteering for Norfolk Wildlife Trust at the Trinity Broads. She also volunteers for A Rocha UK and the Baptist Union Environment Network, encouraging and equipping churches in the eastern region to care for the environment.

As a Catchment Project Officer at WRE since February 2024, Morgan is dedicated to advancing nature-based solutions for water security, with a current emphasis on implementing runoff attenuation features in the Cambridge catchment area. Prior to joining WRE, Morgan served as a Catchment Scientist at Cambridge Water, where they specialised in identifying and mitigating risks to water quality, with a particular interest in addressing concerns related to PFAS. Holding an MSc in Sustainability and Environmental Studies from the University of Strathclyde, Morgan’s research centred on innovative financing for humanitarian organisations to reduce their environmental impact. Having relocated from Scotland to Cambridge three years ago, Morgan has developed a deep appreciation for the region’s natural beauty, particularly its chalk streams, though they still find themselves perplexed by the sight of a Muntjac.

Having a background working with the agricultural sector to improve our natural environment, Teresa is pleased to be working with stakeholders across the East of England WRE region, to enable sustainable abstraction and water resources for all of our sectors, for the future.

During her time with BASIS, Teresa pioneered the Environmental Advisers Register to recognise trusted professionals delivering environmental advice and led on the creation of sustainable land management, carbon and climate change and wider training, qualifications and industry audit schemes.  Prior to this, Teresa worked with arable farmers across East Anglia for AHDB improving yields, business and personal development and as a Catchment Adviser for Essex & Suffolk Water, working with farmers to improve water quality in the Chelmer and Blackwater catchments.

As a Director of the North Essex Farm Cluster, a Trustee of the Rural Community Council for Essex (RCCE) and a Nuffield Farming Scholar, Teresa is passionate about ensuring the farmed environment is delivering for the agricultural sector, the environment and those wider users and is delighted to be working in collaboration with all stakeholders to achieve this ambition.

Jenny started with WRE in June 2026. She has had an interest in sustainability and conservation from an early age, completed a Rural Development MA from the University of East Anglia. This provided her with a blend of theory, practical skills and real-world case studies. She gained empirical insights which gave her a solid foundation in issues surrounding agriculture, rural livelihoods, policies and politics. After 12 years in management positions, leading projects, budgets and teams she has developed strong organisational, communication and problem-solving skills. At WRE, as a Project Officer she applies her experiences to administer grants, project reporting and contributes to areas of policy, compliance and logistical administration.

Abygail joined WRE in 2026 to support the delivery of agricultural projects that support the sustainable use of water. Abygail comes from an Environmental Science background and spent the past few years working as a Catchment Sensitive Farming Adviser. During her time at CSF Aby provided advice to farmers on everything from farmyard infrastructure, clean and dirty water management to soil health and land management. She worked closely with farmers and land managers to implement changes on farm that improve water quality, enhance environmental outcomes and build resilient farming businesses. Prior to this Aby worked at Norfolk County Council in the flooding department, investing the causes of flooding issues and helping to develop solutions.

Abygail is passionate about helping the agricultural sector become resilient in the face of climate change. She believes that productive agriculture and a healthy environment go hand in hand. She is committed to working with farmers and partners to develop practical solutions that enhance water security, protect natural resources and support the long-term viability of farming for future generations.