Meet the North East team

Joining the North East team in 2016, he works very closely with the region’s team of elected farmer officeholders and has overall responsibility for the regional recruitment and retention of members.

Originally from Huddersfield, and after studying at Askham Bryan College and Newcastle University, he started his career in the NFU as a graduate trainee in 2007. Since then he has worked across three different regions before joining the Brussels Agriculture Bureau for a four-year stint working on European issues.

Adam lives rurally between York and Pocklington with his wife and three boys.

Rob promotes the recruitment and retention of NFU members across the region.

He previously worked as business development manager, as a county adviser in the North East and as a group secretary in Shropshire.

Rob works closely with county advisers and the network of 80 group secretaries based in 47 offices across the North to achieve membership development. He also provides strategic direction and support to the regional sales teams.

Rob lives in North Yorkshire with his wife and two sons.

In her county adviser role, she works alongside Anna Simpson supporting NFU members and managing activity across the county. This includes managing the NFU’s lobbying activities with MPs and a range of external organisations from local authorities, the police and government agencies to non-governmental organisations and relevant commercial bodies.

She also actively supports NFU group secretaries to drive NFU membership and works closely with elected farmer representatives including county officeholders and members of regional and national commodity boards. 

Jane is also the regional lead for tenants. 

Before joining the NFU, she graduated from Harper Adams University College and now lives in Northumberland with her husband and their two young sons.

Jane works on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday

In her county adviser role, she works alongside Jane Dungait supporting NFU members and managing activity across the county. This includes managing the NFU’s lobbying activities with MPs and a range of external organisations from local authorities, the police and government agencies to non-governmental organisations and relevant commercial bodies.

She also actively supports NFU group secretaries to drive NFU membership and works closely with elected farmer representatives including county officeholders and members of regional and national commodity boards. 

Anna is also the regional lead for poultry.

Before joining the NFU, she graduated from Leeds University where she worked on the pig research unit, and joined the ABP graduate scheme. From there she joined AHDB Pork and completed a six-month secondment with Defra where she was involved in the climate change adaption team.

Anna works on Monday, Tuesday & Friday

This includes managing the NFU’s lobbying activities with MPs and a range of external organisations from local authorities, the police and government agencies to non-governmental organisations and relevant commercial bodies.

She also actively supports NFU group secretaries to drive NFU membership and works closely with elected farmer representatives including county officeholders and members of regional and national commodity boards. 

Laurie is also the regional lead for combinable crops and joint lead for dairy with Helen Wainwright.

Laurie joined the NFU in 1999 and, as a longstanding member of the team, has held a number of roles including regional policy adviser and environment adviser.

She lives near Thirsk with her husband and son.

This includes managing the NFU’s lobbying activities with MPs and a range of external organisations from local authorities, the police and government agencies to non-governmental organisations and relevant commercial bodies.

She also actively supports NFU group secretaries to drive NFU membership and works closely with elected farmer representatives including county officeholders and members of regional and national commodity boards.

Jennifer is also the regional lead for sugar beet and is joint lead for horticulture and potatoes with Liz Houghton and Aarun Naik.

Jennifer joined the NFU in 2020 from a Yorkshire based agri-food certification company, having graduated from Harper Adams University and completed a British Poultry Council Scholarship placement year at Gressingham Foods. 

She currently lives in North Yorkshire and in her spare time enjoys walking her dog and riding her horse.

In her county adviser role, she supports NFU members and manages activity across the county. This includes managing the NFU’s lobbying activities with MPs and a range of external organisations from local authorities, the police and government agencies to non-governmental organisations and relevant commercial bodies.

She also actively supports NFU group secretaries to drive NFU membership and works closely with elected farmer representatives including county officeholders and members of regional and national commodity boards.

She is also the regional lead on livestock and horticulture.

Before joining the NFU, she graduated from Harper Adams in 2008 and held various positions with agricultural businesses including Shearwell Data, Cogent Breeding and Mole Valley Farmers.

Outside of work, Poppy supports her partner with his agricultural mechanic business and together they have a son and two labradors.

Growing up on an East Yorkshire arable farm, James joined the NFU after eight years of working for Defra’s science agency on both national and European projects.

Charged with developing a strategic overview of environmental and land use policies in the region, he works to ensure policy is sustainable for everyone and rooted in the real-world. He is passionate that agri-businesses are given the opportunity to develop and adapt, and that their operating environment allows this to happen.

James holds multiple positions on stakeholder groups for water, gas, and electrical companies across the North of England along with both formal and informal roles on flood committee.

She joined the North East team after a year on the NFU’s Agricultural Policy Graduate Scheme, having graduated from the University of Oxford where she studied geography.

During her time on the graduate scheme, she worked in the climate change team and then in the food and farming department covering dairy, animal health and welfare, and horticulture and potato issues.

Anna has recently moved back to North Yorkshire where she grew up, and in her free time plays squash for her local team.

Hannah joined the North East team in 2010, having previously worked in hotel and hospitality management roles.

She lives in York with her husband.

Michelle joined the North East team in 2019, before which she worked for a GP's surgery, Aviva and the NFU Mutual.

She lives in York with her partner.