THE BOARD
David Wood - Chair
David joined the Board shortly after its inception and has served as Treasurer, Vice-Chair and Chair.
He has worked in both public and private sectors in mainly accounting and financial management capacities. After several Financial Advisor roles, his latest position was as Financial Manager of a Credit Union, before retirement.
With a strong interest in housing and tenant matters David has long been involved with his local Tenant Association as well as the Scottish Tenants Organisation.
Currently David is occupied with a charitable social enterprise, which he helped to set up. It's aim is to reduce landfill through recycling household goods while providing training and employment opportunities. Major funding and asset transfer of premises have been agreed, hopefully allowing operations to begin in 2018, after essential refurbishment is undertaken.
Anne Allan - Vice Chair
Anne is a Councillor for the Peterhead North and Rattray ward of Aberdeenshire Council, and is the opposition spokesperson on the Communities Committee, and a member fo the Community Planning Partnership Board.
She has a long involvement with Housing going back to her days as an active tenant before she was first elected in 1999.
In the little time she has free from council duties, Anne is a keen family historian and is secretary of the Family History Society of Buchan.
She is also a member of the Buchan Community Safety Group, the Hatton Residents Association and the Peterhead and Buchan Fairtrade Group. She joined the Board of Houseability in 2012.
Les Allan - Director
A Glaswegian, Les has lived in the North East for over 27 years having come to the area to work for Banff & Buchan District Council as a Depute Director . At re-organisation of the local government in 1996 he became Head of Housing for North Aberdeenshire. Laterley, Les took on the role of Area Manager for the Marr area of Aberdeenshire. He retired in 2014.
As well as being a Director of Houseability, Les is also the chair of Osprey Housing Moray, a housing association and charity. Chair of Huntly and District Development Trust, a charity and social enterprise which is involved in a range of community projects.
Les is married to a very hard working Primary Headteacher, has a daughter, 4 sons, and a grandaughter. He does housework and plays golf in his spare time.
Brian Watson - Director
Brian has over 40 years' of experience in public sector Housing. Previous roles included senior positions in local government as Director of Housing and Property with the former Banff & Buchan District Council before becoming the First District Manager for Grampian, Highlands and Islands with the Government's former National Housing Agency, Scottish Homes, where he played a lead role in transferring SSHA housing to Cooperatives and providing development funding to Housing Associations.
After short spells in the private construction & development sector, he returned to local government with Aberdeenshire Council in 2004, initially as a Housing Manager, and latterly as Acting Head of Housing, a post he held for a year before retiring at the end of 2016.
THE STAFF
Katrina Colligan - Team Leader
Katrina has worked within housing for nearly 30 years, starting with Clackmannanshire Council, moving to Horizon Housing Association, then onto Falkirk Council before moving to Aberdeenshire Council in 2012. She came to work for Houseability in 2019 bringing with her the vast knowledge she has accumulated over the years.
Katrina has taken on the role of Team Leader and aims to ensure that Houseability continues to grow and engage with the local community in the future. Katrina thrived in the very varied and interesting role of Housing Advisor and will continue to work alongside our Housing Advisor, Gillian, and the various housing providers and organisations we have engaged with in the past 22 years.
Katrina has a CIH Professional Diploma in Housing and Sustainable Communities. She continues to increase her housing knowledge by taking part in training with Shelter Scotland, Home Energy Scotland and various other providers. These courses include Housing Law & Advice, Fuel Poverty, Private Rented Sector and Homelessness.
Katrina enjoys spending time with family, her horse & dog, socialising with friends and being out in the local countryside in her free time.
Gillian Dickson - Housing Advisor
Gillian has taken on the role of Housing Advisor and will be continue to be the main contact for our clients, housing providers and referrers. Gillian joined the Houseability team as Housing Advice Assistant in October 2021 and has been a fantastic member of the team. Before this she worked in various roles in the Aberdeenshire Council housing department and was previously a social work occupational therapy assistant. Gillian will continue to help clients with their housing issues and thoroughly enjoys her role.
She has two grown up children and in her spare time is studying a course in applied psychology and enjoys swimming and walking.
We pay our staff the Living Wage or above.