Our people

Portrait of Jan Wills
Jan Wills
Chair of Trustees
Board of Trustees

Jan’s professional career in archaeology started in fieldwork in the midlands and north of England. Moving into local government she managed both curatorial and fieldwork teams, most recently in Gloucestershire as County Archaeologist. For the last 10 years she has worked part time as a consultant on research projects, current sector issues, and organisational reviews. Her trustee and advisory roles have included Chair of the Association of Local Government Archaeologists, trustee of the Council for British Archaeology, Chair of the Institute for Archaeologists, and membership of the Historic England Advisory Committee. She is currently a Trustee of the Heritage Alliance, President of her county archaeology society, a Member of CIfA and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

Portrait of Paul Chadwick
Paul Chadwick
Trustee
Board of Trustees

Paul joined the Trustees in 2020 having retired from a career in professional archaeology.  A graduate from the University of Wales (University College Cardiff), after a stint on the digging circuit in the mid 1970s, Paul went into local government, first in North Yorkshire where he created the Sites & Monuments Record for England’s largest county and then in Berkshire, where he also developed innovative planning policies that helped form a basis for government planning policy in PPG 16.  Since 1991 he has worked in archaeological planning consultancy and was a founding Director of CgMs Consulting.   Since retiring Paul has undertaken a study of Roman agricultural landscapes in Midland and southern England and is currently preparing a D. Phil thesis at the University of Oxford on Romano-British rural settlement and farming.

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Richard Briant
Trustee
Board of Trustees

Richard is an Associate Fellow at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. His current projects include programmes for mid-career Indian professionals and the Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellowship Programme. 

Richard has worked at Oxford University for over 20 years both at the Business School and before that as the administrator of the Department of Materials where he helped set up the University’s Science Park at Begbroke. His early professional experience was as a UK civil servant and diplomat. He has also worked in the water industry as an economic consultant and specialist journalist. Richard is an active Friend (and former Chair of Friends) of the Pitt Rivers Museum. Richard brings to Oxford Archaeology broad experience as a Trustee as well as familiarity with practical management in tight financial circumstances. 

Portrait of Simon Blackmore
Simon Blackmore
Trustee
Board of Trustees

Simon has worked in the education during his professional career and has experience in Charitable Trusts. He has kept an active interest in Archaeology since he studied it in his undergraduate days. As well as being a Trustee of Oxford Archaeology he is a Trustee of The Vale of the White Horse and Ridgeway Archaeological & Historical Trust.  He has also a long association with the Friends of the Ashmolean.  

His academic interests extend to local history and he is a member of the Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society. He sees public benefit and educational outreach as essential aspects of Oxford Archaeology’s role in the community. 

Portrait of Denise Price
Denise Price
Administrator
Administration Team
Portrait of Louise Waltham
Louize Waltham
Administrator Manager
Administration Team
Portrait of Michel Watson
Michelle Watson
Administrator
Administration Team
Portrait of Nicola Gifford-Cowan
Nicola Gifford-Cowan
Operations Manager
Administration Team

Nicola supports Oxford Archaeology's Cambridge office in its contractual obligations and its staff through facilities and resources management. 

She joined the company in 1998, giving her over two decades of relevant experience.