Board members

Dianne Millen

Chair

Dianne is a Legal Director in the family law team of the Edinburgh firm BTO and an accredited specialist in family law, having practised in this field since 2011. As a solicitor working with families experiencing relationship breakdown, Dianne has long recognised the important contribution of mediation, child contact support and relationship counselling to the welfare of children and families, and is committed to the support and development of these services.

Before qualifying as a solicitor, Dianne worked in the third sector and government in a series of research and project management roles. She formerly served as Vice-Chair of the Board of Fife Gingerbread and is also on the Board of Garvald Edinburgh. In June 2024 she was appointed as a legal member of the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Social Security Chamber). Outside work, Dianne is a devoted cat slave and also enjoys yoga, theatre, and following the mixed fortunes of Aberdeen FC. She is also currently undertaking the COSCA Certificate in Counselling Skills. She has been a Board member since November 2022 and was appointed Chair in March 2024.

Isobel Bilsland

Vice Chair

Isobel managed Relationships Scotland Borders for over 26 years, retiring from her post as Chief Executive in December 2021. For many years she was a Registered Mediator and Supervisor. During her time at RSB, Isobel introduced contact and children’s services and managed the take-over of the local couple counselling service. She served on the Family Mediation Scotland Board from 1995 until its merger with Relate Scotland.

Francesca Howard

Board Member

Francesca has been working in Child Protection for the last 10 years and is passionate about understanding the needs and challenges faced by families across Scotland. She currently works as a Project Manager for the charitable youth organisation Fast Forward. She works with young people, and the adults in their lives, to help them to make better informed decisions around risk taking behaviours such as alcohol, substance misuse, sexual health and gambling. In her spare time she loves to explore the Scottish countryside, regardless of the weather.

Imogen Lambert

Board Member

Imogen joined the Board in 2022. As a Senior Policy Adviser in the Scottish Government, Imogen brings valuable political, government and public sector experience to Relationships Scotland. Imogen was previously the Co-Chair of the Scottish Government’s Women’s Development Network, supporting corporate transformation projects to improve diversity, equality and inclusion for all staff. Imogen owns a Westie with her partner and has discovered a passion for wild swimming since moving to Edinburgh from Australia in 2017.

Sue Maxwell

Board Member

Sue trained as a nurse in general and mental health. Alongside this I joined various organisations to train as relationship and psychosexual therapist in the 1980’s. I worked in the NHS for 30 years latterly as nurse manager in the community mental health service. More recently, Sue worked with Relationships Scotland (RS) as Joint Head of Network Services retiring in 2013. She is the chairperson of the RS Counselling Practice Committee. For 23 years Sue is the director of a private practice offering psychotherapy to clients couples and families. She supervises private therapists, NHS therapists, (RS) therapists and therapists working with sexual compulsivity and out of control sexual behaviours that breach the law. Sue is keen to support strong and imaginative organisational development of (RS) and the RS Network to ensure we have and quality services and practitioners. In this ever-changing climate it is essential we invest in, value, retain and develop volunteers and paid staff.

Murdo McLeod

Board Member

Murdo is the Chair of Relationships Scotland – Family Mediation West of Scotland.

Jordan Sutherland

Board Member

Jordan has been on the board of Relationships Scotland since 2020. Jordan was nominated to the board through his role as Chair of Relationships Scotland – Shetland, having served as chair since 2015. Jordan’s professional background is in social work, and he manages children’s social work services in the Shetland Islands.

serena-sutherland

Serena Sutherland

Board Member

Serena was nominated to the Board through her previous role as Chair Person of Relationships Scotland Orkney. Serena is a Lawyer based in Orkney although her work takes her throughout the north of Scotland. Serena does mostly family law and dispute resolution but as part of a general practice legal firm deals with a wide variety of other work and enjoys the variety. In her spare time she enjoys walking her dog, going to the cinema and socialising.

Marta Henderson

Board Advisor

Marta sits on the Board as an adviser representing the interests of the merged member services. Marta has been the Chief Executive Officer of Relationships Scotland Tayside and Fife since 2013, and a registered family mediator since 2016. Since completing her post-graduate studies in 2006, Marta primarily worked in the mental health field (working for Carr-Gomm and SAMH), and also gained experience in learning difficulties (with Turning Point Scotland) and in housing support (with Positive Steps). She initially joined the Relationships Scotland network as a Practice Manager in 2011, overseeing mediation and counselling support for her Service.

Mark Stalker

Board Advisor

Mark sits on the Board as an adviser representing the interests of the local family mediation services. In his main role Mark is the manager of Relationships Scotland Family Mediation South Lanarkshire as well as being a registered family mediator and facilitator of the Parenting Apart programme. Prior to joining Relationships Scotland Mark was a solicitor in private practice for 12 years. In his spare time he volunteers with a local Greyhound Rescue, enjoys archery and watching bad horror movies.

Mark Mackenzie-Smith

Board Advisor