Our Team

Christina Trautmann
Head of Leather Working Group

Christina joined LWG in May 2020 and is responsible for the managing the group.

Previously, Christina worked for adidas for several years, from the HQ in Germany to footwear material sourcing in Vietnam and Hong Kong.

In this time she gained valuable experience in material sourcing, the leather supply chain, and also represented adidas on the LWG Executive Committee. 

Christina holds an MSc in Sustainable Energy Engineering and a BSc (Hons) in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cape Town.

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Stuart Cranfield
Head of Operations

As of March 2022, Stuart Cranfield joined the LWG team to head up the operations of the group.

Stuart joins us after spending the last 36 years at Clarks, working across multiple different locations and functions. In his previous role, Stuart was central in establishing and managing the social audit program at Clarks and has taken active roles in several multi-stakeholder initiatives including SLCP, CGF SSCI and BSI PAS24000.

Stuart has experience in manufacturing and project and program management, and he has a wealth of experience in technical auditing requirements, standards, and processes.

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Vanessa Brain
Traceability Manager

Vanessa is responsible for managing LWG’s work on the traceability of leather, including managing our Traceability Working Group, developing our Traceability Roadmap, and creating solutions for brands looking to manage chain of custody within their supply chains.

Vanessa has a wealth of experience in the commercial fashion and sustainability sectors, gained by working for organisations such as the Fairtrade Foundation, Control Union and Historic Futures.

Vanessa is a specialist in sustainable materials, global sourcing, certification, and traceability systems.

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Dr. Leticia Millward
Sustainability Manager

Leticia joined LWG as our new Sustainability Project Manager. Leticia will help grow the group’s technical offering by contributing to audit developments, providing technical advice and expertise, and developing special topics, such as lifecycle assessments for leather as a material.

Leticia joins us after completing her PhD in Leather Technology at the University of Northampton. Leticia works closely with our technical colleagues, including the LWG Technical Sub-Group and all LWG-approved Auditors.

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Mark Lucas
Technical Manager & Auditor

Mark has been an LWG Auditor since 2005 and is a member of the LWG Technical Sub-Group. He has been instrumental in the development of the LWG Audit Protocols. Mark is a Principle Environmental Auditor with the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).

Mark has qualifications in Environmental Management, Leather Technology and Business and has worked in the leather industry for over 30 years.

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Jennifer Thorpe
Marketing Manager

Jennifer Thorpe joins LWG as a Marketing & Engagement Manager and will be responsible for all communications and promotional activities.

Another key aspect of Jennifer's role is to engage LWG members in various campaigns. Previously, Jennifer spent 5 years at Eurofins | BLC in a similar marketing role promoting a broad portfolio of services including materials testing, leather consulting, membership, auditing, and sustainability.

Prior to this, Jennifer has spent 10 years working in marketing across various sectors including construction, accountancy and higher education. 

Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn.

Jennifer Toes
Communications & Events Lead

Jennifer joined LWG in September 2018 and became responsible for LWG's marketing and communications efforts, including webinars and governance meetings for the group. Jennifer manages LWG's newsletter, website content, social media channels, and also works with global brands to advise them on their claims and labelling efforts.

Prior to joining LWG, Jennifer worked as a Communications Officer at CERN, where she managed the communications for EU-funded international R&D projects.

Jennifer holds a BSc in Biology and an MSc in Science Communication from Imperial College London.

Connect with Jen on LinkedIn

Oihana Garcia-Chevillotte
Community Engagement Manager

Oihana took up the post of Community Engagement Manager in May 2022. She will take ownership of all membership related tasks, including acting as a first port of call for all member enquiries. Oihana joins LWG after spending two years as a Senior Officer for the Corporate and Governing Members Engagement for the International Water Association and brings her knowledge and expertise of liaising with corporate stakeholders for an international sustainability organization.

Oihana has an MSc in International Management from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland and holds a bachelor's degree in Business, Law and Economics from the Université Catholique de Lille, France.

Connect with Oihana on LinkedIn

Juan Palomeque-Gonzalez
Data Analyst

Juan joins the LWG Team as our new Data Analyst, responsible for managing the LWG’s technical data.

Juan will play a key role in LWG’s digitalisation efforts, including audit digitisation and the development of the Supplier Scorecard. 

For the last 8 years, Juan has developed a career in data analysis, with a number of personal and research projects which have generated publications in scientific journals, and he brings this knowledge to the team. 

Connect with Juan on LinkedIn.

Emma Linnell
Audit Administrator

Emma has over 25 years of experience working in administration. Most recently, Emma has spent 16 years working at Eurofins | BLC Leather Technology Centre, where she was responsible for reporting, document management, general administration, and supporting the business directors as needed.

At LWG, Emma will be responsible for managing the administration related to our 1330+ audited members in over 55 countries, which includes the delivery of LWG audit reports and certificates, managing certified member listings on the LWG website, and more. 

Connect with Emma on LinkedIn