Volunteer Academy Staff
Chief Officer
Janet Miles
01349 864 289
Janet joined HTSI as Chief Officer in 2026 having worked in the third sector within Highland for over 25 years. With previous roles on the National Lottery Community Fund Scotland Committee and the Community Ownership Support Service she has seen firsthand how the third sector can make our communities better places to live and thrive.
She is particularly interested in community led regeneration and social enterprise especially within a rural context and has spent much of her career in and around the Development Trust Movement. She served on the Board of the Development Trust Association Scotland (DTAS) for 17 years.
Closer to home, Janet managed local development trust, Gairloch and Loch Ewe Action Forum (GALE), for 26 years. During that time, she grew GALE from a fully grant dependant organisation with one employee to a thriving social enterprise employing 25 staff and 40 volunteers.
Janet also serves as Vice Chair of the Scottish Land Fund and is a Learning Facilitator with the Social Enterprise Academy.
Having achieved a BSc(Hons) in Horticulture many years ago, Janet is sill a keen gardener in her spare time.
Senior Development Officer
Volunteering
Luthien Lark
07436 144 485
Luthien joined HTSI in May 2023, she initially started off her career working in mental health services, both rurally and in Aberdeen city. Luthien then went on to study Psychology MA Honours and Person Centered Counselling at the University of Aberdeen graduating in 2010, after which she was involved in developing a successful pilot Employability project to determine the training and support needs of those furthest from the job market in Aberdeen. Luthien has since lectured in Health and Social Care, before returning to Employability, Training & Recruitment in both the funded and commercial sectors. Outwith work, she has a fondness for horses, creative arts, music (she can be known to play guitar and sing on occasion), writes poetry and promotes the importance of a thriving, creative culture in
the Highlands.
Volunteer Academy Digital Development Officer
Eilidh Forsyth
01349 864 289
Eilidh graduated in 2023 from the University of Aberdeen and has spent the last 18 months working for Fèis Rois as a Gaelic Officer. During her time in this role, Eilidh focused on language planning and policy development. She was also able to gain experience as a project administrator for traditional music education projects. In her spare time, Eilidh is often found watching tennis or playing the bagpipes.
Volunteer Academy Development Officer
Iona Macphee
01349 864 289
Iona Macphee joined HTSI in September 2025. Her role involves engaging with local communities across the Highlands, supporting organisations to develop volunteering opportunities, and promoting volunteer involvement through the Volunteer Academy. She graduated from the Open University in July 2025 with a first-class Honours degree in Criminology and Sociology. Iona is now completing a Master’s in Globalisation and Crime at the University of the Highlands and Islands. Every Friday, she volunteers with a local charity, which keeps her grounded in the day-to-day realities of community work. She is passionate about exploring new ways to support and strengthen volunteering, drawing on both academic study and lived experience. Outside of work, Iona enjoys playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends, going for walks, and discovering new food spots."
Volunteer Academy Development Officer
Eilidh MacInnes
01349 864 289
Eilidh MacInnes joined the HTSI's Volunteer Academy in September 2025 as a Development Officer. She has a long history of working with communities across the Highlands, with experience spanning the private, public and third sectors. Her background includes supporting families with young children and building connection through workshops and classes that focus on child development, early communication and parental mental health. In her current role, Eilidh is passionate about strengthening communities to connect, grow and thrive through volunteering. Outside of work Eilidh is busy renovating her house, an old manse, while also acting as taxi driver to her two secondary-school-aged boys. She is learning to spin and weave and looks after her small fibre flock of 5 Shetland sheep.