The announcement comes as WISH Scotland marked the end of an impactful year with its annual Christmas event in Edinburgh on 4 December, hosted by Hanover Scotland and sponsored by Lovells.

The festive gathering brought together professionals from across the housing sector for networking, a lively quiz, and an inspiring keynote from Jackie Wade, acclaimed researcher-practitioner, speaker, and author.

Jackie challenged attendees to reflect on how we matter and how we can transform not only how we lead but how we live, echoing WISH Scotland’s mission to create a housing sector where everyone can flourish.

Kirsty Wells, chair of WISH Scotland, said: “At WISH Scotland, we’re proud to empower women across housing to thrive in their careers by providing networking opportunities and events that build confidence and encourage women to make their voices heard.

“Our Christmas event was a fantastic way to celebrate the achievements of 2025 and set the tone for an exciting year ahead. Welcoming four new board members at this time strengthens our leadership further.”

The new board members bring a wealth of experience to WISH Scotland.

Joanna Voisey, director of assets and sustainability at Berwickshire Housing Association, has over 30 years of experience in the housing sector. Her career spans a wide range of housing associations, complemented by specialist qualifications in property and asset management.

She said: “I’m passionate about fairness and equality and am really excited to be joining the WISH Scotland board and to be part of their work to empower women in the sector.”

Claire Mottram, energy and sustainability manager at Trust Housing Association, has worked in housing for more than a decade. Her expertise includes service design, business improvement, performance management, and governance. She commented: “Joining the WISH Scotland board is such a great opportunity to get to know other women in the sector. It’s such a supportive environment and one that I didn’t know I needed until I came across it.”

Lynn Mark, locality housing manager at Link Group, brings over 20 years of experience and is a Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) member. She has held roles at Hillcrest Homes, Places for People, and served as a board member of Edindex.

She added: “I am keen to promote careers within social housing, particularly for young people. Becoming a WISH Scotland board member is the perfect opportunity to take this further. I have loved attending WISH events, getting to know inspirational women in the sector and importantly building supportive relationships.”

Julie McManus has several years of experience working in the private sector, managing partnerships with the housing sector to deliver practical, high-impact services to tenants. Prior to this, Julie worked for membership organisations across both the property and medical sectors.

Julie said: “I’ve been attending WISH Scotland events since they launched in 2022 and am looking forward to working with my colleagues on the board to champion collaboration, inclusion and positive change across the sector.”

Kirsty Wells, chair of WISH Scotland, welcomed the new appointments, adding: “It’s fantastic to have Claire, Joanna, Lynn and Julie join us as board members. The wealth of experience they bring strengthens the WISH Scotland board as we work towards our vision of a housing sector where everyone can flourish.

“We also wish a fond farewell and say a huge thank you to Katie Stewart, Gillian Lavety, Gillian Duddy and Leza Lafferty for their valuable contribution to our board. We wish them every success for the future.”